Outdoor Partnerships Open access restrictions

Landowners are able to close their land for up to 28 days a year, excluding public holidays, for any reason, as long as they inform the relevant authority (which in Shropshire is Natural England). Only four of these days may be at weekends, and none of these may be:

• Saturdays - between 1 June and 11 August
  
• Sundays - between 1 June and 30 September
  

Landowners are also able to apply to the relevant authority for additional restrictions and exclusions for any period (including weekends), where they are necessary for land management purposes in connection with public safety or fire risk.

Public rights of way are not affected by closures to access land.

Dogs on access land

The law requires people to keep their dogs on a fixed lead of no more than two metres between 1 March and 31 July, the main breeding season for birds, and in the vicinity of livestock. Owners of grouse moors may exclude dogs for a period of up to five years. Dogs can also be excluded from enclosures of up to fifteen hectares for up to six weeks each year during lambing season.

Fire restrictions

In certain conditions, access land may be closed due to the risk of fire. The Met Office has produced a fire severity index which uses wind speed, temperature, time of year and rainfall to assess the risk on an hourly basis. If this index becomes "extreme" in an area, any access land within that area will be subject to a restriction, and will be closed until the risk has been removed.

Current short-term restrictions

• There are currently no short-term restrictions in place.

Current long-term restrictions

• There are currently no long-term restrictions in place.