With thousands of visitors expected to flock to the countryside from this weekend as tourism businesses in England reopen, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) is urging people to follow the Countryside Code during their visit.
The Countryside Code aims to help everyone respect other people, protect the natural environment and enjoy the outdoors.
It is there to ensure visitors enjoy the countryside safely by planning ahead of their visit, maintaining social distancing, keeping dogs away from livestock, leaving gates as they find them, taking litter home and avoiding having barbecues in public spaces.
The CLA, which represents 30,000 farmers, landowners and rural businesses across England and Wales, sees the upcoming holiday period as a real opportunity for visitors to make the most of the beautiful countryside.
CLA President Mark Bridgeman (pictured above) said: “From this weekend we will see tourism businesses in England begin to re-open, and with international travel still restricted we expect a large number of people to head into rural areas for a break.
“Our message is clear. People are hugely welcome in the countryside, and we want to help them to enjoy it safely and responsibly.
“We believe this is a fantastic opportunity both for our regular visitors and for the many first-timers. We know the countryside can do wonders for people’s mental and physical health, and it can also help them understand the natural environment, including how food is produced in Britain.”
The CLA has produced an array of graphics which capture some of the key rules to follow in the countryside.
CLA South East represents thousands of landowners, farmers and rural businesses in Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
