OTTERHEAD ESTATE & LAKES: ACCESS RIGHTS

Visitors are asked to note that the public rights of way are PUBLIC FOOTPATHS and are not public bridleways, restricted byways or byways open to all traffic.

Stile by the Home Covert

The public footpaths are identified as such by signposts at junctions with metalled public roads and therefore comply with that legal requirement.

Sections of the Nature Trail are along public footpaths but other sections are along permissive footpaths. The status of the various sections is mentioned on the Nature Trail Information Sheet, details of which are to be found elsewhere on this website. All of the other visible paths and drives are permissive footpaths. There is no admission charge or charge for walking along the permissive footpaths on the Otterhead Estate.

Any licences and permissions for activities such as horse riding and hunting that may be valid in the locality, are not valid for the Otterhead Estate which is independently managed by the Otterhead Estate Trust Co. Ltd.; swimming in the lakes is not permitted by Wessex Water. 

Otterhead Estate and Lakes is a water catchment and local nature reserve with remnants of the Victorian landscape including gardens; it follows that any activities that could cause pollution of the public water supply; disturbance of all forms of wildlife and wildlife habitats; damage to built heritage features and ornamental plants or to the surface of public and permissive footpaths, are prohibited.

These restrictions are intended to preserve the environment of this local nature reserve for visitors and for local wildlife. Hunting is not permitted at Otterhead Estate and Lakes as even though legislation protects wildlife from being hunted, the presence of hunts may cause  unintentional disturbance; such disturbance particularly in cold weather may be life-threatening and therefore unacceptable at this nature reserve. The status of the Estate's public rights of way being public footpaths and not public bridleways, prevents hunts from crossing the Estate to access other areas where hunting may be permitted.  

It is recognised that most regular visitors do not need reminders but the status of Otterhead Estate and Lakes may not be fully understood by those who have not visited Otterhead before; first time as well as regular visitors are welcome.

In case of any doubt, please email otterheadestate@aol.com.