Core Paths - Scotland

Every local authority and National Park authority (access authorities) in Scotland is required to draw up a plan for a system of paths (core paths) sufficient for the purpose of giving the public reasonable access throughout their area.

Core paths are paths, waterways or any other means of crossing land to facilitate, promote and manage the exercise of access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, and are identified as such in access authority core paths plan.

There are, intentionally, no set physical standards for core paths. This means that core paths can physically be anything from a faint line across a field to a fully constructed path, track or pavement. The National Access Forum, Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Government are encouraging information to be surveyed and made publicly available, in a nationally-standardised form, so that the public will know what physical type of route they can expect. Government guidance is making core paths the priority for rolling out this national standardised grading system information, which is set out at https://www.pathsforall.org.uk/resources/resource/the-path-managers-guide-to-grading