Walking through long grass, finding the shortcuts and uncovering quiet, unspoilt spots in nature is a terrific way to use your leisure time. There are a lot of 'gentleman's rules' that apply to nature rambling however, and many of these adventures involve walking across private land at some stage.
The New Zealand Walking Access Commission Chief Executive Mark Neeson is asking that holiday makers ‘follow the Kiwi way’ over the holidays and show respect for neighbouring landholders when accessing the country’s beaches, forests, rivers and mountains.
"New Zealand’s striking outdoor environments provid fantastic opportunities for people to get out and enjoy themselves this summer, but understand how to act responsibly in these areas – it's necessary to maintain New Zealand’s special access culture," he says.
“Most landholders are happy to grant access across their property when asked. However, it is important that people using the outdoors for recreation repay that trust by acting responsibly.
“People who are unaccustomed to rural life are often unaware of behaviours we take for granted. A little extra knowledge can make all the difference.”
Mr Neeson says that the New Zealand Outdoor Access Code, available on the New Zealand Walking Access Commission’s website, offered practical advice and information for accessing the outdoors, including simple steps like asking permission before crossing private land, walking in single file around stock and leaving gates as they are found.
If you are planning a trip into the outdoors this summer, try the Walking Access Mapping System – a free online tool developed by the Commission to help people identify publically accessible land.