Nidderdale AONB Visitor Centre | Restrictions and Closures

You are here: Outdoor Activities > Open Access > Restrictions and Closures

Restrictions and Closures

Landowners can close their moor for 28 days a year. This is normally to ensure public safety whilst carrying out necessary management tasks such as heather burning. During these times you are prohibited from entering the moor unless you are following an existing right of way.

Landowners may also apply for long-term restrictions or closures, where necessary for land management, safety or fire prevention reasons.

There are a number of ways you can find out about such closures:

The Countryside Agency administers the closures and holds up-to-date information on their website www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk.
Access information points have also been installed at popular locations within the AONB and will display information about closures.
Location of information points will also be indicated on the new OS Explorer maps 297 & 298. These are widely available from shops or you can order direct by telephoning 0845 2002712.

Photo: Burning Heather courtesy of Tessa Bunney

Photo: Grouse shooting party courtesy of Tessa Bunney

Key dates to note:
Ground nesting bird season	March to June
Grouse shooting season	12^th August to 10^th December
Pheasant Shooting season	1^st October to 1^st February
Heather Burning Season	1^st October to 15^th April
Lambing	March to end of May (uplands)

Bringing your dog

If you are planning to bring your dog with you, you must check to find out whether restrictions are in place for a particular moor before you set out.

Most access land in the Nidderdale AONB is managed for grouse shooting and owners of grouse moors have the right to exclude dogs from the moor all year round. On other moors you must use a fixed lead of no more than two metres long from 1 March to 31 July which is the ground bird nesting season for grouse and many other moorland bird species, and at all times near livestock. If in doubt keep to public rights of way and always have your dog under close control.

A very useful leaflet called 'You and Your Dog in the Countryside' can be downloaded from the countryside access website and this contains a variety of helpful information about travelling with your dog in the countryside.