Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 introduced a right of responsible access to most land and inland water in Scotland. This Act also placed a duty on all local authorities to prepare a Core Paths Plan.
The Act and the accompanying Scottish Outdoor Access Code| have raised awareness of how to enjoy the outdoors and manage land responsibly with respect to these new access rights.
Falkirk Council is committed to improving the quality of life for people living and working in the area and it has become clear that welcoming paths are increasingly important to local communities not just for recreation, but for commuting and getting to local amenities and other places of interest.
Falkirk Council's Core Paths Plan shows a network of nearly 400km (250 miles) of paths. These are the most important routes identified by land managers, walkers, cyclists, horse riders and local residents.