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DofE | Countryside Code & Safety Signs

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  • Livestock & Dogs: If you are hiking with a dog and encounter livestock (cows or sheep), what two specific actions should you take to ensure safety?
    Keep the dog on a short lead and walk around the edge of the field, giving the animals a wide berth.
  • Farmyard Navigation: When walking past farm buildings, what specific type of route must you stick to, rather than crossing the farmyard directly?
    The designated public rights of way and paths.
  • Gate Protocol: You arrive at a field gate and find it closed. After passing through, what must you do immediately?
    Leave the gate exactly as you found it (closed).
  • Navigation Safety: For maximum safety when planning and executing a hike, what navigation aid should you carry and know how to use, in addition to digital aids?
    A physical map and compass.
  • Crossing Livestock Fields: Before crossing a field containing livestock (especially cows with calves), what is the safest procedure you should follow?
    Assess the mood of the livestock and cross quickly and calmly without lingering.
  • Injured Wildlife: If you see an animal that appears injured or distressed on public land, what is the safest and most responsible thing to do, rather than intervening yourself?
    Keep a safe distance and report the location and nature of the injury to the relevant authority (e.g., local farmer, landowner, or RSPCA).
  • Machinery Encounter: When encountering farm machinery on a path, should you wait patiently and stand well clear until the machinery has passed?
    Yes.
  • Fire Risk: Is it acceptable to light a campfire or barbecue in the countryside as long as it's a dry day?
    No. (Fires are a major risk and are generally heavily restricted.)
  • Wall and Fence Damage: If you encounter a stone wall or fence, what principle should guide your actions regarding climbing over or otherwise damaging the structure?
    You must never climb over walls, fences, or through hedges as this can cause damage. Always use the provided gates, stiles, or gaps.
  • Crop Protection: If you accidentally wander off the path onto cultivated farmland (e.g., a field of growing crops), should you backtrack immediately to the nearest public right of way?
    Yes. (This protects crops and the farmer's livelihood.)
  • Water Safety: Is it generally safe to drink water directly from mountain streams and rivers during a hike without filtering or treating it?
    No. (Water can contain harmful bacteria, parasites, or chemicals.)
  • Litter Policy: You have finished a snack and have a banana peel and a plastic wrapper. What is the correct action to minimize your environmental impact?
    Take all litter (including biodegradable food scraps like banana peels) home with you.
  • Feeding Animals: Is it acceptable to feed wild ponies or sheep you encounter on a public footpath?
    No. (Feeding can make animals dependent or aggressive.)
  • Hike Planning: When planning a multi-day hike, is it crucial to inform a reliable person of your planned route, expected return time, and what to do if you don't check in?
    Yes. Why?
  • Crossing Structures: What is the correct protocol when using a pedestrian gate, stile, or gap in a wall/fence?
    Use the structure provided, ensuring any gates are left as found.
  • Distress Signal: Is the standard international distress signal six blasts on a whistle or six flashes of a light, repeated every minute?
    Yes. (Though three blasts is also still known too)
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