The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill was officially passed on 5th November 2025, but what does it mean for outdoor access in Scotland?
In short, very little. The Bill does not change the statutory rights of responsible access set out in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. That means your rights to walk, cycle, camp, paddle, ride horses, etc, remain exactly as they are today.
However, it does affect how owners of very large landholdings must deal with public access, mainly by increasing accountability and transparency.
Key Takeaways for Outdoor Access:
1. Large landowners must show how they comply with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code
For landholdings over 1,000 hectares, landowners must prepare a publicly available land management plan. According to Regulations under section 44B, landowners must set out the information that a land management plan is to contain, including how they intend to comply with “the Scottish Outdoor Access Code in operation in pursuance of section 10 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003”.
- pg. 2, Land Reform (Scotland) Bill
This is the only direct link in the Bill to outdoor access, and it strengthens expectations around responsible land management.
2. Increased transparency (plans must be public)
“Regulations under section 44A must require the owner of land to ensure that there is a publicly available land management plan in relation to the land.”
- pg.1-2, Land Reform (Scotland) Bill
Because land management plans must be public, hillwalkers, climbers, residents, access officers, and the wider public will be able to see:
- whether the owner is following the Access Code;
- what their access policies and arrangements are; and
- how they engage with their local communities.
This puts increased pressure on landowners who previously may have used signage, gates, or general restrictions to discourage access.
3. The Bill expands who can report breaches of landowner obligations
A wider set of bodies, including community councils, crofting bodies, local authorities, National Park authorities, SEPA, and NatureScot, can now report breaches of obligations to the new Land & Communities Commissioner.
- See pg. 6, Land Reform (Scotland) Bill under Section 44E “Reporting alleged breach of Land and Communities Commissioner.”
What the Bill does NOT do
It does NOT create new restrictions or expansions to access rights under the 2003 Act.
It does NOT create new enforcement powers in relation to the Access Code.
It does NOT alter core paths, roles of access officers, or laws around rights of way.
You can find the full Land Reform (Scotland) Bill here.
Image credit: Iain Dow