A recent article in the Press & Journal entitled ‘Inside the fight to save historic Moray Golf Club from being trampled into sea by walkers‘ outlines Moray Golf Club’s concerns related to losing part of the course due to coastal erosion. The Club believes this erosion is being exacerbated by people walking along the dunes, and they aim to stop people from doing this.
Unfortunately, it appears that Moray Golf Club may be unfamiliar with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code as there is a quote in the article from the Vice Captain saying “Everyone thinks it’s right to roam. Well on the golf courses, it’s not.”
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code, which promotes the right to responsible access, clearly states You can exercise access rights to cross over a golf course but you must:
- Follow paths where they exist
- Keep off golf greens at all times
- Not damage the playing surface
- Not interfere with any golf games
- Allow players to play their shot before crossing a fairway
- Be still when close to a player about to play
- Keep your dog on a short lead
The dunes in question are actually delineated as a Core Path, making up part of the Moray Coast Trail. Core paths are paths, waterways or any other means of crossing land to facilitate, promote and manage the exercise of access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. The path crossing the golf course from the end of Muirton Road is also a Core Path. Landowners looking to restrict access to a certain part of their land would have to provide an alternative route allowing the public to continue the ability to exercise their access rights.
The Outdoor Access Code outlines best practice for managing access across golf courses, including guidance for signage, and case studies where other courses have allowed accessible paths to be built across their land. The case studies include Lochmaben Golf Course, where a tee was moved to accommodate a path.
Unfortunately, it appears Moray Golf Club plan to provide a demarcated Coastal Path as an alternative, meaning there will still be no safe route during high tide, and no accessible route for people using wheelchairs or mobility scooters, people pushing prams, or children cycling and scooting between Lossiemouth and Silver Sands and Covesea.
Upgrading the former road along the Royal Air Force security fence, which is already used by dog walkers and aircraft enthusiasts, could offer both a high tide alternative route for the Moray Coast Trail and a fully accessible route connecting Covesea and Lossiemouth, giving people access across Moray Golf Club’s land without exacerbating the damage to the dunes.
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