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Description

Quick quiz to cover the environment impact of hiking and the Countryside Code.

Resources

None

Instructions

Read out the quiz questions below and ask the YP to move to one side of the room if they think it is true and the other if the think it is false.

Explain the answers

The Countryside Code & Trail Quiz (7 Questions)
1. If you find a field gate wide open, you should always close it behind you to protect livestock.
Answer: FALSE

Why: The Countryside Code rule is to leave gates as you find them (or follow local signs). Farmers sometimes leave gates open intentionally so livestock can reach food or water. If you're leading a group, ensure the last Scout leaves the gate as it was found.

2. Orange and banana peels are natural, so throwing them into the bushes is harmless because they rot in a few days.
Answer: FALSE

Why: In the cool, damp UK climate, fruit peels take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to decompose. They look unsightly, attract pests, and harm native wildlife by encouraging them to eat non-native food.

3. If a public footpath turns into a big mud puddle, you should walk straight through the middle of it.
Answer: TRUE

Why: Walking around the edges tramples surrounding vegetation and heather, destroying plant life and turning a 1-metre wide path into a 5-metre wide mud bath (trail widening).

4. It's okay to park across a farm gateway for a short hike as long as there are no tractors in sight.
Answer: FALSE

Why: Never block field gateways, driveways, or narrow country lanes. Farmers need access 24/7 for large machinery or emergency stock welfare, and emergency services vehicles need clear routes.

5. Climbing over a drystone wall is fine as long as you are careful and don't knock any stones down.
Answer: FALSE

Why: Drystone walls are built without mortar and are easily destabilized by human weight. Always use marked gates, stiles, or gaps in boundaries to avoid damaging livestock enclosures and habitats.

6. Making rock towers (cairns) or collecting wildflowers along the trail leaves no lasting trace.
Answer: FALSE

Why: Picking wildflowers deprives pollinators of food and stops plants from seeding. Moving rocks removes shelter for insects and ground-nesting birds, causes topsoil erosion, and can confuse other hikers.

7. When walking past cows with calves, you should keep your dog tightly on a short lead, but let go if the cattle charge you.
Answer: TRUE

Why: Always keep dogs on a lead near livestock to avoid scaring them. However, if cattle feel threatened and move toward you, let go of the lead. The dog can run faster than the cows, and cattle will chase the dog, letting you walk safely to the exit.

Tags

• Adventure Challenge
• countryside code
• environmental impact
• hiking

Badge Links

• Adventure - Environment
• Hill Walker - Environment
• Outdoors - Countryside Code