The Countryside Code gives advice on how to enjoy your expedition in the countryside while at the same

time helping to protect it.

What is the Countryside Code?

• The Countryside Code gives advice to help everybody respect, protect and enjoy the countryside. It is also there to support local communities who live and work in the countryside. It consists of five simple messages

• be safe – plan ahead and follow any signs• leave gates and property as you find them• protect plants and animals and take your litter home• keep dogs under close control• consider other people• The Code applies to all parts of the countryside in England and Wales.• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_snpN237wcE

1.Staying safe• plan your route, making sure it is within your capabilities (route cards)• tell someone responsible where you are going and what time you expect to return

(if possible give them a copy of your route) (route cards)• make sure you have the right clothing and equipment - always anticipate the worst

conditions and always take waterproofs (equipment list)• pack something extra to eat and drink along with your normal food and drink for

the day (emergency rations)• carry a first aid kit (individual first aid kit part of equipment list)• carry a fully charged mobile phone and spare battery• stick to established routes (route card)

1.Staying safe• In an emergency situation• The most important thing is to stay calm.• If you find yourself in an emergency situation or see others in difficulty,

use your mobile phone to dial 999. You should ask for:• the police/ambulance if you are in an area that is easily reached by car or

on foot• The person you speak to will ask for the following information:• location of incident - you should spell out any place names and in a

remote area it will help if you can supply a national grid reference

1.Staying safe• nature of the emergency - describe what has happened, eg fallen walker and

any injuries• number of people involved/injured• Using mobile phones in an emergency• Mobile phones can save lives in an emergency, but coverage may be variable

and batteries can run low. These tips will help you get the most out of your phone when it matters:

• before you set off arrange to make calls at certain times or certain points in your journey, and switch off your phone between calls to save power

• fully charge all batteries before you set off• keep your phone in a plastic bag somewhere warm but where you can still

hear it - and keep a spare battery in a separate bag• in areas with bad reception stand still with your phone once you have made a

connection so you do not lose it mid-conversation

1.Staying safe• if you are trapped or injured and can't move but don't have enough network

coverage to make a call, try sending an SMS text message instead• keep calls short to avoid wasting battery power• if you are in contact with emergency services they may set up a schedule to call

you every 20/30 minutes, in which case you can arrange to turn off your phone between calls

• If you are in a group and your own service provider has no coverage from where you are:

• try other phones - one at time to save batteries (or swap batteries)• If none of the phones have network coverage:• consider taking all the phones to a more prominent location if possible - but only if

you can do so without getting lost

2.Leave everything as you find it

• Leave gates as you find them• It’s important to leave gates as you find them or follow

instructions on signs. Gates may be open so animals can reach food and water. If you’re walking in a group, make sure the last person knows how to leave the gates.

• Stick to paths• Follow paths wherever possible, especially in fields

where crops are growing and might get damaged. Try to use gates and stiles, as climbing over walls, hedges and fences can damage them and increase the risk of farm animals escaping.

2.Leave everything as you find it

• Take care and leave it there• Try to leave things as you find them:• be careful not to disturb ruins and historic sites• don’t damage or remove features like rocks, plants and

trees; they provide homes and food for wildlife• leave machinery and livestock alone – if you think an

animal is in distress, tell the farmer rather than trying to help it

• if you think a sign is illegal or misleading, like a 'Private: No Entry’ sign on a public footpath, don’t remove it – contact the local council

3.Protect wildlife and take litter home

• Help to protect the countryside by making sure you don't harm animals, birds, plants or trees.

• Take your litter home• Litter and leftover food can be dangerous to animals and can spread

disease, so take it home with you. Dumping rubbish spoils the beauty of the countryside and is also a criminal offence.

• Fire kills• Fire can be devastating to wildlife, so be careful not to drop a match or

smouldering cigarette. If you see a fire, check it’s not supervised (some controlled fires are used to manage vegetation) before you call 999.

• Give wildlife space• Give wild animals and farm animals plenty of space, as they can behave

unpredictably if you get too close, especially if they're with their young.

Wild Ponies in the New Forest

Participants left food out whilst they were finishing pitching their tent. Along came two hungry wild ponies and they ripped open the bags and ate the participants evening meal.

When they finished their evening meal they started on the ruck sacks!

This is what happens if you stand behind a wild pony.

Cows are curious creatures and very nosey. They can also be dangerous when in a herd.

4.Keep dogs under close control• You don’t have to put your dog on a lead on public paths, as long as it’s under

close control. However, you should keep your dog on a short lead:• if you can’t rely on it obeying you• on most areas of open country and common land or open access land between

1 March and 31 July• always near farm animals• if there are signs asking you to do so• If a farm animal chases you and your dog, it’s safer to let your dog off the lead.

Don’t risk getting hurt by trying to protect it.• Open access to the countryside• Protecting sheep and birds from dogs• Take care your dog doesn’t scare sheep and lambs or wander where it might

alarm birds nesting on the ground. Eggs and young will soon die without protection from their parents. By law, farmers are entitled to destroy a dog that injures or worries their animals.

• Cleaning up dog mess• Dog mess is unpleasant and can cause infections, so clean up after your dog and

get rid of the mess responsibly. Making sure your dog is wormed regularly will protect it, other animals and people.

5.Consider other people• Showing consideration for other people makes

the countryside a pleasant environment for everyone.

• As a DofE Participant on expedition.• Noise/litter

Find out the five countryside rules. You can copy and paste them along with the logo. Save this in a folder. Name your folder expedition training. At a later date you will upload this work to your eDofE training section.

Add a picture of yourself to your personal details.