The last time were in Orkney we picked up a leaflet in the tourist info place about the Scottish right to roam. According to said pamphlet you can walk, sketch, paint and photograph just about anywhere in the countryside, the main exclusions being working farmyards and fields in crop (although it mentioned that the edges of the field would be OK). Surprisingly even fields with livestock were OK (at your own risk!).

We always ask permission to visit sites if the landowner is obvious (eg nearest farm), on previous caledonian outings we couldn't find anyone to ask at some of the farms and therefore missed a quite a few choice sites. The sites were typical field locations and would have satisfied the right to roam specs, but somehow it just didn't feel right.

Is this right to roam stuff valid in practice?

Would it be acceptable to proceed on to the sites in the "deserted farm" senarios?

Anyone had good/bad right to roamy experiences with landowners?

Puzzled,

Maggie & Keith