Cornwall has 4,500 km of public rights of way. It also has the longest section of the South West Coast Path National Trail.
What is a Public Right of Way?
A public right of way is a route over land which the public has a legal right to use at any time. Rights of way can be found in towns, villages and the countryside. Some paths may be surfaced although most are tracks across countryside owned by landowners. Cornwall Council has a responsibility to maintain and protect 2,760 miles (4,442 km) of public right of way across Cornwall.
Public Rights of Way Team Privacy Notice
Please view the following Countryside Access Team Privacy Notice for general enquiries to the Countryside Access Team about Public Rights of Way.
Report a Problem
Whilst enjoying Cornwall's rights of way if you come across an issue such as
- obstruction
- overgrown vegetation
- surface defect
- illegal use
you can use the form below to report it to us.
Please note, this form is only for reporting issues with a public rights of way, such as a public footpath or bridleway. Please report a problem with a pavement or road here.
Report a public right of way issueIt also helps us to identify and locate the problem if you know the number of the path.
You can find the path number using the public rights of way layer on our interactive mapping. Zoom in on an area and select a public right of way. The path number will be displayed in an information window (e.g. Parish/path no./link no.223/12/2).
Types of Public Rights of Way
Public Footpath
Yellow waymarker
The public have a right of way on foot only. Prams, pushchairs, wheelchairs and invalid carriages are allowed along public footpaths. However not all paths may be suitable particularly in the countryside.
We have 2,216 miles (3,567 km) of public footpath across Cornwall.
Public Bridleway
Blue waymarker
The public have a right of way on foot, horseback or bicycle.
We have 415 miles (668 km) of public bridleway across Cornwall.
Restricted Byway
Plum waymarker
The public have a right of way on foot, horseback, bicycle or horse-drawn carriage.
We have 1.7 miles (2.7 km) of restricted byway across Cornwall.
Public Byway
Red waymaker
The public have a right of way on foot, horseback, bicycle or vehicle. This includes horse-drawn carriage, motorcycle or other motor vehicle.
We have 127 miles (204 km) of public byway across Cornwall.