Outdoor Access

Scottish local authorities have drawn up plans for their systems of paths, known as Core Paths which give the public reasonable access throughout their area under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

Please see our navigable core paths map .

The core paths plan was adopted after an extensive period of consultation with the South Lanarkshire Outdoor Access Forum, communities, individuals, land managers, and organisations with an interest in outdoor access.
The plan is divided into four sections:

1. Core paths plan main text
2. Strategic environmental assessment report
3. Core paths list and water access/egress points
4. Core paths plan map indexes and maps

Section one (main text) details the following:

• Introduction  
• What the law says about Core Paths and Core Paths Plans
• Policy context
• Core Paths, other access routes and the general right of access
• Development of the South Lanarkshire core paths plan
• Criteria used for the selection of core paths in South Lanarkshire
• Path usability and suitability
• Cross boundary links to neighbouring access authorities
• Public consultation
• Managing and maintaining the core paths network
• Strategic Environmental Assessment
• Community paths survey
• Core Paths network description
• Maps and map legend definition
• Core path numbering, wider access network, core paths on pavements, mapped cross boundary links, water access

Strategic Environmental Assessment

A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) report had to be produced alongside the Core Paths Plan. This was carried out to find any potential environmental effects of implementing the plan and where necessary come up with measures to off-set or minimise any adverse environmental impact. A post adoption statement has also been prepared which outlines the measures which will be used to monitor implementation of the plan. Documents are available by emailing CAG@southlanarkshire.gov.uk.

Core Paths by area

This section includes lists of core paths by area (Rutherglen-Cambuslang, East Kilbride, Hamilton, Clydesdale) and a list of water access/egress points.

Core Paths maps

This section includes:

• Core paths plan map index – basic.  Shows map pages in relation to main settlements and other features (no Ordnance Survey mapping)
• Core paths plan map index – detailed. Shows map pages with Ordnance Survey mapping.

Only core paths are labelled and the mapping scale does not allow labelling of all of these.

You can also see all the elements of the core paths network on our mapping system.