I have a question for any lawyers out there, bearing in mind it is Scotland I am asking about.
A local slip that was always free and I was convinced was public with a public right of way down to is being claimed not to be now by the local landowners. The hotel that owns the land the right of way goes through is now claiming that the slip belongs to them and tried to charge me £10 to launch today.
I always assumed that slips could be charged for simply because the access was owned as the beach/slip belonged to the crown even if it was built by private owners. Is this the case or is it possible to buy the land below MHWS and charge for access?
I am going to check with the council on Monday about the access right of way and what they think of the "charge" which seems to be to discourage use rather than make any money IMO but would welcome any other advice. There is a move by various folk here to close off access to public slipways and one definite and another probably have been lost locally already by landowners closing off access, this would be number 3!
If I can make sure I am in the right I will challenge this one
