What to expect
Volunteering with our Countryside Access Team gives you the chance to help protect and maintain, over 2,000 miles of public paths, 4000 stiles, 3000 gates and 1400 bridges across Ñý¾«¶¯Âþ. From woodland trails to rural paths, these routes connect people to nature and they need your support.
Page contents
- Volunteering
- Safe working
- Insurance for volunteers
- Ready to join us
- Improving access to the countryside
- Report a problem on a right of way
Volunteering
There are two rewarding ways you can get involved with rights of way volunteering:
- Become a Path Warden: Patrol your local paths, tackle minor maintenance tasks you spot during your walks, and help keep our trails safe and accessible. You’ll receive half a day of training, a regular newsletter, and you’ll be covered by the council’s insurance. Most Path Wardens handle just two or three manageable tasks each year, fitting volunteering easily into busy lives.
- Join Practical Work Parties: Lend a hand with hands-on projects by joining organised groups like Ñý¾«¶¯Âþ Ramblers, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, and local day centres. These group activities are a fantastic way to meet like-minded people while working on larger improvements to our rights of way network. Work parties are organised when suitable tasks are identified and our staff are available to co-ordinate the projects.
Safe working
Before doing any work on rights of way, please check in with the Countryside Access team. We’ll share safety guidelines with you ahead of time. Please make sure to read them so you are aware of all risks, hazards and know how to stay safe.
Insurance for volunteers
Volunteers working on rights of way with prior written agreement from Countryside Access Officers are covered by the Council’s insurance for third party and personal accident risk. This does not apply to anyone volunteering without staff knowledge or agreement.
The insurance excludes incidents linked to intoxication, illegal drugs, or unnecessary danger (unless trying to save a life), and doesn’t cover power tools except strimmers and battery-powered drills, for which safe use training is available.
Ready to join us?
If you’d like to find out more or get involved, simply email us at rightsofway@surreycc.gov.uk. Our Access Assistants are always happy to answer your questions and guide you to the opportunity that’s right for you.
More information about volunteering in the countryside, either in a group or as an individual, can be found on our Volunteering in Ñý¾«¶¯Âþ's Countryside web page.
Improving access to the Countryside
The Countryside Access Team appreciates the support of local groups, including local Ramblers, who donate gates to replace old stiles. This helps us to improve access across Ñý¾«¶¯Âþ.
Our aim is to improve access for all and wherever possible we remove stiles and other obstacles to leave paths completely unobstructed. Where possible, we replace stiles with accessible gates suitable for wheelchair and scooter users.
However, the countryside is a working environment, where barriers might still be needed for livestock or the nature of the path leading up to the gate might be steep, narrow or boggy, or there might not be enough space in the fence line. In these instances, it might not always be possible to fit an accessible gate. If any upgraded works occur, we can revisit to fit an accessible gate.
If you know of any paths that could benefit from removing obstacles or replacing stiles, please let us know via our contact us or report a problem page.
Report a problem on the rights of way
If you need to report a problem or make an enquiry about a rights of way issue, use our contact us or report a problem web page.