SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenge 76: Learn How to Ask a Landowner for Permission

Knowing how to approach a landowner respectfully is a valuable outdoor skill. Whether you want to camp, practise bushcraft, collect natural materials or organise an activity, a polite conversation can help you understand what is allowed and avoid misunderstandings. The important part is being clear about what you want to do, listening to the answer and respecting any conditions that are put in place.

Your Challenge

Practise how you would approach a landowner or land manager to request permission for a specific outdoor activity. Your task is to prepare a clear request, identify the information you should provide and demonstrate how you would respond if permission were refused or offered with conditions.

You do not need to contact a stranger or visit private property to complete this challenge. You can practise with a willing friend or family member acting as the landowner.

What You’ll Need

• A notebook or phone for planning your request
• A specific outdoor activity you would like permission to carry out
• Details of the type of land and where it is located
• A list of questions about access, safety and any restrictions
• A willing person to role-play the conversation, if available

Take the Challenge

Step 1: Be clear about what you want to do

Before contacting anyone, decide exactly what you are asking permission for. For example, you might want to pitch a small tent for one night, practise a rope skill, run an outdoor learning session or gather a limited amount of fallen material.

Avoid vague requests such as asking whether you can “use the land”. A landowner needs to understand the activity before they can make an informed decision.

Write down the purpose, proposed location, date and duration of your activity.

Step 2: Find the appropriate person to contact

Try to establish who owns or manages the land. Depending on the location, this might be a private landowner, tenant farmer, estate office, woodland manager or organisation responsible for the site.

Use an official contact method where possible. Do not enter private property to search for someone, disturb people while they are working or assume that the first person you meet has authority to grant permission.

If you cannot establish who to contact, choose another location or activity for your practice exercise.

Step 3: Prepare the details they will need

Think about the questions a landowner might reasonably ask. These could include:

• What exactly do you want to do?
• Where on the land would you like to do it?
• When would you visit, and how long would you stay?
• How many people would be involved?
• Would you need a fire, vehicle access or permission to collect materials?
• How would you manage rubbish, noise, livestock and other potential impacts?

You do not need to give a long speech. Prepare enough information to answer questions honestly and clearly.

Step 4: Practise making your request

Use a polite greeting, introduce yourself and explain what you are asking. Keep the request straightforward and give the other person time to consider it.

For example:

“Hello, my name is [your name]. I’m interested in practising some outdoor skills on a small area of land, and I wondered whether you would consider giving me permission to do that here. I would like to explain what I have in mind, where I would do it and how I would leave the area afterwards. Would that be something you might be willing to discuss?“

Adapt the wording to suit your activity. Do not claim to represent an organisation or group unless you genuinely do.

Step 5: Explain how you would look after the land

Show that you have considered the impact of your activity. You might explain how you would avoid disturbing livestock, keep away from sensitive habitats, take all rubbish away and follow agreed boundaries.

If you are asking to light a fire, cut vegetation, collect wood, dig or construct anything, make that explicit. Do not treat general access permission as permission for these additional activities.

Offer sensible precautions, but do not promise something you cannot realistically guarantee.

Step 6: Listen to the answer and clarify conditions

If the landowner is interested, ask about any conditions before making plans. Clarify the permitted area, dates, number of people, activities allowed and any restrictions on fires, tools, vehicles or natural materials.

If permission is given verbally, it is sensible to ask whether they would confirm the arrangement in writing, especially for activities involving overnight stays, groups or equipment.

Never assume that permission for one visit automatically applies to future visits or different activities.

Step 7: Respond respectfully if permission is refused

A landowner may have concerns about insurance, livestock, liability, privacy, wildlife or previous experiences. They may simply not want visitors on their land.

If they say no, thank them for considering your request. Do not argue, pressure them, enter the land anyway or try to find a way around their decision. You can ask whether there is another activity or arrangement they might consider, but accept the answer if they decline further discussion.

Step 8: Practise both sides of the conversation

Ask a willing person to play the landowner. Make your request and let them respond in one of three ways: yes, yes with conditions, or no.

Practise staying polite in each situation. If they agree, repeat the conditions back to check your understanding. If they refuse, finish the conversation respectfully.

Remember that permission is only one part of lawful access. You must also comply with relevant laws, site rules and any other requirements that apply to your activity.

Check Your Results

Ask yourself:

• Did you explain exactly what activity you wanted to carry out?
• Could you answer questions about the location, timing and number of people?
• Did you explain how you would minimise disturbance?
• Would you check any conditions before starting?
• Do you understand that permission for one activity does not automatically cover another?
• Could you accept a refusal without arguing or entering the land anyway?

If you struggled to explain your request clearly, shorten it and practise again.

Complete the Challenge

To complete this challenge, you must:

• Choose a realistic outdoor activity that would require permission.
• Prepare the details a landowner would need to make a decision.
• Practise making a polite, specific request.
• Demonstrate how you would respond to permission being granted, granted with conditions or refused.
• Explain why any agreed conditions must be respected.

How to Submit Your Challenge

Submit your evidence

1. Go to your SGUK member profile.
2. Open Social Activity.
3. Upload a photograph of your prepared request or notes from your role-play to the activity wall.
4. Add the hashtag #SGUKChallenge76.
5. Share it for verification.

Include the activity you chose and one important condition you would clarify before going ahead. You do not need to publish anyone’s name, private contact details or a real landowner’s response.

Challenge 76 Checklist

Want to Push Yourself?

Write a short email requesting permission for a realistic activity, such as a small outdoor skills session on suitable land. Include the proposed date, group size, activity, likely impact and steps you would take to leave the site tidy.

Review it from the landowner’s perspective. Is it clear what you are asking for? Have you explained enough for them to make a decision? Does it make responding easy without putting pressure on them?

What’s Next?

If you haven’t completed SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenge 75: Learn the Rules on Picking Fungi, you can try that challenge next. You can complete SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenges in any order, so choose whichever skill you want to develop.

Once you’ve shared your evidence and it has been verified, the SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenge 76 is complete and the completed challenges figure will be updated on your profile.