UK Dwellers - I need help

[LauraGB]

Dh has been invited to a fishing "festival" in Aberdeen on the Deveron River. I am wondering what things like this are like in the UK. Here, in the states, we call them "claves" and it's really just a bunch of fisherman hanging around in waders, fishing and talking fishing, and eating grilled meat :001_huh:. I think, since the rivers aren't free and openly available to everyone like ours, that these things are much different over there.

 

So, any info you can give me about A) the location (for things to do) and B) what the fishing is like there, the rivers and who gets to use them (I understand it is expensive), and what these festivals actually are would be greatly appreciated. We would likely be flying into Heathrow and then driving.

 

Thanks!

 

ETA - Feel free to pm me if you need more info.

Edited January 19, 2011 by LauraGB
spelling/grammar

[LauraGB]

Also, what's a "beat"? Anything I can come up with doesn't make sense in this context. Apparently he'll be "fishing one of the beats". :confused:

 

Thanks,

[Laura Corin]

I know very little about fishing, but from what I've observed around here: yes, fishing rights are usually owned by the landowner and leased out. I think a 'beat' is a stretch of river. Can you give me the website for the festival, if there is one?

 

Driving up from Heathrow: remember, distances which look small to US eyes take a lot longer in the UK, as the roads are crowded. There are good roads all the way up to Aberdeen, but it would still take almost ten hours non-stop according to Google maps. Petrol prices are high (around £1.28 a litre at present). I think that's almost £5 per US gallon. You might like to look into flying to Edinburgh (or Aberdeen - but that might be more expensive) instead.

 

From Aberdeen (on the coast) you will be able to reach the Highlands easily: mountains, walking, whisky.... This website would give you some ideas about the area. I haven't been to Aberdeen yet myself.

 

ETA: here's a dedicated official website about fishing in Scotland.

 

Best wishes

 

Laura

Edited January 19, 2011 by Laura Corin

[Laura Corin]

If rivers are free and available to everyone in the US, how do you cross private land to get to them? In the UK, you can cross private land - so long as you don't damage crops/disturb animals - but I thought that the US was much more protective of private land.

 

Laura

[JFSinIL]

I suspect (do not KNOW) that rivers, like beaches (I am originally from S. California) must have access - if you own private property along a public beach, you must still provide a way for the get unwashed to get to the beach via walkway, stairs, whatever.

 

I remember back in the day walking with some classmates from UCLA along the beach, in the wet sand area, and going past one house in Malibu being yelled at by a tv actor even though we were in the public right-of-way.

[Laura Corin]

I suspect (do not KNOW) that rivers, like beaches (I am originally from S. California) must have access - if you own private property along a public beach, you must still provide a way for the get unwashed to get to the beach via walkway, stairs, whatever.

 

I remember back in the day walking with some classmates from UCLA along the beach, in the wet sand area, and going past one house in Malibu being yelled at by a tv actor even though we were in the public right-of-way.

 

I found this:

 

What about public access to and from rivers? As explained earlier, the law is that the rivers and the carrying places between them shall be forever free. The public does not have a general right to cross private land to get to and from rivers, but such a right exists at traditional access routes, under the above law and the legal doctrines of custom and prescription. States have an affirmative duty to maintain traditional access routes to rivers, and acquire additional access where needed and available. Where public roads cross over rivers, the public has the right to get from the bridge down to the river itself, so landowners cannot connect fences to bridge abutments in a way that blocks public access to the river. 39 Am.Jur. 2d (1968) Highways, Streets & Bridges, section 256, p. 644. State ex rel. Thornton v. Hay, 254 Or. 584, 462 P.2d 671 (1969). Gion v. City of Santa Cruz, 2 Cal. 3d 29, 465 P.2d 50 (1970). People v. Sweetser, 72 Cal. App. 3d 278 (1977).

 

It's interesting to me, because many Americans are so fierce about their land being for them alone. I seem to remember Madonna getting very upset when ramblers walked through her land along an age-old path.

 

Laura

[LauraGB]

Thanks, Laura!

 

If rivers are free and available to everyone in the US, how do you cross private land to get to them? In the UK, you can cross private land - so long as you don't damage crops/disturb animals - but I thought that the US was much more protective of private land.

 

Laura

 

There are usually plenty of public access points (roads, paths, parks, boat landings, etc), but sometimes there is a lot of walking involved, especially with the rivers. I *think* the county or state (ie taxpayers) owns a certain amt of distance on either side from each road - this is why people often pull their cars off to the side of a road (often near a bridge) and walk down to the river; once on the river, it's free floating.

[LauraGB]

No, free-floating is not quite that simple!

http://www.crestedbuttenews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2451&Itemid=40

We see both sides of the matter as we're landowners, who kayak. My dd had a gun pulled on her when she pulled a friend out of a boat (who was having a heart attack) and onto the shore. Yes, she was technically trespassing, but c'mon! It is going to be an interesting legislation season in CO!

 

I'm so sorry for your daughter! How ridiculous! But, then again, there are idiots everywhere. :glare:

 

There are private land/trespassing issues, but my understanding (at least in our state) is that the water cannot be owned. So once on, you're on and safe.