Hill farmers and hoteliers in the west are on a collision course over walking tours.

Farmers are angry that walking festivals which include routes crossing their lands are being organised and marketed without landowner engagement or access permission being sought in some cases.

“More and more farmers are contacting us regarding walking tours and festivals organised across their lands, but without their consent,” Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) president Vincent Roddy said.

“These walks are being held in several western counties from Donegal to Kerry - and in particular Mayo and Connemara,” he explained.

Charge

Organisers are charging anything from €60 to €90 to take part in these guided hikes, on top of the cost of accommodation.

“It is incredible to the point of being contemptuous that the organisers of these tours seem to think that they have a right to make money on the back of someone else’s property and not even have the basic decency to inform the farmers involved and ask their permission,” the INHFA leader said.

Roddy pointed out that commonage ground was not public land and he said “this misconception” needed to be addressed.

“The reality is that commonage land is also private land that is held in common by a number of shareholders,” he said.

“It is critical that everyone understands that unless you are a shareholder on these lands or you have been given permission to walk these lands by the shareholders, then you are trespassing,” Roddy pointed out.