Some tips I have found useful that help keep my presence on the hills tolerable to landowners and those who make their living on the land. Some of it may seem blindingly obvious to you but they aren't to everyone.
Please also see:
http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/outdoors-responsibly/access-code-and-advice/soac/In no particular order:
If you are on a vehicular track and a vehicle is approaching, state your intentions early by finding a suitable spot to wait while the vehicle is a good distance away.Reason: any car driver will know how disconcerting it is not to know which way a pedestrian is going to go. Taking up a spot nice and early to wait in gives the driver peace of mind whereas waiting to the last minute doesn't.
If you have to walk through a farm yard where machinery might operate, keep an eye out obviously, but don't ever try to make a dash for it if vehicles are operating.Reason: heavy machinery operators are usually pretty insulated from the outside world by concentration on the task at hand and noise. Having someone suddenly rush to squeeze through a space rather than wait a couple of minutes is at best off putting or can result in loads being shed and at worst can result in injury or death.
Don't clog up access routes with your own vehicle.Reason: Yes, you may leave enough room for another car to get by but that could be the day the pea harvester or the combine needs access.
Don't throw rocks into rivers.Reason: It might be fun but not for the angler 50 yards downstream who's fish you have just scared off.
Don't climb over fences and especially dry stane dykes unnecessarily. Reason: damage. If you break a support wire or the fencing that is time, effort and money the land manager shouldn't have to spend fixing it and the same is doubly so of dry stane dykes. Look for a gate.
Don't walk through areas that have flocks of sheep, particularly those with lambs and / or if you have a dog.Reason: sheep are especially vulnerable to the stress of getting spooked. If they have lambs the lambs can be separated from the mother and be unable to pair up again resulting in the death of the lamb. Sheep can also spontaneously abort if they are subject to stress. This can happen at any time through the gestation period but is particularly pertinent if environmental stressors such as bad weather have taken their toll. And dogs - even though your dog may not be the type to worry sheep, the sheep don't know this and in their haste to get away they can often injure their legs. These injuries will go untreated. Take a detour if you can.
Don't walk through herds of cattle.Reason: Similar reasons to sheep although not quite as sensitive. It's in the code but worth repeating here: if you have a dog with you and cattle look as if they are becoming aggressive, let the dog go and get yourself out of the situation as quickly as possible. The dog will be fine - they can move a lot faster than you can.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Feel free to add your own.
