Am I allowed to go onto farmland to take photos?

I was driving through the countryside near my town today (on a detour as a road was closed) and I saw a field of sunflowers. They are all beautifully sunny and ready for a photo.
It wasn't next to the road so I would have to walk around a little grassy field to get to it.
Am I allowed to do that?
I have no idea who the field belongs to so I couldn't ask anyones permission.

I've done it before I don't think they'd mind so long as you're not wrecking anything, but it is trespassing... unless you know it's a public footpath (usually signposted).

Here's one of the pics I took:

I do a lot of walking and basically the answer is no if it isn't a public footpath, or yes if you have permission otherwise. Otherwise it's private land, the farmers livelihood. You could also be at risk if you touch electric fences, walk across a field with a bull etc. which are generally managed on public footpaths. If you are allowed on it will be a public right of way usually marked with waymarkers and will be on a map. you generally walk waymarker to waymarker across the field following the path and not around the edge (unless avoiding animals).

If you do go on the private land then in reality there is generally a small chance you will be seen or caught. It has happened to me when I have got lost or had to circumnavigate a field of aggressive cows etc. Generally then I have skirted around the edge of a field avoiding crops.

That's another thing - stay away from cows, they can be funny buggers!

Yes - especially mean ones who get stuck in a lane on the outskirts of Brecon, and you can't get round... then you have to walk alllll the way around, through loads of wet fields. Yes. It did happen to me.

I would be very careful, rightly farmers can get very angry about people on their land - but if you're quick and careful and don't do any damage, you should be OK in theory. Though, it's best to find out where footpaths are, and try to stick to PROW.

xx

No footpath, just one very small field to skirt around. No livestock.
I'm not very brave, but I am very tempted! Especially on a lovely day like today!

Lovely day?! What's that when it's at home?

Have a good day!

xx

there is far too much red tape in the country! If it looks safe, and you're not going to damage crops or risk a run in with livestock then I would do it. without a shadow of a doubt.

Still eying up a corn field for a photoshoot in the next week or so, freshly harvested.

What is trespass? The civil tort of trespass arises from the bare fact of unauthorized entry. However, unless injury to the property can be proven, a landowner could probably only recover nominal damages by suing in such a case. But of course you might have to meet the landowner's legal costs. Thus a notice saying 'Trespassers will be Prosecuted", aimed for instance at keeping you off a private drive, is usually meaningless. Prosecution could only arise if you trespass and damage property. However, under public order law, trespassing with an intention to reside may be a criminal offence under some circumstances. It is an offence to trespass on railway land and also sometimes on military training land.

Extract from the Ramblers Association

Bazza

I can guarantee that if you 'trespass' (albeit a civil tort upon which you cannot be convicted) you will break at least one of a whole multitude of other laws, be it the Vagrancy Act, being in enclosed property Act, Criminal damage Act, all of these carry conviction if proven guilty. There are also a whole host of other by-laws and common laws which you will be in breach of too.

The simple option is to contact the land-owner and ask permission - most are extremely obliging.