It's that time of year when the yellow peril starts to go over and dogs suffer facial/eye cuts from chasing "whatever" through it. Never really been able to work out why some dogs get the cuts and some "breeds" don't......ever.
I have just had to stop walking anywhere near the fields. BUT does anyone know if or when it is safe to go back in or do I now have to wait until it's cut.
I know the temptation will now be to throw your hands up in horror at letting dogs run through crops but our local farmer is of the opinion that they do more good than harm - prolific rabbiters. Have more than the odd pidgen too.

> I know the temptation will now be to throw your hands up in horror at letting dogs run through crops

Indeed, and that's the easy way to stop your dog getting injured, don't let them run through crops :-)

All sorts of allergies , eye problems can occur. personally I would wait until it's cut , and ploughed back in .

Ive just walked over a footpath next to a field of rape,talk about a struggle to get through!Its not in flower yet,but is very tall,and falling over the path,the dogs were fine,theyd got a little tunnel to walk through!Mum had to wade along ,pushing it out of the way.Horrible stuff!

Oilseed rape cuts the skin because of the seed pods.  They are long and thin, start green then turn black and hard but they have razor type edges a bit like pampas grass? They stick out at right angles to the stem of the plant and are probably right at eye height for your dogs.  I really wouldnt be letting them run around in it now.  Its not too bad when the plants are pre-seed pods as the plants are softer but right now its quite dangerous. 

I walked through a field of ripe rape last year in early July, following a public footpath across which I'd planned out on the map (and couldn't avoid as I needed to catch a bus home at the right time). I had to battle my way through the scratchy stuff and my arms bore the marks to prove it, but at ground level the stems were so tall it didn't really affect my dog, though I felt sorry for him having to do it at all.

I don't know the ins and outs of it, but I did think there were regulations on what could be planted in fields that have rights of way across them.

Crops
You must not allow crops, other than grass, to grow on or overhang the minimum width of any footpath, bridleway or byway, so as to in-convenience the public or prevent the line of the Right of Way from being apparent on the ground.
Minimum/Maximum widths
If the width of a path is recorded on the Definitive Statement, then that is the minimum width.  If the width is not recorded then 'minimum/maximum' width means:
For a footpath, 1 metre across the field, 1.5 metres on the field edge (1.8 metres maximum);
For a bridleway, 2 metres across the field, 3 metres on the field edge (3 metres maximum) and;
For a byway, 3 metres across the field, 3 metres on the field edge (5 metres maximum).
These widths apply only to the law on ploughing and cultivation. They are the minimum you must comply with if you are to avoid action being taken against you. They do not affect other aspects of the law on public paths and do not limit the public's established rights of passage in any way.
Where a  field that has been cropped and the line of path has not been left clear. This will be classed as an obstruction.Oil seed rape is a government funded crop , but grown in rotation (should be ) so those fields next year might not have OSrape in them

>Ive just walked over a footpath next to a field of rape,talk about a struggle to get through!Its not in flower yet,but is very tall,and falling over the path,the dogs were fine,theyd got a little tunnel to walk through!Mum had to wade along ,pushing it out of the way.Horrible stuff!

Ihave a couple of fields of it at the bottom of my garden and it has been in flower and now flowers are nearly gone.  I was hoping it would be ready for cutting down soon.

They seem to leave it for weeks after its done flowering round here,it goes all brown and horrible,maybe it has to,to get the oil out?

Thanks,alfiesmalfi,I wasnt aware of the sharp edges of the seed pods,maybe Ive just been lucky,I mean,you wouldnt push through a field like that for choice,Ours hasnt flowered yet,but I wont be going back there till its gone-too much like hard work!just out of interests sake,that particular footpath is never wider than a foot at most!Its not particularly well used,I suppose thats why nobodys bothered to report it-sometimes over the years its been ploughed right to the hedge,but i expect as long as people can still get through,theyre not bothered.

> maybe it has to,to get the oil out

The seed pods produce the oil. They go black as they ripen. Around here they usually harvest around August time.

Fields of crops can be dangerous to small dogs. I know of two cases of dogs getting 'lost' in the middle of the field. They can become very distressed as it is very difficult for the owner to know where they are and is a bit like a maze to the dog. I did hear of a dog dying in these circumstances - this was some years ago and 'may' have been a myth.

Thank you for all this information. Won't be walking (with the dogs anyway) until it's gone. Too true about battling your way through. Our farmer has considerately cut through the overhanging crop, however has missed the path so walking over what's left of the stalks is just as bad. Can't really go back and moan as he is very pro dog.
On another matter. There are a couple of new horse riders in the area (I've always had horses until earlier this year) they ride on the public footpaths. I've politely asked if they were aware they were on a foot not bridleway and they very politely said they had permission? I didn't know the land owner and have no idea if that is ok. Having said that I have since seen them on land/footpaths I know they don't have permission to ride over.
I normally say live and let live but they don't seem exactly sensible and having slowed down to walk past us and the dogs then galloped off. Fortunately we had put all the dogs on the lead as even mine who were use to my horses may have decided "game on".

I'd probably challenge and report to local land owners and local authority in charge of footpaths in your area.
They'd be the first complaining if they had a dog chase their horses especially as they don't seem sensible..
Maybe even take photo's of riders and horses with your mobile and send photo's to all local stables etc
advising them of these inconsiderate riders...Someone is bound to recognise them.