G n-grams:
あぜ道	80358
畦道	43081
畔道	 2213
あぜみち	10093

reordering

@@ -3,0 +4,3 @@
+<k_ele>
+<keb>あぜ道</keb>
+</k_ele>
@@ -9,3 +11,0 @@
-</k_ele>
-<k_ele>
-<keb>あぜ道</keb>

That particular aspect of "footpath" in English common law (but not Scottish?) does not apply elsewhere in the English-speaking world. It's not even reflected in major English dictionaries, such as the OED, which simply describes it as a "path for walkers". We have to accept that our mutual language is very broad church, and in creating glosses for Japanese terms we can't be overly constrained by usages which are confined to particular countries.

See below.

Sorry to come back on this one Jim, but I wanted to ask a question.

Although it may be said that any piece of land upon which someone walks over on a regular basis is possibly likely to called a footpath by someone. However, in the English use of the word, “in England,” the term footpath seems to have the legal concept of a public right of way across someone else's land and such paths are denoted on the Ordinance Survey Maps. The landowner has a duty not to obstruct in anyway the use of footpaths by anyone who cares to use them. Naturally, if there were a legal battle going on about a footpath, the facts related to the footpath coming into being would be the subject of scrutiny and people may be referring to “Public Footpaths” and “Private Footpaths” in order to emphasise their case. However for practical purposes, when people refer to footpaths they are referring to the legal right of anyone to pass to and fro at will on a piece of someone else's land.

Now the question I wished to ask is this: In Japan, does the word "畦道" mean only footpaths upon which anyone has a legal right to pass to and fro without anyone's permission?

If, in Japan, it is only a term which means the ridge between the rice fields which enables the farmer to tend the crops, but members of the public do not have any general rights of access, then it may not be seen as a footpath in the English sense of the word. If it is the case that some of these ridges between the rice fields have become public rights of way [and are now called "畦道"] and the landowner cannot prevent access, then the terms footpath in the English sense would apply.

I had the belief that the term "畦道" applied to all ridges between rice fields which were used to provide  the farmer with easy foot access to tend to the crops. In which case they would not be called footpaths in the English sense of normal usage. I am sorry to come back on this, but if “畦道”is a generic term in the manner of meaning the aforesaid, then I feel that it is right to return to you and suggest that a term other than “footpath” should be used.

GG5: "raised footpath [ridge] between rice fields"
Daijr: "田と田の間の細い道。"
Koj: "田の間に通ずる道。"
ルミナス: "(田と田の間の細い道) footpath between rice paddies"
GJD: "田と田の間の道。たんぼ道。なわて。"

Only GG5 mentions it being raised, but I guess it has to be.
I'll expand it.

@@ -18,1 +18,2 @@
-<gloss>footpath between rice fields</gloss>
+<gloss>(raised) footpath between rice fields</gloss>
+<gloss>ridge between rice fields</gloss>