Right to roam becomes a reality

Mon Sep 20 13:44:40 BST 2004

see also  http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/
and see this below the telegraph article
http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/media/news/2004/sept/september2004accessonexplorers.html

Peaceful start for right to roam

By Charles Clover
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/09/20/nroam20.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/09/20/ixportaltop.html
(Filed: 20/09/2004)

The first exercise of the new right to roam over open country took place 
amicably in the Forest of Bowland early yesterday in the absence of a 
single MP who voted for it and without expected disruption by pro-hunting 
demonstrators.

In the absence of Alun Michael, the rural affairs minister, who planned to 
lead the first symbolic tramping of the Duke of Westminster's grouse moors 
at Abbeystead, the pro-hunt protest was peaceful.

If this was the triumph of the proletariat, their representatives were 
keeping a distinctly low profile. An alternative explanation was that they 
just do not like getting out of bed early on Sunday mornings. For later 
three Labour MPs did turn up at celebrations in the Peak District.

As one of a small group of pro-hunting protesters, lined up outside 
Chipping village hall, pointed out even Gordon Prentice, MP for nearby 
Pendle, an uncompromising campaigner for the right to roam, was nowhere to 
be seen.

Seven members of local hunts lined up in silent rebuke to Pamela Warhurst, 
chairman of the Countryside Agency, as she was having a celebratory 
breakfast. Their placards said "Hitler Banned Hunting", "Pest Control Cull 
a Backbencher" and "More Access for Ramblers But Closed Areas for Hunting." 
Two policemen eyed them.

It would have been quite different if Mr Michael, hated advocate of the 
Hunting Bill, had not cancelled on what he said was police advice. Some 500 
demonstrators, including fellmen from the Lake District and coursing 
enthusiasts from Merseyside, had planned to welcome him.

Bernard Robinson, 74, retired huntsman with the Hodder Valley foxhounds, a 
foot pack, said: "It's a bit of a devil when a man takes a Bill through 
parliament and won't face the people it's affecting. He must know he's done 
wrong."

The day belonged to Pamela Warhurst, herself a Lancashire lass. It was, she 
said, "a big day today, the launch of something socially and historically 
important". Mr Michael, she said, would have been there if he could but he 
thought it might "spoil or detract from the day".

Launch of the right to roam on the areas marked in yellow on the Ordnance 
Survey's Explorer maps was, she said, "a piece of history that will give 
great benefit to the whole population, now and in years to come".

Nobody dissented. When Tim Ormrod, a local councillor, observed that he and 
Mr Michael came from the co- operative party and believed in co-operation 
between ramblers and landowners, this was too much for Martin Gillibrand, 
secretary of the grouse-moor owners' union, the Moorland Association. 
"Crap," he hissed in a stage whisper. "How can you say that about a 
minister who divides the country?"

Out in the Trough of Bowland, within sight of the duke's grouse butts at 
Black Clough, Miss Warhurst led the first organised ramble of a new era 
(the access areas are at present confined to the South Downs and the Lower 
North West, which includes Bowland and the Peak District). There, it was 
ordinary ramblers who were celebrating.

Jean Gilligan, 79, and Joan Hibberd, a very fit looking 81, were among the 
oldest of a party of 10 from the Lancaster branch of the Ramblers' 
Association out on the hill to mark the historic day. They recalled they 
were both at a demonstration for wider access in 1969.

At that time, Mrs Gilligan recalled: "You met gamekeepers and they weren't 
friendly. The Duke of Westminster, though, has been quite co-operative. 
We've had good relations with him all along."

Brian Jones, a retired physics lecturer from Lancashire University, was 
leading a more intrepid party walking across country away from paths as the 
legislation allows people to do for the first time.

"There won't be many people coming up here. It's a very specialised, purist 
activity walking through peat hags," he said. If he is right, the number 
who will use the new right to ramble freely will not be great.

And this will be to the benefit of the estates' nesting hen harriers, 
dunlin and golden plover, already the reason why dogs, which may be walked 
elsewhere, are banned with the agreement of English Nature.

The duke bought the Abbeystead estate in 1980 and since then opened up 
several rights of way, where ramblers were supervised by Lancashire County 
Council wardens.

Paul Bell, of the Ramblers' Association, said: "If you look at the old 
maps, you will see that it was just a tiny corner that was negotiated as 
access land." Until now the Forest of Bowland had been a "hidden gem".

Crucial maps ready for countryside access
http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/media/news/2004/sept/september2004accessonexplorers.html

The first Ordnance Survey maps showing new access land have gone on sale.

The 32 maps, covering the lower north west and south east areas of England, 
are now available through retailers and Ordnance Surveys online map shop 
at www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/leisure

Areas of countryside, previously off-limits to ramblers, were opened up 
yesterday under new access laws. And the maps have been published in a bid 
to avoid any confusion and misunderstandings between walkers, landowners 
and farmers.

The updated OS Explorer Maps show the extent of the areas where people will 
be allowed to walk for the first time  on land away from public footpaths 
if they choose to do so.

In the south of England, the first new access land includes Kent, Surrey, 
East and West Sussex and nine London Boroughs south of the Thames.

Simultaneously, new access opportunities have come into effect in parts of 
the north of England, including the Peak District and all or large parts of 
Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Derbyshire and West 
Yorkshire along with small areas of Cumbria, North Yorkshire, South 
Yorkshire and Staffordshire.

Vanessa Lawrence, Director General of Ordnance Survey comments: We are 
delighted to be supporting the implementation of the new access 
opportunities in a very practical way, by carrying out major revisions to 
every OS Explorer Map in England and Wales.

These 1:25,000 scale maps have been chosen for this task because their 
detail makes them absolutely ideal for outdoor activities. On the revised 
maps, we are bringing together both new access land and existing access 
areas in a clear and unified way.

The result is that both ramblers and landowners using the maps will be 
clear about the areas being opened up, and misunderstandings and confusion 
can be avoided.

And over the next 18 months the new law  the Countryside and Rights of Way 
Act 2000  will take effect in stages region-by- region right across 
England and Wales, requiring the revision of a further 219 Ordnance Survey 
maps.

The areas of countryside opened up  subject to some common- sense 
restrictions  have been defined by the Countryside Agency after a long 
period of consultation with landowners and countryside users.

People venturing off well-defined paths on access land should be 
particularly alert to the importance of map-reading skills. They also need 
to be ready to make their own judgement about whether they will be safe 
walking in a particular area  for example, on marshy ground.

The extent of all access land is shown on the maps by a light yellow tint 
to the affected areas, surrounded by a narrow, pale orange border. Where 
access land extends to woodland areas, the yellow tint overlays the green 
tree cover shown on the maps.

Symbols no longer indicate the ownership of access land on revised Explorer 
maps, but a new orange-coloured i symbol is introduced to pinpoint any 
permanent access information boards that are notified to Ordnance Survey by 
the appropriate access authorities before each map is revised. The use of 
orange for the new symbol is deliberate  it reflects the colour of the 
borders of access land on the maps and avoids confusion with the long- 
standing blue i symbol that indicates a tourist information centre.

The map legend (key) also explains there are legal limitations to the new 
rights of access, and gives web site contact details 
(www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk) for map users to check the status of a 
particular area of land before setting out. The service is a joint 
initiative of the Countryside Agency and Countryside Council for Wales.

Ordnance Survey paper maps and computer data will be revised for other 
areas of England and Wales in a rolling programme as the access information 
for each area is supplied to it by the Countryside Agency and Countryside 
Council for Wales. Land in Scotland is not covered by the Countryside and 
Rights of Way Act.

The 32 map titles are: The Peak District - Dark Peak area - (OL1), South 
Pennines (OL21), The Peak District - White Peak area - (OL24), Forest of 
Bowland & Ribblesdale (OL41), Arundel & Pulborough (121), Brighton & Hove 
(122), Eastbourne & Beachy Head (123), Hastings & Bexhill (124), Romney 
Marsh (125), Crawley & Horsham (134), Ashdown Forest (135), High Weald 
(136), Ashford (137), Dover, Folkestone & Hythe (138), Guildford & Farnham 
(145), Dorking/Box Hill & Reigate (146), Sevenoaks & Tonbridge (147), 
Maidstone & the Medway Towns (148), Sittingbourne & Faversham (149), 
Canterbury & the Isle of Thanet (150), London South (161), Gravesend & 
Rochester (163), Northwich & Delamere Forest (267), Wilmslow/Macclesfield & 
Congleton (268), Liverpool/St Helens/Widnes & Runcorn (275), Bolton/Wigan & 
Warrington (276), Manchester & Salford (277), Southport & Chorley (285), 
Blackpool & Preston (286), West Pennine Moors (287), Bradford & 
Huddersfield (288), Lancaster/ Morecambe & Fleetwood (296).

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