Andrew Bibby campaigning
Step conference on November 29th in the main hall of the community-owned Hebden Bridge Town Hall and preceding it in the morning with an organised walk on moorlands close to Boulsworth which – until CRoW – were forbidden to us.
The day isn’ t just intended to be a celebration. It’ s an attempt to gather all our forces for a new push to persuade the current Labour government to extend the rights which we can enjoy to get to know our countryside. Despite CRoW there is still much unfinished business. So many woods remain hidden away behind private signs. Our river banks are too often inaccessible. And, bizarrely, land demarcated under CRoW as access land sometimes can’ t actually be legally accessed because there’ s no way to reach it without trespassing. The laws defending land ownership and private property still trump the natural desire of many of us to experience the great outdoors.
This is a good time to focus again on this issue. There are hopes that the government will have published a Green Paper on access and the countryside before our event in November – not a White Paper, so not necessarily anticipating future legislation, but at least something to discuss. And we’ ve arranged speakers and workshop leaders who we think will ensure we can make the most of the opportunity. Our speakers include veteran campaigner Kate Ashbrook of the Open Spaces Society( Kate was a regular speaker a quarter of a century ago at our ABC events!) and Amy- Jane Beer from the feisty Right to Roam group which is using social media to build new support for the issue.
Fellow OWPG members will of course be more than welcome to be with us on 29th November( and Scottish colleagues can come and tell us how the 2003 Scottish legislation has transformed rights north of the border!). Details are at heartofthepennines. org. uk / r2r.
P6 TOP & MIDDLE Restricted access signs, P6 BOTTOM 1931 Ramblers’ rally for access rights held at Winnat’ s Pass in the Peak District, TOP LEFT Trail closed sign, ABOVE Freedom to Roam: the Next Step conference, Saturday 29th September
Autumn 2025 OUTDOOR FOCUS 7