The following is rather long, I hope you will bear with me.
The new open access areas opened so recently that it is hardly
surprising that some walkers are finding minor problems, as I have
myself in the Peak District.
The new explorer maps clearly mark the areas and the boundaries of
access land, as does the Countryside Agency's web site. Good and
accurate as it is, it does not give any information whatsoever as to
where access points, gates or styles are.
It is all very well knowing that you have every right to be on land both
sides of a dry-stone wall, but you need to know where to cross. (Fast
approaching 70, I am happy with 12-15 mile walks with up to 3000 feet of
ascent, but no longer have the agility to vault lightly over these
obstacles without minor damage to the walls and major damage to myself).
When following a right-of-way, where the map shows a field boundary, one
can be quite certain to find a gate or a style as a means of crossing
that boundary. In the now rare event of no such gate or style, if you
know you are in the right place, you are quite entitled to take whatever
route you are safely able to negotiate.
Already some of the newly opened access areas have way marked routes
across them, you are not obliged to follow these routes, you have the
right to roam, but they do indicate a safe and reasonably direct or
interesting route from one access point to another.
As an example, take Hollins Hill on The White Peak map. There is a way-
marked route from the right-of-way at SK058679 near Booth Farm, up to
the summit. This route starts to the south of the wall line, then goes
through a new walkers gate at SK059679 to continue to the summit on the
north side of the wall. From the summit the route goes roughly south
along the ridge, passing through a new walkers gate at SK060678 to a new
style at SK062673. Between the last gate and this style you may if you
wish, descend to the Swallow Brook, but it is stiff climb back again as
there is no legal exit down there.
The route continues down the ridge to a new walkers gate at SK063671,
from here descending on a new consessionary path (which is not on open
access land), down to rejoin a right-of-way at SK061670.
Can anyone tell me where to find information on other such routes on
open access land, or information about access points, gates, or styles
etc? It is very difficult to plan a walk without this information. Is
there a Web site somewhere that I have failed to find?
[censored] Gays, Leicester.
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