Right to roam on rights of way

IN SHORT:

We cannot even be given the right to roam on public paths and footbridges, let alone expecting what is either side to be given to us as open access land!

MORE DETAIL:

However, I chose 'Right to roam on rights of way' (it has a nice ring about it and I love alliteration!) because I do feel that right to roam on publicly owned land, as at the South Downs, north of Brighton last month, is already happening without any repercussions, whatsoever.  It does not even need new stiles or gates or footbridges!  Therefore, that campaign is far less important than enabling access for walkers who have difficulty clambering over rickety stiles rotting away and, without steps.  In addition, of course, footbridges and their attendant rights of way are closed permanently, even for the vast majority who can easily climb stiles, because local authority funding is never available for this very basic, elementary kind of right to roam.

I fear the phrase, "right to roam" is being used to invite trespass on wealthy people's private land.  Although I do that myself, it is either unintentional or, always done to ask for the permission of the very first person I come across in the hope that he/she is the landowner.  In addition, we need to keep the very blessed wealthy landowners on board to give us permissive paths on old railway lines and, even to fund stile replacement/maintenance and for footbridges to be replaced/maintained.  After eleven years of austerity, we are becoming more and more dependant on the wealthy to sponsor, to donate and to help out the state's insistence that taxes - even from the wealthy - must be kept as low as possible.

I think it is far more important to have simply the ability to roam on existing footpath infrastructure that is being taken away from us through neglect and the passage of time.  That kind of right to roam is pretty basic but is being lost.

I do think that with this present kind of Conservative government, with the Police Bill, HS2, cutting overseas aid but vastly boosting expenditure on the arms trade, armaments and nuclear weapons, it is totally unrealistic to expect them to even countenance their donors and supporters giving us the freedom to roam, officially and without prior permission, all over their vast private estates, largely given over to arable and dairy farming anyway - unlike swathes of upland in Scotland that has full open access.

Having more land designated as open access when it is already, unofficially available would be nice to have but, it is access to existing official rights of way that must come first and be foremost in any campaign, I think.  I am deliberately hi-jacking the "right to roam" phrase for a much more noble and vital cause!

Saying nice warm words; but carrying on regardless with business as usual

Ask the landowner and the walking, cycling, horse riding community to sponsor a footbridge or stile/gate.  Footbridges over 10 metres long should be maintained by Highways and the landowner.  There must be many wealthy landowners with the Bill Gates philanthropic tendency!

Why are the local authorities, regional government and national government doing the exact opposite of what is required to tackle their own self-declared climate emergency?  I have made suggestions to the WMCA, to our councillors and my MP but they just carry on swaying along, drunk on fossil fuels, on the broad road to destruction.  I have set my own fossil fuel budget by slashing my car mileage by 50% on 2019, on walking and cycling for shorter journeys and we spend a little over £1 a day on gas and electricity.  What about the rest of you following our lead and showing what they have to do?  Trains on railway lines instead of everything but the kitchen sink; PV solar on every roof and climate-proofing every building in the land, for a start.

Not rewilding but simple maintence of their existing responsibilities - PLEASE!

The councils' higher priority for spending should be to do something about their lack of maintenance and replacement of footbridges and stiles on public paths that are leading to bridges being closed and paths off-limits to some. Some really rickety, dangerous stiles mean that we OAPs are losing the right to roam. My days of river swimming to get across are over, too!!

Ramblers at national office need to get cracking!

 Hi Sophie

This is a national issue and not a local issue.  Every part of England and Wales is affected by the loss of PROW and the right to roam on rights of way, as footbridges fall into disrepair and get closed - and even washed away!

The solution needs national Ramblers to persuade every local authority to get footbridges over a certain length to be maintained by their Highways Depts and not Countryside Services.  But am I wrong?

We need national, heavyweight support (and even opinion/expertise/advice) from yourselves, as well - PLEASE!  Am I wrong or right?

Best wishes

Marking 60 years over six days!

It was brilliant to have my friends from the Stourbridge Green Network at my home in Halesowen for one of our meetings on the eve of my birthday. We ate and drunk well and had a discussion on the extent to which science should be the final arbiter. Our guest for the night was an academic who soon got stuck into the cakes; next, required a cheese sandwich and who left the hot tap in the bathroom running full on - twice! And, this, at a super-energy conscious, green meeting, too!

Day two was a fabulous meal at Halesowen College at their training restaurant. It was more tipsy than either of us was expecting because it was a Robbie Burns night celebration rather than mine! We were served with an alcoholic punch on arrival; we ordered a glass of wine each, only to find that a second glass was thrown in for free; the haggis had to be toasted with a glass of whisky and, finally, more alcohol in the liquer with the coffee! A genuine looking Scotsman serenaded us, twice with a bagpipe full of Scottish tunes over the course of the evening. Just as well we had walked from home!

Day three demanded a bus ride with Deryn's magnificent birthday cake for the team at work. Such was my consumption of food and alcohol, I needed no breakfast and I certainly wasn't going to take the car! On the bus I was still under the influence and, to such an extent, that to avoid being sick on the bus, I had to get out a mile early and walk the rest of the way! What a wimp I am!

Day four, Friday marked the journey, after work to Esgair Wen, a beautiful white Welsh cottage in the back of beyond in the great expanse of rarely visited hills between Devil's Bridge and Rhayader. Becky gave us a lovely meal in Aberystwyth where we also met Jon, who had come from Manchester by train.

Day five was a wonderful 8 hour walk with Becky, Tim and Jon whose presence made, for me, easily the best present from these three youngsters. They loyally followed me up hill and down - and just about kept up with me! We explored the hills, the wind farm, the forest and the streams and rivers at the back of Esgair Wen; and even jogged along one green track that was downhill on our way to the stunning deep gorge of the Afon Rheidol at Parson's Bridge. The last 1.75 hrs and six miles from Devil's Bridge was a character-building road walk back to the cottage when we found we couldn't get a signal to summon up a car to come and get us! However, it was under the stars - and some clouds.

Linda's fabulous meal was one of my favourites - shepherd's pie - and a once in a blue moon discussion on population, resources and the future of humanity. Phrases used were, 'Necessity is the mother of invention' (when the oil tap runs dry); the young are hypocrites in knowing the facts but behaving like everyone else; and, only the good Lord can sort this one out (my paraphrases!) I was in a minority of precisely one. Let's all hope I am wrong!

Will Hay in 'Oh Mr Porter' rounded off the evening that was not as funny as when I first saw it - and, now I have a box of the films!

Day six photos are on the blog of our sedate walk through Coed Hafod and the final narrow footbridges of the two days; footbridges over roaring rivers and ravines. I counted five notable footbridges yesterday and two more were in this wood. Linda and I had a quick meal at 'The Clive', north of Ludlow, on the way back. Esgair Wen sleeps seven and is of a very high standard. Strongly recommended. All electric and warm and comfortable.