There is no better way of appreciating the immense variety of places cared for by the National Trust than by exploring on foot.
Guiding principles
- Walking has always been, and will continue to be, the main type of access provided by the National Trust.
- The National Trust will continue to make assessments of new walking opportunities, in particular the provision of more places to stop, as well as places to go, and more routes for visitors with reduced mobility (young families, elderly, disabled visitors etc.).
- The National Trust allows and welcomes freedom to roam over its unenclosed land and woods. This does not necessarily apply to dogs.
Good practice
- Liaise with local walkers and ramblers groups to discuss their needs and those of the National Trust.
- Promote the Countryside Code.
- Assess and predict levels of use before undertaking new promotional initiatives; ensure damage is unlikely to occur and that staffing and maintenance resources are adequate.
- Provide information which gives guidance on where to go, what to see, how to get there and what walking conditions to expect, which helps to create an awareness and understanding of the countryside.
- Seek to influence the content of non-National Trust promotional literature (guidebooks etc.) and identify opportunities for joint publication. Cornwall; North York Moors National Park
- Assess critically the need for erosion repair, especially in the uplands. Consider priorities in the context of competing needs (e.g. information provision, monitoring and new types of access elsewhere) which may have more overall benefit. Upland Repair Handbook and work in the North West, Snowdonia and Brecon Beacons
- Assess paths for long-term sustainability and where practicable seek to re-route those that are badly sited, prohibitively expensive to maintain or damaging features of interest. Lake District, North West
- As far as possible ensure that complaints from the public about path surfaces do not compromise important natural or management processes (e.g. allow wet and boggy paths, dung on paths, etc.). Hill Top, North West; Lizard village, Cornwall
- Replace stiles with kissing or self-closing gates wherever possible.
- Many walkers seek peace and quiet and a sense of wilderness: the National Trust recognises this and should provide for it.
- Seek opportunities to extend access on tenanted farmland, particularly where there are new tenants, as part of a whole farm assessment. Make good use of agri-environment schemes for this purpose. eg. Sherborne and Chyngton
- Consider opportunities for additional routes, creating links with footpaths beyond National Trust boundaries and dedicating them wherever possible. eg. Dudmaston and Standen
- Encourage and make it easier for visitors to walk to National Trust properties from their homes or public transport links. eg. Erddig; Formby; Hardcastle Crags
Monitoring suggestions
Monitor erosion repair to assess its long-term effectiveness and benefits and investigate contribution of land use, e.g. grazing. Monitor levels of use at selected sites/times.
Trends
Increasing. Membership of Ramblers' Association (RA): 1970 - 20,000; 1980 - 30,000; 1990 - 85,000; 1997 - 120,000. 20 million in the UK walk regularly. c.50 million walk in the countryside at least once a year.
Possible impacts
- Erosion and costly path repair works, with insufficient assistance from highway authorities.
- Damage to habitats and natural features from footpath construction.
- Seasonal disturbance of fauna, especially moorland birds.
- Damage to fragile vegetation.
- Damage to walls, fences, stiles, etc., and litter.
- Conflict between walkers, cyclists and riders (danger, walkers frightened, path surfaces made more difficult for walkers).
- Safety requirements, the cost of their implementation and damage to valuable features.
- Traffic and car parking congestion associated with walking, and the cost of car park maintenance. Also some income from car parking.
Useful links:
Legislation, codes and agreements
Walkers have a legal right of way on footpaths, bridleways, byways and roads used as public paths. On a bridleway cyclists must give way to walkers. They also have 'de facto' access to many areas of land where they have not specifically been invited and to which no formal rights of access apply, e.g. extensive, remote and unenclosed moorland areas.
References
- Ramblers' Association - 'Rambling Today', quarterly magazine and year book.
- Ramblers' Association - 'Footpath Worker', quarterly bulletin of reports and decision letters on public path orders, court cases and related matters.
- Barlow, J. & Thomas, M. (1998). Mending Our Ways - the quality approach to managing upland paths. British Upland Footpath Trust, Manchester.
- Ramblers' Association (1993). Harmony in the Hills. Consultation document. The Ramblers' Association, London.
- Sidaway, R. (1990). Birds and Walkers. A review of existing research on access to the countryside and disturbance to birds. A report prepared for the Ramblers' Association, London.
- Ratcliffe, D. (1992). Rambling and Nature Conservation. Rambling Today. Spring issue.
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