Right-to-roam campaigners plan mass trespass on England-Scotland border
They expect hundreds of walkers to meet at a yet-to-be-disclosed location to demonstrate the difference between the countries’ laws.
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Right to roam activists are planning to trespass along the English-Scottish border as they call for a change in English law that would increase public access to the countryside.
Such access, along with wild camping, has been legal in Scotland for 20 years, but is unavailable over 92% of the English countryside and is only in remote locations, the Right to Roam campaign said.
They are organising a “borderlands” event for September 23, inviting hundreds of people from both sides of the border in what they call “a protest and a celebration”.
A group will trespass on the English side to meet with their Scottish counterparts at a yet-to-be-disclosed location on the border, with pipers, drummers and flag and banner bearers.
We invite our Scottish colleagues to invade England – with your ideas
Right to Roam campaigner Guy Shrubsole, who lives in England, said: “There’s a right to roam over just 8% of England currently, whilst Scotland has had a full right of responsible access for the past 20 years.
“It’s time England learned from Scotland and enacted the same. We invite our Scottish colleagues to invade England – with your ideas.”
Some landowners, such as the National Trust, open their land to walkers using footpaths though this is not included in the 8% figure.
Wild camping however is illegal in almost every part of England, except for some areas of Dartmoor, after the national park’s authorities successfully overturned a High Court ban on the practice.
Labour has promised to introduce a Scottish-style right to roam law in England if it wins the next general election.
It would extend public access from areas mapped as open country – such as moor, heath and down – and common land to cover most of the land and water in England.
Many farmers have expressed their opposition to a right to roam law, citing fears of damage to the countryside.
Standing on the Scottish side of the border, we’ll be covered by our right of responsible access; but when you put one foot into England, you’ll be breaking the law
A YouGov poll in June suggests 62% of UK adults would support more right to roam with exclusions to private gardens, crop land and other sensitive areas such as conservation or military sites, while 19% would oppose.
Right to Roam campaigner Nadia Shaikh, who lives in Scotland, said: “It’s 20 years this year since the Land Reform (Scotland) Act was passed, giving everyone the right to responsibly access the great majority of land and water in Scotland – with sensible exceptions, like around private homes and gardens, land on which crops are growing, and sensitive nature sites.
“When politicians in England say you can’t have a full right to roam, think of the impact it would have – we say, we have it here in Scotland, come and learn from us.
“So September 23, we’ll be trespassing along the border to show how absurd this situation is.
“Standing on the Scottish side of the border, we’ll be covered by our right of responsible access; but when you put one foot into England, you’ll be breaking the law.”
The location of the trespass will be revealed within a week of it happening by the Right to Roam campaign.