Rights of way

The issue of public access to the countryside is currently the subject of great debate. In many parts of Britain the combination of agricultural intensification and increased traffic on roads means there are now fewer pleasant or safe places to walk in the average stretch of countryside, despite the increase in the number of country parks and other recreational facilities. Hidden under these trends is the ancient and fundamental conflict between land owners and others: the right of ownership versus the right of citizenship - a conflict of cultural tensions which will intensify if major expansions of tourism in the countryside take place. These complex issues of the access debate are discussed in three main sections: policy, culture and management. This book explores the theme of public access to the countryside through the eyes of a variety of commentators and researchers. The authors come from a range of academic disciplines including geography, rural land management, sociology and economics.