Right to Roam

Last week, a blog reader emailed me about my Instagrams in Oxfordshire.  She asked, "Do you think you would ever have found some of these places (cottages, fields, country trails, etc.) if you didn't have a "native" fiancé and know people living in England? I just got back from a trip in England and would have LOVED to visit places like the ones you Instagram, but have no clue how to find them... any tips? Or is it an insider-only type of thing?"

I assured her that the majority of my activities in England aren't exclusive.  You don't have to know someone who lives here to have these adventures.  The catch is, though, that most people - most Americans, certainly - wouldn't know that these sorts of things are possible.  Unless you have friends or relatives for whom off-the-beaten-path outings are the norm, it's hard to know where to start researching the options.

Good thing you have me, dear readers, right?  So let's start somewhere that's baffled and amused me since 2007: let's make this blog post about walking in the UK.

Can you imagine there being a non-profit in the United States dedicated to walking?  I'm not talking about organizations that include walking as part of their efforts, like the Avon walk for breast cancer; I mean, can you imagine a US-based group established just to support your right to walk?  I can't.*

But in the UK, there's a charity founded on the "goal is to protect the ability of people to enjoy the sense of freedom and benefits that come from being outdoors on foot."  The Ramblers' website declares, "We’re an association of people and groups who come together to both enjoy walking and other outdoor pursuits and also to ensure that we protect and expand the infrastructure and places people go walking."

Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore.

You might remember how, when I blog about visiting Jon's parents in Suffolk, I almost always mention a walk.  Jon's mother is a huge proponent of walking - usually we plan our walks around the location of cafés or pubs, but there's no direct purpose to them.  We just go on long walks for fun.  (The "we" part of this was debatable at first, to be honest, but I grew to like them more and more every time we headed out!)  What always shocked me when we ventured out on these walks through the countryside was that we truly were wandering through the middle of nowhere.

Well, that's not entirely true.  We might walk through a farmer's field.  We might walk alongside the back garden of a grand estate.  We might walk through what is, clearly, someone else's property.  In America, this would probably be considered trespassing.  In England, the public right to roam trumps (almost) all.

I've done some research on the laws about this - here's the Countryside and Rights of Way Act of 2000 for England and Wales and this link will take you to the Scottish Land Reform Act of 2003 - but basically, it comes down to the idea that, as long as the public stays on designated paths, they can access the countryside through private land.  (Don't ask me why Scotland has its own law; that falls under the category of Internal British Politics that Non-Brits Can't Explain Without Making Someone Angry.)  It's a glorious right that I've taken full advantage of since I expatriated to the UK, and it's one that I think everyone should know about.

Walking is the absolute best way to see the parts of this magnificent country that aren't generally visited by non-native tourists.  This is how you discover the places that Kaitlyn asked about in her email.  And you can go anywhere!  The east coast of England is my favorite, of course, but Jon and I also spent a lovely weekend for our second anniversary walking in the Lake District and we've been researching walks in Scotland as well for an eventual holiday, for which Gesci has been a trove of information.  The New York Times Travel section recently wrote about an American's introduction to British walking in Wales - how incredible does that trip sound even with the horrific weather?

If you have a visit to the UK planned or even if you live here and want to venture out beyond your usual routine, I would definitely recommend looking into walking as a way to explore the land.  The Ramblers charity is a great place to start, and they've got a really helpful advice section about walking in the UK in general as well as maps and guides for specific walking routes.  I know I have readers out there who have gone on glorious walks on this side of the pond - what's your favorite walk?  And do let us know if you have any advice for those of us who want to walk through the UK!  My best piece of wisdom is this: bring wellies.  We had amazing weather last Sunday, when the below photos were taken, in Oxfordshire, but you never know...

*I'm differentiating here between walking, which can certainly be strenuous but is meant as as a leisure or recreational activity, and hiking, which is more focused on exercise and has more of a purpose.

linking up with Found Love... Now What and A Compass Rose for Travel Tuesdays