On the eve of the introduction of a new freedom to roam for walkers under the Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act in two areas of England, the Ramblers' Association (RA) highlights ten of the top new areas that will be opened to the nation on Sunday 19 September.
The CRoW Act introduces a legal right to walk on mountain, moor, heath, down and common land, away from footpaths, often opening up access to parts of the countryside for the first time since the Enclosure Acts of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The best of the first two regions to open to the public, the Lower North West and the South East, are:
The 'Dragons Back' of Hollins Hill and Chrome Hill, soon to be open country
1) Hollins Hill, Chrome Hill, Parkhouse Hill, Hitter Hill and High Wheeldon (Explorer OL24): Located south of Buxton in an area of the Peak Park where there is relatively little access land, this series of "Dragon's Back" hills will offer some beautiful new walking opportunities, and stunning views of the surrounding countryside. The new access land links well with existing rights of way and should be a boon for a number of villages and hamlets in the area.
2) Bleasdale Moors (Explorer 41): New access to these beautiful moors, close to Garstang off the M6, in the Forest of Bowland can be reached via an existing right of way approximately 2km east or directly off a road running through Oakenclough to the west. A trig point is located at 429 meters providing a good panorama of the surrounding fells. A natural feature called the 'arbour' will be accessible for the first time.
3) Marshaw Fell and Hawthornthwaite Fell (Explorer 41): Fantastic areas of open country that are easily accessible from a road to the north of Bleasdale Moors running through Marshaw, Lancashire, and off the Wyre Way, a promoted long distance footpath.
4) Ward Stone and Mallowdale Pike (Explorer 41): South East of Caton, there are a number of permissive paths and other rights of way that will provide jumping off points for these exquisite fells. Ward Stone has a trig point and is one of the highest points locally, providing stunning views. CRoW will provide permanent access, permissive access can be withdrawn at any time.
5) Burn Moor (Explorer 41): Known as the 'forbidden moor', Burn Moor will have access for the first time in centuries. Located just south east of High Bentham, Burn Moor is accessible from two roads and a right of way, and it links with huge tracts of open country to provide magnificent, if challenging, walking.
6) Smithills Moor and Winter Hill (Explorer 287): Located north of Bolton and providing views over the Manchester conurbation to the Pennines. Historically important, as in 1896 a group of Bolton men marched to the moor to maintain their traditional right to walk across it. The Landowner wanted to close access and until recently there had only been a footpath across the moor. To the north it links with another area of access land to create a large area of walking country.
7) Hallam Moors, Derwent Moors, Ughill Moors, Bradfield Moors, Broomhead Moor, Midhope Moors and Bamford Moors (Explorer OL1): A huge area of open country that will provide a variety of opportunities to explore some truly beautiful countryside virtually from the edge suburbs of Sheffield. All these moors abound in industrial and social history and offer true wilderness walking away from rights of way.
8) Boulsworth Hill (Explorer OL21): At the western end of the Bronte Moors, Boulsworth Hill offer panoramic views at the boundary of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Located east of Nelson and Burnley, it is easily access across open country or from the Bronte Way or Pendle Way.
9) Amberley Mount along a north facing escarpment to Chantry Hill (Explorer 121): A linear stretch of down land from Amberley to Sullington in West Sussex, that follows the line of the South Downs Way but adds some interesting new access areas.
10) Newtimber Hill, Devil's Dyke, Edburton Hill, Truleigh Hill, Tottington Mount and Anchor Bottom (Explorer 122): A beautiful linear stretch of down, starting near Poynings and ending in Upper Beeding, West Sussex, that is well linked with rights of way. Some of this area has permissive access, but important new areas have been added that will provide excellent walks.
More about the right to roam
Commencement events and dates
