Rhys Ifans backs Right to Roam in Wales
[10 May 2005]
The Welsh film actor Rhys Ifans will be one of millions
enjoying unprecedented access to some of Wales’ most rugged
countryside when the right to roam commences there on May 28.
The London-based star of Notting Hill, Enduring Love and Not
Only But Always loves nothing more than getting back to his
native Wales to go walking. And he’s not on his own. Almost 9
million people visit Wales each year to walk and enjoy its
beautiful countryside. The Ramblers’ Association, the biggest
charity in Great Britain representing walkers, has been at the
forefront of the campaign to open up our wildest and most
dramatic landscapes for the public to enjoy.
The new access permits access on foot to mountain, moor, heath,
down and common land but specifically excludes cultivated
farmland and gardens while protecting privacy and allowing
sensible restrictions for nature conservation and land
management.
On the same day that access starts in Wales, two new regions in
England will also be opened up for the first time, the Upper
North West and North East which include four national parks –
Northumbria, the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and the Lake
District – showcasing walking terrain that is the envy of the
world.
Rhys Ifans said: “One of the things people don’t appreciate
about Wales is its diversity. As soon as I get there I breathe
in the fresh air and just unwind. I don’t drive but one thing I
can do is walk. I love walking and there’s nowhere better to do
that than Wales. I would rather see the country on foot because
there is too much to miss on a motorbike.”
Nick Barrett, Chief Executive of the RA said: “May 28 is going
to be a very special day with some spectacular walking areas
opening up for the very first time. Not only will there be
unprecedented access to some of Wales’ most beautiful
countryside but the public can also look forward to walking in
some of England’s most rugged windswept uplands and get away
from it all. For many the joy of walking is about getting off
the beaten track; everyone in this country now has a right to do
that and I hope that people will take the opportunity to
discover these beautiful areas for themselves.”