RIGHT TO ROAM NEWSLETTR—TELL THE STORY OF LACK OF ACCESS TO OUR RIVERBANKS

No right to access three quarters of England's riverbanks In this newsletter: –Our riverbank investigation –Wigan and Makerfield Events –Finnamore Wood –Local Group Updates Dear Roamers, Nearly three quarters of England’s riverbanks have no right of access according to our new analysis, revealed in the Guardian last weekend. We found that 71% of riverbanks across 89 English river catchments have no access land or public right of way on either bank within 100 metres of the water. It is a staggering finding and yet, somehow, an unsurprising one. Many rivers begin their life accessible, birthed in the mountains and moors where access land is more common. As estuaries become more urban they tend to offer greater access to the riverside. However, the middle courses are often forgotten and inaccessible. It’s like knowing someone in their youth and losing touch until their old age. Take the River Severn for example, whose headwaters begin high in the Welsh hills of Plynlimon, and end in the great estuary of the Bristol Channel. Yet through its middle catchment in Shropshire, it becomes one of England’s least accessible waterways, with 90% of its banks off limits. In other places, paths named after a river barely encounter the rivers whose name they carry – for example, most of the ‘The Test Way’ does not adjoin the famous chalk stream at all. Right to Roam's local group in South Devon experienced this phenomenon recently on the River Erme. Our trespass took us along the private paths of the Flete Estate (of Our Land fame), which for 5km on both sides of the river is reserved for the exclusive access of residents and guests of the estate. It is a beautiful section of a river in much need of help, but which for the most part is unseen even by those living in villages and towns in the same catchment. Does this story sound familiar? Have you been shut out from your local river? Drop us a reply and tell us your story. Details like that help us build the case for change. Our investigation lands on the freshly cleared desk of incoming DEFRA Secretary of State, Angela Eagle. Her arrival continues a decade-long trend at the department, where a new SoS has been appointed, on average, once every year. We hope she will recognise the scale of the inequality it represents and the inadequacy of the government’s flagship access policy of creating ‘nine new river walks’, which have so far failed to create any new access. She needn’t look far for ideas. Across Europe we see examples of a different approach. Sweden, Norway and Scotland all have a right to swim and paddle in most inland waters with exceptions made for privacy, wildlife and public safety. France has 1,286 officially monitored freshwater bathing sites. Meanwhile, in Paris, three free, supervised swimming areas have been opened on the Seine, with the water tested daily and sites closed temporarily when conditions make swimming unsafe. Berlin has 39 official bathing places where the city monitors conditions and gives swimmers information about where it is safe to enter. The city’s website states: “The Lageso wishes all Berliners and all guests of the city a pleasant and safe bathing and swimming season at the official bathing areas". In some Swiss cities, the rivers are so clean that people commute to work by swimming. Even in the densely populated Netherlands there are now 800 officially designated swimming locations, that are monitored and tested regularly. From the 1st of June next year Flanders will make all swimming legal unless there’s a good reason not to . Authorities there have taken the enlightened view that legalising swimming results in a stronger swimming culture, which in turn produces stronger and more capable swimmers: saving lives, and benefitting mental and physical health. As the Netherlands national swimming programme, Swim-ABC, website succinctly puts it: “Learning to swim is vital in our country with its abundance of water. We live near water, and we like to seek it out. Therefore, it is essential that children learn to swim at a young age.” While Europe evolves, we stagnate. England and Wales are increasingly looking like the last ones left on the bank while everyone else takes to water. Wigan & Makerfield: Save the Dates With the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, making his constituency of Makerfield a litmus test for the country, Right to Roam are paying a visit. –August 27th, The Old Courts, 7pm. Join Nadia, Guy, and the Right to Roam North West local group, for an evening of discussion about increasing land access, who owns the North West and what access reform could look like. –September 12th, Wigan Diggers’ Festival Right to Roam will be running a stall at this local festival, celebrating the legacy of the great Gerard Winstanley and his belief in the land as a common treasury for all... –September 13th, SAVE THE DATE With the team in town, there’s mischief to be found… save the date and we’ll release more details in due course! Finnamore Wood We recently reported on events unfolding at Finnamore Wood in Buckinghamshire, where a luxury property developer is enclosing a once-accessible woodland. The site was formerly home to a borstal but in the decades since it closed, local children and families have walked and played among the trees. In recent months, an eight-foot fence has been erected around the perimeter. Once again, the woodland has been turned into a fortress. Last week residents held a vigil to highlight the injustice and call on the local authorities to act. You can watch a moving short film about the day here. BBC News Jon spoke to the BBC about the legacy of the Kinder Mass Trespass and why it’s still unfinished business in England and Wales. Check the article out here. Local Groups Update Dorset Congrats to the Dorset group, who went out last weekend to liberate a Right of Way on Deadmoor Common from blockage – great work folks! Leicestershire The Leicestershire group are organising a swim trespass and picnic this Sunday, August 9th. If you’re interested, please contact Nadia on nadia@righttoroam.org.uk for more information. Kent Kent local group are looking to expand their pool of active members and organisers. They’re especially in need of someone who is interested in social media but would love to hear from any keen folk regardless of skill set. They welcome people from all over Kent and are hoping to gather some representation in the East or along the coast. Members meet regularly online and in person. They’d also love support in researching land ownership in Kent and planning actions that can include book clubs, socials, walks, film screenings, etc. If you’re interested in getting involved, please email righttoroamkent@gmail.com West Yorkshire On August 29th our West Yorkshire group are teaming up with long time friends of the campaign, Trash Free Trails, to give the hills a spruce after the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. “We will come together to give these majestic hills a good clean and do our bit of Wild Service. We want to have fun and engage with the public and really try to understand the psychology of littering. We are not aiming to lecture, blame or protest, but if we can talk to the public about rubbish and increased responsible access even better!" Sign up on the Trash Free Trails website here. For more details, drop the local group a line at: righttoroamwestyorkshire@gmail.com Lewis and Jon, on behalf of the Right to Roam team Can you help keep us roaming? The right to roam campaign is kept afloat by small donations from a few hundred monthly supporters. We are grateful for every single one of you. It’s what keeps the work going, but if we want to scale what’s needed, we need to grow that base. We currently have a target of 1,000 subscribers in order to make the campaign sustainable for the next year. Can you help? £5 / Month £10 / Month £15 / Month £20 / Month As an extra bonus for supporters, those who choose to become monthly paid supporters of the campaign will automatically enter into our ongoing art print giveaway as a thank you for helping sustain the movement long term. Visit our social accounts RIGHTTOROAM.ORG.UK This email was sent from this site. If you no longer wish to receive this email, change your email preferences here.