2020 has really shown the value of getting outdoors into nature. According to Natural England nearly half of the population (46%) have been spending more time outside than before Covid. Public Rights of Way are the routes that we use to access the countryside and give us legal rights to be there. These Public Rights…
Exactly 5 years from today, unrecorded rights of way that existed before 1949 will be extinguished. Time is ticking for us to get these unrecorded or under recorded routes correctly recorded on the definitive map. When we talk about these Lost Ways they aren’t all lost, many of these ways are in current use but…
This year there has been plenty of time for reading some books and I’ve loved making some down time to switch off and relax without technology. I’ve really enjoyed these 9 books ranging from nature exploration to inspiration for walks as well as some emotional rollercoasters. This book was one of my childhood favourites, I…
Inclusion for all shouldn’t be exceptional it should be the norm! Now we all know that the outdoors can’t be accessible in all places for everyone, but there could be a lot more done to improve access in the countryside. Accessibility has a broad meaning as everyone has different abilities, one person’s visit to a…
I’ve been asked a lot recently how to get into Rights of Way work, what’s required to get started and how to stand out at interview. The sector is very diverse and working for different organisations/authorities can mean totally different things even though it may be the same job title. To put it simply, there…
Have you come across any issues whilst out exploring your local routes during lockdown? Do you know who to report them to? Do you know the process for resolving these issues? To find out what issues are generally found on Public Rights of Way check out my Common Issues blog and find out who is…
How do you tell if a route is public, private or permissive? Are there signs? Are there barriers to stop you where you shouldn’t go? As we head into Lockdown 2.0 we should be making the most of getting outside and exploring our local routes again for our mental and physical well being. As we…
Historic evidence is not the only way to make a DMMO application to claim a route that isn't recorded on the definitive map. The 2026 cut off date does not apply to user evidence claims, they can still be submitted beyond the 1st January 2026 unlike historic claims.
80% of the available time has already passed to record historic routes which are missing or under recorded on the definitive map. Routes that are not correctly recorded by the 1st January 2026 will be extinguished forever.
Could your local ramble, hack or cycle route be lost forever in the next 5 years? It's possible if it isn't recorded properly that it could be lost after the 1st January 2026.
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