Bristol Right to Roam

Land – who owns it, who controls it, who gets to live on it and use it, and who is allowed to access it – lies at the core of all our lives. England and Wales have some of the most restrictive land access laws worldwide; rights of way give us access to only 8% of land a mere 3% of rivers. Right to Roam is a national movement aiming to introduce a Reasonable Access law in England and Wales similar to that now enjoyed by all in Scotland. We’ll have a quick look at the history of land ownership in England & Wales, its relationship to power, wealth and government, and how that is managed by laws of trespass. We’ll also look briefly at how to go about trespass safely, how to navigate potential conflict (which is in fact very rare), sites to avoid, and general ethics of trespass and countryside use. And then it’s time for the fun stuff; how you can go about a fun, friendly, safe, trespass with the Bristol Right to Roam group!