The second edition of a rural affairs programmes produced by Tyne Tees Television that looks at the future of agricultural and the countryside as it heads towards the new millennium. In this episode presenter Eric Robson looks at the thorny issue or access to the countryside. Should people be given free access to all the countryside or should restrictions be put in place. Individuals from both sides of the argument have their say. Against the backdrop of Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland...

The second edition of a rural affairs programmes produced by Tyne Tees Television that looks at the future of agricultural and the countryside as it heads towards the new millennium. In this episode presenter Eric Robson looks at the thorny issue or access to the countryside. Should people be given free access to all the countryside or should restrictions be put in place. Individuals from both sides of the argument have their say. Against the backdrop of Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland views of the surrounding landscape and a farm on a nearby hillside. Visitors walk along a pathway from the visitor’s centre at Housesteads Roman Fort to the fort itself. Eric Robson walks slowly along a woodland path stating that Britain is not short of land, millions of aces are surplus to agricultural requirements. But the question of access to the countryside is still a hotly debated one with both sides fighting over a network of paths and bridleways laid out more than 800-900 years ago. Title: Farming 2000 Visitors to Houseteads continue to walk along the path leading from the visitor’s centre to the site. Local farmer Julian Acton states that these footpath networks were not designed for large numbers of recreational users. A man carrying a rucksack walks along a path through a wood, he is one of a billion people who visit the countryside each year. While ramblers are in the minority, they are an important pressure group. Standing near to ‘Public Footpath’ sign Eric Robson speaks with Kate Ashbrook, Chair of the Ramblers Association and ask first how much freedom should people have? She believes the people should be able to use all public rights of way and have the freedom to walk peacefully over open countryside subject to common sense restrictions. She doesn’t thing the association is being unreasonable, these common-sense restrictions would allow a farmer to carry on his lawful business. Eric asks if she has frightened landowners with some of the language she has used. She is only referring to those who are breaking the law, she refers to a survey the association has carried out which shows a high percentage of paths across the country are unusable because of landowners who are deliberately ignoring the law. She agrees that landowners do have rights as well as responsibilities, but they must respect rights of way across their land. Eric Robson joins Alan Hutchinson from the N.E. Ramblers Association for a circular walk around an unidentified County Durham village. Alan has become a ‘rambling activist’ in the county and has had several confrontations with local landowners. Eric and Alan approach a gate with two signs on it reading ‘Beware Dog. Entry Prohibited’. Alan explains that the official path goes through the gate and farmyard, but nine years previous the local farmer built a building on it without planning permission. He has illegally diverted the path around his land forcing any walker to trespass. They walk around the diversion with Alan explaining that the path is under consideration for planning consent. If the diversion is permeant, then he wants safeguards in places such as the path be made wider and have something in place to keep undergrowth back. A stile leading from the path into a field which Alans considers a deliberate obstruction. Across the field overgrowth and a barbed wire fence, part of the diversion, which Alan believes only members of the SAS would get through. On the edge of the village Eric and Alan come to another obstruction to the walk, a guard dog which has been tied up and within reach of the path. A sign nearby reads ‘Warning. Guard Dog Patrolling’, something Alan believes would deter any walker from using the legal right of way. Alan understands the need of the business owner with regards the dogs, but states that if there is a public path there he should do something about it. Back at the farm of Julian Acton near Housesteads, Eric Robson asks about the issues he has with visitors. Around half-a-million people visit Hadrian’s Wall each year, the wall itself passes at the top of his land. These paths weren’t built to deal with the number of visitors, it puts a stain on the countryside. Eric asks about people attitudes and if this is a problem. 90% of those who visit are fine, it’s the 10% which are grumpy when told they aren’t allowed to go wherever they want, even on his farm. He is asked what damages is caused by these individuals, mainly inconsiderate things such as allowing their dogs of the lead in a field of sheep. Alan Kind from the Byways and Bridleway Trust speeds past along a bridleway on his mountain bike. The use of the countryside is changing with mountain bikes, motorbikes and 4x4 vehicles turning traditional highways such as the one being cycled along by Alan Kind into a major thoroughfare. Eric Robson speaks with Alan who explains that the use of routes such as these change as society changes. He sees the recreational value of such routes as being very important and the low outlay of public money to maintain them to be of value. He disagrees with the argument that mountain bikes damage the countryside, farming does far more damage. If everyone uses common-sense then everyone would get along well. A 4x4 vehicle churns up mud as it speeds across rough terrain. Alan doesn’t think vehicles such as these or motorbikes should be restricted, it is a myth they cause damage if used properly as rather than paths and bridleways they are in fact on unclassified roads. A cyclo-cross event taking place with riders on mountain bikes speeding along a course, some of the contestants pick up their bikes to traverse difficult terrain. Alan is asked how many mountain bikers there are? He quotes an industry figure of around 15 million mountain bikes have been sold since they became popular in around 1985, and while many of these riders don’t penetrate into deep countryside, he believes there are more mountain bikers than horse rides. In general, he doesn’t think there are too many riders, but there are ‘honey-pot’ areas where there are problems. He fully supports the idea that full access and is looking for rights of way to be in proper order and properly managed. He sees comments about mountain bikers damaging the countryside as a publicity stunt created by landowners. In England and Wales there are about 40,000 miles of bridleways and around 10,000 miles of byways and unclassified roads. Of these most of the byways are in good order as they are still being used by farmers as access tracks, but bridleways are seriously obstructed with 25,000 miles of the 140,000 miles total footpath and bridleways being unusable. Work is being done to open up rights of way with the Countryside Commission Recreation 2000 scheme which will legally define all rights of way by the millennium. On he issues of obstructions Alan states that 150 bridleways in Northumberland are affected which not only block said rights of way but sterilise those routes around it. In a Northumberland wood two local authority workmen build a small footbridge over a stream. An older gentleman appears and crosses over the bridge continuing his walk. Interview with Chris Smith from Northumberland County Council who says the council is becoming more proactive with regards work on paths publishing a ‘milestone statement’ where area teams each year work in certain parishes to make sure path are accessible and maintained. A government target from 1987 to have all paths maintained, well defined and well publicised by 2000 will be met for coastal and urban areas, but not upland route. The county has lots of miles of path, but limited resources. The council is also in the process of reviewing the counties ‘definitive map’ which will make clear where paths are and where the public can go. A bridleway sign crossing a busy road returns to Chris Smith who states the council do see bridleways as important assets and will work towards maintaining them along with paths as part of the ‘milestone statement’. A walker crosses another footbridge over a stream and heads into a wood for a walk. Chris Smith goes through the procedures that would be gone through with landowner who obstruct a right of way. But while these rights are lawful, are they sensible asks Eric. At Vindolanda Eric takes a walk through the site’s gardens with Robin Birley from the Vindolanda Trust. He explains these routes were built for local people to travel from their homes into villages for supplies. These days paths now pass through people’s gardens, across hay fields which Robin thinks is madness. He explains the problems the trust has with a right of way which passes through their land. The biggest issue is security as people can wonder through the site at night. They have been burgled. People also use the path to access the Roman site free of charge and there is little they can do to stop it. Eric asks if the trust has considers asking for the path to be diverted. Robin explains that it would take just one objection to the plan for it to go to public enquiry which they, as well as most local landowners, couldn’t afford. He, like other local landowner, would be happy to put in a sensible alternative route, but due to England’s current planning laws it is almost impossible. Robin agrees with Eric that there is lack of understanding with people from the towns to the way things are done in the countryside. He talks about issues with dogs on the site. Back at Housesteads the car park at the visitor’s centre with a couple standing beside their car. Farmer Julian Acton explains his main issues are with people who come by car for the day, he sees them generally are the worst behaved. He believes that while they do have a right to visit the countryside, how it is managed and where they are allowed to go should be carefully looked at. Leaning against a woodland fence Eric Robson ends the programme by providing details of next week’s programme on the growth in housing developments in the countryside. Over the credits footage from that edition. Credit: Camera Simon Elphinstone Sound Ken Davison Electrician Alan Robinson Production Assistants Eileen Young Researchers Liz Woodward, Kevin Rountree Editor Charles Slater Director Malcolm Dickinson Producer/Director Bob Farnworth End credit: © Tyne Tees Television MCMXCV