By Matthew Voyce
This month, the High Court upheld a complaint about wild camping ledged by a wealthy hedge fund owner. As a result, wild camping on some 4000 acres of Dartmoor has been banned. One of the last places in England where you could escape the noise and the confusion of the urban world and enjoy the immense beauty this country has to offer- but now, this has been ripped away from the people who value wildlife the most.
In many ways, the decision to tear England’s natural beauty away from the people does not come as a surprise. The rights of the rich to restrict land access is a national issue. The right to roam in this country has been systematically eroded by centuries of rich landowners exercising their considerable privilege, and hiding acres of moor, forest, and mountain behind barbed wire fences and brick walls. Right to Roam, the foremost charity advocating the population's rights to roam, estimate some 92% of the countryside and 97% of rivers are restricted. Only 8% of land is open to the public to explore and relish, and only 3% of rivers are open for fishing, swimming, or boating. And God forbid that anyone wants to camp.
Image by Matthew Voyce
The countryside is central to so many people’s lives. It provides solitude and sanctity in its gentle rolling hills and adventure in its steep valleys and soaring peaks. It's more than a playground for people. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHS has studied the impact of walking as a treatment for mental health difficulties: so-called ‘green prescriptions.’ A study conducted by the National Academy of Social Prescribing also shows that regular contact with nature and exercise within nature relates to improving physical health and mental health, including ADHD and PTSD. It makes people happier. It certainly makes me happier. So why, then, is all this benefit being stripped away from us?
The right to roam also comes with environmental benefits. The more time people spend in nature, the more they will come to recognise its importance and its beauty. They will care more about declining red squirrel populations of the plight of River Trent salmon if they come to value the countryside. People who have never fully been initiated into the wonderful world of the countryside do not care enough about it. Us English should learn to value our green and pleasant land more than we do. But with so much of it off limits, people can’t see most of it.
It doesn’t have to be like this. In Norway, Sweden, and Estonia, the right of the people to enjoy the countryside is enshrined in law. Closer to home, in Scotland, the right to roam has been in law since 2003. And is this land owned by the masses? No. Most of it is owned by landowners, who are compelled by law to allow roaming. And is Scotland overwhelmed by an army of people hell-bent on tearing the highlands down stone by stone? No. So why can’t this be replicated in England? The argument that people damage the countryside beyond repair is absurd. A tradition of backpacking and wild camping has existed in this country for decades. Most of Dartmoor is essentially untouched, save ancient stone circles and long since collapsed shepherds’ huts. Walking across Dartmoor in mid-July, I went two days without seeing a single person. It's not overcrowded, nor is it being destroyed. The drive to remove people from the countryside is little more than conceitedness and greed rooted in wealth and generational lies about the rights of people with money.
That isn’t to say there shouldn’t be regulation. The Countryside Code has existed since 1951 and should be adhered to. The rules on rubbish, open fires, and the tampering with wildlife are important to protect natural beauty and wildlife. Anyone who cares about the world they live in will follow these basic rules without needing to be prompted. Furthermore, bylaws unique to most national parks should be looked up and followed to the best of your ability, as they benefit everyone. For example, the rule of not feeding New Forest ponies is not only there to protect them, but also to prevent you being swarmed by a ravenous herd of horses looking for carrots. Of course, be respectful to the world you live in and the creatures that inhabit it.
The countryside should be open to all. It should be a place where people form memories, escape reality, and above all, enjoy themselves. Go to Dartmoor, to Snowdonia, to Exmoor or the Lake District and enjoy the beauty we are so blessed to have. Watch the buzzards circle the fields and trout glisten in mountain streams. And remember, it is your right to be there as much as anybody else’s.
About the Author: Matthew Voyce (he/him)
I'm a second year History student. I write about anything that I find interesting, especially travel.
(This piece was edited by Amber Turner-Brightman)
留言