Was this a bit strong;
All too often the occupiers of our countryside have used the excuse of criminality to limit access, this goes way back to the Lord of the Manor protecting hunting rights.
A bad landowner, who does not respect the wishes of others to share those elements of the countryside outside of food production deserves to be trespassed on.
As a walker who would also like better access to our countryside, I nevertheless feel the need to distance myself from this assertion, which is presented as if trespass were a "human right".
While I might, myself, dislike some of the laws we have and while I respect the right of others to disagree with me about the proposed changes to this particular one, I cannot accept that someone who is abiding by the law - in however an unfriendly way - should "deserve" to be treated in an unlawful manner by others.
I seem to be the only person, who ever read the CLA's 2012 policy on Access. I believe the risk provided by the additional strength Criminalizing trespass will bring about is more wholesale than Busy G refers to;
This act would push the balance in their favour on all such paths. I for one have no wish to land up in court discussing the matter, so would likely stop using them meaning the rest of the marked Row would soon fall out of use too and effectively be lost.
Here is a typical example. Priddacombe on Bodmin moor, SX167769
You will see others in that area too.
The Article referred to discusses trespass, did the Editor publish that article in the anticipation of connecting the act of trespass with the publicity surrounding the proposed Criminalizing of Trespass. If so the Editor of the Guardian foresaw the very fears Buzy G expresses.
The Policy pursued by the CLA as stated in their 2012 document, is a clear precursor to pressurizing the removal of many footpaths and other RoWs that they consider unused.
I do not advocate trespassing for unnecessary intrusion into privacy but as a response to the selfish closure of parts of the countryside that clearly would benefit the economic and social well being of everyone.
Whitstable Dave refers to open confrontation, but a good trespass is one unknown to the occupier, there is also Virtual Trespass, with the use of Google Earth, Historical OS maps, which I once carried out on this forum over the Palmer Tomkinson family land, demonstrating that footpaths, clearly left off the definitive map, would have linked a rural footbridge over the M4 to a station on the re-opened Watercress Railway line. Sadly investing my work in photobucket has put this in the waste bucket.
The generalization above drew a few comments,
I've got lots more questions, but for now I'd be happy just to know where the line is...
If we do not discuss it and find the practical examples of the pros and cons then the access network will be stalled in an imperfect form, freezing in time examples of past privilege, such as the redundant Grand Drive to Beaudesert Hall (a ruin since the 1930's) that could provide the beginning of a linear route across Cannock Chase then clear across Shropshire for more than 50 miles of countryside corridor.