A new documentary titled Our Land reveals that anger and momentum are building for Scottish-style rights of access to mountains, meadows, rivers, and woodlands in England, where the public is allowed on just 8% of the land. The film, directed by Orban Wallace, explores the rise of the right to roam movement in England, which began five years ago and draws on tactics from early 20th-century campaigners.
The Kinder Scout Mass Trespass Legacy
The movement's roots trace back to the mass trespass on Kinder Scout in the Peak District in 1932, which shifted public opinion and catalyzed change. The documentary follows campaigners as they organize smaller mass trespasses on private land across England and interviews landowners from Devon to Scotland.
Documentary as a Listening Exercise
Wallace stated, "I hope this film will be a deep listening exercise for the country and start an informed conversation. No one is having that discussion at the moment; people are on opposing sides." The campaigners say momentum has built significantly in the last two years, particularly after the battle to keep wild camping rights on Dartmoor in Devon. Landowners won a high court ruling to remove campers from their 1,600-hectare estate, sparking fury and mass protest rallies, with the supreme court eventually overturning the decision.
Campaigners Call for Scottish-Style Access Law
Nick Hayes, author of The Book of Trespass and a right to roam campaigner, said, "When Dartmoor happened, it unleashed this seam of energy that has been building in England. It is impossible to withstand. It has its own momentum now." He added, "What we need, what we are crying out for, is that these hundreds of thousands of acres of forests, meadows, rivers, and wetlands should be opened up to the public that so badly need them. The people who own them can go on owning them."
Campaigners urge the government to introduce a Scottish-style rights of access law, similar to the 2003 Land Reform (Scotland) Act, which established a legal right of responsible access to most land and inland water for walking, cycling, and camping. In Sweden and Norway, the right of public access, or Allemansrätten, gives everyone the freedom to roam.
Landowner Perspectives
The documentary features Scottish peer and landowner John Grant, who drives around his estate pointing out areas where the public can camp, cycle, and kayak. He said, "Everyone, whatever their age or ability, has access rights under the 2003 act, but you only have rights if you exercise them responsibly. We have found that people then really do care for the land. We all belong to the land; the land doesn't belong to us."
However, some landowners are less supportive. Francis Fulford, who owns a 1,200-hectare estate in Devon, said he would only share the beauty of his private woodland walks with people who pay and contribute to the upkeep. He expressed concern about the cost of ensuring safety for the general public, whom he described as "completely ignorant, most of them, of rural ways of life."
Farmers' Concerns and Education Needs
Some farmers worry that the public does not understand how the countryside works, citing examples of gates left open, livestock at risk, and crops disturbed by people and dogs. Nadia Shaikh, a naturalist and right to roam campaigner who moved to Scotland, said closeness to nature fosters a sense of belonging and responsibility. She noted, "If you are going to cut people from the landscape for hundreds of years, there is going to be some deep learning to do. But it's not impossible that the English public can learn to, for example, shut gates, if we invest in some education."
Current Access and Government Stance
Guy Shrubsole, author and land activist, pointed out that there is no right to roam over 92% of the English countryside. The last expansion of access was through the Countryside and Rights of Way Act of 2000 under the last Labour government. Creating a new right to roam law would mean access is no longer subject to the arbitrary whim of big landowners, 1% of whom still own 50% of England.
The government indicated it does not support a direct adoption of the Scottish model, citing differences in land use, population density, and land ownership patterns. A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said, "Our countryside and green spaces are a source of great national pride, but too many people across the country have been left without access to the great outdoors. We are increasing access to nature and the countryside, creating nine new national river walks, designating the Coast to Coast route in the north of England, and launching the 2,700-mile King Charles III England coast path."
Our Land is released in cinemas on 8 May.
