Open Access Land
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act gives the public the right
to walk freely on large areas of countryside in England and Wales -
around one million hectares (4,000 square miles) in total.
People are free to walk, picnic, bird watch, run and climb where
they want. But it does not mean people can drive vehicles, cycle,
ride horses or go camping unless it is already allowed in a
designated area.
To protect ground-nesting birds dogs need to be kept on leads
between 1 March and 31 July on open access land and at all times
around livestock.
In Cumbria, 825 square miles (2,137 square kilometres) of land
was mapped as access land, with the process completed in May
2005.