The new "Right to Roam" legislation in the UK is similar to Allemansrätten but
it is limited to specified areas of land which you would normally think of as
being an "open space" - e.g. heathlands, moorlands, mountains, forests etc.even
though this is of course all privately owned. Cultivated land is not included
and there are also some exclusions for nature reserves especially in the
breeding season. Also there is no right to camp or cycle and certainly not to
pick anything (flowers are legally protected in the UK) though I am sure no-one
would mind you picking blackberries.
This legislation was quite controversial but it seems to have been very
uncontroversial in implementation - most of the projected issues have not
really arisen.
Future legislation will address access to the coast - which is in any case
pretty good in most of the UK as, generally speaking, building next to the
coast has not been allowed for ages. (We are horrified when we see beachside
lots for sale in other countries, especially when as in Queensland, they are
also covered in rainforest)
Rosemary Royle
Wales, UK
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