The Countryside and Rights of Way Act has opened a large area of local fell land to walkers, and we were involved in its implementation.  The access areas are shown on the current Ordnance Survey Explorer maps.  Please use them to find new and interesting places not on footpaths.

There is still work to be done to ensure that this Access Land is truly accessible. We have recently obtained reductions to the permanently excluded areas of Warton Salt Marsh. We are continuing to ensure that entry points to access land exist at all suitable places and that wall crossings within the access area are provided where necessary. In Bowland these can be found on the Lancashire County Council Web map, called MARIO.  http://mario.lancashire.gov.uk/viewer.htm. Go to ‘countryside maps’, ‘access’ etc. but note that the access points only appear on some scales.

The Marine and Coastal Access Act is now in place. This will eventually produce a continuous trail round the Coast.  Locally we have a fairly complete coastal path but the new trail will move sections closer to the sea and open up areas of coastal land between the trail and the sea.  Improvements in our area will not be fast but we will work at getting the best route.  

The footpath network elsewhere is not static and there are formal Rights of Way Improvement Plans that the Authorities should be progressing.  We can suggest improvements to the network and ask for them to be included in the Plans.  

If you have any problems on Access land or can suggest improvements to the paths please contact us at lancramblers1@yahoo.co.uk.