Path Finders

A citizen's mapping exercise by the Ramblers Association has found that almost 50,000 miles of public rights of way are missing from official maps in England and Wales (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/nov/02/more-than-49000-miles-paths-lost-maps-england-wales). The SW of England (notably Devon) has alone reportedly 'lost' 9000 miles of footpaths. It seems likely that most of the disappearances are related to landowners attempting to discourage the right to roam. Unhelpfully (especially the present circumstances), the government have only given concerned people until January 2026 to register demands for the restoration of each right of way. After that time, any not re-entered on the maps will be assumed to have 'disappeared'. This seems a distinctly short-sighted policy.