A walk in the woods

A walk in the woods is a simple pleasure that isn't so easy for everyone. We've become a town and car-based society. Even where there are still woods to walk in, you probably need a car to get anywhere near them, and then finding somewhere to park is a problem. As informal rights of way and footpaths have become less used, many have quietly been 'privatised' or blocked.

The more pressure there is on access to woods and countryside, the more landowners big and small feel the need to discourage access. People seem to have forgotten how to behave in the countryside, many seem to think it's a place to 'get away with things', to behave badly.

Where there is public access, often there will be horses and cattle to contend with, frightening for those unfamiliar with their behaviour. badly designed and poorly maintained 'stiles' to cope with, too acrobatic, slippy and dangerous for many people. Altogether, the practicality of simply going for a walk in the woods in many places is becoming too difficult for all but the most fit and determined.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/113767/can-you-go-down-to-the-woods-today

Ok. So let's get down to practicalities. Woodlands - the majority are not 'farmed' (deciduous) and are none navigable. In other words you would need to take a machete with you, strong clothing and waterproof boots. Deciduous woodlands are mainly kept for 'asset' purposes and when attached to estates or large farms assist towards finances and borrowings. These won't want anyone trying to roam about in them. Conifer forests are mainly held by large estates and the majority held by the Forestry Commission (now renamed). These are out of bounds due to logging and the threat of fire from idiotic wanderers. Which leaves the few that are owned within local boroughs - such as Healey Dell and Ashworth Valley in which you can take a hike and which are up kept re - paths and stiles etc by the local council or the Ramblers Associations. Which is why you have the present situation. For years I have been complaining that unused woodlands should be subject to CPO's and the local councils given the funds to 'open' them up. But as usual the 'rich' kids don't want to play ball. Surrounding my village are 1oo's and 100's of acres of unused, inaccessible woodlands. Dying slowly but surely into 'dead' forests. - - - - And there you have it.

A walk through mixed woodland on old pathway on a sunny day in spring is about as good as it gets, but perhaps it's not something that interest so many people. Which is good in that it can be nice and quiet, but perhaps there could be lots more such pleasant semi-natural places if it was what people wanted.

People's attitude to countryside generally is a bit odd, some like to go and do a bit of 'volunteering', dig something up or chop things down, others drag their bored children out to see it. Or, it's seen as an 'activity' venue, to zipwire or shoot paintballs, as if the natural world is a sort of funfair.

The mass of British people probably associated the countryside with poverty, and town life with having a job at the time of the industrial revolution, and the attude became embedded.

Designated woodland areas for recreation and the making of money are quite plentiful if one knows where to go. More open woodland wouldn't add to that, on the contrary, it would dilute that which is already available and make it less profitable to the land owners and a consequential reduction. On the other hand 'dead' forestry cannot be in anyone's interests save those using the same for 'asset' values. One method would be for people to 'pay' a small sum for the use of the privileges in order to make it worthwhile to the councils or land owners to upkeep those areas and keep everyone relatively safe. I live 10 miles east of Cardigan in West Wales. Have done so now for 38 years, Half my life in Rochdale and half (so far) in Wales. We have masses of forestry both deciduous and coniferous and yet the amount of 'free roaming' in the same is very limited for the reasons I have hitherto mentioned. People have to realise that absolutely 'nothing' is 'free'. Somebody somewhere always 'pays'.