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We know that Britain's land ownership is unbalanced, but what about land access? Who can visit our green and pleasant spaces, who is making use of them and who is taking care of them? Much is made of open access in Scotland, but what is the reality of the policy in practice, and should England and Wales embrace it?
The largest demonstration about land access since the 1930s took place on Dartmoor in 2023. It was organised by the Right to Roam Campaign, which has become a powerful voice in England and Wales – clamouring for open access for all to every acre.
In Common Ground, Patrick Galbraith takes us on a tour of the British countryside to investigate the reality of open access – what are the rewards and what are the risks? He follows threads from Dartmoor to London, explores Loch Lomond in Scotland, where the right to wild camping had to be withdrawn due to widespread misuse, and alongside leading Right to Roamer Guy Shrubsole, he visits conservation projects endangered by the R2R campaign. He finds that the 128,000 miles of public footpaths and the 3.6 million acres of open access land already connect nearly every acre of countryside. He also discovers the reality of the Scottish situation. As Patrick criss-crosses the countryside, a picture begins to appear of what is actually the problem.
Common Ground is the true visionary insight into the issues in the British countryside – where access is much more restricted by lack of transport and issues of diversity, which need to be solved to allow the whole population access to the countryside. It is a practical guide to what actually needs to be done with a profound message – Let's work with what we already have.
Patrick Galbraith is a journalist and writer whose work has appeared in The Times, Country Life, The Spectator and The Telegraph. He is commissioning editor for The Open Art Fair magazine.
Praise for In Search of One Last Song by Patrick Galbraith
'One of the great oral histories of British nature and the British countryside ... Sad and honest and important and often very funny' Richard Smyth, Review 31
'A treasury of a book ... filled with beautiful moments, amazing and sometimes rather surprising characters, and, if we could only learn from them, reasons for hope.' John Burnside, New Statesman
'It's a delight to jump into this slightly strange parallel world. Galbraith is such an able communicator of its weirdness, that it is a pleasure to go along for the ride' The Times
'In terms of both scope and execution, this book is a hugely impressive achievement, and it will be fascinating to see where Galbraith goes from here.' The Scotsman
'An important and timely book that explores the human context of an ecological emergency. Galbraith is a thoughtful, assured and elegant writer who brings a mature intelligence and open-minded insight to his subject.' Oban Times
'Entertaining' Jamie Blackett, Country Life
'Galbraith's writing is beautiful' Stephen Rutt, British Birds
'Galbraith combines the ability to write lyrically with a formidable grasp of his subject' The Week
'Patrick Galbraith's engaging debut volume will appeal to the layman as much as to the committed naturalist, being a quirkily enjoyable journey through a slightly nether worldly version of Britain.' David Profumo, The Critic
'The writing is strong, the book an impressive debut, establishing Galbraith as a quality writer.' Tim Dee, Caught by the River
'The best book on conservation and the countryside I have read in years' John Lewis-Stempel
