4 ms·

I come from Scotland, and that's one of the weirdest things to get used to in other countries: that someone can just fence off a patch of wilderness, say 'that'

I come from Scotland, and that's one of the weirdest things to get used to in other countries: that someone can just fence off a patch of wilderness, say 'that's mine' and stop anyone from going in. It feels oddly alien; I can't think of a worse way to teach respect for the countryside. If it's land that's being used for something, that's one thing. Generic wilderness? That just seems wrong. (Scotland doesn't have trespass is the same sense that other countries have. The legal system is quite different from English law, which I believe (vaguely) is what the US system was based on.)

branchless 10y ago
I love this part in Guthrie's "This land is your land": As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there And that sign said - no tress passin' But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin! Now that side was made for you and me!
alistairSH 10y ago
Scottish-American here, and every time I visit family, I wonder how we got it so wrong over here in the US. And it's not just millionaires and wilderness. Anecdote: A friend lives in Oklahoma, on a few wooded acres. One day, he posts a photo on Facebook of some guys riding horses across the corner of his property. He didn't care (no reason to), but the first response, "Why were they there? Did you go after them?" Makes no sense.
alistairSH 10y ago
For those interested, here's a quick overview... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_reform_in_Scotland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_reform_in_Scotland tl;dr - The Land Reform Act 2003 codified the long-held tradition of unhindered access to open country. This includes the great estates, forestry land, etc. Basically, as long as you behave, you can hike, camp, cycle anywhere you like. Obvious exclusions would be somebody's yard adjacent to their home, areas with active livestock activity, etc.
- Agentlien 10y ago
  This sounds very similar to what we have in Sweden with Allemansrätten https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam#Sweden https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam#Sweden
  - alistairSH 10y ago
    Not surprising, given the shared history. Scotland can be very Nordic-like on some issues.

branchless 10y ago

I love this part in Guthrie's "This land is your land": As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there And that sign said - no tress passin' But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin! Now that side was made for you and me!

alistairSH 10y ago

Scottish-American here, and every time I visit family, I wonder how we got it so wrong over here in the US. And it's not just millionaires and wilderness. Anecdote: A friend lives in Oklahoma, on a few wooded acres. One day, he posts a photo on Facebook of some guys riding horses across the corner of his property. He didn't care (no reason to), but the first response, "Why were they there? Did you go after them?" Makes no sense.

alistairSH 10y ago

For those interested, here's a quick overview... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_reform_in_Scotland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_reform_in_Scotland tl;dr - The Land Reform Act 2003 codified the long-held tradition of unhindered access to open country. This includes the great estates, forestry land, etc. Basically, as long as you behave, you can hike, camp, cycle anywhere you like. Obvious exclusions would be somebody's yard adjacent to their home, areas with active livestock activity, etc.

Agentlien 10y ago
This sounds very similar to what we have in Sweden with Allemansrätten https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam#Sweden https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam#Sweden
- alistairSH 10y ago
  Not surprising, given the shared history. Scotland can be very Nordic-like on some issues.