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I've been to most countries in Europe, but I have only seen large swaths of land fenced off in the UK. So freedom to roam must be working well enough at least s
by literallycancer 9y ago
I've been to most countries in Europe, but I have only seen large swaths of land fenced off in the UK. So freedom to roam must be working well enough at least somewhere. There are a few legitimate reasons to have fences e.g. to along highways to keep out animals, but there is no reason why there couldn't be a gate every few hundred meters.
- vidarh 9y agoActually most of Europe do not have freedom to roam in the legal sense, though might have more limited forms of it, and customs certainly are for not fencing everything in even when there is not explicit legal right of access. The UK on the other hand does have a legal form of freedom to roam that's very new, but very limited in terms of what is covered, so it affects very little land. Compare to the Nordic countries where e.g. it is actively illegal to e.g. fence in a privately owned forest most places, and barring restrictions on disturbing farm animals or ruining crops you can walk almost anywhere in rural areas, freely pick berries (outside of planted fields), mushrooms etc. even on private land, and even camp without needing to ask permission (but custom is to ask where it is convenient if you want to do so e.g. near a farm). Norway (the others might too, but it's Norway I know about) also have strict legal restrictions on building near the sea and blocking access to beaches etc. to protect public access.