Battles ahead before access legislation is won

The beautiful moorland countryside around Boulsworth Hill will at last be open for all to enjoy, if the government fulfils its pledge to legislate for the right of access to open country.

The Access to Boulsworth Campaign, which has been campaigning for five years for the right to roam this part of the south Pennines, is delighted by the government's announcement, which was made earlier this year. ABC has been one of the many organisations arguing that legislation, rather than voluntary agreement, is necessary in order to achieve access rights.

Government legislation will at last mean that local people and visitors to the area are able legitimately not only to reach Boulsworth summit more easily (at present, this high ground on the Yorks/Lancs border cannot be reached from the Yorkshire side), but also to discover the impressive rocky outcrop at Alcomden, only a short distance from the Pennine Way at Top Withins. Other landmarks, such as the Dove Stones and Crow Hill, will also no longer be forbidden territory.

ABC is warning against premature celebration, however. The next hurdle is for access legislation to be included in the government's forthcoming programme for the 1999-2000 Parliamentary session. If the Bill is not included in the Queens Speech, we will need to make sure that pressure continues, to ensure that it is high on the list for the following year. "We can also assume that the landowner lobby will try everything in its power to water down legislation," says Maureen Ludlum, ABC Chair. "Now is not the time for complacency."

7th NOVEMBER 1999:

YOUR CHANCE TO ENJOY THE MOORS AROUND BOULSWORTH

Here is a great opportunity to see the beautiful moorlands at the centre of ABC's campaign for yourself.

ABC will be organising another of its regular series of walks on Sunday November 7th 1999. The walk will visit Ponden Kirk and the Alcomden Stones. There will also, we hope, be the opportunity for those who wish to see the Lad o' Crow Hill standing stone.

We are delighted to have Gordon Prentice, MP for Pendle, joining us for the walk. Gordon has been a strong advocate of access rights in the House of Commons, and has played a great role in ensuring that the government fulfils its manifesto pledge to legislate for the right to walk on open country.

The walk begins close to Ponden Hall, which is just off the road between Haworth/Oxenhope and Colne. You should turn off this road to take the track across the Ponden reservoir dam. Parking is beside the reservoir. Grid reference 994370. Meet at 10.30am. Bring a packed lunch, and be prepared for some relatively rough walking.

This walk is on land owned by Yorkshire Water, which scandalously declines to provide public access. ABC has chosen not to approach Yorkshire Water for permission to walk. Whilst some might consider our walk a trespass, we prefer to view it as simply anticipating the legislation.

LANDOWNER SAYS: WILL GREAVE CLOUGH DO?

At last, one of the Boulsworth landowners has begun to consider access. Agents for the Savile estate, at their request, met members of ABC in Hebden Bridge in January this year to discuss access to the extensive moorland owned by Lord Savile. Savile's land includes much of the moorland south of Boulsworth summit within the Calderdale authority area.

ABC has long called for the Savile estate to welcome the public on to its lands, and welcomed the opportunity to talk face-to-face with the estate's agents. At the meeting ABC invited Savile to introduce, in advance of legislation, the sort of informal presumption towards access which has worked well on open country owned by North West Water. In other words, there would be an understanding that walkers could walk *** do so secure in the knowledge that they would be asked to leave only if there were particular circumstances (such as shooting).

By contrast, the Savile estate was considerably more modest in its proposal for discussion: a short footpath up Greave Clough towards Boulsworth summit. It's a welcome start, but - as we suspect the estate's agents themselves realise - it's not adequate. ABC will be continuing to press for full access over these moors.

Access to Boulsworth:

questions and answers

Q: So where is Boulsworth precisely?
A: It's five miles from Burnley, six from Haworth and seven from Hebden Bridge.

Q: What are ABC's aims?
A: ABC is a local campaign launched in 1995, linking walkers and country- lovers from Lancashire, Yorkshire - and further afield. In general we believe everyone should have the right to walk freely over open country. So our eventual aim is for all the moors to have full public access (subject only to common-sense restrictions, eg during shoots). Our immediate aim is to enable walkers from the Yorkshire side to reach Boulsworth summit.

Q: How can I help?
A: Spread the word, and help build our campaign. And send back the form in this newsletter, so we can keep you informed. Yorkshire Water plc, the most unpopular company in Britain, seems determined to antagonise walkers and country-lovers as well.

The privatised utility, still struggling to supply water to south Pennines areas around Halifax (one of the wettest parts of England), owns many thousands of acres of beautiful moorland in the area. Their land-holdings, originally owned by local authority water companies, include Stanbury Moor and the surrounding countryside east of Boulsworth Hill.

This was the country which inspired the Bronte sisters to write their novels. And yet Yorkshire Water's message to walkers is summed up by the message near the Alcomden Stones:no access. Yorkshire Water's attitude contrasts with the enlightened stance taken by neighbouring North West Water, which has given walkers effective open access to its lands.

But Yorkshire Water's present Chairman Sir Gordon Jones has turned down the chance of much-needed public goodwill by refusing to follow NWW's lead.

Sir Gordon blames existing contracts with farmers and shooting interests for his company's no access policy, claiming that Yorkshire Water plc has no control over long-standing agreements. Yet ABC has learned that several such contracts have been renegotiated since privatisation. Several more will shortly be up for renewal.

Is Yorkshire Water breaking the law?

The Water Act, passed at the time of privatisation, obliges water companies to encourage recreational use of their land and to protect access rights.

David Beskine of the Ramblers Association says that he believes the company is not meeting its legal duties - but the Association cannot take legal action without knowing the details of Yorkshire Water's contracts with its tenants. And, surprise surprise, Yorkshire Water refuses to make these public.

Press take an interest in the Boulsworth Hills

The delights of the south Pennine moors will be known to a wider audience, thanks to an article in the May issue of Country Walking magazine by national journalist Steve Platt.

Under the headline 'The Promised Land', Steve Platt shared with his readers the countryside beyond the 'Private' signs. He admits to trespassing beyond Top Withins on the Pennine Way in order to reach the Alcomden Stones: "Here the view opens out across boundless moorland to west and south. And across it, the wind dances down in great, gleeful gusts from Boulsworth Hill, as if eager like me to explore these forbidden, private acres," he writes.

Steve Platt tells of the legend behind the Lad o' Crow Hill stone (was there really a boy who died on the moors, or was this simply a moorland myth?), and of the modern 'cave drawings' which can be found on the slopes of Boulsworth itself. And he comes out strongly in support of ABC's aim of seeing these hills opened to all.

"All of the heights that surround [Widdop reservoir] have been barred to public access. For anyone who has ever stood by the reservoir looking up, the chance soon to stand up there looking down is exciting indeed," he writes.

** Rival outdoor magazine TGO is also taking an interest in our area. Look out for a forthcoming feature on the "Six Trigs" watershed walk - a challenging 22-24 mile day-walk from Hebden Bridge which visits the six triangulation stones situated on the horseshoe of high ground to the north of the town (including the trig point at Boulsworth summit itself).

The Six Trigs includes stretches of moorland walking on land near Boulsworth which currently does not enjoy access rights. Local rumour suggests that the Six Trigs walk is already occasionally undertaken. With access guaranteed on our hills, this has all the makings of a real classic.

ABC invites your involvement

ABC was launched in the Spring of 1995 at a public meeting in Hebden Bridge. The initiative of a group of people from around the area, ABC took up the campaign for access to local moorlands which had been running, on and off, for more than fifty years.

The issue should have been solved back in the 'fifties, when a public enquiry found in favour of access to the Boulsworth moors. But delays, procrastination, false promises and endless rounds of meetings meant that the 'Private - keep out' signs remained in place.

ABC was set up with the determination to get things moving, so that, finally, this beautiful countryside would be open for all to enjoy.

ABC organises walks on the Boulsworth moors, but operates primarily through the newsletter. You are invited to keep in touch by sending a donation to the ABC postal address, 5 St Johns Close, Hebden Bridge. ABC also welcomes anyone who is able to get more actively involved. Informal planning meetings take place every 2-3 months. If you share our aims and would like to join us at these meetings, please let us know.

ABC postcard

Have you got your stocks of ABC's picture postcard, showing walkers approaching the Dove Stones close to Boulsworth summit? This is not only a delightful card to send to friends, but also a good way of drawing attention to the access campaign. Please order from 5 St John's Close, Hebden Bridge.

5 cards for £1, or 30 cards for £5. Please add 10% p&p. Cheques payable to 'Access to Boulsworth Campaign'.