JOSS LYNAM,
Sir, - I agree fully with John O'Dwyer (The Irish Times, July 22nd) that it is most unsatisfactory, both for walkers and farmers, that mostly we don't know what areas are accessible for walking.
However, I don't think the England and Wales example is much help - we do not have the close network of rights-of-way that exist there, and many of those that did exist here were not recorded by local authorities and have been lost. Also, the new "Right to Roam" legislation seems to be bogged down in bureaucracy and exclusions while walkers in Scotland are agitating against it because they consider it will be more restrictive than the current position there.
Mr O'Dwyer offers a partial solution, but it would take years to create such national parks and even then large areas frequented by walkers would be excluded. The EU has already stated with regard to REPS programmes that it will not allow simple payment for access, but it might be possible to use some of the floating 20 per cent of EU agricultural funding to offer grants to farming communities which facilitate access with stiles, signs and other facilities.
An otherwise fair and well-reasoned article was rather spoilt by Mr O'Dwyer's dismissive remarks about long-distance walks. True, there are stretches which cannot be avoided on public roads and through sitka spruce plantations, but there are longer stretches across moorland and farmland, along river banks, and through mature woods, where the walker is certain of his welcome, and our research shows that they are very popular with visitors.
These routes exist thanks to the co-operation of farmers who have permitted waymarked ways to cross their property, mostly with no direct gain to themselves.
We also have to thank Coillte for public access to its property, which is not all spruce. I won't highlight any particular ways publicly - it wouldn't be fair on others just as good - but if Mr O'Dwyer cares to contact me, I will happily offer suggestions of ways which he could enjoy with a minimum of tarmac and spruce - Yours, etc.,
JOSS LYNAM, Chairman, National Waymarked Ways Committee, Irish Sports Council, Dublin 2.