Madam, - Paul Cullen (August 14th) summarises the type of terrain through which the Wicklow Way passes. However, he fails to mention that because of access difficulties in routing the Way over private land, much of it, and indeed waymarked ways in general, are on public roads, which is both boring and dangerous. The section of almost a mile in Glencullen is particularly hazardous.
He could also have referred to the non-availability of the section from near Pier Gates along the valley of the Cloghoge River that could have linked up with a pleasant rural byway along the western side of Lough Dan.
Had access over private land been available here, it would have eliminated a long section of the existing way routed through unchanging sitka spruce and along public roads.
Hélène Hofman's article in the same issue refers to the creation of more waymarked ways, but these would be permissive only and so could be withdrawn at the landowners' say so. Fáilte Ireland professes to find them satisfactory but they certainly do not provide a permanent solution.
The IFA's bellicose statements about closing off walking ways if the Government fails to accede to their demands for payments are far from reassuring and a grim indication of what can happen to permissive ways.
Incidentally the IFA's contention in your issue of August 4th that payment for access is supported by many walking groups is certainly not supported by us. What we are looking for, and what is the norm over much of Europe, is a legal right to access our countryside and payments to landowners only when abnormal circumstances justify them. - Yours, etc,
ROGER GARLAND,
Chairman,
Keep Ireland Open,
Butterfield Drive,
Dublin 14.