Wild Swimmers Take The Plunge In Biggest Mass Trespass Yet
Seasoned wild swimmers yesterday braved 9°C water in an act of protest against restrictions that prevent public access to inland bodies of water in England.
Last year, BASE reported on the 90th ‘Mass Swimpass’, which was part of a number of commemorative protests and events marking the first Kinder Scout mass trespass in 1932. This year’s event saw even greater numbers enjoying a dip in the Peak District’s Kinder Reservoir with renewed vigour after a tumultuous year for the Right To Roam campaign.
Swimmers carried placards emblazoned with the slogan ‘GO SWIMMING’ at the event supported by Alpkit and The Outdoor Swimming Society (OSS). Groups including OSS and the Right To Roam campaign are once again calling for free and open access rights to bodies of water, akin to that of Scotland, where swimmers have enjoyed unfettered access to almost all 800 of the country’s reservoirs since 2003. Allowing access rights to reservoirs in England and Wales would mean 2000 more dipping spots would open up, mitigating issues with overuse and overcrowding as outdoor swimming continues to surge in popularity.
92% of the countryside including bodies of water within it, and 97% of rivers are not open to the public in England. Lack of access to the countryside disproportionately affects minority and lower income groups, and with so much of England’s green and pleasant lands off limits, honeypot areas in national parks and nature reserves often form as people clammer to experience the mental and physical benefits of time outdoors. Overcrowding in the very few areas with public access has a knock-on effect on the environment, wildlife habitat and ultimately, peoples’ enjoyment of these spaces.
Currently, taking the plunge in water where the right of access is contested means you could very well be accused of trespass, which is a civil offence, though not a criminal one, and The Countryside Rights of Way Act (CRoW) in its current state only includes walking as a permissible activity on land where access is allowed.
The Right To Roam campaign is pushing for extensions to the CRoW Act that would cover more of the countryside as well as more activities. A new English Outdoor Access Code, like that adopted by Scotland in 2003, would mean access rights would be decided by democratic discussion rather than landowner edict, and a clear set of rights and responsibilities would be set out for people using those spaces, including a much greater emphasis on promoting the Countryside Code.
Don’t miss a single adventure
Sign up to our free newsletter and get a weekly BASE hit to your inbox
Other posts by this author
BASE editorial team • May 16, 2023
Mountain Rescue Called To Carry Exhausted Dog From England’s Highest Mountain
Rocky the Akita was suffering from exhaustion and an injured paw when he staged a protest while descending Scafell Pike
BASE editorial team • May 11, 2023
Mental Health First Aid Training For UK Hiking Communities
The initiative by The Hike Society aims to equip groups with the tools to deal with mental health issues, encourage early intervention and raise awareness of mental health
BASE editorial team • April 21, 2023
‘Miracle’ Rescue Of Climber From Annapurna Crevasse
Anurag Maloo was hauled 200 metres from the crevasse which he fell into three days earlier
You might also like
BASE editorial team • May 16, 2023
Mountain Rescue Called To Carry Exhausted Dog From England’s Highest Mountain
Rocky the Akita was suffering from exhaustion and an injured paw when he staged a protest while descending Scafell Pike
BASE editorial team • May 11, 2023
Mental Health First Aid Training For UK Hiking Communities
The initiative by The Hike Society aims to equip groups with the tools to deal with mental health issues, encourage early intervention and raise awareness of mental health
