Answer

By Country Walking magazine

Where you can and can’t walk is a concern for us all. In a nutshell, you can walk on any right of way – the marked paths you mention – and wherever you like on what’s known as Access Land.

In England and Wales, these areas are shown by a yellow wash across the map and a brown stick man sign when you hit it on the hills.

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW) set up this access, designed to encourage walking on ‘mountain, moor, heath, downland and registered common land’. Most of these landscapes are more prevalent up north so you’ll typically find more freedom to roam there.

Be aware though that the act allows landowners to close areas for up to 28 days a year without special permission.To be 100% sure you’ll be able to walk, check the maps at Countryside Access for the date you want to visit.

And you won’t find yellow access land on Scottish maps because the whole lot is open to hikers (unless there’s a cast-iron reason why not). So head north of the border and you can pretty much hike where you like.

Exploring off path is great fun as you get to wander where few others go, but make sure your navigation skills are good, to find your way safely over those lonely moors and hills.