Almost every Sunday I head off into the Wicklow hills with walking boots and water to hand and a healthy supply of clothes for all weathers.

A few weeks ago I became quite worried when a protest organised by a group of walkers in the Enniskerry area against what they saw as an impingement of a local right of way brought media attention to not only that specific event, but also to the whole area of so-called rights of way and access routes.

Access routes seem to be those sections of walks which may pass through private land. I like to walk without fear of being somewhere I am not supposed to be. I decided to set my mind to rest that I was not heading into a summer season of walking with nowhere much to walk.

The Mountaineering Council of Ireland (MCI) is the national representative body for hill walking, climbing and rambling. I spoke with their Development Officer and gained much comforting information.

It appears that this access issue has always been with us and may indeed always be with us. The legalities around all of this are too baffling for this particular layperson to attempt to explain.

The MCI emphasises that it respects the farmer’s rights to own private property and to earn a living from it and also believes that a co-operative approach is the best way forward in all efforts to satisfy the farmers’ needs and to also achieve reasonable access to the countryside.

To date, the many access routes in place have been established only with the goodwill of the owners and it is of the utmost importance that the public using these routes should remember that they are passing through property no less private than their own back garden and show due respect for that.

A countryside council, Comhairle na Tuaithe, has been established by the Government to address the difficulties that may be created by the ever-increasing numbers of recreational users.

The members of this Council are made up of recreational users, landowners, tourism promoters, sports people and environmentalists. They consult with each other on such issues as the need for a sustainable approach to be taken in the management and development of all related resources, ensuring that rural communities see the benefit from this increased use of the countryside and providing a forum for resolving disputes in relation to access.

Within the Irish Republic, there are already five National Parks with public access to almost all open land. We have 32 national waymarked trails. Waymarked trails have posts by the sides of the walkways pointing in the direction it is best to take and these ways total 3,300 kilometres.

To access information about the waymarked trails use their excellent website at www.walkireland.ie, where you will also find advice on safety, countryside code and contacts and links. Information about walking in Northern Ireland can be found on www.countrysiderecreation.com and for information on the MCI see www.mountaineering.ie which also has a list of walking clubs.

People who like to become involved at a different level might consider doing volunteer work with an organisation like Mountain Meitheal, who repair erosion damage caused by walkers and climbers. Their website is www.pathsavers.org and includes a calendar of their activities.

Above: A Summer’s day near Lough Dan, Co. Wicklow.