Kate Ashbrook's guest appearances

Kate Ashbrook

Countrystride

If Anne Can 

Walks Around Britain

Terry Abraham

James Rebanks

Jim Dixon

John Ruskin

Stephen Neale

Bill Bailey

Gareth Jones

Fiona Reynolds

Paul Rose

Oliver Smith

John Anderson

Ed Byrne

Julia Bradbury

Tristan Gooley

Chris Townsend

OwlTail

This is the last of my conversations recorded over the Kinder Mass Trespass ninetieth anniversary weekend in the High Peaks of Derbyshire in Hayfield village hall.Ninety years ago, members of the young communist league gathered at Kinder Scout here in Derbyshire to highlight that walkers were denied access to areas of open country. When the group reached the plateau of Kinder Scout, there were violent scuffles with gamekeepers, and five ramblers were arrested. They received jail sentences ranging from two to six months for offences relating to violence involving the keepers.It is easy to complacent about our access to open country. We assume that the numerous studies providing overwhelming evidence that walking in nature improves both physical and mental health will be enough to ensure that footpaths remain enshrined in law as public rights of way. Sadly this isn't true; our access is constantly under threat as more and more green space is earmarked for development. Luckily my guest today, Kate Ashbrook, has dedicated her life to campaigning for our right to roam in the countryside.    Kate has been general secretary of the Open Spaces Society, Britain's oldest national conservation body, for more than 35 years. She was also the first woman and youngest-ever chair of the Ramblers Association, and patron of the Walkers Are Welcome Towns Network, as well as many other environmental groups. Her campaigning was hugely influential in establishing Walkers' rights to travel through common land and uncultivated upland, protected by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act (CROW Act) of 2000. Kate's values and character are integral to her role, and she says, "it is vital to be tough and fearless never to start by compromising, or you give away too much and never give up." During her time as a trustee of the Ramblers Association, she has never missed a committee meeting.  She acknowledges the gravitas of her work; "we are not a fringe group, we are mainstream, we change lives, and we save lives."It is a great privilege to converse with Kate, especially in Hayfield on the historic ninetieth anniversary of the Kinder Trespass.Kate says, "But history is not an end in itself, it informs our future, and we can learn from it. It gives us credibility and clout. We must never forget that proud record of campaigning and take it with us into future battles." I thank Kate and wish her every success as she selflessly campaigns on behalf of all of us who appreciate the ability to access open spaces.  Follow Kate Ashbrook's blog here: https://campaignerkate.wordpress.com/Find out more about the Tent People:  www.thetentpeople.co.ukHayfield Kinder Trespass Group: https://kindertrespass.org.uk/

This is the last of my conversations recorded over the Kinder Mass Trespass ninetieth anniversary weekend in the High Peaks of Derbyshire in Hayfield village hall.Ninety years ago, members of the young communist league gathered at Kinder Scout here in Derbyshire to highlight that walkers were denied access to areas of open country. When the group reached the plateau of Kinder Scout, there were violent scuffles with gamekeepers, and five ramblers were arrested. They received jail sentences ranging from two to six months for offences relating to violence involving the keepers.It is easy to complacent about our access to open country. We assume that the numerous studies providing overwhelming evidence that walking in nature improves both physical and mental health will be enough to ensure that footpaths remain enshrined in law as public rights of way. Sadly this isn't true; our access is constantly under threat as more and more green space is earmarked for development. Luckily my guest today, Kate Ashbrook, has dedicated her life to campaigning for our right to roam in the countryside.    Kate has been general secretary of the Open Spaces Society, Britain's oldest national conservation body, for more than 35 years. She was also the first woman and youngest-ever chair of the Ramblers Association, and patron of the <a href="https://walkersarewelcome.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Walkers Are Welcome</a> Towns Network, as well as many other environmental groups. Her campaigning was hugely influential in establishing Walkers' rights to travel through common land and uncultivated upland, protected by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countryside_and_Rights_of_Way_Act" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Countryside and Rights of Way Act</a> (CROW Act) of 2000. Kate's values and character are integral to her role, and she says, "it is vital to be tough and fearless never to start by compromising, or you give away too much and never give up." During her time as a trustee of the Ramblers Association, she has never missed a committee meeting.  She acknowledges the gravitas of her work; "we are not a fringe group, we are mainstream, we change lives, and we save lives."It is a great privilege to converse with Kate, especially in Hayfield on the historic ninetieth anniversary of the Kinder Trespass.Kate says, "But history is not an end in itself, it informs our future, and we can learn from it. It gives us credibility and clout. We must never forget that proud record of campaigning and take it with us into future battles." I thank Kate and wish her every success as she selflessly campaigns on behalf of all of us who appreciate the ability to access open spaces.  Follow Kate Ashbrook's blog here: <a href="https://campaignerkate.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://campaignerkate.wordpress.com/</a>Find out more about the Tent People:  <a href="http://www.thetentpeople.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thetentpeople.co.uk</a>Hayfield Kinder Trespass Group: <a href="https://kindertrespass.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://kindertrespass.org.uk/</a>

Kinder Mass Trespass: Kate Ashbrook; Campaigner 

…in which we follow the River Eden downstream to Kirkby Stephen with leading campaigner in the walking world, Kate Ashbrook, General Secretary of the Open Spaces Society and Chair of the Ramblers. As we head north from Pendragon Castle we discuss the joy of sunrise walks, the never-ending battle to open the countryside and taking Nicholas van Hoogstraten to court. To find out more about Kate see https://campaignerkate.wordpress.com/about-kate-ashbrook/ We're grateful to today's guest producer, Helen Millican from BBC Cumbria, for standing in for Dave. Helen hosts the weekly Great Outdoors Show.  For more about the Ramblers 'Don't Lose Your Way' campaign see https://www.ramblers.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-us/dont-lose-your-way-2026.aspx

…in which we follow the River Eden downstream to Kirkby Stephen with leading campaigner in the walking world, Kate Ashbrook, General Secretary of the Open Spaces Society and Chair of the Ramblers. As we head north from Pendragon Castle we discuss the joy of sunrise walks, the never-ending battle to open the countryside and taking Nicholas van Hoogstraten to court.   <ul><li>To find out more about Kate see <a href="https://campaignerkate.wordpress.com/about-kate-ashbrook/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://campaignerkate.wordpress.com/about-kate-ashbrook/</a></li> <li>We're grateful to today's guest producer, Helen Millican from BBC Cumbria, for standing in for Dave. Helen hosts the weekly <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07n7zx1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Great Outdoors Show</a>. </li> <li>For more about the Ramblers 'Don't Lose Your Way' campaign see <a href="https://www.ramblers.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-us/dont-lose-your-way-2026.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.ramblers.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-us/dont-lose-your-way-2026.aspx</a></li></ul>

Countrystride #20: Upper Eden - The fight to roam, with Kate Ashbrook

Dave Mycroft

Andrew White talks to Kate Ashbrook - the president of the Ramblers' on their latest campaign; Dave Mycroft and Gareth Jones talk about walks in the Peak District and Chris Townsend ventures further afield on his long-distance walks.  The Walks Around Britain podcast is presented by Andrew White.    For more information, visit the Walks Around Britain website - www.walksaroundbritain.co.uk  Every edition of Walks Around Britain is available on demand on Walks Around Britain+ - our "Netflix for Walking" subscription website - with new editions added monthly.  Visit https://walksaroundbritain.vhx.tv for a free trial.  To keep in touch with all our news, follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/WalksBritain Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/WalksBritain and Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/WalksBritain

Andrew White talks to Kate Ashbrook - the president of the Ramblers' on their latest campaign; Dave Mycroft and Gareth Jones talk about walks in the Peak District and Chris Townsend ventures further afield on his long-distance walks. The Walks Around Britain podcast is presented by <a href="http://www.andrew-white.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Andrew White</a>. For more information, visit the Walks Around Britain website - <a href="http://www.walksaroundbritain.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.walksaroundbritain.co.uk</a> Every edition of Walks Around Britain is available on demand on Walks Around Britain+ - our "Netflix for Walking" subscription website - with new editions added monthly.  Visit <a href="https://walksaroundbritain.vhx.tv/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://walksaroundbritain.vhx.tv</a> for a free trial. To keep in touch with all our news, follow us on Twitter - <a href="https://www.twitter.com/WalksBritain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.twitter.com/WalksBritain</a> Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WalksBritain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/WalksBritain</a> and Instagram - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/WalksBritain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/WalksBritain</a>

S1 Ep17: The Ramblers' Kate Ashbrook, Dave Mycroft & Gareth Jones' Peak District and Chris Townsend on long-distance trails