How England's Oldest Road Was Nearly Lost Forever

[@TomScottGo]

This video has an important update! As of February 2022, the deadline for paths has been cancelled. The mapping still continues, and there's still a plan to have a definitive map, but old rights of way will no longer be wiped: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/feb/17/deadline-to-register-englands-footpaths-cancelled-after-public-access-campaign

Thank you for the update!

[@mylenebuenviaje801]

ok

[@Terrazon]

Nice!

[@princeranjan3439]

Why as the human being you have so much passion?

[@williamsurname4669]

I've got to go to England some day to hike these old paths.

[@voidmayonnaise]

KZbin’s compression algorithm **hates** all those tiny leaves...

[@airship_elyta]

oh it gets so crusty

[@Natalie-101]

And thanks to tom I know that now!

[@sharank]

I thought it was my stupid internet connection

[@sitas9827]

Thanks to Tom, we know whom to blame 😂

[@Lipidtransferase]

Drives me nuts

[@gammaphonic]

There’s an ancient right of way in my home town. When the Manchester ship canal was built, it crossed its path. Part of the act of Parliament that allowed the canal to be built also demanded that the canal company need to maintain the right of way. The cheapest and easiest way to do that was with a ferry service. And since the only thing that can repeal the right of way is another act of Parliament , that ferry service is still there. The canal company has to, by law, pay a person to sit in a little hut all day and row anyone across the canal who comes along and gives him 20p. I love the fact that this exists and I use the ferry whenever I can.

[@adefenceofgrace]

Fascinating!

[@PastaConsortium]

That wouldn’t happen to be the penny ferry in Thelwall would it?

[@gammaphonic]

The big Musik that’s right. I believe there is a similar ferry at Irlam, but I’ve never used it.

[@PastaConsortium]

I live literally about a 5 minute walk away from that, just near the Infant School

[@xcf5587]

gammaphonic can I just ask why by now they haven’t just built a bridge?

[@TheSpacecraftX]

In Scotland you have the "right to roam" such that you can use any paths that exist without permission. Leave the place as you found it and you will be fine to go anywhere.

[@hoixthegreat8359]

England does have "right to roam" in many places - this was another key portion of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act put in (The CRoW act). It creates what's known as CRoW land, in which the public have a right to roam and camp in. National parks such as the Lake District and the North Pennines are nearly entirely CroW land.

[@iainmitchell1892]

Indeed, you need to distinguish the statutory "right to roam" from the common law rules regarding rights of way. The two exist side by side. The statutory right to roam is similar in Scotland and England, but, although local authorities in Scotland do maintain a map showing rights of way, these do not appear on Ordnance Survey maps (as they di in England) and there is no cut off date as discussed in the video.

[@samdunggawaxy7314]

Without what?

[@dlarge6502]

It makes total sense in such an underpopulated country.

[@lewismcdermott3024]

it's one of the biggest reasons i love my country so much

[@Codraroll]

Gotta love Norwegian legislation in this regard: Right of way *everywhere*. It is possible to fence off land for agriculture (although I think you have to apply for it) or security reasons, but the general rule is, anyone can walk anywhere as long as it's not right through somebody's garden. Camp anywhere too, if it's more than a few hundred meters from the nearest residence or source of drinking water.

[@SpartaSpartan117]

Woah! That's amazing! Can't even imagine that as a US resident.

[@Lwaldie1]

Similar laws in Scotland I think bar the camping

[@KalleKilponen]

Same here in Finland, you can walk anywhere as long as it's not in the middle of someones garden or an actively cultivated field. The whole concept of designated right of way seems really odd to me.

[@philippm.1271]

same in Germany, called Betretungsrecht (right to enter) every forrest or open field you have the right to enter and use the roads. Nobody can put a fence around that.

[@Papperlapappmaul]

@@philippm.1271 But we're not allowed to camp without explicit permission of the land owner in Germany.

[@skamiikaze]

“Militant walking enthusiasts” isn’t something I thought I would ever hear

[@ChiSbaObePcheH11]

This is me haha, I‘d much rather walk most of the time instead of being dropped off. I’ve begrudgingly started riding a bike and am enjoying it, but few things beat walking

[@danielmoore2622]

Trust me, they exist...

[@dropit7694]

Anyone with a crumb of enthusiasm in this country is seen as militant.

[@disorganizedorg]

They've existed for a while alongside the militant cyclists. The common name for them now is "Karen" ... People who *know* that their pet cause trumps all else.

[@donach9]

There's a long history of militant ramblers in the UK

[@ahistoryofbritain9612]

Brilliant, I feel you answer all the questions that I never knew I had!

[@serg9320]

Also, just checked your only video. Loved it. You earned a sub

[@dylreesYT]

^ Added to watch later and subbed

[@nickcunningham6344]

yea, he's very good at that in his videos.

[@TomScottGo]

Hello to the new subscribers who joined for computer science videos! I also go outside to make things like this. Pull down the description for a link to how I'm filming outdoors safely! [Edit: looks like something glitched on export at 3:47, apologies. Didn't notice it when checking the video!]

[@TheElvisnator]

Comment: *_2 Days Ago_* Video: *_21 Seconds Ago_* T-Shirt: *_Red_* *_And this is how you know that this is a Tom Scott Video_*

[@kallmehu1598]

Hello tom! I love ur video!

[@smarpitsingh]

Hmm

[@gdycbjrirckwwqxc]

Hello Tom

[@gigachad576]

Tom Hi

[@1Ringsmith]

The Access department of the British Horse Society is doing an immense amount of work for the same purpose.

[@highlandrab19]

It started mainly with the dirt bike and greenlane crowd around 2015

[@bartholomewdan]

British Horse Society? Sign me up.

[@1Ringsmith]

We're all in the same boat, save the paths & bridleways ! B.H.S. have ways to volunteer & help with the project

[@doom-generation4109]

@@bartholomewdan Ok, Tina.

[@j2simpso]

Needless to say they aren't horsing around! 🤣

[@onionbot2]

when i grow up i want to be a militant walking enthusiast

[@ianmelzer]

I believe militant walking is called "marching".

[@warbler1984]

@@ianmelzer i read that as "militant wa*king"...whoops

[@justincenter4061]

@@warbler1984 Don't let your dreams be dreams.

[@JoMiMi_h]

[redacted]

[@SB-or5mj]

These days, everyone's a militant enthusiast of something. There are hardly regular old enthusiasts anymore.

[@renardmigrant]

We asked ramblers what they thought, but they just went on and on.

[@georgec2126]

Oh please. 😁 I thought my jokes were bad...👍😆

[@richardmoss5934]

My late father was part of a group in the 90s that walked in the Macclesfield area to ensure that public rights of way were not blocked by land owners.

[@darthvader2994]

Someone planted a tree on a path to stop people walking it and my grandma protested and got it taken down

[@neolexiousneolexian6079]

@@darthvader2994 That seems.... inefficient, and cruel. Did they plant a sapling and guard it from being trampled for several years while it grew big enough to block the path? Did they buy it, dig it up, and move it in from somewhere else with its entire root system while nobody was watching? How big was this tree that it could interfere with walking on the path? Wouldn't it just offer more shade and encourage walking? Did anybody ask whether the tree was okay with this, or explain to it why it had to be "taken down"?

[@Phambleton]

I'm not too far from the Macclesfield area. There's a farmer who keeps on leaving their dog out near the public footpath, causing me to walk around the path and onto their own field. Then the pumpkinhead has a go at me for walking on their field >:(

[@BUSHCRAPPING]

@@neolexiousneolexian6079 some of these paths arent wide enough for two people to walk side by side. if they arent walked in the summer they can be lost till next winter. also you can buy and plant older trees not just saplings. i have a public footpath behind my house and the dog literally disappears for a few hundred yards everytime time we walk it because the grass is long. but itll die back in winter.

[@ano_nym]

@@Phambleton Get something to defend yourself from the dog with, if it attacks you must have legal cause to kill it, even in the UK.

[@jayl9110]

Once had a farmer fire a shotgun in my general direction for following a signposted (at one end) public footpath that went through his land. At the far end of the footpath, my mates and I found the sign ripped up and tossed in a nearby hedge. We let the council know and a new sign was installed. Two weeks later, the new sign was torn up and tossed in a hedge again.

[@jorgepeterbarton]

I feel someone is not realising that shooting someone and being put in prison for murder is not easier than just making your own 'keep out private land -trespassers will be shot' sign...I've seen those before. I'm not going to obey the footpath sign when that's there... let's hope was a warning shot into the air.

[@kirstendick1571]

Most farmers just stick their biggest bull in the fields closest to the start of the footpath

[@Zero_Ninety]

Farmers are bellends.

[@Chlorate299]

@@michaelgeorgesaupe7059 Even accusations of a warning shot being fired would warrant a visit from your firearms enquiry officer, and they would probably not be very happy.

[@millomweb]

Hope you reported it to the council !

[@AnthonyHigham6414001080]

We are so lucky to have foot paths and bridal ways in the UK, it is such a gift to be able to walk in the countryside around fields and through ancient woodland. The rights of way need to be maintained for the future enjoyment and health of generations to come. On a visit to some friends in central France I pointed out a route to the nearby town and suggested we walk it. They said "not if you want to get shot, that's hunters land, like everything around here" We have a unique resource here and it needs protecting.

[@KP3droflxp]

They probably meant that hunts take place there and you shouldn’t enter because it can happen that you are mistaken for game or something. Many European countries have a more liberal right of way where any land is accessible by default unless it is a garden or fenced off to due to being dangerous.

[@taowroland8697]

There is no truly ancient woodland in England, it was all logged in the middle ages.

[@myladycasagrande863]

​@@taowroland8697 so 400 years old doesn't qualify as "ancient" in your book?

[@taowroland8697]

@@myladycasagrande863 no.

[@taowroland8697]

@@myladycasagrande863 we have an Aspen grove in the U.S. over 40,000 years old. Some forests have a good number of trees that are 6,000 years old. I have an oak on my property older than any English tree.

[@Chlorate299]

A funny addendum to this is that trespassing in Britain generally isn't criminal offense, unless it's a restricted site like a school, military base, railway line etc.

[@TianyuQi]

"There was no road in the world. Then people walked on it, and road formed." - Zhou Treeman

[@106640guy]

And much like electricity, it follows the path of least resistance

[@big5709]

Where can I read more about this person?

[@kitty42liu]

@@big5709 I'm guessing this is 20th c. Chinese writer Zhou Shu'ren, better known by the pseudonym Lu Xun

[@hugostiglitz6914]

This is not totally true, in a lot of places people followed animal trails!

[@flodnak]

"The road becomes as you walk it." - Norwegian proverb

[@elcarrerdelsgaivots1152]

This reminds me of a project taking place in Galicia (NW Spain) for recording and saving from oblivion millions of microtoponyms. Every farm, stone, hill, fountain has a name here, and very often only elders know about it. Microtoponyms also give lots of information about history, land uses or legends. The project is called "Galicia nomeada" and they aim to register about 2.5 million names in a region that is about the size of Belgium.

[@NilZed1]

I like that word: Microtoponyms. I think this is a program the British should copy. As short a time as I have lived in this country, I am aware of place names like this that I hear from people my age that are from here, but my child who has grown up here does not know, because most of his classmates aren't from here and don't use them.

[@elcarrerdelsgaivots1152]

@@NilZed1 I'm glad you liked that. If you have the time, maybe you could talk to local English teachers or cultural/neighbour organisations to think it through and try to start some project at a local level, with your council.

[@elcarrerdelsgaivots1152]

@ilikeminecraft6753 gaming Pois deixa de craftear e comeza a nomear!

[@a.i.l1074]

Tom using both miles and kilometres within 15 seconds tell you a lot about Brits and metric. Honestly we only lie about using metric to act better than America

[@Baldavier]

Does Tom do anything without intention?

[@sugoistalin7809]

Honestly, using both is the superior way.

[@tonydai782]

I mean, being on KZbin, only using kilometres would just confuse American viewers, so it isn't necessarily representative of everyday usage of the different units.

[@xxxdumbwordstupidnumberxxx4844]

@@tonydai782 Also the UK officially uses imperial measurements on roads, despite all other official measurements being in metric.

[@a.i.l1074]

Damn already got some pedants here. Hey pedants, hope your doing good! :)

[@mysteryshrimp]

Any time that Tom does a video of walking along, talking to camera, and it doesn't end with a joyful "One take!", I wonder how many takes it took.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Not one, so that narrows it down.

[@dustyarcade]

So glad you posted this video Tom, I was walking through the Surrey hills today and discovered public paths marked on OS maps that have been made "private" by land owners, fenced with barbed wire and intimidating signs, forcing me to walk further on the main roads with cars passing at high speed. I've joined the website, i hope these pub walks can be maintained for future generations!

[@monkeymox2544]

Ignore the signs, then report them when you get home. And if you see the landowner, dance around the path whilst swearing at them.

[@veemacks7255]

If you ever find yourself in southern Germany Tom, you might want to look up the "romantische strasse". It's hundreds of miles long and runs through where I live.

[@hubertblastinoff9001]

And it was made up by GIs stationed in the area...

[@Irondragon1945]

Wie weit im Süden?

[@nikobellic570]

Does that translate to 'romantic street'? Sounds appealing. Also, I'm sure Germany respects the public's right to enjoy walking in nature more than elsewhere

[@royksk]

Must be a bugger when you’re just about to start dinner and a walking group comes through your house 🤪

[@ChiSbaObePcheH11]

Niko Bellic we do have some kind of Freedom to roam, not for anyone’s back garden, but forests and the like

[@l.n.4929]

In my teens, I tried to find every possible path in the area around my village. Well, I didn't finish - there where just too many of them. Most seemed to be shortcuts for people from the farmers' backyards to relatives or ended in a particular field.

[@bdf2718]

Or went from a farm to a place that used to be a local pub.

[@l.n.4929]

@@bdf2718 Where I live it rather was the own wine cellar on the hillside just outside the village - much cheaper and open all the time :D

[@BUSHCRAPPING]

a lot of the ones in my area are old routes to coal mines and shafts.

[@adamsbja]

Someone in my hometown did similar. A few people actually, but one wrote the books about it. Also wrote as thurough history as he could about the development of the area; not as difficult as it might sound since the town was created in the 1940s and wasn't very big, but when someone's old vents were breaking down it was neat to look up which neighbors had houses built by the same folks at the same time to give them a heads up.

[@PixieII]

Thank you for bringing attention to this. I've been working as a volunteer on this project with the British Horse Society for years, and while we've done a huge amount of work there is still so much more to be done. Hopefully the backlog of Definitive Map Modification Orders will still be valid once 2026 hits, as many councils were massively unprepared for the volume submitted, and the backlog will take years to clear.

[@dog-ez2nu]

Remember. We have had to fight for EVERY right we have. Even walking along public footpaths, has required years and years of action like those militant walking enthusiasts at the Kinder Trespass, doing at least some form of law-breaking and protest. We can never forget that, none of our liberties have really been HANDED to us by the authorities across history. BTW, we probably need new Right of Way legislation to match that of Scotland's 'Right to Roam', which is far more encouraging for people who want to walk across more of our country.

[@KuK137]

Good luck in that fight. Especially seeing tory troglodytes are much more likely to delete old rights, not to add new ones, especially if it benefits the rich...

[@smonkk8556]

yup, even things you might feel are silly or small arent a guarantee. someone, somewhere, fought for that right (probably illegally) and eventually managed to get change made

[@5tr4nge75]

> Even walking along public footpaths, has required years and years of action like those militant walking enthusiasts at the Kinder Trespass, doing at least some form of law-breaking and protest. Don't forget the Vixen Tor mass trespass.

[@hencytjoe]

This topic Me: Super boring *Tom Scott talks about it* Me: Tell me more! *Starts googling for more information* Rinse and repeat for every video.

[@natesmodelsdoodles5403]

And thus, you have educated yourself. Teachers, take notes.

[@mollistuff]

"It's not often that you see a millennia-long process come to an end" For a moment there I thought you were talking about the Brexit negotiations.

[@pavelow235]

Years ago I lived in Bury St. Edmunds and worked in Mildenhall, I have a few memories of trekking on the Icknield Way trail. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@jacnel]

Interesting that there's so much history around paths in the UK. Here in Canada most paths are documented and marked but we don't have the right of way law that you talk about here. These paths are merely parcels of land either owned by private individuals, not for profits, or government which are publicly accessible through various agreements. These pieces of land are usually called trails and are marked as such. The largest example of this would be the TransCanada Trailway.

[@fifthbusiness2591]

Canada doesn’t have the same kind of legislation, but we do have the same common law of easements. There are footpaths just like this in many parts of Canada.

[@gwendawnseto2284]

Thank you very much. Thank you for all the good you do. Thank you too to Jack Cornish and The Ramblers. Generations will thank you all.

[@amefuraggamuffin]

you videos .... idk.. they fill me with wonder. I've never been to england but you've done more tourism advocacy for England than any official tourism board or initiative ever has (in my humble opinion)

[@BeyondYourDoorstep]

Didn’t know the difference between the Public Footpaths and Bridleways here. We absolutely love them, always such nice places to go for a walk!

[@bunnywarren]

There is also a "byway" that you can walk/cycle/ride/drive down as with any public road and a "restricted byway" where you can do the same except no mechanically propelled vehicles like cars.

[@airmasteravrolancaster]

I agree.

[@samc12345]

@@bunnywarren people forget about byways. I'm a honest respectful green-laner but always get so and so's filming my number plate as if I'm not allowed to be there

[@tobybartels8426]

The difference between a footpath and a bridleway is that you have to watch your step on a bridleway.

[@patrickwigmore3462]

Pedal cycles are also permitted on bridleways. There are also "permissive paths", which are explicitly not public rights of way, but where the landowner permits some public use while retaining the option of withdrawing that permission. Read the signs to find out which activities are permitted on these paths.

[@Noah-gp4ml]

On my DofE expedition we found loads of footpaths that weren’t on the map and it was so confusing trying to work out which one was the path on the map. This is great!

[@ala0284]

DofE in south east england has to be one of the most confusing things that any teen can go through, I never realised how many paths there were in the country til I did DofE

[@Noah-gp4ml]

ALA_Legend 02 can confirm, it’s hilariously confusing 😂

[@lshowitt]

ALA_Legend 02 I did mine in the peak district, and damn there’s tons there too!

[@Noah-gp4ml]

ThatOneEnemy my gold expedition (before it was cancelled was going to be in the Peak District, I look forward to it!

[@theafr0842]

A couple farmers who live near me always try to secretly damage or hide foot path signs. As an avid walker, this makes me mad.

[@yellowwoodstraveler]

Time to install a game camera I'm thinking...

[@a39tortoise40]

*as a militant walking enthusiast

[@DFX2KX]

if I where a landowner, I'd just install Apiaries. 1, you get Bees, which means 2, you get honey, and flowers! 3, nobody's going anywhere NEAR those things. Walking people never bothered me, it was folks using pit bikes and ATVs in my area. some of the land owners eventually just resorted to putting high-tensile fishing line at head level.

[@KuK137]

@@DFX2KX These scum should be prosecuted for attempted murder. And I say it as someone who hates morons destroying land with quads.

[@AndreaFrancoise]

@@DFX2KX We have knee guards and elbow guards, and even shin guards. In the near future, we will have neck guards for cycling, at this rate.

[@jonahnicholas7373]

One question I have about centuries old roads is what happens if a historic footpath no longer exists? Will it still be marked down if what was once a road has become overgrown with brush/trees/a pond/etc. and you have the right to walk there if you're willing to fight through the terrain, or would that just be deemed impractical?

[@lukehoughton3789]

You often see on OS Maps where the course of old Roman Roads lay, but are not always public rights of way. When these run through fields you can sometime see the crop marks, on satellite images, left by the outline of the roman roads

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

@@michaelgeorgesaupe7059 What if the rambler damages plants that belong to someone? What if those plants are endangered? (Like I'm fairly sure the latter is a crime, but I'm curious as to the legal responsibility in general)

[@ErwinPommel]

@@pavarottiaardvark3431 A path near me goes diagonally across a field. Each year, the farmer plants all new crops, and as they grow, a line is carved through them by people walking along that path. The farmer has no recourse. It's a public right of way.

[@d2xr]

Look at the Amazon rainforest. Cities from the 1700’s of 20,000+ are STILL being uncovered.

[@heroslippy6666]

@@d2xr Good thing we are clearing the rainforest. jk jk that was a really bad joke.

[@SpartRyan]

Thank you Tom for continuing to upload. Your style is greatly appreciated.

[@danielmartin9057]

Hard to believe that this is the two drums and a cymbal guy 11 years later

[@korenn9381]

It's weird to consider this the final deadline - it's just a law. A new law could be made to add more paths, or the current one could be amended to stretch the deadline.

[@evannibbe9375]

Korenn British law is weird that way. Parliament doesn’t like passing laws that conflict with previous laws all that much, and they definitely don’t want to give and then take away the right to any given piece of land.

[@dragonflyK110]

Sure it's possible for the government to declare more land "Right of way" after that deadline. But all of the existing yet undocumented "Right of way" land will stop being considered such, even if you can find proof of it after that deadline. As was mentioned land owners are not always fans of having people walk on their land, and governments wanting to appease land owners are thus unlikely to declare more land as "Right of way" unless they have to. They are also unlikely to extend the deadline for the same reason. That's why it's important to fix the map before the deadline, the government is forced to update the map if the evidence presented is accurate, regardless of whether landowners agree to it or not.

[@wulfherecyning1282]

@@dragonflyK110 This isn't *exactly* true. Courts still will have the power to decide whether or not, on the historical evidence, a right of way or an easement exists on an estate. It just means that every inch of path will have to be fought over in court (with potentially 15 parties for a one mile stretch) rather than through registration to a defined committee. As I understand it now, if you find a path with historical right of way, you register it, and if the landowners disagree then it is their role to challenge the registration. Thus, they have all the initial fees of the challenge. Once the deadline ends, instead of that, someone (like the Rambler charity mentioned in this vid) would have to cough up funding to take a landowner to court to try forcing them to open up that path. Because of the case law we already have, once you've managed to force a landowner to open up an established right of way, they can't close it again; it becomes a known quantity, equivalent to registration on the rights of way map. The end of the deadline will have the effect of making rights of way open up so prohibitively expensive, but not actually impossible. That's not exactly great either, but still, it is good to know that the mechanism is in place.

[@dragonflyK110]

@@wulfherecyning1282 I see, thank you for that clarification. I was under the impression the government was essentially rescinding the "Right of way" on land that had not been openly documented as such before the deadline, but am happy to be corrected. That is indeed good news, as it means all hope is not lost after the deadline. Though knowing how expensive court proceeding can get I sadly don't have much confidence that a charity like The Ramblers will be able to get much done once it gets to that point. So it makes sense they would consider it the end of the road as far as their powers are concerned.

[@willrogers3702]

They may have to stretch it. Budget cuts in the local councils meant the rights of way departments didn’t always have enough staff and so the definitive map was paused and then they often had to redo old work to get the project going again.

[@boboblacksheep5003]

So that's how it's gonna be now? Tom walking a lonely road, *rambling* about interesting trivia?

[@HAL-oj4jb]

Always has been

[@mrpositronia]

Suits me fine. I like looking at the scenery.

[@Davidcook55951]

Very comfy and kino. The U.K. outside the cities is such a wonderful place.

[@SB-or5mj]

Lots of people missed the joke...

[@EddieSMiles1]

I walk a lonely road,

[@ohthatswhygo]

Tom Scott videos are so helpful in passing the lockdown boredom :)

[@Skullgrin.]

If I was a farmer with a right of way through my land, I'd view that as an opportunity! Set up a lemonade stand, sell water or umbrellas to walking enthusiasts at low prices, set up art in the fields alongside it, just do SOMETHING that benefits all parties involved.

[@liftlash98]

Anyone else discovered a love of walking miles on end through the countryside in the past few months?

[@RamblersGB]

We have certainly found that people have been exploring and enjoying their local paths and green spaces during these difficult months. People are connecting with the joy of walking!

[@MichaelBosley]

Yup! Whilst people have been crowding beauty spots, I’ve enjoyed finding miles of scenic walking routes with no people about. It’s been great.

[@Mr-Damage]

No

[@liftlash98]

@@Mr-Damage 🙁

[@qwertzy2610]

I just read your text about how you manage this situation and how mcuh (financial) risk is involved and wanted to say that I am really looking forward to new videos by you and they always entertain me. I also like the themes you (have to) choose now and enjoy your way of telling stories anout rural britain and their bigger connection. But what I also want to express is that you should do what you think is best for you and keeping you safe.

[@AcornElectron]

Something should be done Tom ...... if only someone with millions of supporters could put it forward...

[@Opus313]

It's so nice to go for an informative walk with Tom!

[@explorernate]

So I grew up by Dunstable Downs where part of the Icknield Way passes over. I had no idea it was some extremely long lasting footpath of any note. It was just a footpath on a hill by my town that made for lovely bike rides and summer days out. Interesting video!

[@Bombshocked]

I encourage everyone to read the "/safe" link in the video's description, really puts things for Tom's channel into perspective.

[@TheElvisnator]

My PC be like when I try to run Minecraft with RTX: 3:46

[@SaltySalman]

ugghh that tearing

[@DavidAPayt]

Came to the comments to point that out. Also the encoding of this video looks very bad. Seems there is a key frame every few seconds but not a high enough bitrate, causing a blurry mess every few seconds to be jarringly cleaned up by key frames.

[@jorgepeterbarton]

@@DavidAPayt its also just terrible autofocus

[@EoRdE6]

@@jorgepeterbarton No. That's definitely not a focus related issue. Definitely bitrate

[@sgbench]

@@EoRdE6 3:46 isn't a bitrate issue either, look at it frame by frame. Each individual frame is clear. It seems to be some kind of rendering error where every other frame is the previous frame, causing a very fast zig-zag effect.

[@mehalld]

Tom is very careful to say England every time, and for those unfamiliar, I can provide a small touch of info on Scotland. (No idea about Wales or Northern Ireland, sorry!) Scotland has a "Right to Roam" on the books. There are exceptions - fields of sown crops, construction sites, gardens around houses (though with no specific size limit given to that one), but broadly speaking if you're in Scotland, you can probably walk there. (I am not a Lawyer, if you're considering doing anything that might be questionable, check for yourself or seek legal advice, etc etc.)

[@warbler1984]

So can I just stroll through your garden in Scotland or does it have to a historic site?

[@laureng2110]

'gardens around houses'

[@andymcl92]

@@warbler1984 That would likely be classed as intruding on someone's privacy, and so is an exception :)

[@gnutrino]

Technically so does England it's just much more restrictive on the types of land that it applies to (which is why public rights of way are still relevant)

[@seraphina985]

@@luelou8464 Think they can also use reasonable force to remove you but that is probably unwise unless trained to do so as disputes over the definition of reasonable can easily lead to finding themselves on the wrong end of an assault and battery charge.

[@benpos1301]

Dear Tom, I must admit I am quite surprised or should I say shocked after reading your blog post about the safety precautions you take that you are living in a 90 square feet flat. (for all of us who are used to the metric system, that is about 9 m2) You are one of my favorite "content-creators" here on youtube, your videos always make me learn something new and you are also quite successful. Yet you are living in such a small flat. Is it because you are normally traveling the world anyways and you are not usually trapped in London? Or is it because you cannot afford it? Because if so, please set up a patreon or something like that! Thank you for all your work and dedication to knowledge and information. Kind Regards, Ben (one of your millions of viewers)

[@Jake12220]

Wow, that's about the size of my bedroom in Australia and by our standards l live in a fairly small house. The living space for many people in London is insanely tiny.

[@ChemySh]

damn, that's the size of my flat. Single bedroom, a cupboard, a desk with a minifridge, and a bathroom that doubles as kitchen. It's a bit cramped, but quite alright if you dont expect to do anything in the room aside from sleep, shower, and use the computer

[@Jake12220]

@@ChemySh that really is nuts. I pulled out a tape measure, my bedroom is around 10sq metres, but that's just the one l sleep in, there are two spare rooms one of which is over twice the size of my bedroom a living room, kitchen, seperate toilet, laundry and porch and l live on my own. As l said before, this is a small residence by Australian standards, many flats/units are bigger than this and lm always annoyed l have a lack of space to put stuff. How anyone can live in such a tiny space is beyond me. I love London and feel very much at home when l visit, but how anyone could live like that...

[@ChemySh]

@@Jake12220 I also see it as nuts that people living alone can fill all those spaces with their stuff. Why would you need that much stuff, I often wonder. On the other side of nuts, I once visited my friend's place in Hongkong. 14 square meter for a dining room, living room (sofa and a tv), kitchen, 2 bedrooms, and 1 bathroom, combined. It's actually quite comfy and encourages you to keep that belly small (seriously, his flat's that small)

[@chrishieke1261]

Hmhmm. My 60m² flat + 4m² balcony feesl 'right' between "too small" and "too large". It is a bit on the larger then average side (and is really intended for 2 persons), but I like to have a separate bedroom, a separate living room and a seperate kitchen. Down to 40m² would be just so acceptable, but only if it were at least two separate rooms.

[@phelyan]

I used to work in a small town along the Icknield Way called Ickleford.

[@tonetoobtwo]

Did it have an ickle pub and lots of ickle houses?

[@whyukraine]

Sounds icky.

[@phelyan]

@@tonetoobtwo not too many. It's a tiny place. :D

[@aminboumerdassi2334]

Did it have a river called the river Ickle?

[@geoffreycoan]

Just north of Hitchin Hertfordshire. Not a lot there, pub, church, village shop and houses

[@kiddamage3948]

I absolutely loved this video. It gives me an idea of how interesting my home country is. Keep up the good work :)

[@taylorhancock5834]

Ok, this video was great, but I just wanted to say that the design of how you integrate videos of people into your videos looks fantastic, and I prefer it massively to the way others do it

[@danielfriesen759]

I have a feeling Tom artificially lowered the framerate on Jack's video to cover up audio splices. If so, clever editing! I appreciate that.

[@kathyh8047]

Glad to hear you're being safe, and I hope you're able to take care of your mental health because it does sound stressful productions wise and rough to be that cramped 💗🤗💗🤗 Also, nice video; could listen to you talk about stuff like this for ages

[@thaifreeburma]

What a gem and you've highlighted a really important issue that could either resolve to a countryside less welcoming to visitors or one that is a real boost for it and the health / wellbeing of those tramping across it. Brilliant Tim!

[@ellie1639]

I literally love learning random new things, it makes it feel like I'm being productive

[@dolorismachina2]

I know that feeling to well.

[@elithomas8022]

Same here

[@WyattH]

If you want to feel productive you want some of my homework

[@joshe9409]

Yet having a 5% done essay due tomorrow. Procrastination😎

[@janani1826]

Its the perfect way to procastinate on actual work 👌

[@MuchWhittering]

Tom writing a whole article to explain why he's being safe doing this I feel is a bit much. Was anyone REALLY going to call him out on it? I feel like Tom's a bit too professional for his own good, sometimes.

[@1q1p1]

@@altzu badum tish

[@ianknight5120]

It's the internet. Someone would have.

[@Ciara_Turner]

Do you really expect anything less of the consummate professional that is Tom Scott

[@cityuser]

His channel is a business. Just like companies always cover their asses, Tom must, too.

[@MidtownSkyport]

It does nobody any harm, and covers his ass. Why's that a bit much?

[@sihollett]

The ancient path called 'Icknield Way' is much longer than said in the video, however those bits are fairly closely paralleled by other long-distance paths like The Ridgeway National Trail and so aren't going to be followed by the 'Icknield Way Trail' long-distance path that's the actual subject of this video.

[@andyalder7910]

Yup, he's missed the section roughly followed by the B4009.

[@jeffwillsea6757]

I for one love paths and hope you guys map all yours. Walking/biking down paths is one of my favorite things to do!

[@cainsy8124]

Tom, you're doing my homesickness no good at all. Thanks mate!

[@GeorgeSPAMTindle]

Somewhere in Suffolk there is a footpath going through the grounds of a large manor house and the path slopes down to and up from a six foot deep ditch to go through the grounds, this is to maintain right of way without having to actually watch ramblers wander through your garden. Many such houses have similar deep trench paths to keep the servants out of sight when they are bringing drinks out to you in the garden.

[@VorpalGun]

I prefer the Swedish system of allemansrätten where you can go virtually anywhere as long as you don't hurt the land and it is not someone's garden (as well as exceptions for military installations etc).

[@finlaybullough499]

I can’t see that being practical in a country as densely populated as the Uk

[@radiocative6296]

@@finlaybullough499 I think it could work in more rural areas of the country, perhaps if different counties could have different systems or something

[@hoixthegreat8359]

@@radiocative6296 Tom doesn't mention the other thing that the Countryside and Rights of Way Act put in (The CRoW act). It creates what's known as CRoW land, in which the public have a right to roam and camp in. National parks such as the Lake District and the North Pennines are nearly entirely CroW land.

[@Tobberz]

In rural parts of the UK (National Parks, Scotland) this is the case already

[@fgsaramago]

A lot of environmentalists would argue that just by walking you're damaging the land. That's sounds like it was maybe a good idea before people gave a crap about the environment

[@Ethan_PT7]

I work in real estate and the title industry in the US and I love these videos that go into areas of real estate law from other parts of the world. I find them fascinating.

[@altosaxophonie]

Robert MacFarlane's 'The Old Ways' also talks about the Icknield way and several other old paths in both Britain and across the world. Beautifully written, worth the read.

[@RamblersGB]

We love this book!

[@topaz3829]

Arrived as someone who likes English local history. Left as a "Militant Walking Enthusiast".

[@joshuaperkins2139]

“Who Owns England” is a great book if anyone’s interested in this sort of thing :)

[@jeremyjenkins3862]

James Dyson

[@NetheriteMiner]

sounds like a title of a CGP grey video

[@niklasxl]

this is so bizarre :D im so happy that in Finland we have everyman's right allowing you to walk everywhere except peoples yards, field with crops or other highly used areas

[@LP-rn6id]

We love you Scott please keep doing your thing forever

[@WhimsyCourier]

Thanks for the info/reassurance on how you're keeping safe 💛

[@JunafaniFIN]

I'm from Finland and the whole concept of not being allowed to walk somewhere because someone owns is weird to me. In Finland we have everyman's right and we can walk anywhere that is not next to someone's porch or a cultivated field. We can also pick berries and mushrooms freely.

[@philippm.1271]

in Germany you can walk everywhere even in a house. If you don't want that you need a fence with an looked door.

[@yungamurai]

@@philippm.1271 That's a good way to get shot where I come from.

[@benobrien4738]

Practically nobody cares about it though because trespass isn't a criminal offense providing you don't break things or cause distress

[@MsNikeNike]

Same in Sweden, even the name of the right is the same, though here we're being told how uniquely swedish it is 🤔

[@SuperOtter]

Same here in the Netherlands, there is no law against entering somebody else their property, unless it's locked or has and specific warning listen the article of law that you can't enter that place. So technically if somebody leaves their door open you can enter there house legally, but you always have to leave somebody's land if the owner says so to you in person. And ofcourse breaking and entering is illegal

[@joshuacoulton2412]

Your actually my favorite KZbinr. I'd love to learn some more nerdy stuff with you. Keep up the great videos. Ever in Scarborough, I'd love to come meet you.

[@RonaldReaganRocks1]

*You're.

[@joshuacoulton2412]

@@RonaldReaganRocks1 bet your fun at partys

[@DylanSargesson]

The UK Government have announced that the 2026 deadline will be scrapped, but they intend to introduce a "right to apply" for landowners to deregister rights of way in certain circumstances. The Welsh government had already scrapped it with respect to Wales. ** Technically speaking the relevant section (s. 56)was always prospective and hadn't been brought into force, and the Government have announced their intention not to bring it into force and to expunge it from the act.

[@ismellmandude6401]

What are the criteria to have it deregistered?

[@0xDEADBEEF666]

After reading your statement on how you’re filming responsibly, I am even more grateful for the content you’ve released the last few months. Thanks!

[@stuffyoumightnotknow8060]

Very interesting video! It amazes me how you discover such a wide variety of interesting topics!

[@debbiehenri345]

I used to have a lot of problems trying to use public footpaths when I lived in Essex, landowners setting dogs on me and later when I used to bring my son (who was an infant/toddler at the time). That's the place ramblers need to concentrate their efforts. There's a great deal of anti-rambler behaviour in the Billericay district. Essex landowners are the most vicious defenders of paths that 'pass' their property but don't necessarily go through it. I'm glad there's now a law to prevent people using dogs to threaten or attack others. I've since moved well away from Essex and never had a problem since.

[@chrislyne377]

I live in north Essex and never have a problem walking footpaths round here. There's a lot of dodgy new money round Billericay so maybe it's just that area

[@skullbonk1081]

I read “don’t lose your way” and all I could hear was the song from kill la kill

[@imveryangryitsnotbutter]

brb, gotta find out who killed my dad

[@JJAB91]

Eir Aoi is top tier.

[@menohaveaname]

I love learning about stuff that goes back hundreds of years.

[@the_internet_332]

I've been studying something similar over the last two months, so I'm so delighted to see your video!

[@jacktaylor4853]

My one complaint about your videos was that I couldn’t see the volume meter when you were interviewing people - No More!

[@christopheredwards4012]

Defra have just removed the 2026 cut-off point. Wahoo!

[@famitory]

paths, the only type of historic site you can help preserve by disturbing it

[@henrypenalty]

Great to see Tom walking on a local trail to me. Not far outside of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Close to cavenham heath / Tuddenham I believe.

[@digitalranger4259]

One of your better videos! Thanks for sharing this!

[@Sam-is7hh]

Hi, Tom! Another awesome video. I don’t see the sources in the description. Just a heads up! Also, thank you so much for the work you do in citing your sources and providing links. That’s what sets your channel above!

[@olivergs9840]

Let's get ready to ramble!

[@Pthumerian01]

I enjoy this man's content

[@skellious]

Great video ,Tom, as always, but it's worth clarifying the ending. It will still be perfectly possible to establish rights of way either by statutory order, by the landowner deciding to expressly dedicate the land or by the public having enjoyed access for at least 20 years without challenge.

[@mikedakin2016]

some of these paths are so ancient people were walking along them before I got out of bed this morning ! loved the vid.

[@knightwolf3511]

england really needs to keep the right of way for paths < from someone who lives in America where paths don't exist unless it's a town or nature trail

[@_ikako_]

"Jack Cornish" is possibly the most British name ever.

[@Wordsnwood]

I read your "filmed safely" document and really the only part that bothers me is the size of your flat. I fully understand that "more stuff" doesn't buy happiness, and of course when you buy more stuff, the stuff ends up owning you... but 2m x5m !? Wow.

[@edwinchester7092]

I read it too, and things don't make that much sense: 2million sub youtuber, lives in a room, and is on the verge of being broke?

[@orngjce223]

@@edwinchester7092 Someone who doesn't take Raid Shadow Legends or NordVPN sponsorships is going to be making a lot less than someone who does.

[@ifell3]

Great video Tom, I have attempted the Peddars way a few times and enjoy it definitely each time!!

[@jakezxz1352]

Tom you make the most random yet uniquely interesting videos on KZbin, keep up the great work :)

[@emilekroth100]

As a swede this makes me love allemansrätten even more.

[@Jolli987]

Same in finland

[@peksn]

Does that mean "Everyone's roads"?

[@lauridscm1]

@@peksn the every man's right, roughly

[@emilekroth100]

@@peksn It allows you to walk and camp almost anywhere, not only on roads.

[@leftmono1016]

Seolferwulf - problem I've found in Scotland are the livestock fences, sometimes very tricky to get over. At least with public footpaths and bridleways there are mandatory gates or stiles.

[@cls63amgwagon34]

What a good cause! Hope it works out for them!

[@hogcranker123]

3:47 aaahhh my eyes

[@inabothwick6353]

Good to see that you are getting some sun again Tom can’t wait to learn about the world again!

[@lunasophia9002]

Thank you for providing metric units. It is sincerely appreciated.

[@RobertFletcherOBE]

As someone who grew up on a farm these right of ways can present a major liability to the land owner. There have been cases of people being injured and suing the land owners, and also cases of the rubbish dropped by walkers that ended up killing animals (they love eating plastic bags for some reason)

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

“Militant walking enthusiasts” Sorry Tom, but I'm borrrowing that one in the future

[@alexanderwill2847]

Something about it gives me some strong Douglas Adams vibes

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

If I ever find myself in a situation where I can use that phrase, I certainly will without hesitation.

[@mmyr8ado.360]

@@alexanderwill2847 I think Monty Python may have made a skit about it idk

[@RamblersGB]

Maybe we will too!