Does Scotland have better access to the countryside than the rest of Britain? Wilderness walker and BMC ambassador Chris Townsend will give his view when he speaks at the annual Spirit of Kinder event in Edale this Saturday.

Taking place just 12 days before the General Election, the event will also celebrate 50 years of the opening of the Pennine Way. It is being organised by the Kinder & High Peak Advisory Committee (KHPAC) and will be held at Edale Village Hall starting at 2pm.

The event is held every year in different locations in and around the Peak District to commemorate the seminal Kinder Scout Mass Trespass of 1932 and look at contemporary issues around access to the countryside. 

KHPAC chairman Terry Howard said: “Although we have achieved access to open country through the CROW Act, the legacy of the Mass Trespass remains at risk. We still haven’t yet achieved everything we want, so we must carry on with no let-up.

“That’s why we’ve invited two access campaigners from Scotland who will explain how the Scottish Land Reform Act works north of the Border. We believe that is the model we should be aiming for.”

Chris, who lives in the Cairngorms and is a former president of the MCofS, will be joined by Dave Morris, former director of Ramblers Scotland, as a keynote speaker. Chris Sainty, chairman of the Pennine Way Association, will reflect on its 50th anniversary, and Ann Beedham, Sheffield author and illustrator, will give an illustrated talk on walking in the Peak in the 1920s. 

Chris's presence at the event has been arranged by the BMC. 

Admission to the Spirit of Kinder Day is free and all are welcome, but as space in the hall is limited, people are advised to arrive early. We are encouraging people to use public transport. Trains run to Edale from Manchester, Stockport and Sheffield. 

Complementary events celebrating the Pennine Way anniversary are being held on April 25 by the Peak District National Park Authority at the Moorland Centre, Edale, including Ranger-led walks on Sunday, April 26. 

As well as the BMC, among the organisations expected to attend are the Ramblers; Sheffield Campaign for Access to Moorland; Peak & Northern Footpaths Society;  the National Trust; Peak District National Park Authority; Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation; the Sheffield Moors Partnership and Friends of the Peak District (CPRE).

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