Sir, – As I have spent much of the last 16 years walking in the mountains of Snowdonia in Wales, may I comment on Robert Dowds's letter (April 14th)?
In Wales, everything has been done to facilitate the walker. The maps show clear rights of way into the mountains. When you get there, there are footbridges, well-maintained paths, stiles and gates. There is a special bus service to facilitate walkers. Best of all, walkers have a legal right to walk almost anywhere in the mountains.
The contrast with Ireland could scarcely be more stark. Except in a few places, there are no facilities of any kind and walkers have no legal access to any private land, no matter how remote. A welcome is certainly not apparent.
I cannot understand why landowners are so reluctant to allow legal recognition to walkers on even the most remote uplands. It’s the norm all over western and northern Europe. If they did so it would greatly benefit their community and indeed themselves. After all, sheep farmers in particular will have to diversify because of global warming.
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However, some people have greatly benefited from the parlous state of walking tourism in Ireland. The Welsh tourism industry must be delighted that its neighbour in Ireland, with its spectacular mountains and coast, provides such poor competition. – Yours, etc,
DAVID HERMAN,
Churchtown,
Dublin 16.