Walking back to happiness

More than 100 years of campaigning and legislation have led to our new freedom to roam on wild land. Here are some of the stepping stones along the way:

1600s – 1860 Parliamentary Enclosure Acts 'fence off' half of England's countryside.

1725 Daniel Defoe claims the High Peak is "the most desolate, wild and abandoned country in all England."

1810 Wordsworth describes the Lake District as "a sort of national property, in which every man has a right and interest who has an eye to perceive and a heart to enjoy."

1865 The Common, Open Spaces and Footpath Preservation Society is formed and 'rescues' Epping Forest, Hampstead Heath and Wimbledon Common.

1872 The world's first national park is established at Yellowstone, USA.

1876 Hayfield and Kinder Scout Ancient Footpaths Association is formed. The 'right to roam' movement has begun.

1880s/1900s During Queen Victoria's reign people's interest in rambling was growing. Several clubs that still exist today were formed such as the Manchester YMCA Rambling Club (1880) and the Yorkshire Rambler Club (1900).

1884 The first attempt to introduce an Access to Mountains Bill fails.

1894 Hope Valley railway opens. Ramblers in conflict with landowners as they head for the hills. The Local Government Act is amended to include some provision for rights of way.

1895 The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest and Natural Beauty is established.

1899 The UK Gamekeepers Association is formed.

1907 The Central Landowners Association is formed (now the Country Land and Business Association - CLA).

1908 Another attempt to introduce an Access to Mountains and Moorland Bill fails.

1912 Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves is founded by Hon. Charles Rothschild. It identifies places in need of protection with the aim of transferring them to the National Trust.

1919 The Forestry Commission is created to restore the country's woodlands - 400,000 acres had been felled during World War I. The outdoor movement booms. Every weekend thousands of working class people escape the grime of the cities in search of clean, country air.

1925 The Law of Property Act gives the public the right of access "for air and exercise" to all commons in urban areas in England and Wales.

1926 Council for the Preservation of Rural England is formed (now the Council for the Protection of Rural England - CPRE). The Access to Mountains and Moorland Bill fails yet again.

1927 The Winnats mass trespass takes place, organised by Sheffield Clarion Ramblers.

1929 Ramsay MacDonald sets up enquiry to investigate whether National Parks would be a good idea.

1931 The Addison Report recommends there should be a National Parks Authority to select the most appropriate areas.

1930s Proposals to make Dovedale the first National Park. The Depression created mass unemployment and for many people the only release was to get out into the countryside for cheap and healthy exercise. The northern moors were strictly preserved for grouse shooting and this lead to demands for access and protest meetings in the Winnats Pass at Castleton and elsewhere.

1931/1932 A change of Government and severe financial crisis means Addison's recommendations are put on ice.

1932 Sunday 24 April, 400 ramblers gather at Bowden Bridge Quarry, Hayfield to trespass on Kinder Scout. Protesters are met by gamekeepers and scuffles break out. Arrests are made and five men are imprisoned. After the skirmish the demonstrators continue along the path through William Clough and are joined by Sheffield Ramblers who had walked via Kinder and Edale Cross. The whole group then walk along the Hayfield to Snake footpath to its highest point where they hold the 'Victory' meeting. The Rights of Way Act is passed.

1935 A conference, chaired by Norman Birkett, resurrects Addison's 'Central Authority for National Parks'. Tom Stephenson suggests a 'Jubilee Trail' along the backbone of England. The Ramblers' Association is set up amalgamating many clubs across the country.

1936 26 May, first meeting of the Standing Committee on National Parks.

1938 John Dower, the Committee's secretary, publishes 'The Case for National Parks in Great Britain'.

1939 After 55 years the Access to the Mountains Act finally succeeds.

1942 The Scott Report accepts the need for national parks and looks at problems facing the countryside.

1945 The Dower Report suggests how national parks could work in England and Wales. A new Labour government sets up the Committee on National Parks, chaired by Sir Arthur Hobhouse.

1947 The Hobhouse Report suggests 12 potential national parks. The new Town & Country Planning Act sets up a 'land-use planning system' which includes national parks.

1948 The route of the Pennine Way is decided.

1949 16 December, the government passes the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act setting up the Countryside Commission, the Nature Conservancy Council (now both Natural England) and 10 national parks.

1950 A Landscape Area Special Development Order brings the design and materials of farm buildings in the Peak District, Lake District and Snowdonia under some planning control.

1951 The establishment of the Peak District National Park on 17 April brings the start of protracted negotiations leading to the first access agreements in the country for the public to walk on private moorland. The Lake District, Snowdonia and Dartmoor National Parks also designated.

1952 Pembrokeshire Coast and North York Moors National Parks established.

1953 The first agreement covering 5,624 acres of land owned by the Duke of Devonshire on Southern Kinder is signed with some additional areas belonging to the Youth Hostels Association and local Edale farmers in the same year.

1954 The Peak District National Park's Ranger Service is set up and the first ranger, Tom Tomlinson, is appointed to work as a 'warden' in the Peak District in January. The Voluntary Warden Service is launched on Good Friday. Wardens are trained to help people appreciate the countryside. Yorkshire Dales and Exmoor National Parks are designated.

1955 In February the first access agreement for Kinder is signed.

1956 Northumberland National Park is designated.

1957 Brecon Beacons - the last national park designated by the 1949 Act is established. By the end of the year a further 15 sq. miles of south east Bleaklow are under an access agreement.

1960 Fieldhead information centre opens in Edale.

1961 An access agreement is signed for Langsett Moor. Windgather Rocks at Kettleshulme, near Whaley Bridge, are purchased to resolve a climbing problem.

1962 Stanage Edge access agreement is concluded.

1964 Three rover scouts die on Bleaklow Moor, resulting in the formation of the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation and Edale Mountain Rescue Team, both staffed by wardens.

1965 24 April, thirty years on the Pennine Way is opened. The country's first National Trail it stretches 256 miles from Edale to Scotland.

1968 The Countryside Act is passed, imposing a 'duty' on every minister, government department and public body to have "due regard for conserving the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside."

1970 The Peak District National Park Authority purchase the North Lees estate including the climbing edge of Stanage.

1972 The Local Government Act establishes National Park Authorities to administer each Park. Forward planning documents – National Park Plans – must be produced.

1974 The Sandford Committee recommends that national parks should have larger budgets and more staff.

1976 Year of the drought and the scene of many devastating moorland fires around the Peak District National Park.

1979 The Peak District National Park rangers celebrate their 25th anniversary.

1980s A programme of guided walks is launched to encourage people from all walks of life to enjoy the Peak District.

1981 The Wildlife and Countryside Act is passed, the first comprehensive protection of listed species and habitats, and includes conservation schemes like Countryside Stewardship. Severn Trent Water in partnership with the then Peak Park Joint Planning Board pioneered the opening of Ladybower Reservoir and the removal of roadside fences.

1982 The 50th anniversary of the Kinder Mass Trespass. Sheffield Campaign for Access to Moorland (SCAM) is set up. In October the National Trust buys the Kinder estate declaring it open for access in perpetuity.

1984 The largest holding of land to date is brought into the ownership of the Park when the 2,509 ha Eastern Moors Estate was purchased from Severn Trent Water in order to provide access and also safeguard ecological and archaeological sites. A House of Lords Select Committee suggests caring for the environment should have comparable status with the production of food.

1986 The last of the National Park Authority's major land purchases takes place - the acquisition of the 4,900 acre Warslow Moors Estate for nature conservation.

1987 European directive requires Environmental Impact Assessments to be made for major projects that affect the environment.

1989 The Broads is designated the eleventh national park.

1990 The Rights of Way Act is established by a Private Member's Bill.

1991 The 40th anniversary of the National Park is significant for the increase in access land on the eastern side of the Park. Agreements reached with Chatsworth Estates covering the moors above the parkland and with Sheffield City Council for 2,073 acres of Houndkirk, Burbage and Hathersage moors. The total access area is now 81 sq. miles (half the total area of open country in the Park). In the same year the Pennine Way maintenance team starts the mammoth task of restoring the Pennine Way. The Edwards Report 'Fit for the Future' reviews national parks.

1992 80 sq. miles of access land are closed following a number of serious fires. 'Earth Summit' - United Nations Conference is held in Rio de Janeiro calling for 'sustainable development' and local action plans.

1993 Langsett Barn opens as a briefing centre, information centre and community centre providing improved facilities for the north east corner of the Park.

1995 The Environment Agency is established and the Environment Act 1995 is passed. Moorland fires cause closures of access land.

2000 The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 is passed. The Countryside Agency (now Natural England) begins the process of mapping open country and the Peak District National Park Authority begins planning how to manage the new access on the ground.

2001 17 April The Peak District National Park celebrates its 50th anniversary. Rural businesses are blighted with the national outbreak of Foot & Mouth disease.

2003 National Park rangers assist the fire services to fight serious moorland fires mainly around Kinder and Bleaklow.

2002 The 70th anniversary of the Kinder Mass Trespass is celebrated.

2004 Sees the Peak District National Park's ranger service celebrate its 50th anniversary. New rights to walk on open country in the Peak District National Park come into force on 19 September.