‘Time to make history again’ as Right to Roam plan new rally on Peak District Mass Trespass anniversary

On Saturday April 26, between 1.30 pm and 5.30pm, there will be an afternoon of speakers, workshops, music, drama, and stalls to celebrate the 1932 Hayfield Kinder Scout Mass Trespass - and also draw attention to current campaigns to extend access to land and water, urban and rural.

David Toft, from the Hayfield Kinder Trespass Group, said: “The 1932 Trespass was a crucial event in the long struggle for greater responsible access to appropriate open spaces, urban and rural but that struggle is far from over, as even now we have access to only eight per cent of appropriate land, and only four per cent of river access.”

In the post war years thousands of people escaped to the countryside as a break from factory life.

By the 1930s, the railway company reported an average of 6,000 day-trippers every weekend in Hayfield, with 13,000 there on Easter weekend in 1930.

In 1932 political activists were stopped on a walk and turned back but decided to take action.

On April 24, 1932, hundreds of people gathered in Hayfield and marched up Kinder, despite police efforts to stop them.

Their actions caused people to address the access problems in the county. In 1951 the Peak District became the first area designated as a national park.

On Saturday April, 26 as well as all the other activities in Hayfield, there will be Question Time panels to discuss how best we can lobby the current government to legislate for greater access in their first term.

Panellists will include authors and campaigners Guy Shrubsole, fromRight to Roam, Kate Ashbrook, from Open Spaces Society, Imogen Radford, from the Outdoor Swimming Society, and Dr. Morag Rose along with young campaigners from Manchester and the High Peak.

On Sunday 27th April, from 10.30 pm there will be a rally organised by Right to Roam, followed by a walk to William Clough, timed to coincide with swimmers in the reservoir protesting against the current lack of access to waterways.

A spokesperson from the Right to Roam is calling on people to take back the land and the waters.

“We’re calling on the government to seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity to expand the right to roam, bringing nature closer to everyone everywhere. Even where we do have access, these rights solely cover walking and climbing; meaning you can still be harassed while going for a swim, or threatened for camping peacefully under the stars.

“So it’s time to summon the spirit of 1932 and call on the Labour government to finish the job it started over 75 years ago. Join us for a weekend of action on this historic occasion: it's time to make history again.”

Throughout the weekend, the Tent People at The George will be providing refreshments in their pub and on the Village Hall Green

David added: “If you care about fair access to our land and water, just being at the Hayfield events will help to support those campaigning for progress.”