Natural England - Discovering Lost Ways

Discovering Lost Ways

The Discovering Lost Ways Project (DLW) closed following a review carried out in 2007/08. The review concluded that the challenges of securing a complete and accurate 'definitive map' were beyond the scope of a research-focused project, and a new approach was required.

Findings of the review

The review of DLW, which included working through five Pathfinder Projects to test different approaches to implementing lost ways research, together with a series of stakeholder workshops, found that:

  • The original estimate of 20,000 lost ways remains valid, but the costs and timescale of processing these through the current system, even reflecting the streamlined, source-led research approach are unacceptable.

  • More than 50 per cent of identified ways are not lost; many can be seen, but they are simply not recorded on the definitive map.

  • The loss of these used but unrecorded routes would mean a significant decrease in access to the countryside at the cut-off date.

  • A small minority of lost ways may be inconsistent with modern land use and can cause practical problems for owners.

  • Stakeholders have demonstrated a willingness to contribute to seeking sensible solutions to these complex issues.

Conclusions of the review

As a result of this review, we concluded that:

  • The aims of DLW supported Natural England's strategic objective of enabling more people to have more access to the natural environment more often.

  • A rights of way network that provides clarity for users about where they can go contributes to this, as well as providing longer term certainty for landowners and managers about rights of way that cross their land.

  • In order to achieve this, the methods used must stand a good chance of achieving this certainty of recording rights of way on the definitive map within a realistic timescale.

  • The review highlighted the limitations and constraints of the current methods and context of researching, submitting and determining claims.

  • It was clear that a more holistic approach to the rights of way agenda is required if we are to realise the benefits that an accurate rights of way network can provide.

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