Breaking down barriers to countryside access
Written by Nadia Shaikh. Photo courtesy of Ramblers.
Why access to nature matters
I believe a big part of our sense of identity comes from our relationship with the land. It shapes us profoundly. When I talk to people who have moved to the UK about the things they miss about home, it's most often food, nature and landscapes.
Look at religion, poetry, art, songs, they’re all enriched with nature. In telling stories, we use nature, it's the greatest metaphor. To observe the calm before the storm, or the rising sun, or birds in their courtship behaviour or territorial disputes, helps us understand how we feel. Everything is enriched by the tapestry of nature around us, and I believe it helps us cope…