Nicola Elliott
Stiles countryside access is under fire, with millions of people in England and Wales effectively locked out of their own landscapes by a relic of rural tradition.
According to new data from the Ramblers, there are more than 140,000 stiles scattered across the path network – that’s roughly one every mile – each one a small wooden gatekeeper denying easy passage to walkers who need it most.
The figures, revealed through Freedom of Information requests, show how a quarter of the population faces barriers to walking outdoors. And it isn’t just those with disabilities who struggle: families with buggies, older walkers, or anyone recovering from illness often find these obstacles unsafe, unreliable, and in many cases, completely impassable.
Jack Cornish, Director of England at the Ramblers, pulled no punches: “Rightly, legislation exists to improve accessibility across other areas of daily life.
Yet landowners can currently keep stiles on public paths even when there are easy-to-use alternatives. This outdated approach means a quarter of the population are prevented from using public rights of way.
“Not only is this deeply unjust, it also represents a major missed opportunity for improving the health and wellbeing of everyone in our nation.”
A Barrier Too Far
In a 2023 YouGov survey commissioned by the Ramblers, 25% of respondents said physical barriers like stiles stopped them from using the path network. That figure jumped to a staggering 56% among people with physical and sensory disabilities.
For some, it’s not just about inconvenience—it’s about exclusion. Writer and disability activist Bethany Handley, also a Ramblers ambassador, spelled it out: “People assume it’s my wheelchair or my disabled body that prevent me accessing many of our paths, but it’s often stiles. Stiles shut me out of so much of our countryside, yet they don’t need to exist. Everyone has the right to access our paths, yet stiles turn so many of us away.”
Then there’s Dave Roberts, a keen hiker who began walking in his 40s for health. At 56, he finds stiles increasingly unforgiving: “I’m 56 now, and not as flexible as I used to be, so unless it’s a really good stile with something to hold onto it’s a real effort to get over and I sometimes cramp up … I much prefer an easy-to-open gate these days.”
Patching the Problem
The Ramblers aren’t just pointing fingers. Volunteers across England and Wales are already working with landowners and local authorities to replace stiles with gaps or gates. These small interventions can make an enormous difference, but the charity says that piecemeal fixes aren’t enough. What’s needed is clear, coordinated action from government.
In Wales, there has been progress thanks to a £2 million Access Improvement Grant for local authorities and the inclusion of rights of way responsibilities in the new Sustainable Farming Scheme. But with only 50% of Welsh paths deemed open for use, the work is far from finished.
Jack Cornish added: “Before it was elected, the Labour Party committed to improving access to nature for all in its manifesto, and to supporting people to live longer, healthier lives. Yet more than a year since taking office, people who want to go walking are still being needlessly prevented from doing so.
“If the government doesn’t take action to make sure the path network is accessible to all, they are missing a clear opportunity to improve health and wellbeing and doing a disservice to a quarter of the population.
“The Ramblers is calling for vital legislation that will break down these unacceptable and unnecessary barriers to the outdoors in England.”
A Call for Change
At the heart of the Ramblers’ campaign is a push for an Access to Nature Bill, a law that would finally put outdated stiles out to pasture. By replacing them with safer, easier alternatives, the charity argues that everyone—regardless of age, health, or mobility—could enjoy the countryside close to home.
The message is clear: stiles countryside access is not a quaint rural tradition worth keeping; it’s a preventable blockade shutting millions out of nature. Until the government acts, a walk in the countryside will remain off-limits for too many.
