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Freedom of the Hills

The hills of Derbyshire are alive with protestors, fighting for the right to roam.

Non-Fiction 1930 1 mins Silent

Overview

This Topical Budget newsreel item shows a peaceful protest demonstration at Winnats Pass in Derbyshire. While there's no one chaining themselves to any railings, the sight of hundreds of happy walkers gathered in the Peak District countryside is quite a spectacle. Despite the film's light-hearted tone, this was an important step in the long struggle to open up Britain's countryside to the public.

In the 1930s, Britain's northern moors were preserved strictly for grouse shooting and were off limits to the ordinary working people of Manchester and Sheffield, who fought hard to gain access rights. Two years after the peaceful demonstrations seen here, confrontational protests took place at Kinder Scout, leading to the imprisonment of several ramblers. The campaign eventually led to the creation of National Parks in England and Wales, starting with the Peak District in 1951.

Original title

The Freedom of the Hills Topical Budget 984-1

Genres

Non-Fiction

Country

United Kingdom

Location

Winnats

Language

English