Scotland shows us the right way to roam

A right to roam demonstration at Scots’ Dyke, near Carlisle, which has one foot in England and the other in Scotland. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Observer

Nick Hanna’s letter (1 November) contains common misconceptions about the right to roam debate.

First, that a Scottish-style right to roam would be “unpopular with rural voters”. This is untrue. Polling shows strong majorities in favour of the approach, spanning all ages, regions and political affiliations. The fact that this assumption so often goes unchecked tells us more about who is considered a “legitimate” rural voice than what rural voters actually think.