Deadline to register England’s footpaths cancelled after public access campaign

Walkers and horse riders had been given until 1 January 2026 to apply to save unmapped rights of way through private land

Campaigners are celebrating a victory in the battle for public access to the countryside, after the government agreed to cancel a deadline to register forgotten footpaths.

Walkers and horse riders had been given until 1 January 2026 to apply to save any rights of way through private land that existed before 1949 but did not appear on official maps, after which they would lose the opportunity to add them to maps.