Hundreds of people, including Heritage Alliance Members, gathered at a “big picnic”, hosted by Exmoor National Parks Authority, to mark 70 years since the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act was passed. Held on the 17 July, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall were in attendance, as well as Niall Hobhouse (grandson of Arthur Hobhouse, who led the 1949 Act) and representatives from the UK National Park family.
The act was born out of a decades-long campaign out of which came the National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; it also addressed public rights of way and access to open land. By the end of the 1950s ten national parks had been established and since then five more national parks have been created throughout the UK.
To read more about the celebrations, click here.