Access, Permission and Being Chased Off

Are you doing some trespassing? is a question I’m asked about this project to photograph the River Aire mile by mile.

The answer has to be a big no, given that the photos are going on the Aire Rivers Trust’s social media and wouldn’t it be embarrassing to be called out? Feelings run high about land ownership and it is a relevant issue for this project. Adding simple good manners to the law also makes photography a bit trickier than just pointing a camera.

Two people sit on a bench overlooking a stream. — *Mile 4 Malham Village 633’ above sea level*

Full transparency is my way of working as is respect for privacy. If there are people about, who might help a shot, I explain what I’m doing, where their image would to appear with the caveat that once on the web, images have a life of their own and there is no control over them. This couple were happy to be in the shot.

Old stone buildings with grass and a river in the foreground — *Mile 5 Hanlith Hall 580’ above sea level*

The law in England is that you can take photographs from public places of private property but you can’t take photo’s from within private places unless you have permission. This is taken from the public footpath and I have asked myself if it invades anyone’s privacy and I feel OK about it.

A fence with barbed wire, trees protected by plastic tree guards, river adjacent

Checking the map to see if I would be able to get close to the River Aire at Mile 6, I realised that I couldn’t get even close by right of way. I asked at the ART office if anyone knew the landowner and lucky for me, we had recently planted some saplings as erosion protection at just this point. Their roots will aerate and bind soil and prevent sediment from entering the river. In short: we’re on good terms with the farmer. I rang him and gained permission though with some amusement on his part. I was good to go but when I arrived at Mile 6, an irate oystercatcher shouted at me: it was nesting season and there are many types of trespass. I moved along.

Mile 7 is on the Pennine Way and I had tried to ask some long distance walkers but they were on a race and I just got haggard looks. That would be a no, then. Alright. That day’s walking companion agreed to cross a stile a few times for me for this shot at Mile 7.

A woman walking on a wooden stile, with a river adjacent. — *Mile 7 Newfield Laithe 500’ above sea level*

I had no permission to approach the Mile 8 point so I made do from the Pennine Way. And so I carried on best I could into Gargrave. At Mile 12 I had the farmer’s permission to go onto his land where all that remains of former glorious meanders is dry grooves in a field: paleo channels. The cows put me off my first attempt. When the whole herd gallops towards you, are they being territorial, curious or excited to lick your camera lens? I didn’t wait to find out.

A field with cows in the middle distance — M12 – I decided to avoid the cows

A field with trees and grass, showing paleo channels of a river — M12 – I decided to avoid the cows

I did return a few days later, with a low sun picking out the channels.

At Mile 13 that same evening I was once again chased off by oystercatchers and lapwing, protective of their territory and again I gave way.

A grassy field with a factory in the background — Mile 23 Airebank Mills (Scapa/Mativ)

I did however get this spectacular (not) shot of the back of what many still call the Johnson and Johnson factory at Airebank Mills. The mill is now occupied by Scapa, part of the Mativ Group. It is important to the river because until the river washed it away in 2022(?) they owned a weir on the river that prevented fish passage any further upstream. Nature helped with that one.

The Broughton Estate manager said over WhatsApp that I could go off the path at Mile 15 which I was glad to do on several counts: the right of way through the field goes nowhere near the river and on the day it was occupied by more cattle and the protocol is to give them a wide berth.

A bendy river running through long grassy banks — M15 Broughton Estate Bridge

After fifteen mile points and many more miles of walking, how do I feel about access and permission?

I did not expect, when I began this project, for landowners to be as generous as they have been. When I contact a landowner for consent to photograph, I always add that a ‘no’ is alright. Their consent to be on their land gives me freedom to take more time and a greater sense of connection with the landscape.

A curlew standing in a field. — M15 Broughton Estate Curlew calling

I had not planned to be photographing during ground nesting season and had not realised how rich the habitat is in upper Airedale. Yorkshire birds seem pretty assertive and so they should be but they will move on soon. My only regret is that carrying the huge lens generally needed for photographing birds has not been feasible on these long walks.

Small herds of cattle are grazing botanically diverse meadows where until recently in my lifetime there have been only sheep and cropped grass. Crossing fields where cattle graze, I take the long way round and continuously appraise escape routes because while cows are usually more interested in munching, I have noticed that there is always one on look-out duty and the end of the day, they are much bigger than me.

Jake looks at pollution

At the end of next year, data scientist and rower Jake Still plans to embark on an almighty rowing challenge while fundraising to support the restoration of his beloved rivers back home. Spending up to 50 or so days at sea alone, he’s aiming row across the Atlantic solo. This is one of his series of guest blog posts, in which he’ll keep us updated with his training and eventual race progress.

Jake explores some sources of pollution on the Aire

Jake Still is rowing the Atlantic in December. He is concerned about pollution in the River Aire where he trains. There are many ways that sewage and plastics enter our watercourses and Jake shows us two that contribute to our rivers’ poor states. Have a look at his video, in which he visits a couple of examples of pollution on the river where he currently rows.