Britain is an island of countless green and pleasant spaces but who actually gets to visit them, how many of them can we visit, and why does having access to them matter so much? In January 2023 the largest UK land access demonstration since the 1930s took place on Dartmoor. Those who spearheaded the protest want open access to all of rural Britain. They believe that access will help nature by allowing the public to hold landowners and farmers to account and they argue that it will have no impact on wildlife. There are plenty of people who disagree but where does the truth lie? Are those on the other side of the debate, the farmers, conservationists and landowners who worry about public access, simply misguided? And how much access actually is there? Are we really locked out of the countryside, as some claim, or not? In Uncommon Ground, Patrick Galbraith unpacks the debate, taking us on an extraordinary investigative tour of rural Britain to uncover the truth, melding history, politics and polemic in a journey that takes us from the Western Isles to Dorset, and from the Anglo Saxon period right through to the present day. Were things really all that utopian before the Normans arrived or is that merely a fantasy? In his, much-celebrated style, Galbraith seeks out the quieter voices, voices that are less listened to and yet are actually often closer to the issues at hand. He also seeks to understand why access to the land matters and how our relationship with the land is integral to British culture. He heads out with poachers, meets landowners and foxhunters, he wanders naked with naturists, and he spends time with activists calling for a total abolition of the right to own land. He also interviews politicians, historians, and conservationists, many of whom have mixed feelings about the contemporary access campaign. In Scotland he discovers the reality of the open access policy, where a right to roam has been introduced and where almost-extinct birds like the capercaillie are suffering because of public access, not to mention the introduction of no-camping zones to combat the destruction of beauty spots. What would happen if England followed Scotlands lead? Ultimately, Uncommon Ground makes it clear that opportunities to engage with nature and the countryside are too few but it also acknowledges how harmful humans can be. It seems that it isnt to do with people being locked out of the countryside. Instead there are quieter and more complex issues at play to do with diversity, education, prejudice, and even transport. Uncommon Ground is an urgent call for more opportunities to engage with land, but it is also argues that some places should be out of bounds and should be left for nature to flourish . After all, humans are but one species of many on this small island. Its time to set the record straight and rethink our relationship with the countryside. Patrick Galbraith was born in Scotland in 1993. His writing has appeared in The Observer, The Spectator, The Times and The Telegraph. He was editor of Shooting Times for seven years. He is now a columnist for Country Life and The Critic. Currently, he works as a commissioning editor at the independent publisher, Unbound, where he also runs Unbounds literary magazine, Boundless. His non-fiction debut, In Search of One Last Song, was called the most important book on the countryside in years. This event is brought to you byFOLDE Dorset [http://www.foldedorset.com]in partnership with theGrosvenor Arms [https://grosvenorarms.co.uk/]. If you dine at the Grosvenor on the day of this talk, you'll receive 10% off your food bill on presentation of your ticket. We strongly recommend booking in advance.