Over the centuries land distribution put the majority of Scottish land in the hands of a select few, effectively closing the country off to the public. In 2003 the Land Reform (Scotland) Act was passed, ushering in the “right to roam,” a simple yet transformative concept that is exactly what it sounds like. With it, public access is granted to all private lands for recreation and educational purposes. It’s a beautiful idea, shared in some shape or form by Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Czech Republic, and Switzerland, too.
To learn more, pro snowboarders (and Patagonia ambassadors) Alex Yoder and Marie-France Roy spent some time exploring the stunning Highlands in Yoder's badboy VW camper, boarding, camping in bothies, and rubbing elbows with the locals who drop knowledge on what such a forward thinking right means to them and the future of their beautiful country.
Take 15 minutes, pour a second cup of coffee or pop open a cold one, and settle in. Even if you don’t snowboard, it’s worth a watch for the wild landscapes and lesson in land use alone
