Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the fields and woods, if you would keep your spirits up. Deal with brute nature. Be cold and hungry and weary.
Henry David Thoreau

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An excellent book is "Rights of Way - a guide to law and practice", published jointly by The Open Spaces Society and The Ramblers Association (ISBN 0-900613-73-4).  This book contains verbatim extracts from the relevant Acts of Parliament, together with easy-to-read explanations and a comprehensive cross-referenced index.