http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/37/section/4/2004-06-21Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000An Act to make new provision for public access to the countryside; to amend the law relating to public rights of way; to enable traffic regulation orders to be made for the purpose of conserving an area’s natural beauty; to make provision with respect to the driving of mechanically propelled vehicles elsewhere than on roads; to amend the law relating to nature conservation and the protection of wildlife; to make further provision with respect to areas of outstanding natural beauty; and for connected purposes.2000-12-07texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-03-18Expert Participation2004-06-21 Part I Access to the countrysideChapter I Right of access Maps Duty to prepare maps.41It shall be the duty of the Countryside Agency to prepare, in respect of England outside Inner London, maps which together show—aall registered common land, andball open country.2It shall be the duty of the Countryside Council for Wales to prepare, in respect of Wales, maps which together show—aall registered common land, andball open country.3Subsections (1) and (2) have effect subject to the following provisions of this section and to the provisions of sections 5 to 9.4A map prepared under this section must distinguish between open country and registered common land, but need not distinguish between different categories of open country.5In preparing a map under this section, the appropriate countryside body—amay determine not to show as open country areas of open country which are so small that the body consider that their inclusion would serve no useful purpose, andbmay determine that any boundary of an area of open country is to be treated as coinciding with a particular physical feature (whether the effect is to include other land as open country or to exclude part of an area of open country).