▁access ▁for ▁both ▁land ▁and ▁in land ▁water ways ▁to ▁the ▁public . ▁ ▁The ▁UK ▁government ▁has ▁encourag ed ▁can oe ists ▁to ▁seek ▁negoti ations ▁and ▁create ▁access ▁agre ements ▁for ▁priv ately - owned ▁water ▁with ▁land ▁own ers ▁throughout ▁England ▁and ▁Wales . ▁For ▁over ▁ 5 0 ▁years ▁both ▁the ▁BC U ▁and ▁W CA ▁have ▁been ▁working ▁to ▁seek ▁these ▁agre ements ▁for ▁access , ▁which ▁has ▁resulted ▁in ▁, ▁a ▁total ▁ 4 % ▁of ▁all ▁priv ately ▁owned ▁linear ▁water ways ▁in ▁England ▁and ▁Wales ▁being ▁opened ▁up ▁with ▁some ▁form ▁of ▁public ▁access ▁agreement . ▁ ▁The ▁Wel sh ▁C ano eing ▁Association ▁estimate ▁that ▁there ▁are ▁around ▁ 3 0 0 ▁rivers ▁in ▁Wales ▁suitable ▁for ▁k ay aking , ▁only ▁ 1 3 ▁of ▁which ▁have ▁any ▁form ▁of ▁legal ▁access ▁agreement . ▁ ▁Most ▁of ▁these ▁agre ements ▁permit ▁access ▁only ▁on ▁certain ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁or ▁for ▁short ▁sections ▁of ▁the ▁river . ▁The ▁government ▁has ▁decided ▁to ▁purs ue ▁further ▁agre ements ▁in ▁ 4 ▁study ▁areas , ▁over ▁a ▁ 2 - year ▁trial ▁period . ▁However , ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁guarantee ▁that ▁this ▁trial ▁will ▁grant ▁further ▁access , ▁with ▁recent ▁government ▁studies ▁showing ▁that ▁access ▁agre ements ▁are ▁unlikely ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁provide ▁the ▁necessary ▁resources ▁needed ▁for ▁water ▁sports . ▁ ▁The ▁law ▁Leg ally ▁the ▁water ▁itself ▁is ▁not ▁owned , ▁but ▁ownership ▁of ▁the ▁lands ▁include ▁stream ▁bed ▁ownership . ▁Under