The maps, which are for the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, will show all the areas of countryside where people can have access.

The popular way of describing it is the right to roam over mountain, moor, heath and down.

The draft maps, which are being prepared by the Countryside Agency, should be published in the spring for the public to give their views.

Countryside management

Teams from the Countryside Agency have been physically looking at the land, examining aerial photos, plus talking to landowners and walkers.

The act will have a significant impact on the South West because of the amount of rural land it encompasses.

The mapping has so far proved to not be a straightforward process.

In other areas of England, such as the south east, draft access maps have included areas such as people's gardens.

Many landowners have fought against their land being opened up to public access.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has said access needed to be carefully managed to protect the countryside.

In Devon, there is a particular concern about Dartmoor.

There is already a legal right to access in parts of the moor and the new act will run alongside that.

Land appeal

However, the act and the Dartmoor National Park Authority have different provisions for some areas, for example where people can ride a horse, or let a dog off the lead.

The Countryside Agency said anyone with a legal interest in an area of land being included under the right to roam plans can appeal against inclusion.

Land owners, tenants and those with sporting rights will be able appeal to the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

When all the final maps have been produced, the Secretary of State, currently Margaret Beckett, is expected to bring the access rights into force in 2005.