Walkers in Bradford and Craven will be the first to enjoy new rights to roam the countryside.

And to celebrate, ramblers will venture on to land previously out of bounds.

Their destination will be Boulsworth Moor, part of the Bronte moors, vast swathes of which are owned by Yorkshire Water and other private landlords.

They will set out on Sunday, September 19, after being addressed by Keighley MP Ann Cryer, who has been a supporter of the new act, and by Jerry Pearlman, president of the West Riding Ramblers' Association.

The route will take them past Top Withens, said to be the setting for Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, and on to Boulsworth.

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act permits the public to walk on areas of mountain, moor, heath and downland which have been defined on a new map compiled by the Countryside Agency.

It opens up land on Haworth Moor, Keighley and Oakworth moors, Ilkley Moor, Ickornshaw Moor and in the Forest of Bowland.

Bradford and Craven come within the lower north west, which has been earmarked as one of the first two areas to be opened up.

The other six are expected to be officially launched by the end of 2005. Hawksworth Moor and parts of Otley Chevin will have to wait until next year.

Keith Wadd, vice-chairman of the West Riding Ramblers' Association, said: "This is a culmination of 100 years of campaigning. We believe it is a right that walkers should have but they must act with responsibility."

A Countryside Agency spokesman said the new map did not mean people could walk on the land at any time and would have to take note of restrictions, such as on Ministry of Defence land or when there was grouse shooting.

Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael said it would enable people to walk on land previously off-limits and also ensure a balance with nature conservation issues and land management needs.

But Dorothy Fairburn, of the Country Land and Business Association, claimed the Government and Countryside Agency had rushed through the start date.

"Walkers won't know where to go and landowners face having to foot the bill for signs and notices," she said.

A spokesman for the British Association of Shooting and Conservation said the main problem was threats to ground-nesting birds such as lapwing, curlews and meadow pipits, especially if people allowed their dogs to roam free. Yorkshire Water has already allowed some access to walkers on their moorland.