FfionWinnie
Well-Known Member
Out on the ponies with my friend and her daughter riding down a hard track in walk when we were stopped by the landowner. He wouldn't identify himself other than he owns it but I know him, and I know he does. He did not recognise me but is a neighbour I have met socially occasionally.
He said it was private land and we have no right to be there and he started taking photos of us.
I said the access code says we can be here and we are doing nothing wrong, he said no, this is a foot path you cannot be on it on a horse and continued taking photos. We stood there for about five minutes politely trying to reason with him and he asked us our names which we did not give, my friend (out of the area so doesn't know him) asked him for his name and he also would not give it, obviously, I know his name already.
He said he had seen horses riding on "the grass" which is the ground between forestry so not a crop, and the game crops. I've never seen another horse or tracks of a horse up there, and I have not ridden on the crop. At this time, we were on the hard track. I have looked up the access code to check and we were well with in the law. I have ridden up there for over a year and not seen him, and he has not seen me before as I am sure he would have challenged me. Its a desolate spot and no one goes there (he has a history of harassing walkers which could be why!).
As we had two small girls (4 and 5 yrs old) we turned back onto a path he could not pursue us on. I was concerned had we carried on the track he could have (and probably would have) pursued us in his vehicle.
So what would you do.
Ignore him, continue riding up there and hope not to see him again.
Educate him, post him a copy of the access code with the relevant parts highlighted anon or otherwise.
Take it further, I don't want to make trouble over it but part of me feels that trying to intimidate us when we had small girls in tow is really not on.
I have purposefully avoided his land and never been on it around his house/very long access track, I hadn't actually realised he owned this bit, but as its no where near his house and we are not doing any harm or breaking the access code, I don't see why we should stop using it.
Other option is I write or phone him and let him know it was me he was accosting. He has always been extremely charming and he will know who I am right away if I do so. But I fear he is also slightly insane over situations like this and I am not sure what the outcome would be.
He said it was private land and we have no right to be there and he started taking photos of us.
I said the access code says we can be here and we are doing nothing wrong, he said no, this is a foot path you cannot be on it on a horse and continued taking photos. We stood there for about five minutes politely trying to reason with him and he asked us our names which we did not give, my friend (out of the area so doesn't know him) asked him for his name and he also would not give it, obviously, I know his name already.
He said he had seen horses riding on "the grass" which is the ground between forestry so not a crop, and the game crops. I've never seen another horse or tracks of a horse up there, and I have not ridden on the crop. At this time, we were on the hard track. I have looked up the access code to check and we were well with in the law. I have ridden up there for over a year and not seen him, and he has not seen me before as I am sure he would have challenged me. Its a desolate spot and no one goes there (he has a history of harassing walkers which could be why!).
As we had two small girls (4 and 5 yrs old) we turned back onto a path he could not pursue us on. I was concerned had we carried on the track he could have (and probably would have) pursued us in his vehicle.
So what would you do.
Ignore him, continue riding up there and hope not to see him again.
Educate him, post him a copy of the access code with the relevant parts highlighted anon or otherwise.
Take it further, I don't want to make trouble over it but part of me feels that trying to intimidate us when we had small girls in tow is really not on.
I have purposefully avoided his land and never been on it around his house/very long access track, I hadn't actually realised he owned this bit, but as its no where near his house and we are not doing any harm or breaking the access code, I don't see why we should stop using it.
Other option is I write or phone him and let him know it was me he was accosting. He has always been extremely charming and he will know who I am right away if I do so. But I fear he is also slightly insane over situations like this and I am not sure what the outcome would be.
