catembi
Well-Known Member
Answered my own question.
Any way to definitively tell if something is a bridleway or not?
- Thread starter catembi
- Start date
BallyJ
Well-Known Member
What is the answer please? 
Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
Not sure what Catembi figured but if you want to be 100% then go and view the definitive map at your local county council. Or just give the rights of way officer a call/email. They're usually pretty helpful.
OldFogie
Provocateur
Check the Ordinance Survey map at a large scale.
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
The Parish Council's all have definitive maps.
Equi
Well-Known Member
If its in northern ireland, its probably not a bridleway. Thats my view
pootler
Well-Known Member
My favourite go-to guide, bridlewaymap.com
catembi
Well-Known Member
A house purchase hinged on it (hacking or lack of...) I was working from a Cambs Council online map where the paths were colour coded. It looked like the codes included purple for a restricted byway i.e. any non motorised vehicle, but the map (1999 version) said footpath, as did a different map. But then I accidentally clicked on the path & it said footpath as Cambs Council had helpfully used a different colour coding to their explanation of what colour posts mean when in real life. So house purchase is off. Then 200 m away I found a green path, clicked on that on purpose this time & it said bridleway. So house purchase potentially back on. So then I drove back to the potential new house, parked in the entrance to the drive (half mile long drive so they couldn't see me!) and then walked back to the disputed path and looked at the sign. It was very faded so impossible to see from the car. it said 'bridleway'! Hurray! So house purchase back on & offer put in. I also timed it, and it took me 3 mins and 2 seconds to walk from drive to bridleway, on a verge which was quite hard to walk on, so surely even my ****head ex-racer can hold it together long enough to trot that far down the road to pretty much endless hacking...??!!
Now we just have to hope that the offer is accepted because I can't stand much more of this drama! We are now on House 4 in the purchasing saga, for one reason or another.
Now we just have to hope that the offer is accepted because I can't stand much more of this drama! We are now on House 4 in the purchasing saga, for one reason or another.
tda
Well-Known Member
Think you ought go down the path tho, just to check it actually goes somewhere (regardless of what the maps say ) ☺
PeterNatt
Well-Known Member
I would definately check the definative map just to make absolutely sure.
catembi
Well-Known Member
Good point - maybe I'll get my trail shoes on and go for a run at the weekend!
Keith_Beef
Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
The definitive way is to consult the definitive map and statement published by your local authority.
For Cambridgeshire,
You can't always trust signs on the path to be correct.
I've seen videos of dirt bike riders out greenlaning and being challenged by a landowner who insists that they are on a footpath or bridleway when in fact it is a byway open to all traffic.
Wherever you are, just put into google "definitive map and statement public rights of way" followed by the name of your county, parish or city council, and you should find what you need.
Some councils publish maps on their website, others (Cambridgeshire included) insist that you make an appointment to view the map at council offices.
Incidentally, when looking at some documents on Sheffield City Council's site, I came across the term LEMMO. Anybody got any idea what that means?
For Cambridgeshire,
You can't always trust signs on the path to be correct.
I've seen videos of dirt bike riders out greenlaning and being challenged by a landowner who insists that they are on a footpath or bridleway when in fact it is a byway open to all traffic.
Wherever you are, just put into google "definitive map and statement public rights of way" followed by the name of your county, parish or city council, and you should find what you need.
Some councils publish maps on their website, others (Cambridgeshire included) insist that you make an appointment to view the map at council offices.
Incidentally, when looking at some documents on Sheffield City Council's site, I came across the term LEMMO. Anybody got any idea what that means?
Last edited:
OldFogie
Provocateur
Er hmm.... they are all based on the official maps of Her Majesty's Ordinance Survey. As any student of history knows - us Brits just love going around blowing stuff up - so we thought to start at home and map everything for the artillery! Britain is the most accurately mapped country in the world (or so I've been told)
ironhorse
Well-Known Member
Agree - and check what it's like underfoot, what the gates are like, if it's been fenced off etc. There was what looked like a glorious bridleway 200yds from a place where we were at livery...the first half mile had been fenced against the hedge with barbed wire, the hedge had grown out, including tree roots from the low overhanging trees so it was difficult on foot, let alone on a horse. Yet beyond this it opened out into the most glorious route which linked up with others. Fair enough we could have campaigned to get it cleared, but do you really want to have to go through all that? also have a look for signs of other users..if it's full of mountain bikers or trail bikes at the weekend, not much fun!
Violet
Well-Known Member
Legal Event Modification Order
Keith_Beef
Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
Ah! Thanks, Violet.
I'd been searching for "LEMMO", as this is the spelling in the tables at the beginning of the document (pages 1 to 5). The word appears as "LEMO" only on page 6.
Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
Sorry OldFogie, that isn't correct.
The County Council holds the Definitive Map, and the Ordnance Survey Maps are copied from those. The OS does not claim to be correct, and how can it be when things are being altered all the time with LEMMOs and DMMOs being added. Even if your County Council has the Rights of Way network on-line, where you can see all the footpaths and bridlepaths, parish by parish even that isn't the Definitive Map which legally is the "paper" copy held by the County Council.
So if you are basing something important like a house purchase on whether or not there is a bridlepath then the Definitive Map held by the County Council is the way to go. Bearing in mind that at any time a CC may have a whole pile of DMMOs and LEMMOs (the same thing) they are working through, so you could ask the Officer if there is anything in the pipeline, there should be someone who would know.
The County Council holds the Definitive Map, and the Ordnance Survey Maps are copied from those. The OS does not claim to be correct, and how can it be when things are being altered all the time with LEMMOs and DMMOs being added. Even if your County Council has the Rights of Way network on-line, where you can see all the footpaths and bridlepaths, parish by parish even that isn't the Definitive Map which legally is the "paper" copy held by the County Council.
So if you are basing something important like a house purchase on whether or not there is a bridlepath then the Definitive Map held by the County Council is the way to go. Bearing in mind that at any time a CC may have a whole pile of DMMOs and LEMMOs (the same thing) they are working through, so you could ask the Officer if there is anything in the pipeline, there should be someone who would know.
cowgirl16
Well-Known Member
So what is a Legal Event Modification Order? and a DMMO? something to do with the re-classification of a right of way?
Dave's Mam
Well-Known Member
A DMMO is a Definitive Map Modification Order. Usually applied for when planning requires a route to be amended / closed up etc. They can also be used if a footpath joins two linear bridle paths & would make a circular route & so upgrade a path.
Dave's Mam
Well-Known Member
'Legal event' modification orders are orders under
section 53(3)(a) of the 1981 Act made, as their
name implies, simply to record on the definitive
map legal changes that have already taken place
under some other legislation. An example would
be to record the fact that a way has been diverted
or extinguished. They follow a simpler procedure
to that set out in section 8. They do not have to be
advertised, are not subject to objections, and take
effect as soon as they are made. Orders have to
be on display for public inspection, together with
the definitive map and statement, in exactly the
same way as all other modification and
reclassification orders. If you know a case where
a 'legal event' modification order might be
appropriate, but has not been made, you should
discuss it with the surveying authority.
Since April 2008 authorities that are surveying
authorities have been able to include in orders
that they make to change rights of way provisions
that have the effect of modifying the definitive
map and statement. In such cases there is no
need for the authority to make a separate 'legal
event' modification order.
Source https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ent_data/file/414670/definitive-map-guide.pdf
A very useful PDF for anyone interested.
section 53(3)(a) of the 1981 Act made, as their
name implies, simply to record on the definitive
map legal changes that have already taken place
under some other legislation. An example would
be to record the fact that a way has been diverted
or extinguished. They follow a simpler procedure
to that set out in section 8. They do not have to be
advertised, are not subject to objections, and take
effect as soon as they are made. Orders have to
be on display for public inspection, together with
the definitive map and statement, in exactly the
same way as all other modification and
reclassification orders. If you know a case where
a 'legal event' modification order might be
appropriate, but has not been made, you should
discuss it with the surveying authority.
Since April 2008 authorities that are surveying
authorities have been able to include in orders
that they make to change rights of way provisions
that have the effect of modifying the definitive
map and statement. In such cases there is no
need for the authority to make a separate 'legal
event' modification order.
Source https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ent_data/file/414670/definitive-map-guide.pdf
A very useful PDF for anyone interested.
cowgirl16
Well-Known Member
Thanks Dave's Mam.
Dave's Mam
Well-Known Member
You are very welcome.
tankgirl1
Well-Known Member
I am a bad person, I tend to ride it if I always have, and if signs pop up saying no horses, then I have learned it is not a bridleway...
Keith_Beef
Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
sywell
Well-Known Member
The County Council should have a copy of the Definitive map on their website or speak to the Rights of way Department of the county Council.