Bridleways and footpaths?

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reindeerlover

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Since I have moved to my shiny new yard I have looked on OS maps for nearby bridleways- there are 2 fairly close but they start and end in the middle of nowhere and it looks like the only way to get to them is by riding along a footpath :confused:

Are you allowed to ride along a footpath to get to a bridleway? Any ideas? Perhaps I am meant to teleport me and my horse there?
 
It is very annoying. There are so many footpaths around where I am compared to the number of bridlepaths :mad::mad:

The other solution is to speak with the landowners of which the footpath run and ask permission for you to ride along, the problems come if the gates are small, stiles are used in hedgerows etc.
 
Hi, try looking on the Defra website for permissive bridleways, I had a similar problem, and found one that linked up a bridleway in my area, that is not only a good track in it's own right, but gives us options of several circular rides! Sent to me by 'Orangehorse' on here, I hope there is something for your area! Bit fiddly, need to search by county, and look at each one....
http://cwr.naturalengland.org.uk/
 
No you can't ride along a footpath. Might be worth speaking to the Council Rights of Way Officer to find out the history of why the bridleway should be inaccessable - there might be a potential claim there to get the footpath upgraded to a bridleway.
 
Thanks for that Crazy! Just had a look and it doesn't mention my locality at all :(

Xena- that's a great idea! Now how do I go about finding my Council rights of way ossifer?
 
Or just send an email to the 'contact us' address on your local council website.... I did that to ask if a section of bridlepath could be improved, as it was getting so boggy for the winter months, it was impassable, on horse, bike or on foot!! They passed my email to the relevent person. Very helpful!
 
You can ride on a footpath - with the landowner's permission. Ramblers might object to the path being damaged by hooves but legally it is a tresspass against the landowner, not other users (I have asked this question of council officials several times and always had the same reply). If landowners don't want you riding on a footpath they will put up an obstacle to stop horses, like a style or a kissing gate.

Contact your local Council Rights of Way section and ask if the OS map is correct, maybe the footpaths are incorrectly marked and they are really bridlepaths. There are a few like this. If not, perhaps you could suggest that they are upgraded?
 
Only 22% of Public Rights of Ways are of Bridleways or Byway status.

In 1949 every Parish Council had to declare the rights of ways within their parish boundaries and as many of the parish councillors where landowners or farmers who did not want horse riders to ride over their land they declared that the public rights of ways that crossed their land was only of public footpath status!

This is why one finds that the status of a track on one side of a parish boundary may be a public footpath and on the other side a bridleway or byway.

You need to talk to old people in your area to see if any of them remember riding the route or seeing riders using the route.

I would suggest you contact your local volunteer BHS Access officer who will be only to pleased to help you as it may be possible to prove that the entire route was of a higher status i.e a bridleway, byway or boat.

If you E-mail me with details of your nearest town and the county I can let you have contact details of your local volunteer BHS access officer.

My E-mail address is peter.natt@btinternet.com.

Peter Natt BHS Volunteer Access Officer North Hertfordshire.
 
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