Creating new bridlepaths - here's how

Thank you so much for this OH, I've just started on a one woman mission to re-open some recently closed bridleways and ROA routes around Bath!

I have registered a few with local BHS BA and convinced a few old timers to speak to old farmers... so far no good. This book might help...
 
If you are near Bath, then you are quite close to Trails Trust country, as it started out as the Mendip Cross Trails Trust, but has expanded its area and membership.
 
ORANGEHORSE said:
If you are near Bath, then you are quite close to Trails Trust country, as it started out as the Mendip Cross Trails Trust, but has expanded its area and membership.
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Brilliant, thanks. I will get in touch. I used to live somerset way so knew a lot was going on in terms of active bridleway campaigns (infact going to ride one this weekend near Wrington) so just took it for granted. Then moved here and it's shocking how little there is!!! I suppose not many riders here anymore...
 
"I have registered a few with local BHS"
How do you do this?I've been trying to get them to do something about a short cut bridlepath for years(Even took a marked map and showed them at a couple of meetings but still nothing done
 
jinglejoys said:
"I have registered a few with local BHS"
How do you do this?I've been trying to get them to do something about a short cut bridlepath for years(Even took a marked map and showed them at a couple of meetings but still nothing done
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Email your areas secretary if you are a member of BHS, (I'm area 12) south somerset ba and access@bhs.org and also on emagin. Until now I didn't realise TTT come as far as Bath! Go to BHS website and click on riding off road :)

Also, now I haven't seen it, but someone was telling me that if you didn't declare Rights of Way by 20??(unsure of that date??) then they will be lost forever although I might just pop down the road and see if I can get it from lady who told me...
 
caterpillar said:
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I'd like to reopen the few that are closed not open new ones although if I could that would be awesome!!!

The one near kelston roundhill, the one down from there to kelston village, the one that used to go up to racecourse, the one that used to go around the racecourse field edge and if there COULD be a new one, one to go up lansdown lane... as it's so dangerous.
 
ooooh this is interesting.

I'll send them an email, there's a bridlepath in the village that is still on current OS maps but is not passable.
There's also a stretch of the Cotswold Way that is a footpath but would be fantastic as a bridlpath (the two ends of this stretch are bridlepaths).

tallyho! Kelston round hill sounds interesting, I need to plan some longer distance hacks to get my mare's fitness increased and I was planninng on heading out that way (have to cross A420 but its crossing the road rather than along)
 
Just been in bookshelf looking for my OS landranger maps and thought I had Bath but no, I only have WSM, Bridgwater & Wells. I think I will buy it for this area. Might need it for my impending campaign!!! :)

monkeybum, your area on OS LR is 172 if interested and... I forgot about bridleways.co.uk. You have to register. check emagin, most of cotswold is on there but it cuts off halfway somewhere between toghill and the m4!
 
Sorry if interrupting. We are in East Devon and there are a few tracks (never registered as a bridlepath) which we used to ride through as children, but which have become either blocked or not accessable through the years.

We've spent the last year trying to get our parish councils (two separate parishes) interested, and got the Bridleways/ROW officer out from county hall for a meeting with our parish councillor, but things are taking a long, long time and we feel some more impetus is required.

Someone local did, a few years ago, get the BHS involved, their person came out and took some statements from people saying they'd used the lanes in question for years, BUT still nothing happened!

So any ideas welcome. We need some off-road riding, and one of these lanes goes directly up to the common, but currently we're having to ride two miles plus on the roads to get there.
 
monkeybum, if you come out to Kelston Roundhill you can pick me up on the way past and i'll come for a wander ;) I can see it from my window right now :D

Quite a lot of people still seem to ride up around there judging by the hoofprints I find. There's loads of other routes around here that I go running on that look like they would also be good for riding, but the access isn't great (very narrow, overgrown paths or kissing gates/stiles).

I'd definitely be interested in a campaign to open up a few more bridleways around here though, if there's anything I can do to help.
 
The thing about BHS Bridleway officers is that they are volunteers, they don't get paid and do the work out of love and in their spare time.

So, some are going to be very keen, knowledgeable and hard working and will support local riders to the hilt and get a lot done. Others won't/can't. So don't just hand things over to the BHS bridleway officer and sit back. They should have the legal knowledge about what can and should be done, but they don't have the time or resources to take on every bridlepath query in their patch.

In the end, it is down to local riders to do things, which includes local Bridlepath societies. If there is a problem it is the County Council Rights of Way officers who are responsible for enforcing the law. There is also a Local Access Forum in every county council area, so find out who is the equestrian representative on that and see if you can get equestrian issues promoted more within the Council. Don't forget your local elected Councillor, if you have a complaint about an officer not doing their job.
 
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