Bridleways, a proper network, with priority given to maintenance. And lots of schemes where riders could pay an appropriate annual subscription to landowners in order to ride on private land (to link between bridleways perhaps, or use private off road tracks). There is (was?) such a scheme, but nothing near me.
You mean Toll Rides. Still going successfully in the South of England. The hardest thing was getting the money out of riders.
The Countryside Stewardship Higher Level Environmental scheme was good, but (as I said to the Natural England chap just before Christmas) it needed input from riders as to where the best place was for these rides, not just Natural England and the farmer.
Some were excellent, some never used as they weren't in the right place, but all fairly lucrative for farmers. I really miss the one that was near me. Maybe, maybe something like this might be coming back.
This "joined up network" is something that the BHS have been working on for as long as I can remember, it was on the wish list at the first ever Access Meeting I went to. It needs a co-ordinated approach from riders/DEFRA and the local Council.
