Lovely little ride today: up from Wells to Stockhill to meet Rainbow; a whizz around the woods and heathland together, and then back down to Wells.
I'm quite militant about cheeky riding in my locality. I take care and respect other users, respect landowner privacy/work and the trail conditions. So in the main, I feel no moral compunction to avoid trespassing. And the majority of folk I meet are friendly, chatty and tolerant.
Today was an exception. I won't mention the trail by name, but it's damn good (in dry conditions) and a very direct way home. I stopped and pulled over in good time to allow an attractive lady, with dog, to approach and pass. And then greeted her with a smile and a hello, as I always greet everyone. She stopped and began to explain that this was not a cyclepath and the bridleway was on the other side of the combe. "I know", I said, smiling. "Thanks, but I'm going this way"; she looked annoyed and asked me if I thought it was fair to abuse the legislation. Smiling, I explained that I thought it was fair that I should ride here. She looked very grumpy at this point and stomped off. I bade her to "take care" and set off down the (ahem) footpath. Just three hundred metres further down the trail I fell off and grazed my knee 
I have thought about the little incident enough to mention it, but I no longer feel bad about these occasional "bad" encounters. I recite this tale for one purpose: to advocate respectful use of public footpaths by cyclists, and polite militancy.
Take care.
