I am looking at doing a fairly long route and need to know if i can ride on the trails marked as national trail / long distance route on the o/s explorer maps, they have the markings of footpaths with the little dashes but is it different as it has the different markings on?

Dont want to get into trouble riding on footpaths…..

It’s still a footpath, the diamond markers just show that it’s a National Trail. There are bridleway trails though, the Pennine Bridleway (and Mary Townely Loop) Ridgeway, South Downs Way, different rules in Scotland, so there is the West Highland Way.

I’m looking at a route from HOrwich area to Darwen via Holcombe type of thing, oh well will have to go back to the drawing board!

Thanks PTR

I’m in that area, you can ride through Rivington, over Healy Nab, then down towards Waterman’s Cottage. From there there is a new bridleway running alongside the Goit to Brinscall, it won’t be on your map, it’s only been recently built and opened in the last three months. From there a bit of road to Abbey Village, through Tockholes woods ant up onto Darwen Moor and the Tower. When you get to the edges of Darwen Moor you will find signs for bridlways that are not on the map.
Lunch is over now, so logging off.