Was out in the Peaks yesterday trying a new route. We headed off on a BW that after a while turnied quite rocky and rooty. Then it went steep and ‘steppy’ such that we realised we had obviously gone wrong somewhere and were now on a footpath.

As we couldn’t ride due to the terrain, we carried on pushing to the summit, beyond which we knew the Bridleway started again. Once just below the summit, we skirted around on a sheep track (riding), then rode the 500m on the footpath down to the Bridleway (and carried on from there).

Obviously we technically shouldn’t have been riding on the footpath, but;

1) Does it matter – it wasn’t that busy?
2) should we have pushed the bikes until we reached the BW?
3) Should we have turned around when we know we went wrong?

Just wondering what people thoughts are?

No harm done. Carry on

Its a civil offence against the land owner if you caused damage and would have been a bit impolite to any walkers you might have disturbed but you did neither.

1) naaa, not if no damage is done
2) yes, to be 100% legal
3) depends, if the owner wanted rid of you you’d have to leave by the shortest/quickest/their discretion route, whether thats the way you came or carying on doesn’t matter.

If no-one saw it then it technically didn’t happen. Which is why all footpath, in fact all land, defaults to bridleway at night

*awaits someone smug and Scottish to arrive and tell us they can ride anywhere*

There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding on here RE bridleways. There is no reason in practice that a bridleway will not be ‘rocky, rooty, steep or steppy’. There are plenty that are (and consequently offer fantastic riding). You may well have been on a bridleway the whole time – check the OS map against the definitive map of the area (usually available online nowadays) to make sure. Basically, the condition of a route on the ground is rarely reflective of the legal classification given to the route. As for your questions – depends.

If I find myself on a footpath by accident I carry on. If it bothers me i just don’t ride it again.

1) Does it matter – it wasn’t that busy?
Nope, not a jot 😀

2) should we have pushed the bikes until we reached the BW?
Well, technically you would have been trespassing by going on the sheep track by foot, so no difference there

3) Should we have turned around when we know we went wrong?
Technically, yes, unless you were diverting around an obstacle to continue the path.

Would you be happy to see a couple of trail motorbikes there, if they used the same excuses?

2) should we have pushed the bikes until we reached the BW?
Well, technically you would have been trespassing by going on the sheep track by foot, so no difference there

Unless of course the route followed is across open access land, which is very possible, in which case responsible pedestrian access is fine (and pushing/carrying/ being accompanied by a bike open to the usual tedious arguments).

bajsyckel – I am well aware that the nature of the trail bears little resemblance to it’s PRoW status, but I had never noted a BW heading in the direction we eventually ended up going. We did get to a signpost that stated it was a FP, so I was correct.

Re trespassing, someone did once tell me you are not trespassing if the gate was already open? Sound a bit odd – anyone heard of this?

At the moment, I would not intentionally ride on a FP (in the peaks in the day) so would not plan to ride this route again (was fun though), but we were considerate to walkers as we passed – I won’t be losing any sleep!

Yes – it was access land

Re trespassing, someone did once tell me you are not trespassing if the gate was already open? Sound a bit odd – anyone heard of this?

That’s bollocks.

Would you be happy to see a couple of trail motorbikes there, if they used the same excuses?

Quite happy… if they did no damage and didn’t disturb any lawful users. Admittedly this is very unlikely 🙂

if you are in the Peak District NP area then I believe that there is a local bylay for the NP that makes it a criminal offence to ride on footpaths. If you look on the back of the signs there is usually a list of bylaws. I’ve been told of people being stopped on Stanage Edge before by NP rangers with police support. Think i’ve seen reference to a £500 fine before listed as max penalty.

I have only heard of this in extreme cases, normally you just get a telling off by the Ranger.

after a while turnied quite rocky and rooty. Then it went steep and ‘steppy’ such that we realised we had obviously gone wrong somewhere

… and should have been riding DOWN it, rather than up 😈

Live in Scotchland you can ride anywhere 😀

3) depends, if the owner wanted rid of you you’d have to leave by the shortest/quickest/their discretion route, whether thats the way you came or carying on doesn’t matter.

That accurate? Supposing I ride down a nicely surfaced fp some way down the line landowner sees me and says right, orrf moi laaaand, if the shortest route is across a very boggy field and over a 6ft high wall and the land owner decides he wants you to leave via that method?

That accurate?

Yes (AFAIK), although I thought it meant they could ask you to ride back on the road rather than cause more errosion riding back through the bog.

Would you be happy to see a couple of trail motorbikes there, if they used the same excuses?

[quote]
Quite happy… if they did no damage and didn’t disturb any lawful users. Admittedly this is very unlikely [/quote]

+1, 50hp, loud exhaust and a 8″ rear tyre is a completely different erosion causing, noilse poluting, 2stroke emitting, oil spilling kettle of aqautic vertebrates.

Live in Scotchland you can ride anywhere

I’m pretty sure that Scotland has taken over the rest of the UK and your access laws now apply in England too? Could be wrong though.

Would you be happy to see a couple of trail motorbikes there, if they used the same excuses?

I believe the law is different for motorised vehicles, breaching RoW is a criminal offence, not just civil.

Interesting point about the FP being in a NP and the application of additional bylaws – didn’t think of that. If a Ranger had been there, I guess we would have been told to walk until we reached the BW?

This is where access law sucks – the FP was over a track used by the farmer for access to his flock. Bonkers.