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Today I got a “you shouldn’t be riding here”, I told her it was a bridleway and she said there are no cycling signs. The signs are on the exit to the track so I would never have seen them. No one else has ever moaned in all the years I’ve ridden it so she is obviously the local whinge bag.
Checked the map when I got home and indeed that section even though it is wide enough for a car and has horse footprints is a foothpath.
Quite why there is a short section of foothpath on a bridleway I don’t know.
If I pretend I’m a horse rider how do I go about getting a permissive bridleway?
Or should I cut out the middle man and put my own signs up? Where can I get an official looking sign made?
[i]"Quite why there is a short section of foothpath on a bridleway I don’t know."[/i]
it made a lot of sense to someone in the 1950's so it will remain so for ever
funny old bit of legislation....was supposed to protect access to paths but has actually been used to make access to land the bare legal minimum at most
Just ride it. You can always raise it with your local ROW officer. You do sometimes get a bridleway changing to a footpath where it crosses a county or council boundary. Never seen one that is a bridleway at either end and a footpath in the middle. I
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">have a vague recollection of something like this going to court and I think it was successfully argued that you wouldn't have a bridleway stopping in the middle of nowhere and changing to a footpath.</span>
There is the exact same thing on the edge of Sheffield, as it crosses the parish boundary it changes, then changes back about a mile further on.
Look up your local rights of way officer or advocacy group, they'll be able to help you with the stupidly epic process of getting it changed.
In the meantime just carry on as you were.
Do you have a local advocacy group? If it was in the Peak District I'd direct you to pdmtb who are currently compiling a list of lost bridleways and highlighting inconsistencies like this.
It's a civil matter between you and the land owner. Anyone else can happily be ignored. If you aren't doing any damage just carry on.
does she have a go at the horse riders as well ?
It's the bit near Meml.
We come up Greensand Way and turn right. Once the BW starts again it continues for miles.
Just ride it.
Unless you come across the landowner or his/her agent, it's not really anyone else's business.
Ah, moaner central that bit. I don't make it down there so much these days but that run along under the ridge is generally a Friday bridleway as far as we used to operate.
The only four times I’ve been told that I shouldn’t be riding on my bike has always been by wimminz. What is it with wimminz that they always have to be so bloody bleh
No doubt you were following the gazillion tyre tracks already there! You must be the first cyclist in history to be challenged on that bit.
Got told not to ride a bit near stanage edge once. Riders were "ruining it for everyone" because there was pedal-strike everywhere.
Of course, the guy was a climber, just off bouldering carrying his crash pad, probably knocking a few spikes into the rocks just for good measure too 😉
We've loads of bridal ways near me that either stop in the middle of nowhere or turn into other forms of path. Rare I meet anyone though. Let alone them complain.
“You’re not allowed to cycle here”
”oh, is running allowed?”
”yes”
”then jog on you old bat”
Hmmmm
It looks to be access land, owned by National Trust (hence will be subject to NT byelaws) but not registered common or S193 Urban common
I think if challenged I'd be inclined to run the Eyre Vs New Forest Highways Board defence - two cul-de-sac bridleways joined by a short section of uncertain status, eg. across common land, can be presumed to carry the higher right.
lol @ martymac
If on a downhill slope and you're told that you shouldn't be cycling then, would hopping with one foot whilst the other's on the bicycle pedal and allowing gravity to roll you down the hill be allowed? Not strictly riding nor walking. Might try that next time.
Just say that you "believe higher rights exist for the track and that until determined otherwise at a public inquiry you will continue to enjoy them."
And " have a nice day"
Nah, all the words you'll ever need:
"yes, I know, silly isn't it"
You’re referring to the east/west trail that runs parallel with the NDW albeit through the woods down below? Or Coppice Lane?
Either way, I ride most sections around there half-expecting someone to proffer their opinion on it being inappropriate for bikes, but have so far encountered nothing of the sort.
probably knocking a few spikes into the rocks just for good measure too
Not familiar with climbing then?
Keep cool and be very polite: always works
Just ignore them, you are wasting your time even giving it a second thought
It really pissed me off as there were loads of D.O.E kids out today and every single one of them said thank you as I stopped to let them pass.
I just want to put up a permissive sign to make her explode.
Nah, all the words you’ll ever need:
“yes, I know, silly isn’t it”
****, being in agreement with ninfan. The sky must be about to fall in. 😉
I just want to put up a permissive sign to make her explode.
Sounds like the sort of person who would just find something else to moan about, so you would just be wasting your time. Just ignore them completely, or for repeat offenders tell them to jeff off, or, if you can be bothered, play dumb to really infuriate them.
Podge has it right - a lot of the RoWs that flick-flack bridleway to footpath are a result of crossing parish boundaries where nothing ever really got sorted in the past. I believe this is a particular problem in areas of Lancashire and is a bit of a lottery as it grew up totally haphazardly.
On the actual theme of being taken to task by a member of the public - assuming no byelaws exist:
Rider: "Are you the landowner or his or her appointed agent?"
Busybody killjoy: "No."
Rider: "Thankyou for your opinion - you are entitled to it, but opinion is all it is".
And......ride off.
Looks like there is alternative exits from the BW before it changes into a FP (I'm not defending the fact that is seems a pit pointless/silly to suddenly change to a FP and then back into a BW again) but I can also understand how they may have done it that way, therefore you have the option to come off the BW before it turns into a FP.
Personally I'd just keep riding it providing it's not doing any harm, putting anyone at risk and it's the same width track etc, the more folk that ride it, the more chance it might get passed as a continuation of a BW perhaps?
Its a right of way, ride it. Silly local designation be damned!
I agree with Ninfan.
Hire a digger, excavate a massive pit across the full width of the right of way, fill it with liquid cow shit and rotting animal carcases. That’ll show her.