I’ve been exploring the tracks between where I live and the coast recently rather than just heading for the default ride on the more man-made trails in Guisbrough Woods. However there’s 2 that look promising on the map but finish in a field of cereal with no obvious path through it. The map shows the trail running allong the edge of the field but it’s planted right upto the hedge.

Is it worth asking the council first before I (metaphoricaly) plough through the farmers crops? It’s definately a bridleway not an error on the map* as it’s got a big signpost on it pointing into the field.

*I know of 2 cases personaly where the OS has drawn a footpath through private land and gardens where there never had been a right of way so don’t take them as gospel in agruments with landowners anymore.

Definitey worth checking with the ROW officer to avoid damaging crops if there isn’t a ROW. Also because if there is then the farmer should clear it.

possibly ask the farmer first (being nice really)

Check with the ROW officer .The farmer has a duty to clear a certain width in a certain time .I have seen this with a wheat crop on Salisbury Plain where the farmer waited for the crop to grow a bit then mowed a 3 metre gap through it ,which is good

In Redcar and Cleveland or the North York Moors?

From personal experience…I used to work for Tees Valley Wildlife Trust and thus worked closely with the rangers at Redcar Council. A few years ago they pretty much abolished the countryside and rights of way team…meaning a lot of rights of way etc don’t get maintained, they haven’t the man power…and I know them they are fabulous passionate people.

I suspect you will find your answer is council cut backs…despite the legal requirements to maintain them..other requirements took precedent.

possibly ask the farmer first (being nice really)

I would normaly do that, but it’s pretty much equidistant between three or four farms so could take a while to get round them all!

Just studied the 1:25k maps and ariel photographs, looks like what’s on the ground might be either new or missleading. The track definately runs on the west of the wall on both the map and photograph, but the signpost is on the east side turning off a BOAT which runs south upto the corner then turns east. Note that on the map the bridleway is always on the west of the wall, but the farm track/boat is on the east. I think the cartographer got lazy.

http://binged.it/OkxwK2

Many of the ROW teams rely on members of the public informing them of issues as they simply can’t check them all themselves.

There are strict rules that farmers have to adhere to with regards to public rights of way. One is that field edge ROW’s must not be ploughed or planted. I wouldn’t bother asking the farmer, I’d just call the local ROW team as this farmer might have a history of obstructing paths and bridleways.

I’d just call the local ROW team as this farmer might have a history of obstructing paths and bridleways.

I doubt it, I’ve said hi when passing through and he didn’t seem the ‘gerrof my land’ type. But a lot of the ROW’s on his/their land are completely overgrown, I suspect because they’re close to the North Yorks Moors so get overlooked by users. I just want to find this track as it links one side of the valley with the other and then there’s a trail running down the other side of the valley which looks promising.

http://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/rcbcweb.nsf/Web+Full+List/D7A9E49D281142E1802573E5005E78AE?OpenDocument

Drop Ian Tait a line at the bottom of this link, he’s a good guy. snakeysnuggles is spot on with her assessment of resources.

do you know where the farmhouse is?

talk to the farmer explain the situation and ask if he’d like you take an alternate route while the crop is growing or if followign the bridlepath is ok?

Have a map with you to show him and discuss it.

he may just be trying to macimise his crop and hoping it doesn’t get too damaged by occasional users?

The farmer doesn’t have to be a ‘gerroff my land’ type. They might just simply plough or plants the ROW’s on their land and not reinstate them as it’s easier and requires no work.

We have a local farmer who puts up diversion signs taking you on a 400m diversion as he can’t be bothered to reinstate the bridleway when he’s ploughed his field and planted his potato crop.

he may just be trying to macimise his crop and hoping it doesn’t get too damaged by occasional users?

If it’s a field edge ROW he’s being a bit cheeky by maximising his crop.

since set-aside was suspended, there is no incentive not to plant right up to the field boundaries. Given the relatively short growing season for cereals (at least the bit where they are easily damaged), I’d be tempted to leave it for a different time of year.

Oh and check the definitive map at the council – your version may be incorrect.

It may be easier to work with the landowner thamn against.I have always thought that if there are ROWs that really dont get used or go anywhere decent it makes sense to allow the farmer to apply to close them if the same amount of new path on his property can be opened in an area people want to go .Such as linking other paths or away from busy roads

Drop Ian Tait a line at the bottom of this link, he’s a good guy. snakeysnuggles is spot on with her assessment of resources.

Will do, I’m planning on doing the ride in reverse tonight, so I might see if I can find the trail from the other end first, with any luck it’ll be clearer. If not I’ll drop him a bell.

Wouldn’t it be great if all farmers followed the example of West Dean Farm near Salisbury.

*a lot of (*English/Welsh)councils now have on an online ROW ‘Definitive map’ (OS it not legally binding, neither are signposts[look at all old byway etc ones] – Definitive Map is), so I’d try that as a starter.

Some councils have a ‘report a row problem’ issue button on above facility (*which did actually work for me)

We have a local farmer who puts up diversion signs taking you on a 400m diversion as he can’t be bothered to reinstate the bridleway when he’s ploughed his field and planted his potato crop.

Sounds like a perfect compromise here, the path is 400m longer and will probably be in better condition than going through a potato field, if only people could use common sense more often.

My dad has one running across our farm, never much of a problem, well marked and in order. Wanted to move the start so it ran along side the river and not through the edge of the farm buildings (nicer walk and safer as your not in the way of with tractors or livestock being worked with). 300m from the original start which links with no other right of way for miles and the answer was a straight no, not even considered. He moved the sign and put in a new stile which went unnoticed for about a year (no one was bothered until some jobsworth made him move it back)

My dad has one running across our farm, never much of a problem, well marked and in order. Wanted to move the start so it ran along side the river and not through the edge of the farm buildings (nicer walk and safer as your not in the way of with tractors or livestock being worked with). 300m from the original start which links with no other right of way for miles and the answer was a straight no, not even considered. He moved the sign and put in a new stile which went unnoticed for about a year (no one was bothered until some jobsworth made him move it back)

Sounds like a good idea there are many areas where the ROW could be improved but a lot of it seems to be based on president and past usage. Or whether some ROW officer decided it was a footpath or a Bridle way back in the 1950s.

I think there should be a full review of all ROW and there usage based on suitability (not the other way round ie its BOAT so we must make it suitable to offRoaders, its a bridleway we must make it so the horses can easily descend).

Ideas like your dads should also be considered seems common sense that people would want to walk round the edge of the farm not right though the middle.

Wouldn’t it be great if all farmers followed the example of West Dean Farm near Salisbury.

Hampshire/West Sussex have a few farmers who look after the trails pretty well like this.
We d also have a number of trails that are overgrown with brambles and nettles which is annoying. As the OP said it’s difficult to know whose land it is

Found it, the trail starts 20m further back than I was looking and is just about passible (there’s probably 15ft between the crop and the hedge but it’s mainly long grass with a 6″ strip down the middle.

Unfortunately the desent/climb/desent/climb over thevalley and back I was hoping for the other side turned out to be an 8ft wide, calf deep swamp of hose hoof prints and shit. After an hour of wadeing through what could have been a nice trail I was considdering a dirty protest on the stables!