So where would you suggest Mainwaring that isn’t on the tops, more sanitised footpaths for the elderly?
See, it’s that kind of attitude and comment that makes STW a poorer place. You take a couple of minutes of your life to try and be a bit helpful and someone, not even the OP who posed the question, makes some crass critical remark. If you don’t have anything constructive or informative to say then don’t say it.
To me the lanscape in a National park should be preserved, with as little manmade interference as possible, not only are these paths rubbish to ride, they are a blot on the landscape
Well that’s the point of the paths. Walker numbers have increased dramatically and are creating huge eroded scars all over the place, most noticable around boggy areas. It’s well proven that if you create a good path, walkers stick to them, which prevents much wider and more visible erosion. The paths may not be as fun to ride, and they may present a “sanitised” perception, but they are better than the alternative of allowing unrestricted erosion