Author Topic: public bridleways (Read 3997 times)

Marsbar · « **on:** November 10, 2012, 06:18:41 pm »

Hi all

We have been looking for some land and most of the bits we find have public bridleways across them.

What can you do about them(can they be moved) or are they a pain in the backside ?

Cheers

Richard
Sheffield

Hermit · « **Reply #1 on:** November 10, 2012, 07:45:09 pm »

You will find it very hard to move them, some are very ancient ways. I only know of one that was moved and that was because it was next to a nudist camp and when you did rising trot on a 16hh horse you could see over the fences

. I know of some that have horse steps ( like cavalletti type blockades) so motorbikes, quads etc cant go on them, just horses and pushbikes that can be lifted. I dont think I ever rode on a bridleway that was open through a field, they were all lanes in my part of Yorks that I came from

Marsbar · « **Reply #2 on:** November 10, 2012, 08:27:10 pm »

The one i've been to look at today had the bridleway right through the middle !!
So I will probably not bother.

Richard

jaykay · « **Reply #3 on:** November 10, 2012, 08:53:24 pm »

I deliberately chose land without footpaths through it, being seriously antisocial

But despite no right of way, I still get trainspotters walking through up to a bridge on the Settle-Carlisle line

So - as well as checking for bridleways, find out locally if there is any sort of unofficial access

Anke · « **Reply #4 on:** November 10, 2012, 09:04:54 pm »

The reason why these fields are available is probably because they have a bridleway through them... I would say pain in the proverbial....

Ina · « **Reply #5 on:** November 11, 2012, 10:31:34 am »

Quote from: Hermit on November 10, 2012, 07:45:09 pm

You will find it very hard to move them, some are very ancient ways. I only know of one that was moved and that was because it was next to a nudist camp and when you did rising trot on a 16hh horse you could see over the fences .

Wouldn't it have been easier (and cheaper) to build a higher fence?

Or maybe a sign just before the camp - "all eyes to the left"?

Anyway - who was offended? The riders or the nudists?

(Sorry - couldn't help myself - this is not the actual problem I know...

)

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #6 on:** November 11, 2012, 11:03:25 am »

TBH the issue with bridleways is not so much the legal usage (horseriders I find a lot less nosey and intrusive than walkers, partly cos they are going faster and partly cos they are often doing a fittening programme with the horse so on quite a long ride so not dawdling to look/nose which a lot of walkers do.)
The issue is that bridleways have to have wide enough access for horses - which unfortunately often also means that there are problems with illegal use by mini motorbikes, scrambler bikes, high powered quads or even fly tipping with vehicles.
The latter reason would make me avoid the property unless the benefit to me as a horserider/keeper outweighed the disadvantages

bazzais · « **Reply #7 on:** November 12, 2012, 05:17:34 pm »

You wont be able to get rid of a brisleway or a footpath - however the bridleway will probably have a green status and not be permitted for anything other than the walking of horses - not a white lane and have 4x4'ers or motorises transport crossing it. You may have to read the land deeds to see if the lane has to allow access for other farms and its machinery though as many brislde paths are also used during seasons to transport tractors and other machinery along it between fields.

I wouldnt worry about bridle ways in all honesty - the only way to tell if they are used alot is to stay around for a month or two or look at the wear and tear on the route.

Dogwalker · « **Reply #8 on:** November 12, 2012, 05:35:56 pm »

I have a bridleway and footpath that come down my track from the lane, through the yard and then split, bridleway through one field and footpath through another. One or two locals use them, perhaps once a week and a few Duke of Edinburgh groups af teenagers on Easter and May bank holiday weekends. One or two riders a month.
Less now there's geese in the footpath field and yard.

Not caused any problems so far. Quite nice to see people sometimes. Locals stop for a chat, others walk through looking embarrassed as though they shouldn't be there.

MAK · « **Reply #9 on:** November 12, 2012, 05:57:09 pm »

I was in the news agent when 2 English men were buying several local maps to search for bridleways and walkways near to their new home. The shop keeper helped them and said in a marvellous accent " Sirs - this is France - you can go where you like - we are a big country and besides there is never a problem to walk, to pick mushrooms to hunt".
He was right I guess. It was virtually impossible for me to take a public footpath out of Newmarket and through the horse world to the countryside. I really resented that BUT the UK is very small and I would be concerned if I had a bridleway near my home in the UK. So many people there that the chance of intrusion and abuse is high.

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #10 on:** November 12, 2012, 09:46:01 pm »

Quote from: bazzais on November 12, 2012, 05:17:34 pm

You wont be able to get rid of a brisleway or a footpath - however the bridleway will probably have a green status and not be permitted for anything other than the walking of horses - not a white lane and have 4x4'ers or motorises transport crossing it. You may have to read the land deeds to see if the lane has to allow access for other farms and its machinery though as many brislde paths are also used during seasons to transport tractors and other machinery along it between fields.

I wouldnt worry about bridle ways in all honesty - the only way to tell if they are used alot is to stay around for a month or two or look at the wear and tear on the route.

In many places in England the legal status will mean diddley squat to the trail bikers or fly tippers - if they can get down it, they will be dumping and roaring up and down it. Good advice to monitor any bridleways near a place you are thinking of buying - at all times of day and night so you can see if it a 'used' one or an 'abused' one.
When youve spent as much time as I did at our last place trying to get your horse around broken glass, stolen pay and display machines and stripped stolen wire and kids on scrambler motorbikes on their way to tear up the cricket pitch with huge gouges when trying to use bridlepaths, you learn to worry about such things...

Roxy · « **Reply #11 on:** November 16, 2012, 10:57:48 pm »

As a horse rider, and a walker too, I use a lot of bridleways .....one goes right across someone's beautiful lawn, and another down some stone steps next to a cottage!! If it was that easy to move them, I am sure these house owners would have tried. If its just across a field, that would not be as bad, surely? Its the montain bikers who come out in droves, that annoy land owners here, rather than the walkers and riders.