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Author Topic: Footpath issues....again  (Read 6223 times)

Kimbo

  • Joined Feb 2015
  • Anglezarke, Lancashire
Footpath issues....again
« on: August 17, 2015, 11:14:25 am »
On another thread Me said he thought it better to talk to people rather than get them into trouble from a safe distance. I agree with that on the whole, but we are facing a very tricky problem with a neighbour over a public footpath and I wonder whether I do need to do something from a safe distance.
My neighbour is a nice lady but, well, she's a bit unreliable. She is a widow in her 50s living with her adult children and they don't farm any more. Consequently the land is rough as a badger's you-know-whats, the fencing is falling down  and the farm buildings are literally held up by baling twine.
Along our boundary there is a public footpath which is quite well-used. It only crosses onto our land in one place for about 100 yards but it goes a long way on my neighbour's land and she historically hates the  walkers. If she could she would stop the footpath being used.... and that's the problem for us.
For my neighbour has 2 quite aggressive horses in her field. One is a tiny Welsh pony but he has Small Man Syndrome. The other is a big black cob who looks quite intimidating. They regularly chase walkers  and on one occasion someone fell in the chase and I thought he was going to be badly hurt. My neighbour's attitude is " its my field; they walk over it at their peril", which of course is wrong as a) she knows her horses aren't safe and b) horses aren't classed as farm animals.
Over the summer we have seen an increasing number of people leaving the footpath and walking over our fields  and through our gates , or worse climbing our fences, to avoid the horses next door. Yesterday a nice couple were prevented from crossing the stile by the bigger horse who was baring his teeth at them. So they came to our stable yard. We let them through but I really don't want this to become a regular thing, for all sorts of reasons. I don't want people wandering all round our place.
We have considered going to talk to our neighbour ( again) about this problem but husband and I agree that if she gets a whiff of a chance to have the footpath moved to our side of the fence, or that people will just avoid her side she will jump at it. So Im thinking of speaking to the local authority.
Discuss?
PS: the horses chase the walkers whether or not they have dogs with them. Most dont
Is it time to retire yet?

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2015, 11:20:01 am »
Your neighbour is behaving very stupidly.  We live in a litigious society these days, sooner or later those ponies will cause someone to sprain their ankle - or worse - and she'll be sued.  And she'll be liable, too.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Old Shep

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • North Yorkshire
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2015, 12:07:04 pm »
Could the walkers go back the way they came rather than wandering where they shouldn't?  I would try putting up signage asking them to keep on the footpath and if they don't want to walk through the horses then retrace their steps rather than trespass.
Helen - (used to be just Shep).  Gordon Setters, Border Collies and chief lambing assistant to BigBennyShep.

DavidandCollette

  • Joined Dec 2012
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2015, 12:41:00 pm »
I would report her to the local council responsible. They should ensure that the footpath is safe to walk.  She would only get a diversion post if you agreed to it.
I would also contact the Ramblers Association to get their view. You may find that they will take up the issue without you getting involved

oor wullie

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Strathnairn
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2015, 02:26:59 pm »
Here most councils have an access officer who's job it is is to sort out these kind if things and to ensure that the outdoor access code is being adhered to.  They will talk to landowners and, as a very last resort, can ask a court to enforce access.


pharnorth

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Cambridgeshire
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2015, 02:53:10 pm »
My take on this:  talk to the council access officer if there is one or if not, the local Ramblers Association about your 100m and how to keep this in good order and people off the rest of your land.  The issue of your neighbour will naturally follow and when it does you merely say you would not like to cause any issues you are merely dealing with your own obligations. 

stufe35

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2015, 03:19:35 pm »
Report the problem of the dangerous horses to the ROW officer at the council.  Don't give your name (or get a friend to do it)  the complaint will not then be traced back to you. Essentially say you attempted to walk along the route of the footpath but couldn't due to aggressive horses.

She will get a visit and hopefully the issue will be addressed...if not same again a few weeks/months later.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2015, 03:27:56 pm »
Try and encourage the walkers to complain, it woud be better if a member of the 'public' complained. 'using' a friend sounds a good idea, get them to phone up sounding really upset that they've just almost attacked by a horse while on a public right of way. Or it may be better to get them to call the police? walkers don't always think to call the council. Getting police involved may get the council to move on them quicker. before your fences get damaged or people get used to walking where they shouldn't.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2015, 03:52:43 pm »
I wonder if an alternative approach might help?  Could you put up a map at both ends of "your" bit showing exactly where the path lies?  If you cross-hatch the rest of your land in red with "XXX Farm - no entry" in the middle there should be no excuse for any confusion.  If walkers subsequently try to stick to the footpath and cannot because of someone else's animals then complaining to the Council is up to them.

Kimbo

  • Joined Feb 2015
  • Anglezarke, Lancashire
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2015, 05:47:28 pm »
thanks everyone for your good advice. Maybe we have been too accommodating in letting the walkers cross our land. I wish my neighbour wouldn't be so stubborn; she has plenty of other land the flaming horses could graze. I don't want to get her into trouble but at the same time I don't want everyone and his wife using our land and I don't want to see anyone being flown off in the air ambulance either.
I think I will have to contact the access officer then, as suggested, just casually drop in the issue about the horses!
Is it time to retire yet?

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #10 on: August 17, 2015, 11:46:07 pm »
What a problem. I hope you get it sorted out soon.

claire

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Falkirk
    • Clairesgarden
    • Facebook
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #11 on: August 18, 2015, 06:41:52 am »
I think they just should put up a sign saying horses are dangerous, be careful. and you should put up a sign saying private, no access.
dont' know where you go from there..
shoot the walkers, how dare they leave their homes looking for some fresh air...

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #12 on: August 18, 2015, 01:28:09 pm »
I still think police should be involved, if there is a danger to humans a visit from a uniform would do a lot more than council officers treading softly softly trying to talk the lady round for 12 months.
Unfortunately putting signs on YOUR land saying PRIVATE NO ACCESS makes you look like the meany, though WE understand the problem, many walkers wouldn't.
I don't like barbed wire but how about putting a strand of that round the tops of the fences?

stufe35

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #13 on: August 18, 2015, 01:34:22 pm »
shoot the walkers,

That's a good idea Claire..im not sure of the legality of it though...I know the definition of vermin does extend to people- quote: vermin (noun)"people perceived as despicable and as causing problems for the rest of society".

Question is does anyone know if walkers can be classed as vermin for the purposes of shooting ?











 :roflanim:

« Last Edit: August 18, 2015, 01:38:46 pm by stufe35 »

Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Re: Footpath issues....again
« Reply #14 on: August 18, 2015, 01:48:15 pm »
On another thread Me said he thought it better to talk to people rather than get them into trouble from a safe distance. I agree with that on the whole, but we are facing a very tricky problem with a neighbour over a public footpath and I wonder whether I do need to do something from a safe distance.

I stick to that. In my internal moral book, you need to speak to your neighbour about your concerns before you drop her in the excrement from height - if she instructs you to remove yourself and multiply - well.. you did speak to her first at least.

I am not sure if this is your problem as such, it is her problem and the walkers problem. That being said I would probably tell the walkers to keep out and take it up with the landowner if they have a problem whilst also telling the neighbour that her horses mean the "sodding walkers" are trespassing on your land - she might identify with that sentiment ;) and that you aren't going to stand for it.


She wont like you for it, but she may respect you. 

 

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