Discussion
As I've always understood it cyclists are permitted to use bridle paths. Can local by-laws remove this permission?
For some reason someone has taken to putting log piles on the bridle path I cycle to work. I've met lots of people like this over the years, obstructing paths, and their usual excuse is that they want to prevent motorcycles using the tracks. However this particular bridle path is inaccessible to motorbikes (due to horse gates).
Can't say it bothers me, life's too short, but wondering if there's any legal basis for whoever is blocking the paths. Suspect there's not... All the dog walkers I've ever met on my ride have been very pleasant, I've only ever met one other cyclist who wasn't riding like a nutter and there are no signs on the path other than the usual 'public bridle way'
As I say, can't say it bothers me, just wondering...
For some reason someone has taken to putting log piles on the bridle path I cycle to work. I've met lots of people like this over the years, obstructing paths, and their usual excuse is that they want to prevent motorcycles using the tracks. However this particular bridle path is inaccessible to motorbikes (due to horse gates).
Can't say it bothers me, life's too short, but wondering if there's any legal basis for whoever is blocking the paths. Suspect there's not... All the dog walkers I've ever met on my ride have been very pleasant, I've only ever met one other cyclist who wasn't riding like a nutter and there are no signs on the path other than the usual 'public bridle way'
As I say, can't say it bothers me, just wondering...
No it's not legal to block a bridleway, but it is common enough. Going back 15 years we used to see it a lot on the North Downs Way around Canterbury, sometimes they would string wire across inbetween trees as well. A recent occurrence of this here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/8622670....
Don't see it much round here where I live now, more likely to meet greenlaners winching each other out of ditches
Don't see it much round here where I live now, more likely to meet greenlaners winching each other out of ditches
I've seen this kind of thing too.
They probably think horses and walkers can still pass but forget bridle paths are for cyclist also. I'd contact the local council. Is it part of a NCR if so contact sustrans.
They probably think horses and walkers can still pass but forget bridle paths are for cyclist also. I'd contact the local council. Is it part of a NCR if so contact sustrans.
wiki said:
Bridleways in the United Kingdom
In England and Wales a public bridleway is a legally protected right of way over privately owned land, over which the public has the right to travel on horseback or leading a horse, with or without a right to drive animals of any description along the way. The public also has the right to travel on foot on public bridleways. The public is permitted to ride bicycles on public bridleways, but that right is not absolute because the law provides that it "shall not create any obligation to facilitate the use of the bridleway by cyclists".[5]
Public bridleways are shown as long green dashes on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, or long pink dashes on 1:50,000 maps. In addition, permissive bridleways are shown as dashed orange lines on the 1:25,000 maps where there is no statutory right of way but where the landowner permits use, for the time being, as a bridleway.
A public bridleway is sometimes waymarked using a blue arrow on a metal or plastic disc or by blue paint dots on posts and trees.
It's all in section 30 of the countryside and rights of way act In England and Wales a public bridleway is a legally protected right of way over privately owned land, over which the public has the right to travel on horseback or leading a horse, with or without a right to drive animals of any description along the way. The public also has the right to travel on foot on public bridleways. The public is permitted to ride bicycles on public bridleways, but that right is not absolute because the law provides that it "shall not create any obligation to facilitate the use of the bridleway by cyclists".[5]
Public bridleways are shown as long green dashes on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, or long pink dashes on 1:50,000 maps. In addition, permissive bridleways are shown as dashed orange lines on the 1:25,000 maps where there is no statutory right of way but where the landowner permits use, for the time being, as a bridleway.
A public bridleway is sometimes waymarked using a blue arrow on a metal or plastic disc or by blue paint dots on posts and trees.
People shouldn't be blocking a bridle path where cyclists are allowed to ride. Sure we can point to laws and acts all day long but if nobody has the power or interest to enforce them, what can you do?
Rules don't mean a thing any more. Kids razz along our local FOOTpath in the woods behind my house on those mini-moto bikes disturbing a quiet neighbourhood and churning up the path. Local police couldn't really care less when you phone so what can you do?
Rules don't mean a thing any more. Kids razz along our local FOOTpath in the woods behind my house on those mini-moto bikes disturbing a quiet neighbourhood and churning up the path. Local police couldn't really care less when you phone so what can you do?
It is actually surprising how few rights mountain bikers have to use paths / bridalways etc. Investigations into our rights to ride on our usual Sunday loop (about 20 miles) showed that we have the right to be on about 30-40% of trails. I should point out that we tend to favour the smaller "single track" style routes and fire trails are used just to get from one track to another. It was mainly the firetrails and larger commonly used bridalways where we are legally allowed to ride.
We do on occasion ride across the Military firing ranges. These are crossed by bridalways and paths but according to signs, no cycling is allowed. At this point I am unsure if this is a made up rule and signage just put up to deter cyclists or there is an actual bylaw regarding the ranges. Either way we ignore the signs!
Our typical way to deal with this is to give no one a reason to complain - we greet everyone with a cheery "hello". Those that are miserable enough to be a "trail grump" we tell them such.
We have only encountered one person who was miserable enough to be a problem, the others have been strategically ignored.
We have encountered MANY trail obsticles. Coming round quick corners to find branches pulled across the trail at body height was a common thing, piles of logs in inconvienient places. The worst one was brambles strung across the trail at chest height. Not common but never the less.
I carry a leatherman with a very useful saw and in the spring I carry an extendable pruning saw. This is mainly because of new growth but we have come across obvious efforts to "close" a trail.
We do on occasion ride across the Military firing ranges. These are crossed by bridalways and paths but according to signs, no cycling is allowed. At this point I am unsure if this is a made up rule and signage just put up to deter cyclists or there is an actual bylaw regarding the ranges. Either way we ignore the signs!
Our typical way to deal with this is to give no one a reason to complain - we greet everyone with a cheery "hello". Those that are miserable enough to be a "trail grump" we tell them such.
We have only encountered one person who was miserable enough to be a problem, the others have been strategically ignored.
We have encountered MANY trail obsticles. Coming round quick corners to find branches pulled across the trail at body height was a common thing, piles of logs in inconvienient places. The worst one was brambles strung across the trail at chest height. Not common but never the less.
I carry a leatherman with a very useful saw and in the spring I carry an extendable pruning saw. This is mainly because of new growth but we have come across obvious efforts to "close" a trail.
The joy of south Wales is the country park areas with mountain bike specific trails like Brechfa, Afan, Glycorrwyg and my favourite, Cwm Carn in Newport. There's a lovely downhill you can go hell for leather down without worrying about anyone stopping for their dog to have a dump in the middle of the track. There's a dedicated XC track, dedicated footpaths and family BBQ/ play areas, a bike play park, cafe, bike wash. Everyone has their own areas and there is no conflict between the bikers, walkers and horse riders. You get muddy bikers among pristine walking Gore-tex in the cafe at lunchtime and everyone gets on well.
IMO it works perfectly but it's not always practical for everyone to have their own trails and people have to get on.
IMO it works perfectly but it's not always practical for everyone to have their own trails and people have to get on.
I do use some bridle paths on my commute. There are old railway sleepers in a couple of spots, but I am used to them now & quite adept in crossing without unclipping SPD's!. I guess they are there to deter other traffic, quad bikes etc.
I regularly meet horse riders & no problem at all, one once politely told me that my flashing light bothered the horse, so I swith it off now when approaching out of courtesy.
I regularly meet horse riders & no problem at all, one once politely told me that my flashing light bothered the horse, so I swith it off now when approaching out of courtesy.
Dibblington said:
The joy of south Wales is the country park areas with mountain bike specific trails like Brechfa, Afan, Glycorrwyg and my favourite, Cwm Carn in Newport. There's a lovely downhill you can go hell for leather down without worrying about anyone stopping for their dog to have a dump in the middle of the track. There's a dedicated XC track, dedicated footpaths and family BBQ/ play areas, a bike play park, cafe, bike wash. Everyone has their own areas and there is no conflict between the bikers, walkers and horse riders. You get muddy bikers among pristine walking Gore-tex in the cafe at lunchtime and everyone gets on well.
IMO it works perfectly but it's not always practical for everyone to have their own trails and people have to get on.
I will agree with you - to a pointIMO it works perfectly but it's not always practical for everyone to have their own trails and people have to get on.
I love south Wales riding, it is about the finest, for all the reasons you have noted...
BUT, meeting the walkers and horse riders makes a very special ride, especially when the crazy dogs s
tting on the path are mine 
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=15321360...
Aye, it all depends on what sort of riding you like. It's good for a downhill track to be separate from the walkers so bikers don't worry about going balls-out and the walkers don't have to worry about being hit by a bike. But I recently went on a memorial ride for a mate we lost where we had horses, bikers, walkers, kids in pushchairs, dogs and it was a brilliant ride finished off with an ice cream at one of her favourite spots doing a bunch of her favourite sports.
If you look at the key on an OS map, you'll see Bridle Paths and Bridle Ways shown by very short red dashes and longer red dashes respectively. Bridle paths are for walking whilst bridle ways are for walking, horses and cycles. Then there are RUPPS and Byways which might be known as BOATS (Byways open to all traffic, I think), which are legit for motor vehicles to use. And then there are white roads which can be anything, public or private. Basically, if there are stiles on the path/track, they're for walking only. And then there's Scotland..........plus of course there are so called cheeky trails which don't really exist but are usually good fun if you know where they are. Basically Rights of Way in England and Wales need sorting. There are bridlepaths that are a mile wide (slight exageration there) and bridleways where you'd have trouble squeezing through sideways and go nowhere. Singletrack magazine has been running a series of articles about access which makes good reading.
It's down to there being too many people crammed onto a small island. Talking to a kiwi mate, if you want to go cycling in New Zealand, you just head out into the country. None of this certain trails for walking only, some are for biking, some for motorbiking, it's confusing nonsense because people can't be trusted to get along with each other.
We're lucky with a friend in the middle of the Forest of Dean, 1/2 a mile to his nearest neighbours and no public footpaths anywhere near so out the back of his house we've dug our own dirt jumps and downhill course. Nobody knows about it, although the Dirt Magazine guys turned up once for a shoot in the middle of the night. But finding a patch of land out of the way in the UK is hard to come by. Usually you dig some jumps and the Forestry Commision come along and flatten the lot within a week.
We're lucky with a friend in the middle of the Forest of Dean, 1/2 a mile to his nearest neighbours and no public footpaths anywhere near so out the back of his house we've dug our own dirt jumps and downhill course. Nobody knows about it, although the Dirt Magazine guys turned up once for a shoot in the middle of the night. But finding a patch of land out of the way in the UK is hard to come by. Usually you dig some jumps and the Forestry Commision come along and flatten the lot within a week.
timbo48 said:
If you look at the key on an OS map, you'll see Bridle Paths and Bridle Ways shown by very short red dashes and longer red dashes respectively. Bridle paths are for walking whilst bridle ways are for walking, horses and cycles.
That's not quite right.On an OS 1:25,000
The small green dashes are footpaths
The longer green dashes are Bridle ways (same thing as a bridle path)
permissive bridleways are shown as dashed orange lines on the 1:25,000 maps where there is no statutory right of way but where the landowner permits use, for the time being, as a bridleway.
On an OS 1:50,000
They are both the same shape but red (pink apparently)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_of_way_in_Engl...
timbo48 said:
If you look at the key on an OS map, you'll see Bridle Paths and Bridle Ways shown by very short red dashes and longer red dashes respectively. Bridle paths are for walking whilst bridle ways are for walking, horses and cycles. Then there are RUPPS and Byways which might be known as BOATS (Byways open to all traffic, I think), which are legit for motor vehicles to use. And then there are white roads which can be anything, public or private. Basically, if there are stiles on the path/track, they're for walking only. And then there's Scotland..........plus of course there are so called cheeky trails which don't really exist but are usually good fun if you know where they are. Basically Rights of Way in England and Wales need sorting. There are bridlepaths that are a mile wide (slight exageration there) and bridleways where you'd have trouble squeezing through sideways and go nowhere. Singletrack magazine has been running a series of articles about access which makes good reading.
Bit confused here, long red dashs are bridleways, short red dashs are foot paths.See, I'm just going to work, it's not like it's balls-out riding... 
Ah well, each to their own and all that, I can easily carry my bike over the logs it just makes me wonder by people bother...
And it amuses me to move them out of the way too. I'm dressed for mud so there's no skin off my nose!
Ah well, each to their own and all that, I can easily carry my bike over the logs it just makes me wonder by people bother...And it amuses me to move them out of the way too. I'm dressed for mud so there's no skin off my nose!
ok - please help me with this
http://geographyfieldwork.com/MapSymbolsRoads.htm
"Path / other road drive or track"
Do I have the right to ride on this?
http://geographyfieldwork.com/MapSymbolsRoads.htm
"Path / other road drive or track"
Do I have the right to ride on this?
Gooby said:
ok - please help me with this
http://geographyfieldwork.com/MapSymbolsRoads.htm
"Path / other road drive or track"
Do I have the right to ride on this?
http://geographyfieldwork.com/MapSymbolsRoads.htm
"Path / other road drive or track"
Do I have the right to ride on this?
Yes, unless it's someone's own private road or driveway.
The OS Landranger map shows footpaths as small red dashes, almost dots, and you can't ride on those (it's these that I think were known as bridle paths). It also shows bridle ways as longer red dashes, which you can ride. Both of these come under the Rights of Way section of the key. The other one you can ride is a BOAT, which I think was once called a RUPP, but that was confusing (road used as a public path). OS Explorer shows these in green. Just to confuse matters, if you're not already, footpaths are also shown as black dashes. There isn't necessarily any public right of way on these.
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