NEWS: Ramblers Unearth 49,000 Miles of 'Lost' Paths

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 UKC/UKH News 02 Nov 2020
Walking a historic drove road. Many of these ancient routes risk being lost to public access

Over 49,000 miles of historic paths are missing from official maps in England and Wales. The figure has been released today by the Ramblers, following a mass 'citizen geography' project in which thousands of volunteers helped to record forgotten routes before they're lost for good. If they were all made official, these rights of way would increase the path network in England and Wales by up to a third.



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1
 The Pylon King 02 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

Brilliant stuff!

 GrahamD 02 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

Go the Ramblers !

 Ridge 02 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

I think this is a brilliant project and congratulations to all those who've contributed.

However:

> Once legally recorded as rights of way, and added to the definitive map, they are protected by law for people to use and enjoy indefinitely.

That may be technically true, but Rights of Way Officers were some of the first posts to go as councils tried to deal with cuts in funding. Even existing RoW on the definitive maps are frequently blocked, and there is currently no effective mechanism to enforce the landowners to open them.

 David Riley 02 Nov 2020
In reply to Ridge:

Last month the Ramblers Association wrote to me that they have applied to turn my private drive into a bridleway.  This is because they cannot enforce the existing official footpath the farmer has blocked and removed the signs for. 

4
 paul wood 02 Nov 2020
In reply to David Riley:

We need to be super careful of that kind of behaviour.  If the council don't have the resources how about the local newspaper?

Our footpath system is in my view one of the best things about the UK.

1
 Alkis 02 Nov 2020
In reply to Ridge:

In my rambles and cycles in the local area I have come across paths that are still signposted yet blocked.

 David Riley 02 Nov 2020
In reply to paul wood:

>  If the council don't have the resources how about the local newspaper?

I think that is exactly right.  Although local newspapers are not what they were and possibly nobody reads them.  TV programmes like Watchdog are good. Publicity is better than Local Authority action.

I have access to both sides of the blockage.  So never need that bit and can't complain.  But everyone else does unless they make an out and back loop through my access.  I wish the Ramblers would deal with the real problem.

 Martin Bennett 02 Nov 2020
In reply to Ridge:

> That may be technically true, but Rights of Way Officers were some of the first posts to go as councils tried to deal with cuts in funding. Even existing RoW on the definitive maps are frequently blocked, and there is currently no effective mechanism to enforce the landowners to open them.

Happily not the case everywhere. Here in our part of Lancs we have a most active and enthusiastic such officer who was very responsive and helpful when a local ahole stopped the use of a path I've been using for over 30 years by blocking stiles with fences. Needless to say I carried on, lifting the dog over and climbing over myself, leading to a hoped for meeting with the landowner and a "meaningful" conversation. This in turn led to my contacting The Ramblers Ass'n and on their advice the council.

The council officer arranged to meet me at the site within days, surveyed the scene, wrote to the landowner, did the bizz and hey presto - fences removed. She, the council officer, explained to me that the stile destroyed in all this might take a while to replace as their budget, which 10 years ago was insufficient at £70,000 pa has been whittled down to £15,000. This explains why many of the stiles up and down "my" valley are in a poor state. Perhaps the next budget reduction will see the closure of the department (of one) and we'll be in the same boat as you. In the meantime she's working on another one for me now!

In reply to UKC/UKH News:

I was going to take part when I heard about it, but I discovered they completed the task already. And then done it again to check. Magnificent example of crowd-sourced effort.

 Sam W 02 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

There's a 'lost' path just outside our village which if reopened would make a lovely circular walk.  About 4 years ago somebody did all the evidence gathering etc. required to have it added to the Definitive Map.  It's been sat with the council ever since, they currently have a backlog of 155, they are able to deal with about 5/year.  Come 2025 my understanding is that all of these applications will become void and the paths will be lost forever, which is why the Ramblers think an extension will be needed.

An appeal has been made to the Planning Inspectorate which may speed things up, should find out in the next few weeks whether it's had any effect.

 Babika 02 Nov 2020
In reply to Martin Bennett:

Ditto Leicestershire. We have a magnificent footpath officer here. You can report any problems online with a dropped pin for location and add photos. Incredibly easy and they're right on it contacting the landowner. 

Posts seem freshly painted and visible which is a far cry from some other areas. 

But its not always the County Council; our village parish Council raised the precept and used the money to replace stiles with kissing gates. Given that I once had to lift my elderly mother over a stile the gates are a real boon to elderly walkers. 

 Fat Bumbly2 02 Nov 2020
In reply to Babika:

The yellow topped posts in Leicestershire are such a good idea. Saves a few compass bearings.

 Sam Beaton 02 Nov 2020
In reply to Sam W:

> Come 2025 my understanding is that all of these applications will become void and the paths will be lost forever, which is why the Ramblers think an extension will be needed.

No, if definitive map applications have been properly made by 2025 then they won't be void. It might take some councils  years and years to look into them all but they will definitely not be lost or forgotten. The Ramblers and others are wanting an extension to the 2026 deadline because although the legislation that created the 2026 deadline was passed in 2000 it is only in the last couple of years that the Ramblers, British Horse Society etc have got their act together to start publicising the deadline and encourage applications to councils

 mrphilipoldham 02 Nov 2020
In reply to Martin Bennett:

I recently moved to Blackshaw Head in West Yorks and haven't had the necessity to 'try out' our rights of way officer, but I have stumbled across a local group called CROWS who look after maintenance of footpaths and bridleways. They're seemingly funded by donations, parish and town councils and landowners. There are almost daily posts of work they've done and it's to an excellent standard. I'm thinking about volunteering but wouldn't want to drag the quality down!! 

 Bulls Crack 04 Nov 2020
In reply to mrphilipoldham:

They do great voluntary work but their independence, great in many ways, doesn't  replace  properly funded rights of way section who, for example,  have a duty to increase the accessibility of the network via installing more accessible structures etc. . 

 mrphilipoldham 04 Nov 2020
In reply to Bulls Crack:

Quite right!

 Inchewan 05 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

> Over 49,000 miles of historic paths are missing from official maps in England and Wales. The figure has been released today by the Ramblers, following a mass 'citizen geography' project in which thousands of volunteers helped to record forgotten routes before they're lost for good. If they were all made official, these rights of way would increase the path network in England and Wales by up to a third.

> Read more

Great news, and great effort by 'The Ramblers' to help save the footpaths in England and Wales.

Now, 'Ramblers Scotland' are rolling out a 'Mapping Scotland's Paths' campaign. Even though the access context is very different in Scotland.  Currently, printed maps and digital maps in Scotland do not show all footpaths.  The project aim seems to be  to create a free data set of all footpaths in Scotland for everyone to use. This will include the long distance trails, including the Inverness to John o'Groats coastal path which is also work in progress at present. This could even be of interest to climbers for easier east coast cliff access.   Meantime all Core Paths are available from one interactive map at Nature dot Scot, previously Scottish Natural Heritage.  This is an excellent public resource to start off with. These are very ambitious plans by the Ramblers, and I thought us climbers were a determined bunch.

Happy navigating.

 Tom Valentine 05 Nov 2020
In reply to Alkis:

I often wonder how many UKC ers are familiar with footpaths in their own immediate locality. I used to think that I knew my own area fairly well but since the first lockdown I have found four or five substantial stretches of public footpath that i have never walked, all within a couple of miles of my house.

I don't live in a touristy area at all but even so it's important to keep the routes open. Yesterday I broke ground to walk a path over a half mile of newly ploughed field. Quite a good feeling really, and pretty hard work. I think i got the line right ........

 Offwidth 06 Nov 2020
In reply to Tom Valentine:

We found a 300m snicket in Nottingham city (links Woodthorpe park to the Mansfield Road end of Winchester Street). Also a long established footpath near Lambley not on the OS map.

It's very frustrating in our nearest countryside that many footpaths end on long road sections with no pavements, especially so when they could easily link to another footpath via established  tracks, nowhere near property, prominently marked private.

Post edited at 08:00
 John Gresty 06 Nov 2020
In reply to Offwidth:

Blimey Steve. I haven't heard the term snicket used for many years. When I first moved to Derby I was confused by the word 'Jitty' ,to me it had always been called a 'snicket'.

John

 Rog Wilko 06 Nov 2020
In reply to David Riley:

>  ..cannot enforce the existing official footpath the farmer has blocked and removed the signs for. 

Guerrilla action required. 

 Rog Wilko 06 Nov 2020
In reply to Inchewan:

The situation in Scotland is often trumpeted by Scots as being enviable. However, I find the English system with definitive maps showing RoW much better. This is mainly because it allows you to plan. Personally, I want my countryside (i.e. non mountain) walks to be easily passable with stiles and gates and prefer not to have to fight over barbed wire fences, waist-high crops. My experience of non-open country walks north of the border is not good. The red/green dots and dashes on OS maps in E&W may be seen as a restriction on one's freedom to roam, but at least you have a good chance of enjoying your walk.

I do get the impression that Scotland is quietly moving towards a marked RoW system as in the last few years see an increasing number of official signs bearing the word Path but without the word Public. However, if the path isn't marked on the map it isn't much use. 

Post edited at 09:41
 Duncan Bourne 06 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

One of the great things about tackling little known footpaths is the lack of other users. We have been on several excellent walks over the COVID period and seen hardly anyone else.

 David Riley 06 Nov 2020
In reply to Rog Wilko:

> >  ..cannot enforce the existing official footpath the farmer has blocked and removed the signs for. 

> Guerrilla action required. 

The problem is 1 foot depth of cow manure, dangerous cows, deliberate hawthorn, brambles, and nettles, and removal of all signs.  Braving of the path is required plus enforcement or publicity.

 Yanchik 06 Nov 2020
In reply to David Riley:

Open Spaces Society has a lot of good guidance on this sort of stuff - duties of landlords to maintain footpaths and suchlike. It's worth a read - pretty clear and sensible. 

http://www.environmentlaw.org.uk/rte.asp?id=278

A couple of individuals I've dealt with from OSS have also been helpful. We've got a lot of dead-end and "stranded" sections of RoW around here which have been entertaining to explore during lockdown. Some are pretty interesting and worth pushing back where landowners are trying to close down the access, some honestly not so much.

Having just joined OSS, I'm intrigued to know what their view on the Rambler's initiative will be. I know nothing about the Ramblers but it looks like two organisations with overlapping interests - surely that could never happen in UK land & conservation issues ?!

Y

 David Riley 06 Nov 2020
In reply to Yanchik:

Thanks for the link.

Unfortunately a large number of people have decided to apply to force the creation of a bridleway on my drive, where they have always been welcomed , and to give up on the existing official footpath. Most don't even know one exists.

Farmer wins and closes the path for good.

 Tom Valentine 06 Nov 2020
In reply to John Gresty:

Ginnel 

 Rog Wilko 06 Nov 2020
In reply to Tom Valentine:

> Ginnel 

Not another generic name, but in Kendal there is an extremely narrow one known locally as t'crack. Makes me smile.

 Inchewan 06 Nov 2020
In reply to Rog Wilko:

I guess we are all seeking the Holy Grail of footpath mapping.  This would show every footpath and every track, ancient and modern, in every country of the British Isles on paper and digital maps that would be freely available at no cost. 

In the real world it is not that easy, but we can try.  The ground work needs to be done in the first instance by a willing army of of enthusiastic Rambler volunteers.  Given that they are only a charitable organisation and not a commercial enterprise, there is unlikely to be a specific deadline.  It will be complete when it's completed.  I am hopeful that this data will find its way into future printed paper and digital maps.  Then we will all have accurate definitive  footpath information to explore and enjoy the outdoors.

For the time being Scotland's core paths, all 22,000km of them, are readily available for route planning purposes on the interactive 'Local Path Network' map on the Nature dot Scot website.  Under the 'enjoying the outdoors' section.

Many of these core paths already have Path signposts put up by the local authority, still more as work in progress I believe.

Please don't give up on Scotland due to a few dodgy paths you found, it is a braw place to explore, especially with a good map.

 Rog Wilko 06 Nov 2020
In reply to Inchewan:

Thanks for the references. It'll take a lot to stop me going back to Scotland. 😀

 Sam Beaton 07 Nov 2020
In reply to Inchewan:

> Given that they are only a charitable organisation and not a commercial enterprise, there is unlikely to be a specific deadline.

​​​​​​I'm afraid there is a deadline in England and Wales, 31 Dec 2025

 Yanchik 09 Nov 2020
In reply to Inchewan:

The Rights of Way are pretty close to the Holy Grail you describe, at least in the two counties of England I run in. Derbyshire and Staffordshire councils publish digital versions of the definitive map (yes, that's a bit tautological) which are easily found. You can just look up what's a RoW and what isn't. 

Of course, correction of the definitive map and enforcement of the RoW is quite another matter. Hence the Ramblers/OSS and whatever their overlap is. 

Y


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