Right of way

[sherrardk]

Does anyone have any knowledge about the rules surrounding right of way. Went for a walk today along a path that was marked with those yellow arrows inside circles (don't know if that is relevant or not) and gates were locked, etc. Also, the start of the walk went through a stable yard and when we entered the large gate was open (so took the double buggy in with us) abut when we came back it had been locked (which was a bit of a nuisance, to put it mildly). Thanks.

[seadogg]

I think the yellow arrows mean that it is a footpath purely for walkers as opposed to a bridlepath which would have to be passable for horses( bikes and push chairs).. Was there a stile to bypass the locked gate? If you think it was deliberate blocking there should be a footpaths officer at your council and the Ramblers Associaton also has an interest.
There is a lot of theft in the countryside nowadays and landowners are becoming more security conscious but footpaths have to be open.

[Buenchico]

From your County Council's website, Sherrardk:
http://www.herefordsh...ights_of_way/1592.asp
(See the links down the right of the page)

[sherrardk]

There was a really tricky gate - it was one of those where you have to get in the gate, pull the thing towards you and then squeeze around it. It was a very narrow one (just enough room for one person) and I couldn't put the push chair down and put it over the top of the gate because it was about six feet tall (due to the horses/security I expect). Luckily my friend was with me and we managed to man-handle it between the ordinary gate and the one we had to use (would have been really stuck if she hadn't been there). I'm pretty sure that they knew we had gone in that way and feel that they locked it on purpose (I understand someone would be cross about having to allow people to walk on their land but if they did lock it on purpose it was a bit nasty).

[Buenchico]

To be fair to the landowner, many public footpaths used to have stiles (which require a certain degree of athleticism to negotiate). Kissing gates (which is what you've described) were often put in by landowners, at their own expense, in response to complaints from walkers about problems with stiles.

[sherrardk]

Hi Buenchico - it wouldn't have been an issue if I hadn't had the double buggy with me (and I can appreciate how much of a pain it must be to have a footpath on your land).

[Hopkirk]

Make the little blighters walk!

[sherrardk]

I do - but I took the buggy just in case. You can carry one stroppy toddler not two! Could have left it at home actually as they had a brilliant time, but sod's law is that you take it and you don't need it, don't take it and you need it! (Can't manage to carry the two of them as they are getting big and I am quite little.)

[alexanderd]

sherrardk did the arrows point through the stable-yard? the reason I ask is that I live on a farm with a right of way but it is clearly marked round the edge of the property and not through our stable-yard which is always locked at night although the right of way is still available

[sherrardk]

Hi Alex, I was with a friend who has always lived here so we took the correct path. The path was to the side of the stable yard (although I think that might be a bit of grand term for what it is). We think it has recently changed hands (through sheer nosiness!) and I totally understand why someone would be a bit miffed about people walking through there but it was a pain when we could get back out without a lot of effort (and gates being chained and padlocked is a bit much - what about older people?). Not on a crusade of anything, just peed off about it.

[Hopkirk]

Get a cattle prod?

[alexanderd]

Sorry sherrardk but our gates are always chained and padlocked once the yard work is finished and the riding school is closed. We have had people driving in and stealing saddles etc.

[sherrardk]

Good idea Hopkirk - they egg each other on and their favorite thing is to just stop and sit down. I have got pvious experience of toddlers but these two are complete wind-up merchants. Try to get them up and they just go limp, that's when I need the buggy (and then they put their feet on the wheels so they act like brakes!).

[Hopkirk]

You have my sympathy.

When my two were younger, they were more interested in pushing the buggy than getting into it.