Obstructed Footpaths

Sam Salt said:

Out for a walk ( in the rain ) around Church Fenton in North
Yorkshire.

I have never come across such blatant obstruction of footpaths by
farmers ploughing and planting crops.Paths were simply non-existent
despite footpath signs.

That doesn't class as obstruction, cos in this case you skirt around the
inside edge of the field concerned and regain the track/path at the other
side. Or perhaps this wasn't obvious to you that you can do this? It should
have been, as its the most sensible way of proceeeding. Farmers have to
make a living, we're out there for our leisure. If you can still get around
the inside edge of the field then do so.

Quoted message said:

Unfortunately this ruined the day as we were confined to roads for a
good part of the walk,eventually we curtailed it and caught the train
home.

E-mail sent to North Yorks County Council Rights of Way Dept.

They'll laugh at you. If a fence had been placed across the paths concerned
then they could help, but just because a farmer was following his livlihood
by ploughing and planting his crops then you'll get little joy. The paths
would still be there, just cos you can't see them doesn't mean they don't
exist.

Quoted message said:

Anyone planning a walk around these parts beware ,what is a path on
the OS sheet has a good chance of not being there.

The OS sheets always say "The representation on this map of any other road,
track or path is no evidence of the existence of a right of way." Threat
them as guides and not absolutes.
--
Rob Overfield

"Seasons don't fear the reaper, Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain.."

In article <[email hidden]>, Rob Overfield
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

That doesn't class as obstruction, cos in this case you skirt around the
inside edge of the field concerned and regain the track/path at the other
side. Or perhaps this wasn't obvious to you that you can do this? It should
have been, as its the most sensible way of proceeeding. Farmers have to
make a living, we're out there for our leisure. If you can still get around
the inside edge of the field then do so.

Sound sreasonable and right but AFAIK a ROW is a ROW and a walker should
stick to it. Going around a field off the ROW to save trampling the
crops is trespass!

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong :-)
--
Bill Grey
http://www.billboy.co.uk

W. D. Grey said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Rob Overfield
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

That doesn't class as obstruction, cos in this case you skirt around
the inside edge of the field concerned and regain the track/path at
the other side. Or perhaps this wasn't obvious to you that you can
do this? It should have been, as its the most sensible way of
proceeeding. Farmers have to make a living, we're out there for our
leisure. If you can still get around the inside edge of the field
then do so.

Sound sreasonable and right but AFAIK a ROW is a ROW and a walker
should stick to it. Going around a field off the ROW to save
trampling the crops is trespass!

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong :-)

You may be right, Bill, but some farmers will get mad that you trampled the
crops and will prefer you avoid walking across them, even if there is a ROW.
SO either way you can't win!
--
Rob Overfield

"Seasons don't fear the reaper, Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain.."

"W. D. Grey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Rob Overfield
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

That doesn't class as obstruction, cos in this case you skirt around the
inside edge of the field concerned and regain the track/path at the other
side. Or perhaps this wasn't obvious to you that you can do this? It

should

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have been, as its the most sensible way of proceeeding. Farmers have to
make a living, we're out there for our leisure. If you can still get

around

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the inside edge of the field then do so.

Sound sreasonable and right but AFAIK a ROW is a ROW and a walker should
stick to it. Going around a field off the ROW to save trampling the
crops is trespass!

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong :-)
--
Bill Grey
http://www.billboy.co.uk

Rights of way should not be obstructed by ploughing,crops or anything
else.ROW should be reinstated,plus there should be a minimum width ( can't
remember what it is ).

Going around a field is NOT the most sensible way of proceeding.The most
sensible way of proceeding is to follow the ROW.

As the previous poster says,you are trespassing.

Sam Salt

W. D. Grey <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Rob Overfield
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

That doesn't class as obstruction, cos in this case you skirt around the
inside edge of the field concerned and regain the track/path at the other
side. Or perhaps this wasn't obvious to you that you can do this? It should
have been, as its the most sensible way of proceeeding. Farmers have to
make a living, we're out there for our leisure. If you can still get around
the inside edge of the field then do so.

Sound sreasonable and right but AFAIK a ROW is a ROW and a walker
should stick to it. Going around a field off the ROW to save trampling
the crops is trespass!

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong :-)

I seem to remember reading that ROW paths had to be made good after
ploughing, but it didn't say how soon. :-)
If there is a stile in one wall/fence, and another in the opposite fence
I would head straight from one to t'other, or walk around the
circumference, but that would be leaving the ROW, and the only two
altercations we ever had with farmers in 30+ years was when we strayed
about 3 or 4 yards off a ROW....
--
Gordon Harris

"Rob Overfield" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

W. D. Grey said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Rob Overfield
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

That doesn't class as obstruction, cos in this case you skirt around
the inside edge of the field concerned and regain the track/path at
the other side. Or perhaps this wasn't obvious to you that you can
do this? It should have been, as its the most sensible way of
proceeeding. Farmers have to make a living, we're out there for our
leisure. If you can still get around the inside edge of the field
then do so.

Sound sreasonable and right but AFAIK a ROW is a ROW and a walker
should stick to it. Going around a field off the ROW to save
trampling the crops is trespass!

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong :-)

You may be right, Bill, but some farmers will get mad that you trampled
the
crops and will prefer you avoid walking across them, even if there is a
ROW.
SO either way you can't win!
--
Rob Overfield

"Seasons don't fear the reaper, Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain.."

The ROW still exists. The farmer is required to reinstate the path after
ploughing or planting crops. If I recall they have two weeks to do this, so
it is possible to come across a newly ploughed field or newly planted crop
where the path hasn't yet been reinstated. If the farmer doesn't reinstate
the path then he has technically obstructed the ROW and it is perfectly
valid to report them to the local authority. I have done this on a number
of occasions.

--
______________________________________

Mark Smith
Mark's Leisure Zone
http://www.markrsmith.btinternet.co.uk
______________________________________

"Sam Salt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"W. D. Grey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Rob Overfield
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

That doesn't class as obstruction, cos in this case you skirt around

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

inside edge of the field concerned and regain the track/path at the

other

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

side. Or perhaps this wasn't obvious to you that you can do this? It

should

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have been, as its the most sensible way of proceeeding. Farmers have

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

make a living, we're out there for our leisure. If you can still get

around

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the inside edge of the field then do so.

Sound sreasonable and right but AFAIK a ROW is a ROW and a walker should
stick to it. Going around a field off the ROW to save trampling the
crops is trespass!

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong :-)
--
Bill Grey
http://www.billboy.co.uk

Rights of way should not be obstructed by ploughing,crops or anything
else.ROW should be reinstated,plus there should be a minimum width ( can't
remember what it is ).

Going around a field is NOT the most sensible way of proceeding.The most
sensible way of proceeding is to follow the ROW.

As the previous poster says,you are trespassing.

Sam Salt

From the North York Moors website:-

" It is an offence under the 1990 Rights of Way Act to fail to define a
cross-field footpath or bridleway following cultivation. It is an offence
under section 137A of the Act to fail to prevent a crop from
encroaching on the path so as to make it inconvenient to use. "

Sam Salt

Gordon Harris said:

W. D. Grey <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Rob Overfield
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

That doesn't class as obstruction, cos in this case you skirt around the
inside edge of the field concerned and regain the track/path at the other
side. Or perhaps this wasn't obvious to you that you can do this? It should
have been, as its the most sensible way of proceeeding. Farmers have to
make a living, we're out there for our leisure. If you can still get around
the inside edge of the field then do so.

Sound sreasonable and right but AFAIK a ROW is a ROW and a walker
should stick to it. Going around a field off the ROW to save trampling
the crops is trespass!

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong :-)

I seem to remember reading that ROW paths had to be made good after
ploughing, but it didn't say how soon. :-)
If there is a stile in one wall/fence, and another in the opposite fence
I would head straight from one to t'other, or walk around the
circumference, but that would be leaving the ROW, and the only two
altercations we ever had with farmers in 30+ years was when we strayed
about 3 or 4 yards off a ROW....

I'd only detour if it was something like potatoes - not worth the
effort of sticking to the RoW. Wheat or other corn hardly counts as an
obstruction - certainly shouldn't have spoiled the OP's day out.
--
R
o
o
n
e
y

"I always knew the entire Green party were nutters" - Ken Livingstone

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the wonderful
person W. D. Grey <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Rob Overfield
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

That doesn't class as obstruction, cos in this case you skirt around the
inside edge of the field concerned and regain the track/path at the other
side. Or perhaps this wasn't obvious to you that you can do this? It should
have been, as its the most sensible way of proceeeding. Farmers have to
make a living, we're out there for our leisure. If you can still get around
the inside edge of the field then do so.

Sound sreasonable and right but AFAIK a ROW is a ROW and a walker
should stick to it. Going around a field off the ROW to save trampling
the crops is trespass!

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong :-)

If the ROW is obstructed you can, afaik, seek an alternative route on
the same landowner's land. Typically around the field headland. However
the law does say that cross-field ROWs should NOT be obstructed.

If ploughed over they should be marked, and re-instated (flat!) within
some number of days.

If planted, the crop should be sprayed out, for a width of 1m
(footpaths) and 2m (Bridleways) (1.5m and 3m for paths along headland,
i.e. field margins). Often walkers (and councils) will accept wide
tractor tyre tracks as long as they follow the ROW.

However it really depends on the crop and what state it's at. I can
cheerfully walk across anything less than 6" high .. however root crops
with wide leaves, and tall corn/maize, when wet, are a real PITA - you
can easily get soaked to the shoulders.

This all applies only to arable land. If the crop is grass (even if
planted), or the land is set-aside, the farmer has no obligation to do
anything.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Contact recommends the use of Firefox; SC recommends it at gunpoint.

Rooney <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

I'd only detour if it was something like potatoes - not worth the
effort of sticking to the RoW. Wheat or other corn hardly counts as an
obstruction - certainly shouldn't have spoiled the OP's day out.

Yes, we have walked through stuff growing nearly shoulder height, in
single file of course.

You'd think they'd plant a nice 18" strip of turf along the route,
wooden you?
--
Gordon Harris

Gordon Harris said:

Rooney <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

I'd only detour if it was something like potatoes - not worth the
effort of sticking to the RoW. Wheat or other corn hardly counts as an
obstruction - certainly shouldn't have spoiled the OP's day out.

Yes, we have walked through stuff growing nearly shoulder height, in
single file of course.

You'd think they'd plant a nice 18" strip of turf along the route,
wooden you?

There are paths in Swaledale, along with signs imploring you to keep
off the grass crop (it's for winter feed), about 6 inches wide.
Tricky. Otoh, maize isn't that tricky, if you follow the line of
planting. We lost a dog in a maize maze a couple of years ago - took
all afternoon to find her!

--
R
o
o
n
e
y

"I always knew the entire Green party were nutters" - Ken Livingstone

Where the cultivation of a cross-field footpath or bridleway cannot be
conveniently avoided, land owners should ensure that its surface is
made good to at least the minimum width,as stated in a previos post so
that it is reasonably convenient to use, within 14 days of first being
cultivated for that crop, or within 24 hours of any subsequent
cultivation (unless a longer period has been agreed in advance in
writing by the highway authority)

Rob

http://www.northyorkmoors.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

On Wed, 1 Jun 2005 19:52:34 +0000 (UTC), "Sam Salt"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

| Out for a walk ( in the rain ) around Church Fenton in North Yorkshire.
|
| I have never come across such blatant obstruction of footpaths by farmers
| ploughing and planting crops.Paths were simply non-existent despite footpath
| signs.
|
| Unfortunately this ruined the day as we were confined to roads for a good
| part of the walk,eventually we curtailed it and caught the train home.
|
| E-mail sent to North Yorks County Council Rights of Way Dept.
|
| Anyone planning a walk around these parts beware ,what is a path on the OS
| sheet has a good chance of not being there.

Rights of way (green lines) are still there. Just walk on the Right of
Way as best you can. Use of a GPS and the ability to read a map can help.

--
Dave Fawthrop <dave hyphenologist co uk>
Beware of anyone posting X-No-Archive yes,
they must have something to hide or something to be ashamed of.
Your task, should you wish to accept it, is to determine *what*.

In message <[email hidden]>

Dave Fawthrop said:

On Wed, 1 Jun 2005 19:52:34 +0000 (UTC), "Sam Salt"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

| Out for a walk ( in the rain ) around Church Fenton in North
| Yorkshire.
|
| I have never come across such blatant obstruction of footpaths by
| farmers ploughing and planting crops.Paths were simply non-existent
| despite footpath signs.
|
| Unfortunately this ruined the day as we were confined to roads for a
| good part of the walk,eventually we curtailed it and caught the
| train home.
|
| E-mail sent to North Yorks County Council Rights of Way Dept.
|
| Anyone planning a walk around these parts beware ,what is a path on
| the OS sheet has a good chance of not being there.

Rights of way (green lines) are still there. Just walk on the Right
of Way as best you can. Use of a GPS and the ability to read a map
can help.

In east anglia I find a pair of binoculars usually helps you identify
the next stile when it is a long way across arable fields.

Different farmers seem to vary greatly in the care with which they mark
and re-instate ROWs across ploughed and cultivated fields. Thoughtful
farmers will usually drive a large wheeled tractor along the line of the
ploughed path, and may even mark it out with wands after seeding a crop,
and later spray it with weedkiller once the crop has started to
overgrow.

Farmers that fail to do such things hardly have much of a defence if you
accidently stray from the line of the ROW.

--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
<\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
"> || _`\<,_ |__\ \> | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"

Mike Clark said:

In east anglia I find a pair of binoculars usually helps you identify
the next stile when it is a long way across arable fields.

I often use the binoculars for this sort of thing. A couple of days
ago I was walking in an area where the footpaths aren't marked, and
are often partly overgrown and hard to follow on the ground - which I
don't object to at all, as it's more fun and gives the feeling of
being somewhere a bit wild. I used the binoculars at almost every
twist, turn, field and clearing to try to identify where the path went
(or used to go!). Reasonably successful too. Some of the paths we
walked were well hidden to the naked eye.
--
R
o
o
n
e
y

"I always knew the entire Green party were nutters" - Ken Livingstone

Rooney said:

Mike Clark said:

In east anglia I find a pair of binoculars usually helps you identify
the next stile when it is a long way across arable fields.

I often use the binoculars for this sort of thing. A couple of days
ago I was walking in an area where the footpaths aren't marked, and
are often partly overgrown and hard to follow on the ground - which I
don't object to at all, as it's more fun and gives the feeling of
being somewhere a bit wild. I used the binoculars at almost every
twist, turn, field and clearing to try to identify where the path went
(or used to go!). Reasonably successful too. Some of the paths we
walked were well hidden to the naked eye.

Do the signs that we do see not point in the absolute direction the
paths should go? I presume so as it usually works for me and on
principle I'll stomp through the field with my size twelves even if
the farmer hasnt made the path good, he should have. My world is black
and white....lol

Sad git.

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the
wonderful person Rooney <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

Mike Clark said:

In east anglia I find a pair of binoculars usually helps you identify
the next stile when it is a long way across arable fields.

I often use the binoculars for this sort of thing. A couple of days
ago I was walking in an area where the footpaths aren't marked, and
are often partly overgrown and hard to follow on the ground - which I
don't object to at all, as it's more fun and gives the feeling of
being somewhere a bit wild. I used the binoculars at almost every
twist, turn, field and clearing to try to identify where the path went
(or used to go!). Reasonably successful too. Some of the paths we
walked were well hidden to the naked eye.

'The shortest route (straight line) between two stiles' was how the ROWs
started out, however where farmers have ripped out hedges (all over the
country) the ROWs now frequently zig and zag in the middle of huge
arable fields.

You can follow the 'correct' line with a GPS and accurate map, or you
(and the farmers) can agree to 'start over' with a new straight line
between the stiles (which is what most farmers will decide to spray out,
or drive along, since it damages the least crop). Of course getting the
County Council to =officially= acknowledge a route change is a whole
other can of worms...

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Contact recommends the use of Firefox; SC recommends it at gunpoint.

(Gary) said:

Rooney said:

Mike Clark said:

In east anglia I find a pair of binoculars usually helps you identify
the next stile when it is a long way across arable fields.

I often use the binoculars for this sort of thing. A couple of days
ago I was walking in an area where the footpaths aren't marked, and
are often partly overgrown and hard to follow on the ground - which I
don't object to at all, as it's more fun and gives the feeling of
being somewhere a bit wild. I used the binoculars at almost every
twist, turn, field and clearing to try to identify where the path went
(or used to go!). Reasonably successful too. Some of the paths we
walked were well hidden to the naked eye.

Do the signs that we do see not point in the absolute direction the
paths should go? I presume so as it usually works for me and on
principle I'll stomp through the field with my size twelves even if
the farmer hasnt made the path good, he should have. My world is black
and white....lol

Sad git.

No - the signs all point to Llwybr Cyhoeddus. Don't go there - there's
no pub.
--
R
o
o
n
e
y

"I always knew the entire Green party were nutters" - Ken Livingstone

On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 14:35:51 +0100, GSV Three Minds in a Can
<[email hidden]> wrote:

| Of course getting the
| County Council to =officially= acknowledge a route change is a whole
| other can of worms...

I once sat in on our local Footpaths Committee meeting. The seemed a
reasonable bunch trying to do their best for everyone.

--
Dave Fawthrop <dave hyphenologist co uk>
Beware of anyone posting X-No-Archive yes,
they must have something to hide or something to be ashamed of.
Your task, should you wish to accept it, is to determine *what*.