Bridle paths

Paul Boyd <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

As I'm thinking about getting back into off-road riding, I thought I'd
have a look to see where bridle paths are around here. I am right in
thinking that cyclists are allowed to use bridle paths, aren't I?
Anything I need to be aware of that might not be obvious, like can there
be local byelaws prohibiting access?

AIUI cyclists on biycles can use bridleways, tricycles cannot.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

in message <[email hidden]>, Paul

Boyd (') said:

As I'm thinking about getting back into off-road riding, I thought I'd
have a look to see where bridle paths are around here. I am right in
thinking that cyclists are allowed to use bridle paths, aren't I?
Anything I need to be aware of that might not be obvious, like can
there be local byelaws prohibiting access?

Where are you? If in Scotland, it's legal to cycle pretty much
everywhere, whether there's a path there or not. In England, it's pretty
much the opposite.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Women are from Venus. Men are from Mars. Lusers are from Uranus.

Paul Boyd said:

As I'm thinking about getting back into off-road riding, I thought I'd
have a look to see where bridle paths are around here. I am right in
thinking that cyclists are allowed to use bridle paths, aren't I?
Anything I need to be aware of that might not be obvious, like can there
be local byelaws prohibiting access?

Bridleways and byways and either RUPP's or their replacement, restricted
byways depending on how old your map is, but not footpaths.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Paul Boyd said:

As I'm thinking about getting back into off-road riding, I thought I'd
have a look to see where bridle paths are around here. I am right in
thinking that cyclists are allowed to use bridle paths, aren't I?
Anything I need to be aware of that might not be obvious, like can there
be local byelaws prohibiting access?

Highway code might help. I think it says cyclists can use bridleways
but must give way to horses.
Where bridleways are also tracks, you might encounter motrobikes or
4x4s - some legitimately accessing wherever the track leads but often
taking a shortcut or out for fun.

peter

Paul Boyd said:

As I'm thinking about getting back into off-road riding, I thought I'd
have a look to see where bridle paths are around here. I am right in
thinking that cyclists are allowed to use bridle paths, aren't I?
Anything I need to be aware of that might not be obvious, like can there
be local byelaws prohibiting access?

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Might be of use...

http://www.thebikezone.org.uk/thebikezone/campaigning/offroad/offroadlaw.html

Simon Brooke said:

Where are you? If in Scotland, it's legal to cycle pretty much
everywhere, whether there's a path there or not. In England, it's pretty
much the opposite.

So you are saying in England its legal to cycle pretty much nowhere ? Or
in otherwords it's illegal to cycle pretty much everywhere. To the OP,
this is not true.

Thanks to all for your helpful responses. I'm in England, but Wales
would come into it as well. I'm aware of the voluntary ban on cycling
on bridle paths in Snowdonia at certain times though. I've printed off
the document pointed out by thebikezone, so that'll be a bit of bedtime
reading!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Paul Boyd said:

Just had a look at the site. This permit is actually free, which is a
good thing.

But... what does this downloaded bit of paper actually do for you? As
far as I can see, it just means you have said you will be a good boy or
girl :-)

It's a jobsworth deflector. So when someone from British Waterways (or
more usually one of those people on boats who think they own the
waterway) accost you for riding on the towpath you can extract your
permit with a flourish and banish them, muttering darkly, back to whence
they came.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Oh, and the "thinking about" has changed to "will be". I just bought a
2005 model Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc for £70 less than the 2006 model.

(Shudders - I actually looked at the H*lf*rds website)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

naked_draughtsman twisted the electrons to say:

Quoted message said:

some legitimately accessing wherever the track leads but often taking a
shortcut

Whilst not wanting to restart the whole anti/pro-4x4 argument, how is
"taking a shortcut" not equivalent to "accessing wherever the track
leads"?

Quoted message said:

or out for fun.

Presumably it's okay for the bike rider to be there "for fun" though?
--
These opinions might not even be mine ...
Let alone connected with my employer ...

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Paul

Boyd (') said:

As I'm thinking about getting back into off-road riding, I thought I'd
have a look to see where bridle paths are around here. I am right in
thinking that cyclists are allowed to use bridle paths, aren't I?
Anything I need to be aware of that might not be obvious, like can
there be local byelaws prohibiting access?

Where are you? If in Scotland, it's legal to cycle pretty much
everywhere, whether there's a path there or not. In England, it's pretty
much the opposite.

Really, really unhelpful, Simon.

Yes, Scotland has wonderful and enlightened right-of-way law, and England
doesn't, and we're backward heathens, and we eat our own babies; we know
all that, you've made your point very clearly numerous times. As a
reminder of what a repressive, incompetently run, and arguably illegally
apportioned country we live in, your comment was exemplary.

As an answer to a very simple question, though, it was rubbish.

</rant>

Yes, you can ride on bridleways. I don't know whether it's possible that
local authorities might be able to exclude bikes.

A useful, if painfully slow, resource for working out non-road bike rights
of way is the Sustrans big map:

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp?sID=1090921140094

tom

--
YUO CANNOT ESCAPE OR EVAR WIN!!!!!!!!

On Sun, 4 Jun 2006 18:00:29 +0100 someone who may be Tom Anderson
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Where are you? If in Scotland, it's legal to cycle pretty much
everywhere, whether there's a path there or not. In England, it's pretty
much the opposite.

Really, really unhelpful, Simon.

Actually it was helpful.

Quoted message said:

As an answer to a very simple question, though, it was rubbish.

Quite wrong. The OP failed to indicate which part of the UK they are
in. That has quite a bearing on the answer to the question.

Scotland is 1/3 of the land mass of the UK, so it is not a trivial
point either.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen said:

Scotland is 1/3 of the land mass of the UK, so it is not a trivial
point either.

But only 8% of the population so a guess of England or Wales had fairly
good odds of being right.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

David Hansen said:

Scotland is 1/3 of the land mass of the UK, so it is not a trivial
point either.

Unless you are one of those southern, softy, land grabbing, home county,
parochial &ngl!sh blighter's. .... ;-)

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

Hi! I'm a .signature virus! Copy me into yours and join the fun!
(Done ...)

"David Hansen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Sun, 4 Jun 2006 18:00:29 +0100 someone who may be Tom Anderson
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Where are you? If in Scotland, it's legal to cycle pretty much
everywhere, whether there's a path there or not. In England, it's pretty
much the opposite.

Really, really unhelpful, Simon.

Actually it was helpful.

Quoted message said:

As an answer to a very simple question, though, it was rubbish.

Quite wrong. The OP failed to indicate which part of the UK they are
in. That has quite a bearing on the answer to the question.

Scotland is 1/3 of the land mass of the UK, so it is not a trivial
point either.

Do you have bridle paths in Scotland then? Not meant to be flippant - one of
the difficulties I've encountered in Scotland when route planning is that
the rights of way status of a path/track is very rarely (ever?) marked. I
was under the impression that the distinction between a footpath and a
bridle path was one that was only significant in the other 2/3's of the
island.

in message <[email hidden]>, Budstaff

(') said:

"David Hansen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Sun, 4 Jun 2006 18:00:29 +0100 someone who may be Tom Anderson
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

> Where are you? If in Scotland, it's legal to cycle pretty much
> everywhere, whether there's a path there or not. In England, it's
> pretty much the opposite.

Really, really unhelpful, Simon.

Actually it was helpful.

Quoted message said:

As an answer to a very simple question, though, it was rubbish.

Quite wrong. The OP failed to indicate which part of the UK they are
in. That has quite a bearing on the answer to the question.

Scotland is 1/3 of the land mass of the UK, so it is not a trivial
point either.

Do you have bridle paths in Scotland then? Not meant to be flippant -
one of the difficulties I've encountered in Scotland when route
planning is that the rights of way status of a path/track is very
rarely (ever?) marked. I was under the impression that the distinction
between a footpath and a bridle path was one that was only significant
in the other 2/3's of the island.

There are things known as 'bridle paths' in Scotland. I don't think they
any longer have any particular legal significance. However, under the
access code, on pathways marked for horses, cyclists are expected to
give way to horses, just as on pathways marked for cyclists equestrians
are expected to give way for cyclists.

The law allowing all non-motorised land users to go nearly anywhere does
give rise to conflicts - I've encountered a couple of horse riders
coming the wrong way up one of the singletrack downhills on the
Dalbeattie Red route, which was a bit scary for everyone concerned - but
that's the price we pay for being able to go virtually anywhere and as
far as I'm concerned it's a price worth paying. And, as in most things
in life, a little mutual consideration goes a long way.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth
;; knowledge increaseth sorrow.." - Ecclesiastes 1:18

Simon Brooke said the following on 05/06/2006 08:12:

Quoted message said:

And, as in most things
in life, a little mutual consideration goes a long way.

That's the bit that is sadly lacking these days.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

On Sun, 04 Jun 2006 20:03:22 +0100 someone who may be Tony Raven
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Scotland is 1/3 of the land mass of the UK, so it is not a trivial
point either.

But only 8% of the population so a guess of England or Wales had fairly
good odds of being right.

Though of course if someone rides a bike in that 1/3 of the land
mass they should be aware that English law does not apply.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Paul Boyd said:

As I'm thinking about getting back into off-road riding, I thought I'd
have a look to see where bridle paths are around here. I am right in
thinking that cyclists are allowed to use bridle paths, aren't I?

Yes, but I don't think anyone is required to maintain them so they are
fit for normal cycles to use. E.g. a bridleway may legally cross a
river by means of a deep ford with stepping stones, or be a muddy
slough that only a horse or a heavy-booted hiker could reasonably
negotiate.

Quoted message said:

Anything I need to be aware of that might not be obvious, like can there
be local byelaws prohibiting access?

- not permanently, but local authorities can make temporary closures if
they consider a path dangerous.

In theory there should be signposts where birdleways leave roads, but
they may not be there. There will often be no signs, etc, along them
except in some popular walking areas. I suggest always using a 1:25k
map as some less-used bridleways can be very hard to find. I'm sure I'm
not the only one here who has found a 4m wide hedge which turned out to
be a bridleway between two hedges - they had grown until they met
because so few people ever passed along between them.

Jon