# Am I allowed to ride on a public footpath???



## merlinsquest (10 July 2007)

I dont mean the ones next to the road, but nice country walks round fields etc that are marked 'public footpath' but not bridlepath????

If not what can happen to me..... I have crappy lanes full of stones to ride round but have discovered a lovely ride, just dont want to get prosecuted for going there!!!


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## rara007 (10 July 2007)

I dont think its allowed, is it clear for you to ride 9 (ie not styles)

Haz


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## rema (10 July 2007)

I guess you could get done for tresspassing.Have you tried asking the landowner if they would let you use his fields if you abide by the country rules.


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## merlinsquest (10 July 2007)

There are no stiles or gates or anything and the track is a tractors width with good level tracks, its lovely for a change to the lanes.

To be honest when i was little i rode there and got found by the farmer who scared the pants off me!!!!  Its still the same farmer too!!!  so dont think i will be going to ask.

Not sure if he owns the land or just farms it as he rents land from my yard owner too.


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## flyingfeet (10 July 2007)

Nope you'd be trespassing

Suggest asking the landowner and if they say yes, buy them a bottle of wine!


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## __Annie__ (10 July 2007)

I  *think*  it is illegal to ride on a public footpath unless you have the permission of the landowner. I guess the BHS could clarify the position.


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## merlinsquest (10 July 2007)

Oh Bu***r!!!

Oh well back to riding on the mod land with no permit then&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; shhhhhhhhhh

Either way i am in the wrong :-(


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## WFL (10 July 2007)

No is the short answer.

Footpaths are for pedestrians only.

Bridleways are for horses and cyclists.


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## merlinsquest (10 July 2007)

But everyone walks their dogs on it and its hugely wide and lovely and wasted on stupid people.... sulk sulk.

What is the worst that can happen to me if caught???  could i just give a false name and address???


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## Mungali (10 July 2007)

Unfortunately no......however inviting they are and they generally tend to be very inviting, as often nice, level and as wide sometimes as a bridleway. But they are as the name suggests for the general "walking" public.

Who are usually the ones who also invade the bridleways and even on these get priority. 

That said I have "walked" my horse and claimed ignorance once or twice as the footpaths through our local woods tend to have less walkers than the bridlepaths !!!!


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## emma69 (10 July 2007)

Not a good idea - the horsey world is a very small place, and if so inclined they would track you down. Not to mention that you would give the rest of the horse community a bad name - and some people may already have permission from the farmer to ride there, so you may be causing them to lose out.  I echo the other suggestions of popping over with a bottle of wine and asking permission to ride on the land.


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## merlinsquest (10 July 2007)

I think i am getting the jist of the fact that the land belongs to someone and that there just so happens to be a footpath running through it, therefore trespass.   It takes a while for things to sink in..... there was a pronounced lack of hoofprints and poo, so i dont think that the farmer is any more ameanable than when i was 12!!!!

Silly merlin had a poo though, hope they dont dna it and trace it back to me&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;


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## Maesfen (10 July 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Oh Bu***r!!!

Oh well back to riding on the mod land with no permit then&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; shhhhhhhhhh

Either way i am in the wrong :-( 

[/ QUOTE ]

That seems a bit selfish to me, don't know what others think!

Why not buy a permit for the MOD land then you can be smug - and have somewhere good to ride on; wish we had that option around here!


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## Gorgeous George (10 July 2007)

Don't ride on the footpath, you are trespassing and as irritating as it must be it is for walkers (and dogs) only. Echo the above, bite the bullet and go and ask the farmer, what is the worst he could do? You never know he might say yes! It's not a good idea to give horse riding a bad name, but of course we still wonder why there aren't more bridlepaths.


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## Fantasy_World (10 July 2007)

TBH I would just ask as they can only say no can't they?
It's no point beating yourself up over it just go and ask them and see what they say. You may get a surprise. Why don't you offer to do some work for them in return to them letting you ride on the path ( if they own the right of way of course).
Litter picking or helping to clear hedges or something like that.
Farmers need all the help they can get, even the grumpy ones lol so just go and ask him lol.
Good luck 
	
	
		
		
	


	




Cazx


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## merlinsquest (10 July 2007)

In response to the permit query...... I refuse to buy a permit as horse riders are the only people required to buy one..... cyclists, dog walkers, ramblers, runners etc are all allowed off scot free!!!!  That is what i call not fair.....

Also they have spent the last year ruining the common... they have put in cattle grids every few hundred yards and one horse i have been told nearly severed his leg on the wire that was left on the ground.  The horse gates they put in are practically impossible to get through on the horse as they spring shut when you are halfway through.

So that is why i dont get a permit


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## Maesfen (10 July 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
In response to the permit query...... I refuse to buy a permit as horse riders are the only people required to buy one..... cyclists, dog walkers, ramblers, runners etc are all allowed off scot free!!!!  That is what i call not fair.....

 The horse gates they put in are practically impossible to get through on the horse as they spring shut when you are halfway through.

So that is why i dont get a permit 
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps that is because horses do cause more maintenance problems and costs than walkers etc, I don't know.

As to the gates, get in touch with your local Rights of Way officer (at the council) and ask them to have the gates slackened off so that the rider has to shut it themselves rather than it swinging shut on you; that's what we did locally.  Until we had told them of the problem they had had no idea how hard the gates were to use from a horse, in fact we always had to get off to get through them at all which is not the point of them! !


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## Mudsplasher (10 July 2007)

Hi M. If it's the path I think it is ... keep clear of the farmer... He's just as bad as he always was ! Lets just say that age has not mellowed him and thats why there are no hoof prints....


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## merlinsquest (10 July 2007)

Dont think horses do more damage... mine certainly doesnt.. as stick to the purpose made roads (for the troops as its army training area).  The mountain bikes, joggers and dog walkers go throughout the water catchment area and let their dogs swim in the resorvoir (sp) which is strictly forbidden.  And the bikers also race through the trees and break the saplings.

Dont know if its true but was told once that its because we are training our horses for profit (sale or competition)!!!

Trouble with the MOD is that they dont really want anyone over there so would not change the gates... oh and forgot to mention that the gates are right next to the cattle grid with just a 2' fence between you and the grid!!! so one false move and your in it!!

Best thing is that the bikers can of course ride straight over the grids, so the permit payers are the only ones that have to struggle with the gates.


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## merlinsquest (10 July 2007)

Wotcha... kicked the hubby off for five mins!!!

Its the one down old park lane, just up from the castle... DR are the initials of the farmer if you remember his name???

Good job he didnt see me as may well have shot me with his gun!!!  His lads cut and stack my hay though.... so best not mention the pile of poo we left behind!!!


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## Mudsplasher (10 July 2007)

I'm off to tell my husband not to pee in the water catchment  anymore  
	
	
		
		
	


	




!!! Only kidding ,but he does mountain bike up there and often comments on how hard it must be to get a horse over there . The MOD don't want anything other than their cows up there anymore .


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## the watcher (10 July 2007)

merlinsquest. I doesn't matter whether you agree with the principles of the MOD, the fact is you need a permit to ride there. Are you above the rules? Are you somehow more important than the people who have done the right thing and bought a permit?

The simple fact is there are rules, and we all have to abide by them. If other people choose to disregard the rules it doesn't make it ok for you to do the same.


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## Mudsplasher (10 July 2007)

Yes its the same farmer .. Nice chap . Not !!


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## custard (10 July 2007)

No you're not supposed to use public footpaths but there's nothing to stop you asking the farmer and what's the worst thing he can say.  Just buy the bloke a few beers


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## SpruceRI (10 July 2007)

I believe if you have the permission of the land owner you CAN ride on footpaths.


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## merlinsquest (10 July 2007)

Custards mum.... you have never met this farmer.... he is sooooooo scary!!!

and the watcher.... no i am not above the permit payers... just a bit richer each year and having to look round every corner for the warden!!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




  also have been riding there for 30 years (only stopped twice and had a nice chat with the warden who agreed that its a silly rule) and have still to get a permit!!  So £3k saving so far.  No its not ideal and i agree its wrong but why make it so difficult for the only people that have to pay???


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## Hedgewitch13 (11 July 2007)

Just a minor point - you were quick enough to report someone doing something illegal on ebay in your other post but you are happy to illegally ride on land that needs a permit without one or try and ride on footpaths without permission! Double standards methinks


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## TrecPeter (11 July 2007)

We don't have that problem in France - we go on footpaths &amp; tracks all the time, and will go around the edge of a field if needs be. There is a better tolerance of outside activities here, and people are normally delighted to see someone on a horse.


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## DollyPentreath (11 July 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
I believe if you have the permission of the land owner you CAN ride on footpaths.

[/ QUOTE ] 

Can anyone clarify if this is actually true? I NEVER knew that!! There are loads of footpaths near to me that I always assumed I just wasn't allowed to ride on, point blank. And I'd be able to hack to a school in winter that I usually have to box to because of the main road..

Sorry to hi-jack the thread a teeny bit..


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## Weezy (11 July 2007)

According to my YO you are absolutely NOT permitted to ride on footpaths - the land owner can be reported and fined.  We used to ride on part of one of her footpaths (we are lucky enough to have a private farm to ride around) and then a dog walker reported the track as being cut up because of horse hooves and she was paid a visit.  If you have a footpath on your land you are legally obliged to ensure it is passable by WALKERS at all times, and that it is clear of any obstacles.

HOWEVER, if you can prove that a footpath has been used constantly for more than 10 years by horses then you can apply for a change of use.  There is one footpath we ride on which takes us off a series of bad bends going into a village, and as this route has been used for 18+ (we have written proof) then we can continue to use it.  However, it is not a track that will be cut up, you can only walk, and we do not abuse it.


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## DollyPentreath (11 July 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
According to my YO you are absolutely NOT permitted to ride on footpaths - the land owner can be reported and fined. We used to ride on part of one of her footpaths (we are lucky enough to have a private farm to ride around) and then a dog walker reported the track as being cut up because of horse hooves and she was paid a visit. If you have a footpath on your land you are legally obliged to ensure it is passable by WALKERS at all times, and that it is clear of any obstacles.

[/ QUOTE ] 

Thank you Weezy. 
	
	
		
		
	


	





And fiddle sticks.. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 I don't think our paths have ever been used by horses. But I will research any possibility! Perhaps old maps may be a good place to start? I will try Edina..


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## Weezy (11 July 2007)

Yes absolutely look at old maps - there may be bridlepaths around that you are not aware of because they are not signed


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## TGM (11 July 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
According to my YO you are absolutely NOT permitted to ride on footpaths - the land owner can be reported and fined.  We used to ride on part of one of her footpaths (we are lucky enough to have a private farm to ride around) and then a dog walker reported the track as being cut up because of horse hooves and she was paid a visit.  If you have a footpath on your land you are legally obliged to ensure it is passable by WALKERS at all times, and that it is clear of any obstacles.


[/ QUOTE ] Hmmmm ... not heard this before.  Are you sure that is not actually the case that the damage is the problem, rather than the fact that horses are using it?  If horse-riders can use a footpath without damaging the surface (ie avoiding using it in wet weather etc) and have the permission of the landowner than I thought it was OK?  (And I do it often 
	
	
		
		
	


	




)

There is a footpath near us that is tarmaced for much of its length and is used for vehicular access for the houses down there.  Surely motor vehicles wouldn't be allowed down there (with permission of landowner) if your premise is correct.  However, if the track wasn't surfaced and they were driving down it to their houses then I'm sure the council could fine them for churning up the surface.

I'm sure Peter Natt could clarify this one for us!


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## the watcher (11 July 2007)

The best source of information is your county BHS Access officer, they might even have a set of maps for the county


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## DollyPentreath (11 July 2007)

Thank you! *Toddles off to BHS website*


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## Weezy (11 July 2007)

[ QUOTE ]

 Are you sure that is not actually the case that the damage is the problem, rather than the fact that horses are using it?  If horse-riders can use a footpath without damaging the surface (ie avoiding using it in wet weather etc) and have the permission of the landowner than I thought it was OK?   

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, sorry TGM, I think you are right there.  Our tracks are all dirt tracks, therein lies the problem!  However, we have been requested to not use them at ALL (this came from the Footpath person and YO) as even hoofmarks can lead to a complaint - maybe we just have really rigid rules!  However it is 100% illegal to ride on footpaths according to our Council (in the rule book!).


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## TGM (11 July 2007)

Just found this on the Solihull Country Access FAQ:

_Q: What can a landowner do on rights of way?
A: Property Rights: A right of way allows the public to pass over private land only along a fixed route, and the *owner can also use this land for activities such as work or recreation. A typical example is when a footpath follows a private access road which is also used by a farmer for farm vehicles and by his children and their friends (with permission) for horse-riding.*

Q: What can't I do?
A: Unauthorised Driving or Riding: You should not drive a motor vehicle on a footpath or bridleway, or ride a horse or cycle on a footpath, *unless you have the express permission of the landowner*. You should not drive off a right of way onto private or common land without the landowner's permission. It is not true that you may park anywhere within 15 yards of a road for action might be taken against you for trespass. Reckless or dangerous driving on any right of way, having regard to the nature, condition and use of it, is also an offence._

It is clear from this that you can ride on a public footpath IF you have permission from the landowner.  However, if by doing so the path surface is damaged and made unsuitable for walkers, then the landowner can be prosecuted.


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## merlinsquest (11 July 2007)

Thanks Hedgewitch, I can see your point  
	
	
		
		
	


	




....  BUT although i started the thread about selling danilon on ebay it was a query because i was not absolutely sure that it was illegal. I did email the seller to warn her it might be (very helpful if she had then delisted it and avoided being reported or prosecuted) but she chose to ignore the advice/suggestion that she may be wrong for listing it. The reporting of the sale came from another forum member, who is in full knowledge of the facts as to whether or not you can sell Prescription Only Medicine on ebay. So not really double standards as i didnt report her, more like equal risk as we both bend/break the rules to suit ourselves. 
	
	
		
		
	


	





However I am not selling potentially dangerous drugs that could get into the hands of some numpty that doesnt know dosage etc and could poison their horse. The worst i can do is leave hoofprints and a pile of poo to go with the tonnes of cow poo that they are willing to accept anyway.


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## emma69 (11 July 2007)

I've been on training excersises on MOD land which does not have rights of way across it, or permits issued to horse riders etc. You can imagine my surprise then, when I rounded a corner to find a couple of horses doing XC jumps over some 'jumps' which were actually camoflage used in our exercises. The horses were more shocked than the troops, and I actually had to take hold of one of the horses before the rider landed on her bum. I can imagine the MOD being liable, even those these individuals were technically trespassing on the land/ Maybe the reason it is for permit holders is that way the MOD can contact them about any exercises that may cause distress to the horses? On this particular training area we were permitted to use very small explosives - can you imagine the results if it were this, rather than us coming round the corner that unearthed the horses?


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## SpruceRI (11 July 2007)

Glad that is the case - re riding on footpaths.

Another reason I asked was that a few years ago a Toll Ride was opened through someones woods and part of it went along a footpath.  I often received abuse from dog walkers who said I wasn't allowed on the footpath with my horse, but I pointed out that this land also belonged to a farmer who was receiving payment for allowing riders to ride through his wood, and just because he was unfortunate enough to have a public footpath running through it, didn't mean he couldn't use if for the purpose of a Toll Ride.  In the end, the council put up a sign stating the legal position - no more hassle!

That was over 10yrs ago now, so I didn't know if things had changed?


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## PeterNatt (12 July 2007)

A public footpath may only be used by walkers.  It may not be used by cyclists, horseriders or horse drawn vehicles.

However, if you have the permission of the land owner then you can use it, however it is the responsibility of the land owner to ensure that it can still be used by walkers.

If you want more bridleways in your area then why not contact your local BHS bridleway officer or even better join the local BHS County Committee and put some input in to developing a local network of bridleways.


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## Hedgewitch13 (12 July 2007)

True  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 I hope you weren't offended by my comment - it just seemed a bit double standards but yes you are quite right about the drug issue!


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