Footpaths, farms and land access issues.

[TheFungle]

Having grown up in Scotland I was fortunate that when out mountain biking I could go pretty much wherever I wanted, generally speaking there were no restrictions. The Land Reform Act in 2003 further enabled this meaning almost nowhere was out of bounds.

Now living in England and having just bought myself a Gravel® bike I'm looking to explore the local bridleways and wherever else I can get to.

The below OS screenshot shows a fantastic track which inter-connects various farms and also has a marked footpath on it; paid it a little visit today and there were no 'private' signs or similar to the entrance, rode about 250m when a chap in a Range Rover rolled his window down to tell me, in a friendly way that it was a footpath and that some of the farmers might 'kick off'. Reluctantly I about turned as I'm not really one to push my luck on things like this.

Is this just the nature of the beast in England?

I'd never ride on a 'traditional' footpath as on a bike they generally aren't enjoyable but there also numerous local examples of 'footpaths' that could easily be a firetrack!

[Dave.]

A footpath, with a Range Rover on it?

If you're sensible & don't go all Rambo if you're ask to geroff moi laaaand you'll be fine.

I have similar issues with bridleways/footpaths through farms & fields being gated off (one with two angry dogs at the other side) & fences/hedges blocking the paths.

Yet some where you think you're walking through peoples gardens, are some of the friendliest.

[TheFungle]

Dave. said:

A footpath, with a Range Rover on it?

Yeah, if you look at the bottom left of the picture where it says 169 and the path going off to the left, it's an access track that happens to have a footpath on it.

This Streetview shows the entrance.

[Dave.]

Yeah, I'd say you're fine.

Stick to the paths/tracks, give way to tractors & use common sense, etc, I can't see anyone having issues.

So long as you don't have a horn & go around frightening sheep, or bomb around in a big group etc.


(I really need to get my ass back out on my bike!)

[TheFungle]

Dave. said:

Yeah, I'd say you're fine.

Stick to the paths/tracks, give way to tractors & use common sense, etc, I can't see anyone having issues.

So long as you don't have a horn & go around frightening sheep, or bomb around in a big group etc.


(I really need to get my ass back out on my bike!)

You would think so but I'm struggling to understand where it becomes trespassing as opposed to 'you're not really meant to be here'.

[Tall_Paul]

If you get someone having a moan, get off your bike and start walking.

Perfectly legal to walk with a bike along a footpath.

It's a right of way so you're allowed to be there, and it's obviously a track that's used by cars, plead ignorance if anyone complains and walk for a bit

[i4got]

Tall_Paul said:

If you get someone having a moan, get off your bike and start walking.

Perfectly legal to walk with a bike along a footpath.

It's a right of way so you're allowed to be there, and it's obviously a track that's used by cars, plead ignorance if anyone complains and walk for a bit

I think you're looking at the wide path which is wide enough for cars. Unless I'm mistaken the O/P is talking about the gate to the left of the path into a much narrower footpath that runs alongside the wide path. (I may be wrong)

It seems to be a permissive footpath rather than bridleway so no bikes or horses and that seems reasonable given what I can see of the gated entrance.

O/P if you look for either green or red longer dashes on the map rather than short dashes then these are bridleways and are ok to cycle.

[dudleybloke]

Pedal faster and it won't matter.

[Toltec]

I've very occasionally had a negative comment from a walker when riding on footpaths, but most of the time people are fine, I tend to stop to give way and be patient about passing people when necessary though.

I have a longer travel full suspension bike so I end up riding tracks it would be difficult to walk down sometimes

Just enjoy your self and remember everyone else has a right to as well and you'll be fine imho.

[Mr Ted]

Cycling on a footpath used to be considered an act of trespass against the land owner, however a ruling by the House of Lords in 1999 found that :-

"There is no logical basis for believing that the right of access to a footpath should be limited to access on foot. Rather the issue is whether use is reasonable."

Cycling can be considered a reasonable use, stopping and having a picnic might be considered unreasonable!

Also from Cycling UK:-

Cycling along footpaths has not been held to be a public nuisance. If cycling was a private nuisance to the owner it would be a trespass even with a right of way. So if cycling along, say, a bridleway is not a private nuisance then cycling along a footpath cannot be. The clear implication is that a cyclist on a public footpath has lawful authority to be there and is not a trespasser.

I would quote the House of Lords ruling if challenged, in a nice way of course!

[TheFungle]

i4got said:

Tall_Paul said:

If you get someone having a moan, get off your bike and start walking.

Perfectly legal to walk with a bike along a footpath.

It's a right of way so you're allowed to be there, and it's obviously a track that's used by cars, plead ignorance if anyone complains and walk for a bit

I think you're looking at the wide path which is wide enough for cars. Unless I'm mistaken the O/P is talking about the gate to the left of the path into a much narrower footpath that runs alongside the wide path. (I may be wrong)

It seems to be a permissive footpath rather than bridleway so no bikes or horses and that seems reasonable given what I can see of the gated entrance.

O/P if you look for either green or red longer dashes on the map rather than short dashes then these are bridleways and are ok to cycle.

The entire track is designated as a footpath.