What is a bridleway?

[Mossy]

I am sure Moss thought I had gone mad today. we went exploring along a marked bridleway, up hill and down dale through the woods across scree and mud, turning was not an option until we got to a STEEP bit going down! Moss, a Highland mark you, stopped turned his head, looked at me and gave me to understand that he could get down there and he was sure I could but he could not look after me on his back at the same time! This was on a marked bridleway. I hopped off - into a bush - walked down, encouraged him, and one Highland did a beautiful four hoof skid down a short slope not far off 45 degrees. Somebody needs to do some maintenance methinks.

[FRED]

Hello Mossy,well in Staffs I think that bridelway are for keeping county council legal department busy if anything else,I doubt they have a section about maintenance in their legal books! so this side gets neglected,mostly.
There was a case,a few years ago where I kid not,hundreds of thousands of £ ratepayers money,was spent in one court action over width of 100 yrd stretch of bridelway.The case made it to European court,and ended up being resolved by comon sense before costs spriralled into million£ bracket.
Yet like your bridelway,there are hills that give riders access to Cannock Chase that cry out for attention from the ravages of erossion from our weather,not to mention ragwort problem.Thankfully after BHS said they would name and shame County Council who did nothing about ragwort,a little action was taken,but you can see that because of no maintenance its back with a vengence!.
Yet they would spend a fortune on how wide a particular bridelway was and loose the case!because it should have been 3ft wide and not 6ft like they claimed in court.It was only thanks to new MP David Kidney that they wasted no more £ on this case,
maybe he can influence a campaign to improve bridelways.

Don't hold your breath though..

[LindaAd]

Well, I'd rather have it steep and muddy, Mossy ... the county council in their wisdom seem to be turning my favourite bridleway into a cycle track, with no consultation as far as I can see. Last time they resurfaced it, it was with big sharp stones that cut a horse's feet; when I rang up to complain, they said it was for the motorbikes.... I dread to think what they're doing to it now.

So just enjoy your mudslides while you've got them!