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Have just been asked this by another rider.
They have been recently informed by a landowner that it is 'illegal' to use bridleways at night. Never heard this one before but is there anything in it?
Landowner said they had been told this by Bedford Town Council, so unless they are just making stuff up only thing I can think of is some obscure local by-law?
The only time I have seen time restrictions on ROW near me they are either in places that have byelaws or are in permissive paths that are not ROWs.
A large number of landowners will say anything to keep you off of what you are legally allowed to be on. Crack on.
They're all open 24/7/365.
I had someone approach me on a quad bike once to tell me bridleways close 90 minutes after sunset. Cue a load of expletives and an invite to call the cops if he wanted to.
Basically a he's Pikey who wants to go lamping and you are disturbing him.
Happened to me once got accosted at the end of a brideway by guys in a 4x4 truck. Wasn't happy for me to take their numberplate!
Avoid the "problem" - ride the footpaths instead 😛
Oh and Bedford town council are to the row authority so it doesn't matter what they think.
Thats hilarious! I can't believe some of the crap some people come out with to stop us riding.
Cheers all. Much as I thought...
Landowner said they had been told this by Bedford Town Council, so unless they are just making stuff up only thing I can think of is some obscure local by-law?
😆
The town council are now advising on rural bridleways?
As said above, unless there's something obscure (we have RoWs shut for the IoW Festival and Bestival) then I think it's horsepoo. If it's not it should be signposted; for instance I could imagine it potentially being a case in areas where there's nesting birds at certain times of the year, or similar.
"No, mate, you can't park outside my house after sunset there's no right of way on the road after lighting up time."
It's obviously cobblers, including the bit about the town council, but it's possible the landowner has genuine concerns about poaching/stock theft and has to come out to investigate every time he sees a light on the land.
colournoise, whereabouts in the Borough was this?
Can think of 2 potentials, but be handy to know.
Thanks.
Lodge Farm, Riseley.
Group night ride? 😈
Sounds like you need to arrange multiple night rides along that bridleway from now on 😈
Speaking again to the person that asked me this, they were on a group night ride (12 of them) and were apparently 'herded' back to Riseley by the farmer's wife in her car...
Speaking again to the person that asked me this, they were on a group night ride (12 of them) and were apparently 'herded' back to Riseley by the farmer's wife in her car...
She must have committed some kind of offence in doing this. Next time I suggest one of the group offer to call the local police station to let them clarify the issue.
A bit more borderline this one, but I was still in the right.
A few years back I was walking my bike along a footpath at night (I truly was walking as I knew the footpath went near a big house that would likely house a chief NIMBY). At the point right next to the house the ROW goes through a very small field (50m x 50m at most). I had my helmet light on. There were a large number of sheep in the field.
At this point a very angry voice shouts out "You! What do you think you're doing".
Me - "Walking along a public right of way".
Him - "You shouldn't be here at this time".
Me - "There are no restrictions on this right of way I know of".
Him - "Those ewes are lambing, and you're endangering them".
At this point my inner 'nice guy' kicked in.
Me - "I'm sorry, I didn't know that".
He then told me to 'go away' and 'not come back' (real wording changed).
I complied.
What I really should have said is that he shouldn't put his ewes in a small restrictive field on a right of way if he didn't want anyone in there, but I shrank from the confrontation. Again, though, he was the one who had done 'wrong' by putting the ewes there in the first place.
I would have shown more consideration had I known, but he was not within his rights to tell me I couldn't be there.
As I don't live in huge mountains, half the fun is finding deer trails, cheeky lines etc and riding them, maybe bad but at night they are a hoot. Bridle-paths are just a means to an end
I suspect the landowner having issues with lamping/theft is likely to be the cause.
Had a few incidents over the years with a hastily arrived landrover and obviously bridling (see what I did there) occupant till he realised it was just some ridiculous middle aged fool on a pushbike shining lights all over the county.
There's a few Lodge Farms around Riseley?
Be good to know for def' which it is, but it sounds like it would be the owner of Sackville Lodge. Very rude, aggressive, grumpy old man!
During the preliminary stages of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act, there was a suggestion that access should be denied after sunset. This was successfully overturned - primarily because having more [i]legitimate[/i] land users around actually reduces rural crime.
This was successfully overturned - primarily because having more legitimate land users around actually reduces rural crime.
This is a point I have also made in the past to NIMBYs. There were a few instances of badgers being dug out for the purpose of badger-baiting near where I live. Having twonks like me ride around with mini-suns attached to my bike is likely to make this kind of thing more difficult for the thugs that do it.