Ramblers Cymru/Ramblers Association began a project last year to identify and register old paths to get them back onto definitive maps before 2026 when they'll be lost forever.

As most of us here inspect historical maps, you'll know of dozens such paths to and around the quarries and mines we visit. So the Ramblers Association are doing us a big favour.
They've had such a good response from people helping, 49,000 miles identified, it's going to take a lot of 'person' hours to register them all.

There are many great deserving causes around our little underground world, but this one must rate high on the lists needing support... As someone who love's to roam and explore, for me its a no brainer.:thumbsup:

https://ramblers.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4bb677c518fc1dedbd8910ccd&id=79b707e7b1&e=cd6860a900 

That is a good link. It is a shame you can't drill into it to see what footpaths they have got on their list already as I know at least two in my parish that need to be done.

My only reservation with the Ramblers is that I don't trust them to promote a right of way to its maximum usage, i.e. if it once saw horse traffic, get it reinstated as a bridleway. I suspect they will go for just footpaths... We shall see.

Chris.

In the absence of any other charity organisation having a go maintaining access for all, I think they're doing a great job of it. It's a simple case of identifying historical public footpaths on the early OS maps and reinstating them. A presently shown public path with an obstruction is another matter.

Focused on the task, I was amazed how many unmarked, still official footpaths there are everywhere. eg. We all know of routes where on the latest maps the red/green dotted footpath line just stop at nothing. Cross checking the early surveys, you could see the paths carried on to useful destination. The history of how they became lost in the first place would be interesting to know.

Perhaps they look at bridleways similarly. I'll ask. I've not heard of any shouting by any equine or mountain biking groups having a go. And as for the 4x4 crowds, you wouldn't expect Ramblers to worry too much about them.:lol:

Perhaps they look at bridleways similarly. I'll ask. I've not heard of any shouting by any equine or mountain biking groups having a go. And as for the 4x4 crowds, you wouldn't expect Ramblers to worry too much about them.:lol:

If the red sock, bobble hatted, plastic mapcase carrying a*******s have owt to do with it every damm mile will become a footpath regardless, this is a mop up excersise in the aftermath of the NERK bill back in the early 2020's when over 10,000 or so miles of permissive vehicular rights of way were downgraded - the likes of TRF fought locally where they could as did other off road organiseations.

Humpf - offa the hose, must be a change in the weather making me grumpy!

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If the red sock, bobble hatted, plastic mapcase carrying a*******s....

Rather one of those than a camo-wearing, Discovery-driving **********. ::)

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Perhaps they look at bridleways similarly. I'll ask. I've not heard of any shouting by any equine or mountain biking groups having a go.

The British Horse Society are aware of the deadline and have been actively working on confirming the status of bridleways for several years .

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If the red sock, bobble hatted, plastic mapcase carrying a*******s....

Rather one of those than a camo-wearing, Discovery-driving **********. ::)

Saddest aside, I’ll let others decide. :lol:

The history of how they became lost in the first place would be interesting to know.

That is fairly straightforward. Before 1949 (I think), there were no such things as legal rights of way. What you see on OS maps is evidence of usage only.

The situation was a bit of a mess, an Act of Parliament (England and Wales) was passed, the result of which was the creation of the Definitive Map. Some sort of registration exercise went on to ensure that the Definitive Map contained all the rights of way, but clearly some conspiring went on as well as quite a few were missed off.

'Debate' on these historic rights of way has rumbled on ever since, hence the legal 2026 deadline to give some certainty.

Chris.

The history of how they became lost in the first place would be interesting to know.

That is fairly straightforward. Before 1949 (I think), there were no such things as legal rights of way. What you see on OS maps is evidence of usage only.

The situation was a bit of a mess, an Act of Parliament (England and Wales) was passed, the result of which was the creation of the Definitive Map. Some sort of registration exercise went on to ensure that the Definitive Map contained all the rights of way, but clearly some conspiring went on as well as quite a few were missed off.

'Debate' on these historic rights of way has rumbled on ever since, hence the legal 2026 deadline to give some certainty.

Chris.

I was hoping someone would point out, that because an old map shows a footpath or track doesn't mean it was or is a right of way. Kind of similar to today where a OS map can show a track that is a private access but in 100 years time someone claims it was a public right of way.

I did see a route somewhere that on one side of the county boundary was a footpath and on the otherside it was a bridleway- North Pennines I think.

I wonder if all the public accessible land / common land etc was picked up correctly, or some sort of bribed to make sure some were 'missed off'

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I did see a route somewhere that on one side of the county boundary was a footpath and on the otherside it was a bridleway- North Pennines I think.

There's an example of that by Hubberdale Mine; Whitefield Lane is a bridleway in Flagg parish, but that stops when you cross into Taddington parish and it's only a footpath from there to the road.

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Yes, the classification changing at a parish boundary is pretty common. Also the termination of a RoW at a parish boundary is common too. Yet not all footpaths were ever through routes. They might have gone to a common field and no further for example.

You also get the situation when roads were being metalled that one parish metalled to the boundary and the next one didn't. There's a short cut to Cwmystwyth Mine from Llangurig which saves 12 miles from the journey. But the tarmac stops at Nant Diliw and you definitely need 4WD for the last bit.

Chris.