Please check out our ‘Dates for your Diary’ page for this year’s fun ride locations and dates.
Author: Hilary Habberfield
Horse Riders Enjoy New Priority Status
The Highway Code has changed from 29th January 2022.
When driving, you should now pass horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles at speeds under 10 mph and allow at least 2 metres of space. Check the changes, let’s keep each other safe.
Please remember to wear hi-vis clothing and report any bad driving to the BHS website.
Find out more about the changes https://www.gov.uk/…/the-highway-code-8-changes-you…
Volunteers Needed Compton Dundon [Edit] Postponed Until 6th March 2022
Would you like to help improve a new bridleway by helping to plant trees (small whips) in the Parish Council Allotment land between Peak Lane and Somerton Road. This will continue the new hedgeline which will delineate the boundary of the new permissive bridleway.
The new green lane runs from the B3151 opposite L7/12 (Restricted Byway Touch Lane) through an existing vehicular access around the fields to Peak Lane by the southern end of Public Footpath L7/11.
Pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders will be able to cross the B3151 where there are clear sight lines and no longer need to travel along the road to/from the Peak Lane junction.
For further details or to register your attendance please email info@southsomersetbridlewaysassociation.co.uk
What defines a good path for you?
Natural England has commissioned the Oxfordshire County Council, Systeme D and the University of Oxford to undertake a project to understand the most important qualities that define a good path (e.g. footpaths, bridleways, byways) for different types of uses. As part of this project, they are conducting a survey to collect feedback from user groups across England to identify the top quality metrics for different use types. The results will be openly available and published on greenspacehack.com/.
The survey comprises of 7 questions and should take less than 10 minutes to complete:
AGM 2021
We will be holding our Annual General Meeting on the evening of Tuesday 9th November 2021 via Zoom.
Please email info@southsomersetbridlewaysassociation.co.uk for the agenda and meeting details if you wish to join.
A358 Dualling Project
Our chair has been working closely with Highways England. There will be several events where you can see what the current plans for equestrians will be and have you say.
Themed webinars
We’re hosting some themed webinars on Microsoft Teams with out project team, focusing on different topics and specialist areas. At these, one-hour-long, events our team will give a short presentation and then take questions from attendees. You can submit your questions using the chat function (which can be used anonymously).
| Webinar theme | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Walking, cycling and horse-riding, including disabled users | Monday 1 November | 3pm |
Face-to-face consultation event: Monks Yard, Ilminster
From 23 Oct 2021 at 11:00 to 23 Oct 2021 at 18:00
Face-to-face consultation event: Holiday Inn, Taunton
From 3 Nov 2021 at 11:00 to 3 Nov 2021 at 18:00
See https://highwaysengland.citizenspace.com/he/a358-taunton-to-southfields-2021consultation/ for more information.
Your access routes need you!
Take a look at this informative leaflet. Remember you can report issues on routes in Somerset here
https://www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/report-a-problem-with-a-public-right-of-way/
HOW-YOU-CAN-HELP-IMPROVE-RIDER-ACCESSIssues on route in Charlton Musgrove
https://roam.somerset.gov.uk/roam/Map
The bridleway near Barrow running from Stavordale Farm to New Park Farm (WN 8/15 and WN 8/16/1) has recently been fenced with barbed wire making it potentially dangerous for horses and their riders.
We would like to hear from you if rode this route before the fence went up, if you still ride it and have experienced any issues since.
Thank you.
New permissive Bridleway in Compton Dundon
The new permissive route is now ready to ride.
Huge thanks to volunteers from Compton Dundon and Reimagining The Levels who planted native trees and hegdrows along the route.
Take care crossing the busy B3151, we advise wearing high-viz.
Permissive-Bridleway-Plan
Volunteer! Tree planting to mark a new bridleway in Compton Dundon
Volunteer! Tree planting to mark a new bridleway in Compton Dundon
Would you like to join the Compton Dundon Volunteers on Tuesday 23rd March from 10.00 to plant trees (small whips) in the Parish Council Allotment land between Peak Lane and Somerton Road?
The new hedgeline will delineate the boundary of a new permissive bridleway (see route below).
The new green lane would run from the B3151 opposite L7/12 (Restricted Byway Touch Lane) through an existing vehicular access around the fields to Peak Lane by the southern end of Public Footpath L7/11. Pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders will be able to cross the B3151 where there are clear sight lines and no longer need to travel along the road to/from the Peak Lane junction.
Please email info@southsomersetbridlewaysassociation.co.uk by Sunday 21st March if you would like to join us to help the fantastic Compton Dundon Volunteers with this very worthwhile project. We will send you the Covid compliant joining instructions and details of where to meet. Thank you.
Permissive-Bridleway-Plan