South Somerset Bridleways Association
Promoting safer routes for riders
We have had a report of a yard disturbed and equipment taken in the South Somerset area. We would like to remind our members to be extra vigilant with security through the long, dark nights.
Look at the link below for ideas to keep your yard safe from intruders.
Do you ride in the Castle Cary/Bruton/Pitcombe/ area?
There is a bridleway near Wyke Champflower, running through the lowest part of a big hill near Pitcombe. We’d like to hear from you if you ride this route or if you’d like to ride this route but find it difficult for any reason.
If you have any comments, please contact Ginnie Jones gjones@mbba.org.uk who is kindly leading on this. Thanks, Ginnie!
Following on from the post on 9th August, the routes at Babcary are already being ridden and proving popular. Below is a photo of the newly cleared and resurfaced Lydford Lane bridleway, complete with the new bollards. Compare this with the earlier photos showing the damage done by 4 x 4s over the past years!
Our sincere thanks to Ginnie Jones at Mendip Bridleways and Byways Association for all her time and effort in achieving this super result and for the reminder that we should take care of the routes we have as well as legally reinstating the under recorded ones!
Photos courtesy of Ginnie Jones.
The CD Parish RoW Volunteers usually meet on the second Sunday of every month. On the 8th August they met for the first time since March and did a fantastic job of cutting back scrub and brambles to clear Bridleway L7/17, Emblett Lane. Thank you very much from SSBA.
Good news! The order has been confirmed for River Drove in Somerton to be recorded as a bridleway. This is over 1.6 kilometres of definitive bridleway added to the map. Please see the notification below for details.
Somerton-River-Drove-confirmed-orderSSBA has recently submitted a response to Defra on its Environmental Land Management (ELM) Policy Discussion document. The new ELM scheme is due to replace the current schemes that provide financial incentives for farmers and landowners to look after and improve the natural environment.
Under the new ELM scheme, taxpayers’ money will be used to pay for ‘public goods’ such as better habitats and water quality. SSBA have emphasised these should include public access, particularly plenty of new networks of bridleways and byways. You can read our response in full below.
SSBA-response-to-ELM-consultation-July-20205054A huge thank you to Somerset Council and our friend at Mendip Bridleways and Byways Association for organising the surface improvements of Westover lane (light green line on the map below) and Lydford Lane (dark green line). They are now looking great and accessible again for riders, cyclists and walkers. Bollards are due to be installed on the bridleway section of Lydford lane in Babcary to prevent new damage by 4×4 vehicles. Until the work can be done, part of the path will be blocked to protect the condition of the route. A suitable gap will be left to allow access for legal Rights of Way users.
As spring arrives, hopefully with some better weather, you might be starting to plan your riding schedule for the year. Have a look at the list of fun rides under ‘dates for your diary‘.
Remember, when the need arises, SSBA can help put together a clearance party to get rid of brambles etc on bridleways.
Our committe members have planned DofE ridden expedition routes in Somerset, Devon and Dorset and done 2-4 day rides in the south west such as the Coleridge Way and Wessex Ridgeway. Contact us if you would like help to plan your horsey holiday.
Happy riding and driving!
Somerset County Council’s Regulation Committee turned down the SSBA’s applications for the Broadway routes on 6th February.
We would like to meet with those riders and carriage drivers that are disappointed in this decision to explain the legal process and why it is so important to save these routes.
The SSBA will appeal the decision. There is still hope that our rights to these routes may not be lost if enough riders and carriage drivers engage with the process.
Please join us on Tuesday and help us save these routes.