...they even have their own professional body-the Institute of Public Rights of Way Management - http://www.iprow.co.uk/Originally Posted by Alf Tupper
The best bet is to contact your local highways authority (Staffs County Council?)..though from experience they may not be in a hurry to reply.
(My experience being a lack of reply from Calderdale not Staffs!!
we've got one here in Rossendale called the beast of Cribden, he's been in the paper regularly for verbally abusing anyone who crosses his land. A charity walk 'Round the Hills' goes through his farm yard, this year he was particularly bad, the organizers were talking about re-routing that stretch. I said I,d be dead against it 'cause thats letting him win and perhaps making him even worse.
The Police have paid my farmer friend a visit ,so I'm hoping he wont pester me again. When he chased me out of his fields he was driving an "off road vehicle" at the time.
Aye Pengy...geese 'n penguins aren't known to be the best o' buddies. Next time you're confronted by a gaggle try to calm the situation wi' a few gentle squawks...if that dunt work then lamp 'em 'n waddle away as quick as thi can!i often run into farmers..
i find the dogs etc are fine but the geese are the main problem hate the bloody things...
Local landowner decided to be sneaky on a path down from Holcombe Hill and rebuilt his wall on the actual path rather than on his land, leaving a gap of about 10 inches between his wall and the farmers field's barbed wire fencing. As soo as it was pointed out to the rights of way officer it was sorted, but he still hates people running down it.
www.vlaevents.co.uk Fancy something different?
Never had a problem with the farmers.
Now, the golfers are totaly different matter. They believe they own the land, and nobody shall be allowed to go near, even if you are on the footpath. Pitty the golf course (and public footpath) run between my house and the Pennines. Sure they'll get bored before I do!
Hope that's it sorted then. Just out of interest (as I live in Ayrshire), where about is this farm?
Had something similar at Whins Farm (Ennerdale) a few years ago whilst exploring the horseshoe via a different start. Clear right of way across farm on the map but lots of barbed wire and a VERY angry man - about twice my size - chasing us off. Rather took the gloss off an otherwise pleasant day.
Subsequent to talking to the Police, RA and the BMC there has apparently been a very long running (no pun intended) dispute with the farmer. What I wrote at the time:
"Whilst trying to find and follow the footpath shown on the 1:25000 running from the lake shore to the minor road by Whins farm. The path was not clear on the ground and initially blocked by a fence with some corrugated iron across it to prevent access. We negotiated this without causing any damage and followed the line of the path into a field by an old barn. Although the lane was 2m from the field edge it became apparent that there was no safe way of exiting the field - two barbed wire fences a few feet apart with barbed wire zigzagged between them - so we decided to retrace our steps. At this point a man appeared and became very abusive, shouting obscenities and demanding - in a very intimidating manner - to know what we were doing on his land. I tried to explain that there appeared to be a right of way crossing the field and we were trying to get to the lane beside the field.
He became very irate and shouted further obscenities. Fearing further confrontation we felt that further attempts at rational discussion would be futile so we apologised for disturbing him and asked him how we could most easily leave his property. He informed us that the footpath had not existed for years and he couldn't understand why all these people kept trespassing on his land. The man was extremely aggressive and the encounter very unpleasant. His suggestions of how we should have left his property were also anatomically impossible."
What I subsequently found out:
"On 13/1/04 a West Cumbrian sheep farmer has surrendered himself to police after more than three months on the run because a row over a footpath on his land. Thomas Ireland (48) of Whins Farm, Ennerdale, is now in custody at Durham jail, where he will spend two weeks for contempt of court. He went on the run to avoid imprisonment after repeatedly breaching an injunction preventing him from blocking footpath on his farm, which he maintains is not a right of way. A county court judge in Carlisle found him guilty of contempt of court in October after he failed to appear to answer any charges, and issued a committal order for 14 days. When the police raided his home they seized a number of firearms. They also revoked his gun license and charged him with possessing shotguns."
Not sure what the situation is now - and unlikely to check anytime soon - but I'd avoid the farm given previous experience.
Ben B in NZ
Last edited by Ben B; 24-10-2008 at 10:05 AM. Reason: The 2nd quote refers to events a couple of months before the 1st - clarified
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