Public footpaths

CrookedCucumber

Hi all

Sorry if this topic has already been done to death...

I don't normally cycle off-road, but I've lately been scouting out some off-road rides to do with my kids, who are too young for traffic but too old for the park

Recently I got catastrophically lost, and ended up cycling along what I now know is a public footpath (which I thought at the time was a bridleway). The path was well-made, and would probably have carried cars, let alone bicycles.

On the way I got a load of filthy looks from walkers -- clearly they aren't keen on cyclists, and of course have the law on their side. I didn't see any other cyclsts along the route, and I just assumed that cycling on footpaths was a no-no.

A while later I was _walking_ the same route with my kids. And guess what? I saw dozens of cyclists all riding along it. I was tempted to growl at them, as other walkers had growled at me but -- what the hell -- they weren't doing me any harm.

Anyhow, my question is this:

Is it relatively common for cyclists to use footpaths on their off-road routes? I would love to cycle on the Ivinghoe end of the Ridgeway, which is quite near where I live, but so far I've avoided it as it's all footpath. But plenty of cyclists do ride it, footpath or no.

Just wondering.

Best wishes
CC

hammerite

Interested to see answers for this.

The other day I was looking for a map of a mtb route in Wales, I found a map which was hosted (coincidentally) by a website of a group of people who ride off road round my area. I looked at some of the local route maps, and was surprised at the routes taken, which on the OS map looked like footpaths.

Wasn't sure if they were ridable let alone, whether they legally have access to ride them.

geoff_ss

Some years ago, before ATBs, I was a member of the Rough Stuff Fellowship (RSF) - mainly for the magazine. There were several articles about off-road routes in an area I know well and some of them were definitely on footpaths. I suppose at that time off-road cycling on what were often saddlebag laden road bikes was relatively rare; I still didn't approve of it but I doubt if it had much impact.

With the huge numbers looking for off road cycling now, they're much more likely to encounter opposition from walkers (I'm one of them too) particularly if they're riding fast. I think someone riding alone or just two people, with care, can get away with it but bigger groups are more conspicuous and more of a problem.

The only routes legally open to cyclists are bridleways (and BOATs (Byways Open to All Traffic) and RUPPs (Roads Used as Public Paths) which are also open to motor vehicles) footpaths are definitely not and should be avoided. There's been a lot of reclassification recently and a lot of them have been down graded to restrict motor vehicles.

I also used to do a lot of off-road motor cycling, again before the introduction of purpose-built trail bikes and spent a lot of time researching routes. I think we quite often ended up where we shouldn't be be but in a very small group on very unsuitable machines we also 'got away with it'.

Geoff

CrookedCucumber

Geoff_SS wrote:

With the huge numbers looking for off road cycling now, they're much more likely to encounter opposition from walkers (I'm one of them too) particularly if they're riding fast. I think someone riding alone or just two people, with care, can get away with it but bigger groups are more conspicuous and more of a problem.
f

Indeed. I am a keen hiker as well as a cyclist, and I'm aware that there are many popular footpaths that are difficult to maintain in the face of foot impact, let alone tyre impact.

At the same time, in the area where I live there appear to be few (no?) decent off-road cycling opportunities, and lots of wide, well-made, rarely used tracks that look very attractive for cycling but are classified as footpaths.

It's therefore hardly surprising that cyclists do take to the footpaths, legal problems notwithstanding. Not that I'm recommending it, however. The last thing the cycling community needs is another reason -- sound or not -- for non-cyclists to complain about us.

gkerr4

just ride on them

- if you get growled at by walkers then swear at them and spray them with your water bottle.

CrookedCucumber

Perhaps I should bash 'em with my shackle as well?

Problem is, I'm on the other side of the fence, so to speak, too often to feel entirely comfortable trampling on the long-socks.

gkerr4

he he - thats the spirit!

redvee

I remember years ago getting confronted by a walker on a footpath, except the footpath was 3 foot to the right and I was on a parrallel bridleway. She made a point of standing in my line on a slippy decent and wondered why I nearly ran her over. When I pointed out the parrallel paths she walked off...