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Grampian Upper Deeside
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Scottish Area Access Updates

Borders Report

The most exciting happening in access in the Borders recently was obviously the visit of the HRH Princess Royal to open the first of theTweed Trails and to join in the second Festival of the Horse.

The Tweed Trails project is nearing the end of the first of its three years and is progressing well. Promotional material and maps will be produced once more routes are open and available to ride. Paths for All are visiting the area later in June and are visiting some of the routes already up and running.

The small group of horse riders in the Lilliesleaf/Ashkirk/Midlem area are progressing their routes with some gates in place and fund raiding continuing.

A community access group has been set up in Jedburgh, 'Jedforest Pathways', which is hoping to set up a network of multi-use routes around the outskirts of the town. These will eventually link in with some of the Tween Trails routes providing a link from the Cheviots to Hawick and eventually the Pentlands and Dumfries & Galloway

South Lanarkshire Horse and Pony Access Group

Vyv Wood - Gee

Forth and Wilsontown

Forest Enterprise deserves congratulations for their patience and perseverance in resolving problems with motorbikes and simultaneously improving access for riders and walkers at Wilsontown, near Forth. The new self-closing bridlegates, and repositioned horse stile and new multi-use bridge for which they have been responsible are excellent examples of positive management of multi-use access, and are much welcomed by local riders.

Under the guidance of Forth Access Forum, the first phase of work on three other pilot paths in the Forth area have also recently been completed through a funding package including SNH and Levenseat rust. In agreement with riders, one path, which would not sustain equestrian use, is pedestrian only, but passing of the Land Reform Act has encouraged development of the other paths for multi-use access, with surfacing and access points implemented to the highest standard. A report on all other paths in the area will be considered over the summer by the local access forum as the next stage in development of an integrated network of paths providing access for users of all categories, ages and abilities.

Lesmahagow

Scotways and South Lanarkshire Council have recently completed a joint signage project around Lesmahagow with smart new wooden fingerposts confirming previously identified rights of way. We are delighted to see that these indicate paths without previous reference to restricted pedestrian use. As a result of priorities and obstructions identified during the recent community consultation exercise, which numerous local riders took trouble to ensure involvement in South Lanarkshire Council have also recently undertaken physical improvements on several paths in the area. This includes grading banks either side of a river to allow safe ford crossing by riders.

Determined to demonstrate that riders are more than prepared to help themselves, on a balmy May evening a lively group of local volunteers set forth on horseback armed with saws, pruning shears and secateurs to trim back overhanging branches on another local route. It was a good exercise for the horses and pruning on horseback provided easier reach to branches than from the ground! Negotiations with local landowners are underway through South Lanarkshire Horse and Pony Access Group to improve access on other routes in the area, including another river ford which is a safer and more sustainable option than the adjacent bridge on which one horse suffered serious injury last year.

Dunsyre

South Lanarkshire Horse and Pony Access Group have made initial approaches to local farmers to upgrade routes linking into those over the border around West Linton being improved through the Tweed Trails project.

Events

Ann Frazer presented the draft Scottish Outdoor Access Code to local riders and horse owners in a meeting arranged by South Lanarkshire Horse and Pony Access Group. We are now drafting our response to the consultation.

Midlothian Access Report

Tyne-Esk Trails

Where to Ride in Midlothan

Local BHS and MIDRAG volunteers have been very busy over the past few months in a consultation process with local farmers and landowners, funded by a £500 grant from SNH.

This is the first stage in a project to develop equestrian tourism in the area. It is hoped to produce a leaflet and maps describing a series of attractive circular routes, and linking these with places to stay for horse and rider, picnic spots and sites of local interest. The routes will be a mixture of off road routes and quiet country roads. The routes include Vogric Park/Blinkbonny, Gladstone/Mount Lothian, Roslin Glen/Bilston Woods, and Carrington/Dalhousie.

Roslin Glen

After nearly six years of discussions the Glen has now been reopened to horses. This is initially a trial period from April till September but already local riders are making use of this important route.

Pentland Hills

MIDRAG are again busy looking at various routes in the Pentlands in conjunction with the Pentland Hills Regional Park and hopefully together we will find at least one or two suitable circular routes for riders.

New Bonnyrigg by-pass

The proposed route the above by pass cuts through two existing rights of way and both MIDRAG and the BHS are very concerned a suitable alternative may not be offered to riders by the Council. Both groups are keeping a close eye on developments.

Reopening of Waverly Line Railway

This, as with the Bonnyrigg bypass, will mean riders losing a strategic route linking Sheriffhall to Hardengreen. The cost of an alternative through Ironmills Park would be prohibitive and again MIDRAG and the BHS are looking into other alternatives.

Having ridden in various places in Midlothan recently it appears there are quite a few tracks have not been used since Foot and Mouth hence some of them have become impassable, either by being overgrown or by gates being wired up or locked. Can riders contact their access officers and let them know of any of these, as it is important to keep ALL existing tracks usable.

Clackmannanshire Access Report

The cairn and diorama to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee has now been completed in the Community Woodland. There are also two stone bridges over the Burn to give horse access to the picnic tables and hitching posts. Several other picnic tables and seats have been erected throughout the Woodland so that as many people as possible can enjoy it. This work has been made possible by Grants from the Lottery Fund, the Co-operative Society and the Sterling Community Fund.

lnverclyde Access Report

An Access Officer has now been appointed to Inverclyde District Council, the department being known as Lower Clyde Greenspace. The new Access Officer is a horse rider and so hopefully will be understanding of problems in the area.

The local councilor has been successful in getting horse rider road signs placed at regular intervals on the High Greenock Road, which is regularly used by riders and has several riding establishments adjacent to it.

A new fence skirting a right of way near Kilmacolm has now been completed and both gates can be operated from horseback.

Entrances off the main roads onto the Sustrans tracks in the area have been made more rider friendly, and a new length of track has been resurfaced with tarmac, thus allowing more off road riding. The damp climate in this area unfortunately necessitates tarmac rather than rolled whin.

The Inverclyde Off Road Riders Group is planning some fun rides over the summer and also a fund raising event on 1st August.

Grampian Upper Deeside Access Report

Access Legislation

Two Estates in the area have expressed concerns about the new law. One maintains that "BHS will have to recognise that responsible access includes a financial contribution towards the maintenance of the countryside which riders enjoy", but does not know how this is to be achieved. The other has been advised by their lawyers that the Estate should ensure that all seeking recreation on it are covered by public liability insurance. In this case the legal advice has meat refusal to allow a repeat of a successful 15 mile endurance ride held last year and a "review of Estate policy towards recreational groups."

Long Distance Rides

Grampian Branch SERC are holding a second Camp Ride in June from Mar Lodge on Deeside to lair Atholl via Glen Tilt, returning on tracks to the East of Beinn A'Ghlo. All negotiations with The National Trust and the three Estates concerned have been very pleasant and positive, and the Bridge of Tilt Hotel is delighted at the business.

Three teams from this area have been entered in this year's Silver Boot competition - a long distance ride held mainly in the Highland Area covering distances of up to 150 miles.

Aberdeenshire Access Report

Molly Atkinson

I recently met the new Access Officer for Aberdeen City Council, Rachel Sharp. Subsequently I attended the inaugural meeting of the Access Advisory Group for Aberdeen. The Group comprises of representatives from a number of interested parties including The Ramblers Association, BHS and NFU.

This Group will advise on the access strategy for Aberdeen City and outer area. We had a useful meeting looking at the Outdoor Access Code, and looking at certain initial project.
One project we looked at was extending the Deeside railway line multi-user path which is of particular interest to horse riders.