Award for bridleways (From Gazette & Herald)

Award for bridleways

A TOP national award has been given to the North York Moors National Park Authority for creating a big new network of bridleways.

The honour, from the British Horse Society, was presented by Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael to Geri Coop, one of the two rights of way officers in the park, and to Hawson Simpson, of Gillamoor, chairman of the authority's parks services committee.

Mr Michael said that in the last seven years, the authority had added more than 80km of bridleway to the network. "This has given 35 critical links for riders, in particular, important east-west routes." He praised the authority for achieving the rights of way by agreement rather than through costly public inquiries.

"This is not an easy method, and is often laborious, but it shows that amicable negotiation can work."

He praised Ms Coop and her fellow rights of way officer colleague Karl Gerdhardsen for their success.

Mr Gerhardsen said the park now had 2,298km of public bridleway and footpaths rights of way (1,436 miles).

He said that much of the successful negotiations had been achieved through a special rights of way consultative group which had been set up which had pin-pointed gaps in the network. He praised landlowners and farmers for their help and co-operation.

The extensive rights of way system was good for the park's economy, said Mr Gerhardsen. "It brings tourists into the area and there are now about a dozen establishments which cater for both horses and riders - some offering stabling others paddock grazing."

Among the new rights of way is one linking the former Rosedale railway and taking in Blakey and Ingleby Greenhow, another at East Ayton Moor, and a third stretching from Pockley to Riccal Dale, Cow House Bank and Newgate Bank. Others have also been created on the Levisham Estate, said Mr Gerhardsen. Three more bridleways are now on the drawing board which he hopes will be open later this year.

Ms Coop, herself a keen horserider, has surveyed many of the bridleways on horseback, assessing where work needs to be carried out to improve facilities for riders.

"We have done a great deal, especially on maintenance of gates, but there is still more work needed," he added.

A BHS spokesman said: "Part of the success of the scheme is Geri Coop's belief that most paths are historically bridleways. Specifically considering disabled riders and others less mobile, Geri was instrumental in gaining Sports Lottery funding to make bridleway gates easy to open from horseback or on foot."

The spokesman added: "The tremendous success of the park authority in gaining 80km of bridleway for riders, and its protection of riders' rights, is recognised by the BHS in this award. The authority is a worthy recipient and an excellent example of how access can be achieved with local authorities."

Updated: 11:21 Wednesday, January 08, 2003