RECENTLY, I took my horse for our annual ride up to Farndale to see the daffodils and enjoy the countryside. There are some roadworks, but most of my route is on bridleways and “green lanes” (unclassified county road).

How sad and annoying it was to see the terrible state of the track from Birch Hagg House to Rawson Syke. It has been vandalised by people riding trial bikes. The route is now deeply rutted and dangerous.

A man who lives on the route told me he counted 200 trial bikes using this track on one day alone last summer. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, because all across the area, wonderful old green lanes have been churned up and destroyed by thoughtless 4x4 drivers and trial bike owners.

The local authority has no funds to repair these and horse riders, walkers and cyclists are struggling to use these bridleways and some have become virtually unrideable.

I am sorry to say that the only way forward is to prohibit 4x4s and motorcycles using these vulnerable tracks. Unless something is done horse riders will be forced onto the roads, which is not a desirable option.

I would like to go back to Farndale next year, and have a safe and enjoyable ride, using these ancient ways. Is that too much to ask?

Will Tait, Helmsley