Off the Map

Within the HBA area, there are some places in which public bridleways have recently been created or diverted, or where special access for horses has been offered by the landowner. Although some of these have been mentioned in our members' newsletters, more recent members may not be aware of these arrangements. If you know of any others locally, which could be mentioned here, then please email the Press & Publicity Officer.

Following the granting of planning permission to convert farm buildings to residential use, the public bridleway was diverted in 2005. The bridleway now runs along a new track at the rear of the buildings and joins a pre-existing track (so no longer passes between the farm buildings and into the small grass paddock). HBA and the BHS had worked on agreeing the diversion with NYCC for 3 years.

Bewerley, Ashfold Side Beck: Bridge Construction on Bridleway (GR 1190 6615)

In 2005, a long-awaited bridge was constructed enabling riders to cross the beck more safely than having to scramble down into the water and up the banking on the other side.

Boroughbridge CP, Minksip: Longlands Farm/Beanlands Lane new public bridleway

After 11 years, HBA's proposal to delete two public footpaths from the definitive map and replace them with one field edge bridleway to link two other bridleway routes was confirmed by NYCC in 2006. This bridleway link is now available for use.

Within HBA's area, there are a number of stewardship agreements in place, some of which provide permitted access for horseriders. These include land at Manor Farm, South Stainley; Rudfarlington Farm between Harrogate/Plompton; and Hopewell House at Knaresborough. For full details, including maps, showing these routes, and others around the country, go to http://countrywalks.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Module=CountryWalksFullSearch

Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal: Fenced corral at visitor centre: Grid reference: 274 687.

Several years ago, HBA approached the National Trust at Fountains Abbey to ask if they would consider creating a small corral for use by accompanied horses, to enable their riders to tie up their horses in a fenced off area, and use the facilities at the visitor centre. The National Trust agreed, and created a small, hardcore, fenced corral in the visitor centre's east car park (just beyond the coach parking bay).

Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal: Public bridleway link between visitor centre and B6265: Grid reference: 275 470 to 275 692.

This short bridleway link runs adjacent to the National Trust's access road leading from the B6265 Ripon/Pateley Bridge road to the visitor centre.

The bridleway at Beckside Farm was diverted in 2005 onto the ridden route, which riders had been using for some time. The definitive line used to run through the garden area of the farmhouse and had not been used for a long period of time.

The missing link between the public bridleway and the unclassified county road was dedicated as a public bridleway in 2005, resolving a longstanding anomaly. The established bridleway section was diverted onto the long established ridden route, as this differed from the actual definitive line.

Kirk Deighton, Little Ribston, Wetherby areas: Public Bridleway creations around the A1

Following the widening of the A1 in 2005, various new bridleways have come into existence. New bridleways have been created on either side of the new A1 to bring riders from Loshpot Lane to the new A1 and back to the prison at York Road. A new bridleway has been created from the Netherdale area to Sandbeck Lane and the new A1. The northbound carriageway of the old A1 and now being adjacent to the A168 Kirk Deighton to Walshford has been created as a multi-user route.

Weeton CP, A658 Harrogate-Bradford Road: Public bridleway Gravelly Hill Lane to A658

After 10 years of campaigning by HBA, this bridleway was re-opened by NYCC in 2006. HBA flagged up the need for a roadside corral to allow riders to stand away from the main road to access the bridleway, and NYCC purchased a small area of land to create this corral, which is now in use.

In 2005, the City of York Council upgraded these public footpaths to bridleways. The route runs from North Lane, Huntington to Greystones Farm, Towthorpe Moor Lane, Earswick.

Yorkshire Water has created a number of routes on their land for use by horses. At Swinsty, in the Washburn Valley near Otley, Yorkshire Water has provided specialist parking for horseboxes, a saddling area with tethering posts and a mounting block. Click on Yorkshire Water's links below for more details:

Haworth & Thornton Moor Bridleway

Langsett Bridleway

Ryburn Bridleway

Scar House Bridleway

Swinsty & Timble Bridleway