Author: chris bargman

Pathfinder Bridleway Routes

We have received some information about a Pathfinder Project to document some riding routes in Shropshire. This may be of interest and worth a look.

The Pathfinder Project has collated a collection of horse riding routes spanning across the Shropshire Hills National Landscape including the Long Mynd, Stiperstones, Clee Hill, Brown Clee, Wenlock Edge, Clun and their surrounding areas.

The Pathfinder Project is funded by the Shropshire Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.

Link to online information leaflet –

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGQxUr5D2k/KCwpnh2wclGXcF6t_qlz3A/view?utm_content=DAGQxUr5D2k&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=viewer

Change Of Bank

Following from the last post regarding our Lloyds Bank Account it looks like we may be able to move to Nat West which currently does not have a monthly charge for community groups.

We will start the process but before making the change we need to make sure that everyone is happy with a change of Bank.

Please let me know ASAP if you have any concerns or questions.

Chris

Clee View Bridleways Banking Charges!

From 14th Jan we are going to be charged £4.25/mth by Lloyds Bank to use our community Bank Account!

We only do a handful of transactions in a year and our account does not have much in it so an annual cost of £51 will soon eat into our funds. 

I have had a quick look around and there are not many free alternatives for non-registered community groups. Nat West seem to offer one but only for people with an existing Nat West account (I don’t have one). Metro appears to be an option but it looks like you have to go into a Branch and the nearest is Brieley Hill.

Please contact me if you have any thoughts?

Chris (Treasurer)

Update and Work Parties

Many thanks to John and Ted who have cleared Route A (Hinton- Winterdyne) with the mower and this is now much easier to use. It does now need a work party to cut back the overhanging branches.

Chris has cleared some of the overhanging branches on Route F.

We are still waiting for the council to come back to us regarding a number of issues we have raised with them. We will keep chasing them.

We will arrange work parties in the next couple of weeks to clear the overhanging branches on Route A (Hinton – Winterdyne) and also to clear brambles and overhanging branches on Route M (Walters Lane – Hill Houses). Routes J and K (Back of the Mounts and across the common) would also benefit from some clearance work.

Please let John or Chris know if you do any bridleway clearance work as we can book the hours to show the council the work we are doing on their behalf!

Work Parties

Many thanks to Ted, John, Matilda, Debbie and Clare for the work on Keepers Cottage (Route R)

Thanks to Clare and Arthur for the works at Factory Lane (Route D)

Thanks to Chris, Alison and Ewald for clearing the section above the stream on Keepers Cottage (Route R)

These routes should now be much easier to use. Any problems then please let us know.

Work Party 10:30am Sunday 23rd June – Keepers Cottage

John and Ted will be taking the mower to clear Keepers Cottage bridleway (Route R) on the morning of Sunday 23rd June. We could do with some additional help with the clearance work. Meet at Keepers Cottage (southern end) at 10:30am.

We have contacted the Council Rights Of Way and hope to have site meetings with them soon to look at resolving some of the priority issues we have identified (including routes C,D, G and R).

Crammer Gutter and Plans For Work Parties

Crammer Gutter – We have had a couple of incidents reported where riders have tried to use the route across the top of the field and had difficulty getting out of the boggy ground. This is potentially dangerous and so we have contacted the Wildlife Trust to re-visit what we can do to improve the route. Chris has meet with Clive Dean from SWT (Reserves Manager) to discuss this. We agreed that the Clee View Bridleways Group will write to the council as it is the council who are responsible for “ensuring that the surface is in a fit condition for its intended use” and it is not the landowner. We will state that we intend to make improvements to make the route safe and useable following the plan agreed with SWT in 2017. This will involve a series of cross drains to take water from the ditch at the top of the field under the path and release the water onto the field (the aim is to keep the field wet). We will also ask for support from the council with materials (drainage pipes and stone). As this is an SSI, Natural England will have to give approval for the work (which should be sought by the council). To back this up, can anyone who has tried to use the route in the last few months and had difficulties please notify the council at https://next.shropshire.gov.uk/outdoor-partnerships/report-a-rights-of-way-issue-and-feedback/

Work Parties – We need work parties as a matter of urgency to clear the Keepers Cottage (R) and Hinton (A) routes. The Keepers Cottage route will also need some improvement work where the ground has been eroded. A site visit will be arranged. A site visit will also be arranged to look at the Detton (C) route at the brook to see how we can unblock the pipes.

Please let us know if you have any preferences for when to hold the work parties (ie. evening, weekday, etc?)