Category: Mounts to Luberland

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!

Site Meeting with Council

Site meeting held with John, Chris and Phil Betts (Shrop Council) to review options. Agreed that most practical option is option A.

See Post below for details of options and map.

The council will clear the route of the existing bridleway from the road near to the cattle grid but off the common down the side of The Green and diagonally accross to ultimately meet up with the Nunnery Lane bridleway. They will install a new gate off the road adjacent to the Green  (there is a suitable  pull in). For those wanting to stay on the common it is possible to find their own route onto the road on the common side of the cattle grid.

The council will arrange necessary paperwork with SWT for the permissive route around “The Green”. When this has been agreed we will need a work party to lay a drainage pipe behind the Green. Might get away with doing this by hand to keep costs down and hopefully will not need much stone. Phil is looking into whether council can provide drainage pipe and stone (also needed for the Prescot route).

The other issue of the gate onto Nunnery Lane was discussed. The council will look into moving the gate further up the lane away from the steep drop. Hopefully this will be done by the council at same time as doing the other work above.

Hope to get this route open in next few months.

Initial Proposal

We would like to open up a permissive route from the back gate of The Mounts accross common. This is a historic route and has been ridden for many years but in last 2 years has become impassible due to gorse.

Initial meeting with SWT 2 options were discussed.

Option A – Route to go back to road and then use the route of the official bridleway (K). The route of the official bridleway will need to be found and cleared. There is a very wet area on this route which will need to be drained. Should be relatively easy as it is caused by an outlet overflow from a pond which could be piped under the bridleway.

Option B – Use the route from the back gate of the Mounts which has been used for many years and used to be a suitable route. There are now 2 wet areas which will need some drainage. would be fairly major job. Some gorse clearing will also be needed.

The gate off the common onto the lane by the Nunnery needs to be improved as it is difficult to use as no room for horse to turn by the gate. SWT are happy for this to be moved and suggested moving it a few yards up into the lane. Need to find out who owns the lane. Need to discuss with Council byways officer.