EAST CHESHIRE RAMBLERS

EAST Cheshire Ramblers clocked up an astonishing 3,186 miles on a total of 361 walks during the last 12 months, chairman John Edwards told the group’s recent Annual General Meeting held at Macclesfield Tennis Club.

Although there was a slight decline in the number of long and short walks, there were over eight per cent more medium walks.

“These are superlative figures which outsiders can hardly comprehend,” he said.

A list of the group’s top 10 leaders in 2015-2016 was headed by Colin Park who has led 11 walks all told in the period, covering a combined distance of 121 miles, followed by Steve Hull with 111 miles and Brian Griffiths,100.5 miles. Mr Edwards also congratulated Colin on his ‘extraordinary work’ tracing long lost Cheshire paths as part of a national ramblers initiative to ensure that any historic paths not yet defined as public rights of way are ‘claimed back’ by 2026, after which no new claims can be submitted to the Highways Authority.

This has involved him in hours of research poring over old maps, coupled with fieldwork, and has yielded a possible 43 lost ways in the ECR area.

Members heard that the annual survey, which covered 1,276 footpaths and bridleways, revealed that during the last year 1,246 paths were examined by its team of 38 footpath inspectors in 33 parishes.

These were in better condition than ever before, with the number of serious faults down from 10.6pc to 8.8pc. Of these, just 42 (3pc) were found to be ‘obstructed’ and 1,137 (91pc) were classified as ‘good’ or ‘acceptable.’

“Our first thanks must ever be to our dedicated committee, footpath inspectors and maintenance team for all the care and actions they have taken to preserve and improve our local footpaths,” Mr Edwards added.

Contrary to national trends, the number of ECR members has remained “remarkably stable” over the last three years and now stands at 624.

Officers’ reports to the AGM and further information about East Cheshire Ramblers can be found at ramblerseast cheshire.org.uk.