1,000 miles of offroad riding planned
The new bridleway routes will run the length of the country
OFF-ROAD hacking routes stretching 1,000 miles from Land’s End to John o’Groats are in the pipeline for 2020.
Cycling UK revealed plans for the joint cycle and bridleway, which connects existing trails and will also feature some optional loops for circular rides.
Sam Jones, senior campaigns officer at Cycling UK, told H&H the organisation wants the route to benefit both cyclists and riders.
“When it comes to off-road access, more often than not, what is good for cycling is also good horse riding,” he said.
“As a cycling organisation, while of course Cycling UK’s focus on such an ambitious trail
is primarily on helping cyclists, the beauty of our vision is that it is not exclusively about them, as we want horse riders to benefit, too.
“Cycling UK works closely with the British Horse Society (BHS) on issues such as access and safety, as we’ve shown with our joint ‘Be Nice, Say Hi’ campaign, so we’ll be looking to work with them on the development of what could become the UK’s longest trail.”
The organisation has flagged the routes to Natural England and plans to submit a proposal in the “near future”. It has also given evidence alongside the BHS to the government’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry on rural tourism.
The plan is to have, by 2020, a rideable route established for the North Downs Way and Ridgeway; plus a published ambition “A route” and feasible now “B route” published from Land’s End to John o’Groats.
AMBITIOUS PLANS
THE overall ambition is to have the off-road Land’s End to John o’Groats route completed within 15 to 20 years, with a running update as and when sections of the trail are completed.
BHS director of access Mark Weston said the prospect of this network of bridleways is “an exciting and hugely beneficial opportunity”.
“A nationwide route not only presents safer off-road riding for both horse riders and cyclists, but also allows for more smaller localised bridleway routes to be explored,” he told H&H.
“Both horse riders and cyclists are vulnerable road users and a staggering 230 horses and 39 riders have been killed in road accidents during the past decade.
“The creation of a national bridleway route allows them both to ride comfortably and safely, helping to decrease the level of incidents on the roads and subsequently saving lives.
“With the 2026 deadline looming, it is crucial that we check whether the routes we are riding are recorded on the council’s definitive map.”