Lakes and Dales Horseback Rambler

After as massive campaign lead by fellow cyclists, the West road of Thirlmere Reservoir is open again meaning we can all once more enjoy the 10 mile circler ride around the shore! It is quite astonishing to think now that the road was closed for over two years after a rock fall at Rough Crag. It got a little bit ridiculous as legally horses could not be excluded from the road closure (Traffic Regulation Order) and cyclists started to still ride the route, but openly said they were riding the route as their bike identified as a horse! Myself and my friend Bridget were invited to ride the road when it was still closed to test it out and to show how silly the situation had become. Of course we were more than happy to help and were featured in the local press!    The Cumberland New 2 February 2024 There are lots of car parks around Thirlmere, but for this ride I will start it from the Swirls Car Park off the A591 and would recommend doing the ride anti-clockwise. This route takes ...

  In my spare time I do quite a lot of voluntary outdoor access work. Here is my response for a call for evidence from the government's All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking on Active Travel and Social justice (  https://appgcw.org/2024/11/12/active-travel-and-social-justice-inquiry/  ) New riding routes coming soon, but thought I would post by my paper here for future reference.   The All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling & Walking (APPGCW) Active Travel and Social Justice Inquiry The Case to included Equestrians in all Active Travel policy and Projects Active travel is a growing focus in urban planning, as governments aim to promote healthier lifestyles, reduce congestion, and decrease environmental impact. Policies often emphasize the use of bicycles as a primary mode of active transport, with campaigns targeting cyclists for infrastructure development, safety, and accessibility. While much of this fo...

I am normally a person who does everything by the book, but I do develop strong views if I believe something is not quite right. If your an equestrian the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Trail (K2T) is one of these places as horses are not allowed on the trail. On 22 March 2024 we decided to ride the Keswick to Threkeld Railway Trail after discussing the matter with other rights of way experts and decided that this is the only way forward to get equestrians access. A few of us from Cumbria Bridleway Society have been campaigning for over 5 years to get equestrians access to K2T. After many letters, emails, meetings, reports (on both sides) we still do not have a genuine reason from the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) as to why equestrians cannot be included on K2T. The LDNPA is the principal landowner of K2T and therefore in my mind this is public land. The upgraded trail cost nearly £8 million pounds of public money and the aim of the grant money was to get Vulnerable Road ...