Routes News
This is where your money goes. towards improving routes. This is our best year ever and we have had some amazing achievements.
Norton St Philip Route Improvements 2011
While riding the route prior to the Faulkland Ride it became apparent that the bridleway running from Hassage Manor through to Norton St Philip could do with some upgrading. MBBA was able to have the gates improved in time for the ride but the big job of clearing overhead saplings, which entailed riders dodging overhead branches, would be a larger task. After a site meeting, Somerset County Council’s warden Clare Haskins kindly agreed the work and the results are shown below. Although this route was still passable on a pony it would obviously have been difficult and dangerous for anyone on a larger horse and possibly impossible to use after another year’s growth lowered the branches even further. Thank you SCC – a job much appreciated by all the local riders and walkers.
A fair bit of ‘ducking and diving’ entailed to use this route. June 2011
Now cleared to ride, without the risk of loosing a hat or a whack on the head – Many thanks to Mike Jennings, our contractor, for all the excellent work he does on many of the rights of way throughout Mendip. June 2011
Permissive routes around Batcombe, Wanstrow and Brewham
The route in Westcombe goes through the large wooden drive gate at Westcombe Lodge and carries on through the woodland, over two old stone bridges. Please keep to the centre of the path over these bridges as they need some repair. The route exits onto the lane with a UCR through to Alham to your right. By going to the left you will return to the war memorial in Westcombe.
The Route on the Eastcombe side of the A359 opposite Studley lane, (which runs down into Wanstrow) is difficult to use during wet weather as it goes along a stream and the vegetation is often high. Take care with rocks along the path. The small stream bed tends to have the firmest footing. This route is not adviseable during wet months. A Modification Order is being put in to make the route a bridleway, but this could take several years. In the meantime, rider self help is encouraged - please phone 01749 831276 if you can be part of a clearance party.
Route from Brewham crossing to Saite Lane. This permits horses from Brewham to cross the A359 road and go into the field opposite. Turn immediately right along the hedge line and exit via the first large gate on the right onto Saite Lane. Please make absolutely sure the gates are shut as there are often stock in this field.
Cannwood Lane, Upton Noble/Brewham
This route is now open again, however MBBA would like to draw riders attention to the fact that wild boar have been seen in this vicinity, running loose during the early part of June 2011. Please report any sightings immediately to MBBA.
The bridleway earlier had an emergency stop order on it. Boar are considered a dangerous wild animal and steps will be taken to either cull or re capture them.
Torr Quarry Bridleway Improvements
Those who enjoyed the recent Cranmore Ride may have noticed that this year, the route took a small detour to avoid a particularly muddy and slippery section of the bridleway around Torr Quarry in Downhead. Hansons, who are responsible for this part of the bridleway, have kindly offered to supply stone so that our contractor can make some serious improvements to this much used route. This section of the bridleway has always remained difficult to ride, regardless of the weather and badly needs some help. Work should commence in the latter part of April and a proportion of the funds from the Cranmore Ride will be used towards this project.
Faulkland Farm Route
The bridleway running from Faulkland Farm to The Knoll at Faulkland has always been wet and boggy to ride. MBBA has agreed to fund improvements in partnership with SCC so that this route is safe to ride for our forthcoming Faulkland Ride and afterwards for local riders. The wobbly gate is being repaired and sagging and dangerous barbed wire will be replaced with post and rails. Our contractor will work during April to drain, ditch and stone a particularly bad area on the corner of the bridleway and the landowners of Faulkland Farm are permitting the use of new areas for the ride. It is hoped that in due course the long length of rutted ground leading up to the bridleway gate will also be improved
Gate to be repaired
Track improvements scheduled
Area to receive an upgrade in April 2011
Kilmersdon
The routes and gates at Kilmersdon have all now been improved and repositioned to offer a horse friendly option.
East Woodlands Track, Frome
The improvements at East Woodlands nr Frome are now complete and the results speak for themselves. A huge thank you to Somerset County Council Rights of Way, who managed to stretch their funds to cover the whole of this job, rather than joint funding with MBBA, as previously planned – which leaves our money for even more projects!! MBBA is especially pleased to have identified this route as it is a Restricted Byway and thus permits carriage drivers. Minor improvements to a few potholes by the church are in hand, but the rest of the track is now in excellent condition. March 2011.
The damage to this very pretty Restricted Byway was a result of illegal use by 4x4s. The route was nearly impossible to ride in wet weather due to ruts of two feet in depth and dangerous in dry weather as the ruts dry and created a horrid riding or walking surface.
Before work began
The route after the improvement works
Forgewell Lane, West Pennard
The surface has been levelled and a new topping laid after 4 x 4s wrecked this lane in just a few hours.
Greenscombe, Lamyatt
Improvements to the straggling fencing around the gateways have been completed and the barbed wire replaced by wood rails.
Ditcheat
The routes in this area have recently received an upgrade thanks to the negotiating skills of warden Eve Wynn working with local landowners. A new bridge has been installed, together with new waymarkers, gateways have been improved and the whole network of routes brought up to scratch. This now offers a super complex of routes running from Ditcheat through to Kilkenny, across the A37 and on to West Pennard and the network of bridleways beyond. Parking may be available for small boxes by prior arrangement with The Manor House pub in Ditcheat.
Mill Lane, West Compton, Spring 2010
Mill Lane, in West Compton has always been a popular route for local riders as there are very few bridleways open to horses in this area. However, in wet weather, it took on the character of a muddy river bed and was totally unusable; each year it deposited tons of mud, debris and water onto the adjoining road, blocked the drains and in turn then gushed down into the hamlet.
Finally in May of 2010, after many years of pressure from MBBA, Highways did a very good job of refurbishment on this ancient and pretty lane, digging out the ditches, diverting the stream and levelling the route, revealing a delightful track for all to enjoy. But not for long!!
Sadly, the next night, 4 x 4s used the track extensively and totally trashed a good deal of all the good work done by Highways. This is a tragic situation and one too often encountered by MBBA once a route has been improved. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of local farmers, the surface of the route has once again been made good and both riders and walkers are now enjoying this lane with dry feet.
If you ever encounter illegal vehicular access or evidence of it on a bridleway or restricted byway, please take the registration number of the vehicle, 4 x 4 or motorbike and a note of the time and date and report to MBBA. We will, if you wish, contact the police on your behalf.
Mill Lane, on a dry day, before work commenced.
Work in progress; diverting the spring run-off and ditching.
Beautifully ditched and levelled – thank you Highways and latterly the landowner!
Three Ashes Bridleway - Stoke St Michael
In response to an MBBA member’s request, the committee duly walked this bridleway in the Autumn of 2009 together with Sheila Petherbridge, who was at that time, the Rights of Way Officer for Mendip District Council. As you will see from the photos, the route was in a pretty bad way and riders were not using it when wet. Large rocks were embedded in the ruts and the surface was very boggy and impassable in places. A considerable budget of over £3,000 and a detailed job spec were agreed with the MBBA contractor, Russell Bateman and after a very wet winter, work commenced in June 2010.
The improvements are obvious in the photos below and should result in a good all-weather surface for many years to come. The clean-stone topping will bed in and mud will be walked across the path enabling grass to grow in due course. Shortly, the gates are due to be re-hung and horse friendly latches will be added to enable riders to enjoy an unhindered ride through this pretty area.
Not an easy ride and you’ll have to dismount for the gate!
That’s better
Yuk - I’m not going through that!
Same place - Spot the difference
Ditched, piped, levelled and vegetation cleared with clean stone finish
Water Lane, Norton St Phillip
About 5 years ago, local member Lynda le Ray drew our attention to Watery Lane which was proving hazardous for local riders. Lynda kindly ran a fun ride to raise funds to improve this route and after very long and drawn-out negotiations with Somerset County Council, the contractor has finally finished the job and comparison photos are below. This is a jointly funded project between MBBA and SCC and the long delay was partly due to the working conditions and the nature of the specification.
The problem arose because horses were finding it difficult to keep their footing on the large sloping rocks leading down from the bridleway gate at the field end of the route. The bridleway runs along the course of the old river bed and for the past three years it has been too wet for machinery to access the track. Thanks to an incredibly dry spell, the contractor was able to work there last week and the route is now greatly improved and should be a pleasure for riders and walkers to use.
Slippery rocks leading down into the stream bed with large boulders and overhanging vegetation making this a difficult and alarming bridleway – often impassable and flooded!! July 2006
Newly crushed rocks, now giving a safe and decent footing for horses and walkers
This sleeper has now been partly removed and a ramp installed to one side permitting much easier access to the next level
The large rocks along the stream bed have been crushed and the stream bed widened
The hazardous old route with large hidden holes and boulders – no wonder it was little used
Job Done! Newly levelled, firmed and clear to ride. July 2010
Huckeymead and Hembridge 2nd phase - May 2010
In 2007, MBBA carried out work on these two droves, targeting the wettest areas, enabling riders to make use of routes that had previously been inaccessible.
After three years it became apparent that further work was needed to bring the whole route up to a good standard since it was proving such a popular ride.
In June of 2010, our contractor Russell Bateman finished our biggest ever project and the photos below show the huge improvements made.
The route before improvement...
And after works were complete...
To view previous routes news please see the Routes News Archive page.