Avebury & the Marlborough Downs forum 64 room
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scubi63 wrote:
Sanctuary wrote:
I couldn't help but notice in the photographs that the bridleway was badly rutted beyond the ploughed-out section. If the now ploughed-out section was in the same condition prior to the ploughing has anyone given thought to the fact that it may have been done to IMPROVE the situation?
Hi Sanctuary,

Actually the rutted section is a byway (not a bridleway) that is open to all traffic which finishes at the field boundary. Actually it turns slight right into the gated field the third photo was taken from. The tracks fade rapidly as the route enters the ploughed field suggesting there were no tracks going into it.

The ploughed out section is the start of the bridleway heading south-west and (going by the lack of tracks entering into the field) would, imo, have been similar to the first photo.

Maybe the farmer has good reason to do this and plans to reinstate the bridleway shortly. But I do not see any harm letting him know people are using the route and are concerned that this has happened without any notification and without directing people to the correct route across his property. It would be very easy to follow the byway and enter the incorrect field.

I hope this helps

:o)

Hi Scubi,

I've only just realised where this is - is it the bridleway that runs dwon from Wansdyke that passes the Allington Down barrows?

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/13957/allington_down.html

If so, I walked down to The Sanctuary from Wansdyke along there in the summer, and you can see the bridleway in two of the pics of the barrow I posted at the time. It was certainly a very well-established path then.

Yes, I think so. The ploughed section is a little northeast of the photos, about 0.5km further along.