I experienced my first difficulty today as a rambler. Thirty of us were enjoying the great weather and scenery around Wimpole and following our leader through a woodland path.
Suddenly, we were confronted by a man with a large dog who told us we were not on an official footpath and redirected 
us along the muddy route you can see in the pic.
A few seconds later I found a footpath sign in the ditch and another walker told me he had also spotted one lying on the ground nearby which a tractor could have knocked over; he was being sarcastic when he said that.
It was hellishly difficult to walk on that “path”, which was part of an official route and signposted. The weight of the mud on my boots felt like I was carrying blocks of concrete. It actually got worse towards the end of that stretch. And walkers did question why there wasn’t the recommended one or two metre wide path left for walkers at the edge of the field to make the path more accessible, instead of an unwelcoming quagmire.
I think our leader should have been more careful in checking out this route as it later appeared to me that we did venture on some private land when we passed his farmhouse. Someone brought a map out, but none of us were any the wiser.
Everybody was very confused. I certainly have every sympathy for farmers if hordes of strangers trudge through their private land. I wonder if she was aware of the fine detail of the Countryside and Rights to Roam Act.
But clearly if footpath signs are not clearly displayed, then confusion will arise. It does nobody any favours if they cannot be seen and mistakes like this will happen, if they are simply left in a ditch.
I felt sorry for older members of the group, including one lovely lady of 78 who wore a tweed skirt, woolly hat and hand knitted mittens, but she never uttered a word of complaint.
It hasn’t put me off joining fellow ramblers on a weekend away to the glorious Lincolnshire Wolds next month. We are staying in a fabulous barn conversion and it costs only £30 for the two nights. You don’t need to spend a fortune to have fun, and be healthy.
I remain optimistic about my walks and the relationship between ramblers and farmers. Ramblers are surely good for the rural economy and help support farmers too – and local pubs – during our visits to the countryside.
Have you experienced any similar difficulties on your countryside walks?
Only once in a long history of walking – the farmer did not want to let us go the short way back onto the path but to make us go around (we’d got a little lost – boyfriend was navigating). We chatted a bit and it transpired the farmer was concerned for our safety – we’d have to walk past their bull. I’m interested bulls and this was a big strong hereford and we chatted a bit more. The farmer was happy to tell us about his herd and responded happily to our enthusiasm. He agreed to walk with us (which was very kind) and put us on our way. He happily talked to us all the way. I’d always thought Hereford bulls were small and had seen them at a distance in the show ring. This bulls head was massive as he popped over the stall to look at us and the farmer said he’d trashed the door of his stall and the gate before now. The gate was huge, steel pipe. It would stop a truck. They’d had to change it because it hadn’t stopped the bull. It was one of the best days of my life. I’ll never forget it. All because we had shown understanding and enthusism towards the farmer who had rewarded us with stories as sensational as Herriott ever wrote down.
The strange thing was that we were diverted from woodland on to farmland which could have potentially been more damaging. The whole experience was most bizarre.
This is such emotive subject. Like many such arguments that’s right and wrong on both sides. . not necessarily in your case Ellee but in general. We have a private lane that runs right beside our house. It’s not a public footpath but an old private road that ran to a large house. About once a year we get a group of ramblers who walk up it. Almost to a man and woman they studiously ignore us if we are out working in the garden. I normally say, “hello” loudly but the majority ignore me. In Scotland the right to roam act is very clear; it also makes provision for curtlage – defined as areas daily use for the resident but not readily accessible or allowed for public entry. This private room is a few feet from our windows and people can clearly look into our home. Strictly speaking they are breaking the law. I’m not out to stop them but a little manners would go a long way.
I haven’t done rambles for such a long time but I have experienced both those difficulties on separate occasion.
I have been trudging through such a muddy wet landscape that, muddy water was going over the top of some of the walkers boots. Luckily I was not at the front and was able to avoid that pitfall. It was so muddy that more than one person fell over along the way.
On another occasion just two of us were walking in a quiet part of Wales One bit of the route was confusing and it wasn’t obvious which way to go, so we followed a path along a river. Shortly after we had gone that way, we were confronted by an awkward (female) farmer who told us we were trespassing. But she refused to make any comment beyond that statement, and she watched us eagle eyed whilst we backtracked. When we got to the point where we had become confused we noticed at the far end of one of her fields a traffic cone strategically placed. We took a guess and walked that way across a field. Luckily we guessed right and she disappeared. I am sure she took great pleasure in being awkward!
My Grandpa is a farmer and he says he doesn’t mind ramblers as long as they stick to the path. He says some ramblers actually build stiles and put ‘public footpath’ signs in his field without prior consultation that really winds him up.
However, I do love rambling and it’s a shame my friends aren’t interested in it.
Our walking in Australia is quite different, mostly in national parks. The only things to watch out for are, bull ants, snakes and the extreme weather conditions. I have got my boots very muddy and wet once, it was a lesson in avaoiding mud at all costs, especially when doing an overnighter!
I hope the farmer did not deliberatly “plow” the walking track- although it looks like it!
Luckily it doesn’t happen very often. I always thought people were quite tolerant in Britain, due to ancient right of ways that exist everywhere.
That mud looks horrid.
I don’t go on organised walks but I have quite often found paths that are marked on the map as “rights of way” or “public footpaths” to be very unclear or inaccessible. When in Wales we used to get trouble from farmers occasionally – but more often we’d get bothered by their dogs and would be too scared to venture through a farmyard despite knowing we were entitled to do so.
But yes, ramblers/walkers are not always polite or friendly. Al’s parents were farmers before they retired and I know they were upset by walkers on a number of occasions – either going where they shouldn’t or simply to responding to a friendly greeting.
I hope you enjoy your weekend away and that the weather is kind to you.
Richard, you are right about the manners. The ramblers I walk with are very polite. 🙂
CherryPie, we would most probably get lost on a walk together. I know my map reading skills leave a lot to be desired.
Benny, that is disgraceful behaviour of ramblers. Your grandad has every right to be cross if they add stiles across his fields. I must admit I haven’t heard of that before.
Simon, I share your thoughts about the tractor marks. I don’t think I would feel very safe walking in your national parks. The main worry we have in our fields are bulls, but I’ve managed not to antagonise any of those.
JMB, yes, that mud was horrid, and it got worse.
RB, it’s the dogs that bother me too, especially if they are not on a lead.