Safe Track for Riders opens on the Stansted Estate
Discussions between the Hants and West Sussex Borders Bridleways Group and the Stansted Park Foundation will come to fruition with the opening of a permitted track along the Forestside Road, near Rowlands Castle on 23rd October.
The volume and speed of traffic using this road has increased in recent years and the Foundation, recognising the need to get horses off this potentially dangerous road, has worked together with this Bridleways Group to provide over 1 Vi miles of safer riding.
Head Forester Michael Prior says 'We hope everyone will use it and enjoy it. It has been a pleasure to be involved with the Hants and West Sussex Borders Bridleways Group from the start in the planning and execution of this project. We see this as a model way forward in user groups gaining additional access and recreation in the countryside without damaging wildlife habitats and unduly affecting the land owner's use of the land'.
The opening of the Stansted track is an achievement resulting from the good relationship formed between the land owner and local horse riders. It is hoped that this type of co-operative project will encourage other riders to form groups and speak to landowners where they feel there may be opportunities to get horses off the road and link bridleways together.
Costs for the track were met in part by fund-raising activities organised by the Hants and West Sussex Bridleways Group. These included a Pleasure Ride, a Raffle, Personal Donations and a Veterinary Lecture given in the Little Theatre at Stansted House by Nick Thompson of Kingley Veterinary Centre. The remainder of the funds were provided by the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Fishery through their Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Stansted's forestry staff contributed free labour to the project in clearing the track and erecting fencing
Colour photography courtesy of Bridleways Photography,
