On 4 Jun 2013 at 8:44am downswalker wrote:
Hi all. Has anyone any information about the legality of being able to walk around this beautiful part of the downs. A rather aggressive man in a tractor told us to get off as it is private.........
On 4 Jun 2013 at 9:40am middleclassandabitsmug wrote:
There are two footpaths either side of the gallops but no right of way between them ie across the gallops. Frustrating for walkers but You can understand it. They don't want people and dogs walking across when they are training the horses, nor would a carefree walker want to look round and find a large stallion galloping towards them.
On 4 Jun 2013 at 10:06am Castle Gate wrote:
Linked below is an up-to-date Ordnance Survey map showing exactly what 'MCAABS' has just written. You can see the public footpaths (small green dashes) and the public bridleways (longer green dashes) around the old Lewes Racecourse. The three orange dots are an off-road cycle path. Other paths and routes are marked in black dashed lines, but are not open to the public. The lines of small black dots are parish boundaries.
Interestingly, it also shows that the field that was recently ploughed-up (see other Forum posts) has a footpath right across it, along the route traditionally followed by walkers heading up to Mount Harry. But, crucially, it is not a public footpath. The correct route would be to follow the borders of the access land to the east and north.
View the picture »
On 4 Jun 2013 at 10:22am Toughtitty wrote:
Perhaps they should keep their racehorses off of our streets then. They can't have it both ways surely. The riders can be obnoxious and think they have the right. Walk on the old racecourse Downswalker........what are they going to do about it?????
On 4 Jun 2013 at 12:14pm stevied wrote:
MCAABS is quite right - it's their gallops and they have a right to use it without having to dodge walkers. On the other hand a few weeks ago when half a dozen riders decided to gallop up and down the busy field at the bottom of the motor road I did shout after them "Does this mean I can walk my dog on your gallops?" so maybe Toughtitty has a point...
On 4 Jun 2013 at 1:13pm Claire Byrne wrote:
Spot the DFL.
If you don't like people, in and around the Countryside doing their jobs safely and diligently, maybe you should try Wimbledon Common.
On 4 Jun 2013 at 1:50pm teaboy wrote:
Horses DO have the right to use roads. That's the law. They can have it both ways. If you don't like it, contact your MP and suggest a change in the law.
On 4 Jun 2013 at 4:15pm Dog in a Cape wrote:
A bit off subject.. A friend of mine took his Horse drinking in the pubs around Oxford and it was only when he took it into one bar that people started to object. On the whole people were quite accommodating. I say live and let live..
On 4 Jun 2013 at 4:48pm hardlyworthtyping wrote:
my horse was a regular at my local until the management decided that his long face was having a negative effect on the atmospherezzzzzz
On 4 Jun 2013 at 5:37pm Yaffle wrote:
"If you don't like people, in and around the Countryside doing their jobs safely and diligently, maybe you should try Wimbledon Common"
Having on one occasion seen a horse galloping around the Nevill - and at one point being told to "stay still" with a 2 year old as a racehorse came past - I would question the "safely" part of that statement.
On 4 Jun 2013 at 5:57pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
I love seeing them round the estate but agree the riders can be arrogant. They can also be a bit dangerous - I've seen the lads struggle to control them sometimes, and it's a bit scarey when you're walking along the pavement and a big horse starts prancing about and backing up on to the kerb.
Years ago, in Mount Harry Road, someone's car had one of its windows put in by a bucking horse.
Having said that, they don't hack me off half as much as the ordinary folk out riding who think it's ok to gallop across the fields at the edge of the estate. They make me nearly as cross as the mountain bikers who won't stick to the bridleways.
On 4 Jun 2013 at 7:42pm Claire Byrne wrote:
Having on one occasion seen a horse galloping around the Nevill - and at one point being told to "stay still" with a 2 year old as a racehorse came past - I would question the "safely" part of that statement.
If its only on one occasion that safety was called into question, I'd say that's a good track record; although I'm sure potentially very hazardous.
We should be proud that this Town has a rich history of horses and racing.
I remember as a child there were many stables...Nunnery and Leicester Rd, to name but two.... Now property developments.
I think we should give them a break and be glad that they are still surviving a sometimes intolerant climate
On 4 Jun 2013 at 8:08pm Horseman7 wrote:
Some forumites may recall race days many moons ago when the horses arrived by train and wore jute rugs...
On 5 Jun 2013 at 6:15pm Pedestrian wrote:
I love seeing the horses round and about the Nevill BUT I would not want to come across them as I walk down some of the twittens. One morning as I was dropping my daughter off at the front gates of Wallands I counted 12 racehorses coming out from the footpath by the side of the school!! There were lots of children about at this time.
OK so I didn't see anyone get hurt, but surely the riders should have some sense of public safety and especially keep away from schools at busy times.
On 5 Jun 2013 at 7:19pm Kitty wrote:
The "footpath" at the side of the school is a bridleway....
On 5 Jun 2013 at 7:45pm wrote: