To just ask you all to either wear some proper wellies and walk on the footpath, or stick to the sodding pavements

[flamingflamingos]

This is my field. It's winter wheat - it's been ploughed and pressed and drilled and rolled and just as it's starting to grow into what will be harvested for flour to produce bread, the general public have trampled it into the ground.

I understand the need to get outside, absolutely I support this country's network of footpaths - we have 6km of footpaths on this farm which are maintained so that everyone can enjoy the countryside.

But this is taking the piss. If you don't want to walk in the mud, don't walk in the countryside in January. Please, stop this. We are all accountable for how we behave.

Around here part of the problem is that the farmers plant across all the footpaths and thus train people to walk on the crops. They just carry on with the rows and most of the footpaths run diagonally through the fields. If they an actual space then most people would try to use it. For lockdowners looking for a walk signs go a long way telling them what might be obvious to others. We had quite a tragic case where the farmer decided to use electric fencing pushed right to the edge of the footpath and a man in his 60s slipper in the mud and landed on it. It short circuited his pace maker and he died a rather slow and agonising death according to the coroner. No one found him until the next day. Placing electric fencing next to a narrow sloped muddy path is reprehensible. The farmer went to jail. It's not the solution.

@5foot5

sorry you do realise the farmer is more bothered about their income from the crop rather than ease of access for walkers? You don't have to walk there, they have to plant their crop!

I thought they were supposed to leave an obvious path clear and not obstruct it if there is a public footpath. Most do around here.

Exactly. It was a public footpath marked on the map and sign posted across the field. Most farmers do leave an obvious route. Why wouldn't they? After all if you obscure the path you are more likely to get people accidentally straying where they shouldn't. be. I do believe most walkers want to do the right thing and stay on the path.

And as for saying "You don't have to walk there". OK imagine this scenario. You are following a 7 mile walking route and 5 miles in the path is suddenly obscured and difficult to make out. Do you a) shrug, turn round and retrace your steps 5 miles back the way you came or b) study the map and try to figure out the best way back to a discernible path to finish the walk. Honestly?

I'd turn back, in fact I did in the summer, there is a well documented and popular round trip around our village, about 8 miles in total. The last field had cows and very young calves in it. They were crowding round the gate. There is no way am I going through a crowd of cows with very young calves. It's dangerous. Not to mention that if I'd opened the gate they may have gotten out.

Our 8 mile walk ended up being more like 14 by the time we'd doubled back, but better that than my children getting hurt or being the reason livestock gets out.

I'm a townie but have always walked in the countryside and am aware of the Countryside code. We endeavour to walk responsibly in the right footwear. At the weekend we were out walking and saw some large groups just spreading out across the edge of fields with dogs and also people trying to go on a walk in trainers - they were really struggling to get through waterlogged gates and boggy patches. Seemed really daft to me.

With the vast networks of footpaths in this country I think we do need to be respectful that we are crossing private working land and to behave responsibly. In rainy wintery months how exactly people expect farmers to maintain footpaths or fence them all off - particularly since some go diagonally across fields and meadows seems completely ridiculous to me.

And you don't put a bull in a field of wheat!

Why are pp assuming the OP farmer is male?

@bigbluebus

As a volunteer for a P3 group, my DH spends many hours out in the local countryside trying to establish the routes of 'lost ' footpaths where they have been blocked, sometimes deliberately, by landowners. He also speaks to the landowners concerned about reinstating the paths and installing new stiles/kissing gates and gathers volunteers together into work parties to install them (a job which the landowners themselves should be doing). And I can't remember the last time I did a walk with DH on which we didn't stop and bang waymarker discs onto posts to point to the correct route. On one 6 mile walk at the weekend we encountered a "ger orf my land" from a landowner who refuses to acknowledge the public footpath up their track, alongside multiple electric fences with no insulation or handles all in the space of a few metres. So whilst I'm all for educating the general public about the countryside code (which my DH also does as he runs a local walking group) I would love to see landowners educating each other in the duties of landowners in maintaining public rights of way. My DH's "shopping list " for work on paths that he's identified during the pandemic is growing ever longer and is going to require weeks of work from volunteers to put right because landowners are neglecting their duties.

I agree with this 100% I walk a lot, and do find some landowners have even but barbed wire over the top of stiles.

That is why I get so frustrated with people who do damage like that shown in the photo. Here we have an example of a landowner who is doing the right thing and is keeping the right of way clear - and it is being abused. As a regular walker I know how important it is to keep landowners on side. there are are many, many good guys out there. When people damage rights of way if gives less co-operative farmers the excuse they need to start blocking and neglecting rights of way.

Why are pp assuming the OP farmer is male

I wasn't - but common garden sexism is the answer. Assumptions about gender roles continue even in an age where getting pronouns 'correct' is a political imperative.

[quote flamingflamingos]@TonMoulin you are correct - a few weeks ago this was a very green crop of wheat next to a very well trodden brown footpath. It probably is ambiguous now as it's just a big quagmire of brown.

We will be fencing it today with electric fencing just to mark the path. I'm already dreading the backlash on the local Facebook page though. [/quote]
I think if you post the pics you've posted here, showing the actual footpath (clue's in the name, by the way, for the poster whittering about prams - it's a FOOTpath) and the state it is now in, you may get less backlash than you fear, at least from non-townie locals.

And as for the rest - well they've only themselves to blame for being ignorant arseholes and causing the problem - you've not only lost £700 in crops, but you're having to pay out X amount more for the fencing now too! Of course, if they want to reimburse you for your losses... which of course they won't.

Everybody who walks down that footpath in the OP knows exactly where the footpath is. It's a standard path down the edge of the field. Further on in the photo there's no muddy route in the crops, and I'm guessing it's the same before the photo.
My question to the OP is why does everybody walk down the footpath only to suddenly step off it to walk through the field and rejoin the footpath a short distance up? What's in it for them? Why do they not want to walk on that short stretch of footpath? Why do they take a longer and bumpier route?

I've found spots like the OP shows in their photos before. Mud on a slope. It's just not physically possible to use the footpath. It's like walking on an ice rink at an angle. You can't even stand without slowly sliding off the path.
The landowner has a responsibility to keep footpaths useable and the walker has a responsibility to use them. The OP hasn't kept the footpath useable so walkers are keeping as close to the footpath as possible.

To maintain the path the OP needs to make it level. Maybe a bit of gravel would would help with drainage and stop feet from sliding about making it muddier too.

There's a lot of resentment on this thread. Yes farmers are growing the food and have a privileged understanding of how their land works. But these "stupid idiots" could be the ones emptying your bins, working in the supermarkets, the hospitals etc. What's "obvious" to some isn't to others. Haven't you ever got lost visiting an unfamiliar town? What helped you? Hostile locals calling you stupid, or signs and information?

Respect works both ways. Assuming the worst of people is a sad way to live.

I dont think you finishing your walk is more important than the farmers crops!! Geezo! Yeah you walk back

no, it is a right of way, and rigths of way can be walked.

the farmer (in the case of the potato field) can either leave a path, or allow people to make their own path, or make a path roudn the edge and ask people to use it (but technically they don't have to if the right of way goes across the middle of the field.

I am country raised, and a framer near us just permanently ploughed the footpath over his field. It was bloody annoying, as if you could walk it, that made a good walk to the next village. He did it on purpose, as he didn't like having a footpath over his field.

I have a lot of sympathy with the OP and with farmers who have stupid visitors leaving gates open etc. We used to be taught the countryside code, can't image that happeningin most schools today.

People are incredibly entitled in the countyside. My friend used to have a path over her horse field. She had huge signs up saying keep your dog on a lead, and don't feed the horses, and people STILL got cross with her when the horse, behind an electric fence, 5 m away from the path, tried to bite the person off the path, feeding it

It works both ways and as for the council paying for hardcore- nope! Farmers get enough subsidies which other private businesses don;t.

How much do you think your food would cost if it wasn't subsidised?

What incentive do you think there would be for farmers to plant hedges, leave field margins, maintain wetland areas and not increase grazing if they weren't encouraged to to do through subsidies compensating them for making their land less productive for the greater public good?

It's exceptionally difficult to make any money in farming, if you worked it out as an hourly rate most farmers are earning less than NMW.

Nearly all the farmers in my area are tenant farmers. Hardly the 'greedy' landowners that many people suggest, and its funny that it's only green spaces people object to others owning, no one seems to find anything wrong with landownership when it's under a multi-storey.

Did they plant the tree too?

@wixked I don't actually believe you.

We have KMs of electric fencing on this farm, a lot of it abutting footpaths. We graze sheep on stubble turnips to increase organic matter in over winter stubbles and it is the only practical way of stock proofing large arable fields. If you have correct signage identifying it is an electric fence of XX volts, it is perfectly legal to erect electric fencing on your land wherever the fuck you like, providing it is on w public footpath.

I'm a female by the way, for those arguing over that. Granted my husband does the lion share of physical farming, I'm a solicitor specialising in agriculture. ✌🏻

"Nearly all the farmers in my area are tenant farmers. Hardly the 'greedy' landowners that many people suggest, and its funny that it's only green spaces people object to others owning, no one seems to find anything wrong with landownership when it's under a multi-storey."

Calling modern agriculture Green space is like calling a rat infestation delightful company

@Sinful8 you're mistaken. I'm not being drawn into an argument with you over it, but UK agriculture is some of the most sustainable and complimentary to flora and fauna of anywhere in the world. To say otherwise is just to be ignorant.

why do people go off the path when its muddy?

well, in the past they didnt. they just chose to be responsible and not walk that way in the bad weather - they would use those paths only when ground conditions were suitable to do so.

The problem is twofold - firstly from last Spring there are far, far, far more people using the footpaths, and building them into their daily routine. And this means more footfall and more damage to the ground, The ground gets poached much more quickly and, because they simply just keep going, it remains bad for much longer. In the past the usual non-covid walkers left those footpaths to recover, they chose different routes. This isnt happening, and along with the wet weather it has caused the path to become impassible.

And secondly there are people using the track irresponsibly - I see loads of people with kids, with bikes, with scooters, with off road buggies. This makes a bad situation even worse. We put up signs saying no bikes. people took them down. And people still want to go on the same walks. If they find a bit thats impassible, instead of thinking 'we'd better find a different place to go' they just go round it. And widen the path. And make the new wide bit impassible too.

@Mysterian

If the footpath runs along the hedge line in the photo, it must be nearly impossible to walk on. A sloped mudfest. Not surprising that walkers have to go round that bit.

Maintain your footpath so it's usable and people will use it.

if the pavement is messy in your street do you think you have a right to cross someone's garden?

and the joke that farmers are rolling in it!! bloody hell, before we diversified into glamping the farm made a huge profit INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL SUBSIDIES of about £7K - to support 2 generations. My DP has to work FT as well now in another capacity.
Asset/land rich but income. Why do you think that farmers are abandoning the vocation in their droves. Many farms being split up and sold off.

its impossible to 'maintain' a footpath as if it were a paved right of way.

its a field

its mud

if you walk on it it will churn up and get impassible until the weather changes

that is just a simple fact of life

Eek, sorry to see that OP.
It's been a bugbear of mine since March '20.
I have walked on many footpaths with many very trampled crops in last year.
Especially wheat & barley (what they grow around here).

I can't get it... even if the path is narrow, you can see other walkers approaching, you could at least move off path into an area that is already trampled and not add more damage, rather than add new damage with new trampling. The paths end up like 20' wide. Ridiculous.

I'm not seeing more litter or even more dog mess, at least.

It is very muddy out there. People who think you should be keeping the footpath clear make me laugh. They obviously don't go walking in the countryside very much!

I stick to the footpaths, wear good waterproof walking boots and expect to get very muddy at this time of year.

I've always lived in towns, but ones small enough that the countryside is only a short walk away. I've always followed the countryside code, though can't remember where I learned it. I'm a Scout leader and learning it is part of several badges, so I hope my scouts remember when they go out for walks.

Unfortunately I think many new walkers are out there atm due to the restrictions, so don't know/care about the code.

It does make me laugh seeing them trying to pick their way through the least muddy bits in their designers white trainers and teddy bear fluffy coats etc. If you're not wearing clothes you don't want to get dirty don't walk in the countryside, stick to pavements!

When I say we "maintain" the footpath, I mean that we ensure it is clearly marked and passable. So we run a wheeling on plough and drilling, we ensure field side paths have trimmed hedges and that they are not fenced across. We try not to put livestock in fields with footpaths to save aggro and anxiety on both sides.

You can't surface a field side footpath without going to great expense and at detriment to the wildlife. Usually these field side hedges are full of wildlife, surfacing parts of the field would permanently deter things like hedgehogs and rabbits whose warrens tend to be under the hedges.

Also, if you want to enjoy walking in the countryside, you don't want to see paved paths, surely 🤯 go walk around town if you want surfaced walks.

in fields without footpaths
That should say!

I'm totally confused how this is in any way contentious.
Walkers stick to the footpath, even if it's very wet, muddy and slippery, which is to be expected at this time of year.
Farmers keep the footpaths accessible.

Both those mostly happen around where I live. We happily coexist. There are a few cases where this doesn't happen, and that is wrong, whether it's farmer or walker who transgresses.

(That said, I can't believe how many people we meet on our daily dog walk now - never used to meet anyone!)

I'm not talking about surfacing the footpath. I'm talking about making it level, and adding a sprinkle of gravel on top to give the surface some grip so people don't slide about making it even muddier.