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Ramblers group bids to make path public - Have Your Say
WALKERS say they are being stopped from using a popular footpath by Lord Normanby's Mulgrave Estate.
The Ramblers' Association is backing walkers in their attempt to get the route designated as a public right of way.
A three-mile stretch of the former Whitby coast railway, running from Runswick to Kettleness, was used regularly by walkers until last summer when they were stopped by the estate.
One of them was Vera Shaw from Loftus, a member of a church walking group, who told the Gazette: "It was last summer when I was leading a party of about 20 of us.
"We'd got about half-a-mile along from the Ellerby Crossing at Runswick when we were stopped by a gamekeeper on a quad bike.
"He told us it wasn't a right of way and we needed permission to walk along it.
"We then had to turn off through a farmyard and over a rough field and we never got to Kettleness where we'd intended to go. I'd done it loads of time before and never been stopped."
David Leyshon, a volunteer footpaths officer for the Cleveland Group of the Ramblers' Association, has applied to the North York Moors National Park Authority for the footpath to be made a designated right of way.
At present, the footpath is designated as a Permissive Path, defined as one which is acknowledged by the owners but is not a public right of way.
Mr Leyshon has evidence from 75 people who claim they have used it as a right of way over the past 20 years.
He said: "The evidence now has to be tested by the national park authority."
The route became a footpath after the Whitby coast railway was closed in 1958 and the rails were taken up.
For part of the way it runs close to a stretch of the Cleveland Way but is flatter and affords excellent views.
The Cleveland Way, which is a public right of way, runs along the beach at that point and can be difficult to use at high tide.
John Hoyes, Mulgrave Estate manager, said: "The Mulgrave Estate is aware of an application for a modification submitted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act on behalf of the Ramblers' Association.
"The estate is collating evidence to support the fact the disused Kettleness to Ellerby Crossing rail line is a Permissive Path and therefore not a public footpath.
"We very much hope this can be resolved by amicable negotiation to ensure appropriate access is provided and maintained."
A national park spokeswoman confirmed the application from the Ramblers' Association has been received and will be processed.
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Saturday 19 May 2012
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