Ayside Bridleway Maintenance

As part of our statutory role in maintaining the Right of Way network in the National Park, we are carrying out work to enable walkers, cyclists and horse-riders to continue using this bridleway.

In response to reports that it had become severely overgrown, we are working seasonally between 2023 and 2026 to sensitively manage the vegetation. The tree archway features will be retained as much as possible so that the route continues to be an important wildlife corridor.

The work involves:

  • removing vegetation causing an obstruction
  • removing any ash trees showing signs of ash dieback
  • repairing the boundary walls
  • repairing the surface of the bridleway

Vegetation has now been cut back along the first section of the bridleway.  Volunteers rebuilt 25 metres of dry stone wall where overgrown vegetation had caused it to collapse.  This involved taking the wall down and rebuilding most of the foundations.

are working to restore the drystone wall where overgrown vegetation has caused it to collapse.  Some of this work involves using a small digger to remove the tree stumps so that the wall can be repaired.

The next section of large scale tree work will be cut back in Sept / Oct 2023 and then the volunteers will come back to wall up gaps.  In the meantime, we will strim the route this summer.

If you have any questions, please contact our Ranger, Mike Tattershall on 07810657061

photos (c) Owen Osmotherley