PUBLIC RIGHTS AND WRONGS..

Just come back from what was going to be a nice long circular walk with Barney.   I`d studied the OS Map and spotted a good looking footpath route from the church at Trottiscliffe (pron. Trosley) across a field where it linked up to the Wealdway, the long distance path from Gravesend to Hastings,  up to the prehistoric Coldrum Stones and back along another path to the church.   Sounds good?  I thought so.

Now I`m quite fond of the village of Trottiscliffe (pron. Trosley) and it has quite a bit going for it, including the church which has been there since 1100.   Then there`s the White House which was the home of the artist Graham Sutherland from 1945 until his death in 1980.   There are two very good pubs, loads of interesting - and protected - buildings, a village pond and the whole thing is set amid the rolling Kent countryside in the lee of the North Downs (see photo above.)

Anyway, Barney and I set off and soon came across a signposted footpath leading into the first corn field, only to find the route of the path virtually impassable with waist high thistles.   So we struggled  around the headland of the field looking out for the point at which the path was supposed to link up with the Wealdway.   We never found it - there were no clear waymarks - so we made our own way back to the road, up a hill and then along a short path from the road back to where we had left the car at the church.

Now I know it`s high summer and because the corn isn`t as high as an elephant`s eye, there seems little excuse for the public rights of way to be so neglected, especially when we are all exhorted to get more exercise and enjoy the countryside on our doorsteps.   The truth is that the condition of the public footpaths we encountered this evening are a disgrace.  

I`m inclined to have a moan at Trottiscliffe (pron. Trosley) Parish Council who will probably refer me to the local Borough Council, who will probably tell me that it`s a problem for Kent County Council, who will probably tell me that as a result of savage cutbacks in Government Grant, they simply don`t have the resources to discharge their statutrory responsibilites for low priorities such as me and Barney having a nice walkies on a summer`s evening.  Doesn`t make it right though.