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The Pennine Bridleway
Lynnette Evans - June 2005
lynnette.evans@kirklees.gov.uk
Pennine Bridleway and feeder routes - Summary report
Compiled by Kirklees Cycling Officer from Pennine Bridleway website, Feb. 2005
Website: www.nationaltrail.co.uk/penninebridleway
Introduction
The Pennine Bridleway is a new national trail in the north of England, the first purpose-built long distance bridleway
for horse riders, mountain bikers and walkers. Once fully open it will run from the High Peak Trail in Derbyshire to
Byrness, Northumberland, around 560km (350 miles). The trail is opening in stages - 120 miles of the route from
Derbyshire to the Mary Towneley Loop (MTL) is now open.
Development of the trail
The development of the trail is managed by the Countryside Agency in partnership with the local authorities as shown
in the progress table (see below). As the Highway Authority, the local authorities have the powers and responsibilities
for creation, management and maintenance of the Rights of Way network. At the start of the project around 40% of the
approved route for the trail was either on footpath or had no rights of access, therefore new bridleway rights have had
to be negotiated with landowners on the sections that were not legally rideable. In addition much of the trail required
improvement works such as drainage, surface improvements, new gates, safe road crossing points and way marking to bring
it up to National Trail standards. The Pennine Bridleway has its own National Trail officer who is responsible for
overseeing the development of the Trail and once sections of the route are open, ensuring with the help of the local
authorities, that the trail is maintained to National Trail standard.
Progress to date
The southern section of the trail, 120 miles from Derbyshire up to and including the Mary Towneley Loop, is now open.
There are however a few remaining places where work is ongoing. North of the Mary Towneley Loop through Lancashire and
North Yorkshire negotiations to secure the route continue and construction of the route is progressing. Work should be
substantially complete in 2005. A map of the full route (in PDF format)) can be downloaded at:
www.nationaltrail.co.uk/penninebridleway/map.htm
Feeder routes
There are three feeder routes from Bolton, Keighley and Penistone which link the National Trail to these large centres
of population providing opportunities to a greater number of people. The routes do not have National Trail status but
are part of the Sport England funding and will provide excellent rides or walks in their own right. The feeders are
being developed in conjunction with the local authorities in the same way as the National Trail itself. The table below
shows the local authorities involved and the progress made to date. It is expected that the feeders will open in 2006.
Progress on the feeder routes
The Progress table shows the number of kilometres of bridleway negotiated to date and progress on construction.
Number of kilometres of bridleway negotiated to date and progress on construction
| Feeder route |
Authority |
Total length of route |
Estimated length
of new
bridleway |
Length of new
bridleway
agreed by
March 2004 |
Construction
completed by
March 2004 |
| Bolton |
Bolton MBC |
9.5 km |
0 km |
0 km |
9.5 km |
| Blackburn and Darwen |
18 km |
0 km |
0 km |
0 km |
| Lancashire CC |
40km |
23.5 km |
2.2 km |
3.5 km |
| Penistone |
Oldham MBC |
0.5 km |
0 km |
0 km |
0 km |
| Kirklees MBC |
21 km |
11 km |
0 km |
5 km |
| Barnsley MBC |
19 km |
1 km |
0 km |
17 km |
| Keighley |
Calderdale MBC |
5 km |
0 km |
0 km |
0 km |
| Bradford MBC |
18 km |
3.3 km |
0 km |
3 km |
| Total |
131 km |
38.8 km |
2.2 km |
38 km |
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