Right of Way Walk - 3rd November 2024

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228 PEOPLE JOINED THE MASS WALK IN HATHERN ON SUNDAY.

It was arranged to enable local people to show their support for the application to make a well loved and much used path a public right of way.

For generations local people have used the path along the riverbank from Hathern towards the footbridge over to Zouch. Many in the past had used it to reach the old, and now closed, Hathern brickworks and Hathern Railway Station, others used it just for recreation. It has continued to provide a popular spot and every day people could be seen walking and exercising their dogs on what is a beautiful piece of countryside. When the Environment Agency closed part of the path, following work to its flood defence site, it was discovered that some of the path, used for so long, was not intended to have public access. Few had realised that until then. In order to protect this valuable local amenity application was made to have the path designated as a public right of way on the basis that it had been used as such for very many years.

A local survey received over 500 responses from people wanting to keep the path in public use. A mass walk was arranged, with the support of Hathern Parish Council, to allow people an opportunity to demonstrate just how strongly they felt about the issue. On the day 228 people, and very many dogs, turned up. The original plan had been to walk along the contested path up to the currently closed flood defence site. Unfortunately the land owners had removed stiles and placed 'private' signs on the gates preventing the walk from continuing along the intended course. Undeterred the walkers used a different route to reach the other side of the flood defence site.

Ian Bradford, one of the event organisers, said "I am absolutely delighted at the turnout today. It really did show how much local people care about protecting this path for future generations and participants seemed to enjoy a pleasant and social occasion. The path is already used for access by the Environment Agency and use as a footpath surely hasn't caused the land owners any additional inconvenience. As for the land owned by the Environment Agency, a path could easily be fenced off if there was concern for the flood site".

A mass walk was carried out in Hathern in 1967 to protest at the closure of an official public right of way. This event was instrumental in having the walk reopened. Four people from that walk were at the latest event.