Author Topic: Rapeseed blocking path  (Read 2583 times)

rural roamer

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1502
Rapeseed blocking path
« on: 22:26:26, 29/05/18 »
Anyone else fed up with trying to walk across a footpath on a field with rapeseed growing right across the path? We were only doing a short walk yesterday locally in Suffolk and near the start we had to turn back as our way was blocked  >:(  You could see where the path went but just couldn’t get through. If we had a machete with us we might have been ok. Someone had obviously tried to go round the edge of the field and must have given that up as a bad job as that was completely overgrown with nettles (we had shorts on).  Its not a rarely used path either, its part of the Stour & Orwell Walk ( a long distance path). I shall contact the ROW officer at the council to see what they have to say. Its not the first time it’s happened either (in a different place). Last time I had my walking poles and we tried to fight our way through but gave up after getting probably less than a third of the way across the field. Luckily yesterday we were able to backtrack a bit and rejoin the route later on but it involved more road walking.

sussamb

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8011
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #1 on: 05:46:44, 30/05/18 »
Definitely contact your local ROW officer at the council.  Farmers have a duty to keep paths clear.
Where there's a will ...

tonyk

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2857
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #2 on: 08:59:20, 30/05/18 »
 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5755571/Summers-Fields-look-pretty-oilseed-rape-thats-dripping-dangerous-chemicals.html
Not one of the Mail's usual scare stories but one that can be cross-referenced when it comes to the effects of Rapeseed fields on human health.
 Contact your local ROW officer and also point out the health risk from this crop as its more than just an issue of a footpath being blocked.

Hillhiker1

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 736
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #3 on: 10:29:17, 30/05/18 »
Interesting article that Tony. Cheers.

rural roamer

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1502
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #4 on: 11:39:34, 30/05/18 »
Thanks for that Tony, though it is the Daily Mail! I can confirm that there are many fields in Suffolk full of rapeseed.

alan de enfield

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 940
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #5 on: 14:06:24, 30/05/18 »
Thanks for that Tony, though it is the Daily Mail! I can confirm that there are many fields in Suffolk full of rapeseed.



Its unusual for the Baily Fail to be even that accurate.
Times are a changing.

Andies

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 581
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #6 on: 14:32:03, 30/05/18 »
Always a problem in Suffolk. It needs to be cut back more than the official width of the ROW as its so tall. That said many of Suffolk's cross field footpaths are not clear whatever the crop  :(

Mel

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10936
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #7 on: 18:44:02, 30/05/18 »
Similar problems in East Yorkshire - a largely arable farming area, particularly where I am.  I have an inward groan at the sight of crops fallen over the path, particularly oilseed rape, but just enjoy the thought of extra cake-calories I burn up thrashing my way through, similarly when the path crosses a freshly ploughed field - clod hopping is a great leg workout.  I just see it as a temporary "pleasure" of walking in the countryside.




dank86

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 265
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #8 on: 13:49:01, 31/05/18 »
We have an issue in Monmouth where the farmers are trying to let the public footpaths get over grown and blocked so no-one uses them, no doubt to then try and get the row removed

RogerA

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 274
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #9 on: 15:38:11, 31/05/18 »
We have an issue in Monmouth where the farmers are trying to let the public footpaths get over grown and blocked so no-one uses them, no doubt to then try and get the row removed
I dont think thats only in Monmouth. Similar problems in Warwickshire - interestingly I've never come across the problem in neighbouring in Derbyshire - perhaps I walk more tourist trails there...

dank86

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 265
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #10 on: 16:03:17, 31/05/18 »
I dont think thats only in Monmouth. Similar problems in Warwickshire - interestingly I've never come across the problem in neighbouring in Derbyshire - perhaps I walk more tourist trails there...


I was out last week walking and at least half of them were impassable, one I had to use a pole to hack through as it wasn't to bad.
The impassable ones I just walk further up and found another way through, inside brace myself for an argument with a farmer that thankfully didn't happen

rural roamer

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1502
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #11 on: 17:10:38, 31/05/18 »
I think the problem is at its worst when the rapeseed is just dying off, its just impossible to get through, I’d like to know how you managed Mel?! Or are you just very strong?

Mel

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10936
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #12 on: 21:53:40, 31/05/18 »
Lol, no.  I just bash and barge and think of cake  ;D

Mel

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10936
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #13 on: 16:45:00, 02/06/18 »
Taken especially for rural roamer - me trailblazing through oilseed rape.  Very clear path on the ground but the crop has flopped over it.  The other side of the field is where the cake...erm... trees are on the horizon:



alan de enfield

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 940
Re: Rapeseed blocking path
« Reply #14 on: 16:54:25, 02/06/18 »
Taken especially for rural roamer - me trailblazing through oilseed rape.  Very clear path on the ground but the crop has flopped over it.  The other side of the field is where the cake...erm... trees are on the horizon:






In which case are you not going in the wrong direction ?


Never walk away from cake

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy