That is the point I was going to make. Introducing these named paths raises expectations that are not met on the ground. Who comes up with them anyway?
The underlying reason is the lack of study and recognition that the access network is an important national resource. The original national ways were cobbled together by committee, they had, I am told, powers to create new routes but most if not all authorities, played safe and used existing RoW. This carried on as county councils played the political game, not wanting to go head on with landowners.
For instance, some bishop thought it would be a good idea to make walk following Henry V pilgrimage from Shrewsbury to Holywell, the council wasted time on planning it before giving it up, yet there was something that they might have noticed if the exercised was based on good design. There is a private suspension bridge over the River Dee in a very picturesque location, this would be right on course. The bridge a near beautiful replica of the Menai Bridge was, perhaps still is in a very bad state of repair. At the time there was EEC money and Lotto funds sloshing around, ripe for investment in such a project. But the course of the route would take too much marketing to get any interest and keep it going.
The real route would be; join the Monsal trail across north Shropshire through Whitchurch to the cross Denbighshire, but no-one knows the terrain well enough to imagine how great such a route could be. Most of the interesting ground is below eye level, of those who think the terrain is made up of what they can see from their cars.
Ironically the Cheshire council are trying to add about half a mile of lost way to the end of one of their paths which could just be the beginning of this way, but I don't think anyone has walked over the border into Shropshire to see the ground that could offer the extension. It is a fascinating defile leading into the estate of the Chairman of the Shropshire county council, who probably played the biggest part in corrupting the definitive map of Shropshire.