Few will be aware of the quality of way that these two estates deny the counties economy because few have walked them, so they cannot judge the history hidden by their private usage, let alone the beauty selfishly hoarded.
If we had more awareness of quality of way, how the features within our countryside add to attraction that encourage people to take exercise, perhaps an understanding of the damage to society by landowner self interest might be measured..............................................
A landowner's service bridge is planned for a new road and the opportunity to provide public access is not included because the land beyond is private, end of subject. Is this a telling indictment on the state of our modern day understanding of sharing our countryside as an economic and social resource?
Because of the CLA's embedded antipathy to access, the values of leisure access are neither seen nor understood as forceful enough to allow public access over valuable new infrastructure. As with another byepass in the county, at Nescliffe, simply tweaking the rights of way could have saved the necessity of a pedestrian Right of Way crossing a dual carriageway, thus placing a magnificent footbridge in a dominant position in the counties leisure network. As it stands, it is often left off the routes walkers plan to cross Shropshire.
I can think of several titles for routes that might be using this bridge, if the lostway beyond had been included on the Definitive Map of Shropshire;
1).
The Severn Way. (A more accurate route following the River Severn as the longest riverside walk)
2).
Hotspur's Retreat. (A local circular based on a legend from the Battle of Shrewsbury)
3).
Young Darwin's Explorations. (A local circular following in his footsteps as an adventurous youth)
4).
The Shropshire Sandstone Trail. (An apt geological finish to a natural continuation of the Cheshire route)
5).
St Chad's Way. (A short linear joining 2 churches of that name without crossing the river)
6)
. Montford circular. (A longer circular using the now quieter Montford Bridge on Thomas Telford's old A5)
Then one of my cross Wales linking to the Nescliffe Footbridge and using the CAD Argoed lostways for route through the Llynclys Gap and Berwyns to the coast at Harlech.
What missed opportunites, is it because the CLA employ a lawyer to advise on access matters? The predecessor suggested that landowners should; 'give away more than they could get', in order to balance the equation of access, not the landowner solicitor, who solicits to limit access.
So are the current occupiers of Berwick Estate brain washed by their national lobby group and their own history into believing that allowing rights of way across their estate will devalue their property.
There are probably papers in that Hall that prove that a right of way once existed across the property from the Gravel Hill Farm to Leaton Knowles, the recollections of a lady, who celebrated her 100th birthday last November suggest very strongly that this is the case.