Postman's Paths

[thelonningsguy]

I've recently come across a number of Postman's Paths in the UK. Paths that were either created specifically by or for the postman, or paths that have achieved some fame because of the link with a much-loved postman. The Postman's Path at Rhenigidale in North Harris, Scotland is probably the most famous. I realise every street in Britain is in a sense a postman's path! But these seem to be very specifically branded as "Postman's Paths". Do members have any more they can tell me about? And if so do you know anything of the history? The ones in Cumbria seem largely to have been created as short-cuts by postmen between rural farms and then made into official footpaths. Thanks in advance.

[Doddy]

I walked the Hebridean Way last year and diverted to the Hostel at Rhenigidale. The route down to the Hostel is steep; I ski and it is definitely a red run. That postman must have been fit.
The hostel is great place. Up to fairly recently there was no road all supplies to the hamlet came in by sea.

[watershed]

Have you checked out   Barewirewalker,s link copied below.  
I have been using it since Barewire posted it to try to identify old Ministers paths and Meal roads in Shetland.  
It may be useful to you.  

 

  "How many use the marvelous Library of Scotland's website .   After a bit of a lay off because I had down loaded and re-constructed actual sheets of areas of interest I returned to it and got onto the seamless 1888-1913 series. It really is an  interesting way to spend a few spare hours."  
 

[joncombe]

I know of a couple in Scotland
* Strathcanaird to Achduart/Culnacraig* Badrallach to Scoraig
In both cases they were created I think by the postman walking to the vilages a few times a week to deliver mail.  In the case of Achduart/Culnacraig these villages were for a long time cut off - there were no roads there so this was the only way to deliver mail.
Having walked this path all I can say is the postman must have been made of tough stuff. It was hard enough to walk it one way but they used to do it there and back carrying all the mail. I guess they were glad Amazon had not been invented then - not so many heavy parcles to deliver then!

In the case of Scoraig this is STILL the case, the village even today has no road to or from it, it is cut off to vehicles. However the post is still delivered but I believe is taken over by boat now. Or possibly just left on the other side for locals to take over in their own boats (I think many that live there have their own boat).
I think the same is true of Inverie a bit further south - it has no road access but mail is taken by boat. There are quite a few places in Scotland that did not get roads until pretty late on

[vizzavona]

Hello....Re. the Badralloch to Scoraig track.  A few years back when walking the track to reach a way up to Beinn Ghobhlach I recall a quad bike parked up where I left my motor at the end of the Yellow road. Didn't go all the way out to Scoraig but the track would appear fine for the quad bike?
I think that the pupils are taken across to the settlement by boat each school day for connection with the school bus also a way for the mail to get out to the folks?   Maybe there is a primary school at Scoraig now?

….here he goes again recalling the L'ile de Beaute :-) In more recent times walking between Girolata to Curzu ...the sentier des douaniers probably shared with the local Postman. A fine path just above the sea to get to the Bocca a Croce. Apart from one other walkers route over from Galeria the only way to reach the fabulous wee bay is by boat.

[barewirewalker]

Interesting one! You are looking for Postman's Paths and I have an experience that tells of an occupier telling me why a right of way was not a right of way because it was a discontinued Postman's Path and had been shut off for years. This was in Mid Wales, near Dolanog, an area I have walked for years. Very close to Glyndwr's Way. It is a part of Wales, where the the rights of way have probably been recorded as truly the ways as represented on the 1880 OS series as anywhere in the country. Also the county of Powys being so large that many RoW's have yet to be waymarked and furnished so those of lesser significance are on the map but not on the ground.
Occupiers either landowners or other can see a right of way an issue, and may grasp at any reason to explain why your should not be walking in that part of the countryside. In this case the person I spoke to was a small owner/occupier, not a natural member of the Country  Landowner's Association and was not particularly upset by our use of this way, however he did say that we would have had a different greeting had we been seen by his neighbour, who has a local reputation for hostility against walkers. The occupier at the point we accessed the way.
It is certainly interesting to relate the way on the map to the terrain, by road the distance between dwellings is far greater, however I did notice something more. If you projected the route ahead into Dolanog, this gave a direct route to the Methodist Chapel, whereas the roads would lead to the Anglican Church on the other side of the village. The smaller holdings are more likely to be ancient freeholds, whereas the larger holdings would be tenanted by a large estate.

[Patrick1]

Achiltibuie to Ullapool is one I'm aware of but haven't yet walked. Looks as if it would be quite a spectacular route.

[joncombe]

Hello....Re. the Badralloch to Scoraig track.  A few years back when walking the track to reach a way up to Beinn Ghobhlach I recall a quad bike parked up where I left my motor at the end of the Yellow road. Didn't go all the way out to Scoraig but the track would appear fine for the quad bike?

It starts off OK but quickly deteriorates. There were also steps so I don't think you could get a quad bike the whole way.

I think that the pupils are taken across to the settlement by boat each school day for connection with the school bus also a way for the mail to get out to the folks?   Maybe there is a primary school at Scoraig now?

There is a school - it has six pupils! See https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/six-pupil-school-in-scoraig-seeks-teachers-after-double-resignation-rrvsm0nvb where they were looking for a new teacher last summer.

[joncombe]

Achiltibuie to Ullapool is one I'm aware of but haven't yet walked. Looks as if it would be quite a spectacular route.

It is indeed spectacular. But also very tough!

[sunnydale]

Thanks guys for this thread! I now have the theme song to Postman Pat stuck in my head!!

[barewirewalker]

I realise every street in Britain is in a sense a postman's path!

I recall a post on this forum, not sure if the poster is still about, it was few years ago. The member was walking in the Lakes and inadvertently strayed of the RoW, along a path in front of some houses. He got accosted by a resident, who asked him if he would like people walking in front of his house. I remember his reply,"I live on an estate of 300 houses and I have people walking past the front of my house all times of the day".

I wonder if anyone has taken this line of thought further. The President of the CLA, who wrote the 2012 landowners' policy on access described the access network as based on, "Shortcuts of yesteryear and old ways to places of work not suitable for leisure walking." However it is the leisure network we have and I believe that it would be better if we all learnt to describe it better, so those, who take a stance against sharing the countryside, can be persuaded to face up to the legacy that is held within these old ways.

I recall a walk on the end of the Long Mountain on the Welsh Marches, as we came to the end of a path that led out of wood to a cottage and this path joined a track. There was a breathtaking view of the Severn Valley to Powys Castle and I had no doubt that this cottage would have once been within the estate of the Castle. The householder had attempted to incorporate the end of the lane into the garden, thus trying to obstruct the linkage between RoW fp and a white lane. Fortunately enough usage of the path had defeated this effort. Because the setting was so perfect a place, where the old and new were on display, I got to thinking how many persons would have passed this way in former times, certainly the estate's factor and the parson, there would be periodic visits of the midwife, even occasionally a doctor, friends and relatives, but in days of yore, mendicants of various forms and other travelers such as knife sharpeners, pot menders, herbalists.....the list could go on.

Now that our leisure time has turned into a major industry, a bulwark of the nation's economy, is it not curious that those, who occupy the countryside belittle the structure of our access network, because it is used for leisure and show little respect for the social history that is wrapped up in it's ways.

[barewirewalker]

Just used Postimage for the first time.
https://postimg.cc/wyZgThkD][img]https://i.postimg.cc/rsFmjj0Z/postpath-dfach.png
/[img]

Highlighted is the section of path that the occupier at Dolwar Fach told me that that path was an old postman's route and close off for years. It is a natural line, follows field margins as necessary and approaches field gates as the terrain would be expected. The post office would off map eastside, so would the route be clockwise or anti and which of the other paths are the true postman's route and what are the purposes of the others. Leads to the 4W of lostways;Who walked them.Where did they walk to.What was the purpose.Was there a primary direction of travel.

[barewirewalker]

https://postimg.cc/wyZgThkD]

that's better the first attempt the subsequent text got tangled up with the brackets, although I had the cursor in the right place. I think??

[ninthace]

Try the copy button to the right of the hotlink in postimage - scoops it all up for you.