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31-Aug-2010
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Thriplow Village
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Nick Wittering
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You may have heard the noise of diggers and trucks in the fields between Thriplow and Heathfield recently. This is the start of works to construct a new Bridleway linking the two communities by the shortest route. The Parish Council and KWS are each part-funding Russell Smith Farms to lay a concrete path (at least 2m wide but typically 2.7m wide) for use by pedestrians and cyclists, it will also be useful for kiddies scooters and prams. Alongside this path will be at least 2m of grass verge for use by horse riders. The money comes from Section 106 funds received from the developers of Heathfield some years ago.
The new route utilises the existing footpath from Church Street to the KWS yard. Then it veers left alongside the field edge to cross the brook by a new bridge. There is a right turn through what used to be scrubland to join up with the old footpath between Heathfield and the fishing ponds, then the Bridleway skirts the edge of the Public Open Space until it joins up with the path that links into Kingsway. The Heathfield Residents Association have given their approval for users of the Bridleway to have "permissive use" of the private Kingsway road until they reach the public network at either Heathfield Way or Hurdles Way. Of course, the Public Open Space can also be used to access Pepperslade. The existing routes from Church Street to the KWS yard and from the Public Open Space to the Drift past the fishing ponds, will both be upgraded from Footpath status to Bridleways.
This new route will mean shorter journey times between the two communities and importantly will open up a new network of loops for horse riders, cyclists and walkers. Together with The Drift (from Church St to the fishing ponds and onto Whittlesford) and the existing footpath from Ringstone to the KWS yard, there will now be a number of options for circular walks from either Heathfield or Thriplow. The KWS yard will be by-passed with another extra Bridleway section and the yard will become off-limits to the public for Health and Safety reasons. We will unfortunately have to spend some money to ensure that cars cannot find a way onto the new Bridleways.
The work is expected to take a few months to complete but we hope the new route will be usable by the summertime school holidays. The Parish Council will then be erecting wayposts and signage along the way to guide and inform people of the countryside they are passing through.
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