Footpaths

The Ramblers

The Ramblers nationally are involved, not just in walking, but in maintaining and developing our rights of way.
In Derbyshire alone there are over 3000 miles (of which 619 are in our group area).
This is longer than the 2920 miles of the E8 long distance path from Cork in Ireland to Bulgaria, which uses the Trans Pennine Trail in the UK.

The path on to Holy Moor

Walton FP47

Five volunteers installed this sleeper bridge on Staveley Footpath 58

Brampton FP34

Holmesfield FP19

A new Ramblers Volunteer Welcome Booklet is available on request

The ‘Ramblers Volunteer Welcome’ booklet

You’ll be very welcome to join our footpath inspection team – or help the Group in any other way.
As a volunteer you are right at the heart of our work to promote walking whilst protecting and improving the places people walk.

Volunteer zone

Good countryside access depends on reporting all rights of way problems.
Don’t assume they have already been reported.
Take a photo if you can and report to Derbyshire County Council

Parish Rights of Way

Rights of way divided by the 42 parishes of our group

There are however many paths, both ‘lost’ over time or used every day, that are unrecorded by the County Council, and are not legal ‘rights of way’
Pre-1949 unrecorded paths were due to be ‘extinguished’ in 2026 by legislation in the Crow Act (2000).
The cut-off in this part of the Act has now been moved to 2031.
Provision for claiming the many unrecorded paths as rights of way will remain….

Who has a public right of way ? (An analysis of provision and inequity in England & Wales)

Routes to Nature (unlocking local access in England & Wales)

Stiles & gates

The Cycle Tracks Act (1984) gave highway authorities the powers to convert a footpath or part of a footpath into ‘a highway over which the public have a
right of way on a pedal cycle (other than pedal cycles which are motor vehicles) and a right of way on foot’.
The problem arises however that rights of way can be extinguished to allow this to happen and are automatically removed from the Definitive Map and thereby Ordnance Survey mapping.
At a time when we are trying to establish ‘lost ways’ for mapping, we are losing some existing footpaths from Ordnance Survey maps.
This cannot be in the interest of either cyclists or walkers, who both need to see their active travel routes clearly mapped ?
Unrecorded Rights of Way (Proposal 31)
Natural England Stakeholder Report (2010)

The North Chesterfield Way route

Waymarking Public Rights of Way (Natural England)

Although we’re glad many farmers follow the requirement to keep footpaths open for public use, there are unfortunately some who ignore the guidelines.

Free passage is essential at all times, but never more so than during the annual Chesterfield Area Walking Festival in May each year.