5. No footpath by busy roads.
This one is a real pain! I use Ordnance Survey maps to plan my walks and I try to stick to public footpaths, byways, bridleways and cycle routes, but sometimes I need to use roads as well. Obviously I try to find what appear on the map to be quiet country lanes and when I can't be sure how busy the roads will be I usually use Google Street View to get an idea. But that's not foolproof; Google might have taken the photos on a Sunday morning and the reality when I get there is very different.
The road in the photo below looked okay, but it was only when I got there that I discovered how dangerous it was to walk along this road. The banks were very high and there were no footpaths to offer an alternative route. So I walked a few miles hoping the whole time that I wouldn't be run over. Actually, it was worse than it looks because there were a lot of lorries using this road too. Why oh why can't responsible bodies (councils? highways agencies?) put paths alongside all busy roads? I wouldn't even mind sharing the paths with bikes, since I'm sure roads like these are as dangerous for cyclists as they are for pedestrians.

6. Ploughed up footpaths.
This is a very common problem for walkers. The map shows a public footpath crossing the field, but when I get to the field I can see no sign of a path. The field in my photo has recently been ploughed, but just as common are fields with young crops - and no sign of a footpath.
The answer is simple. The farmer has a duty to restore the path they've made disappear, and the walker has the right to walk where the path ought to be. So I use my GPS (satnav!) to make sure that I cross the field following the 'path' as closely as possible. But having said that, if a crop is growing and I can find an alternative route which isn't too inconvenient, then I'll go another way. Fortunately, many farmers are very considerate and restore paths and/or make the route clear. And surely that makes perfect sense because leaving walkers to pick their own paths must damage crops far more than giving them a clearly defined - and much narrower - path to follow.

7. Misleading signs.
I get really annoyed by these! There are landowners who don't want walkers crossing their land - even though a walker has as much right to use a public footpath as a motorist has to use a public road. Signs and notices like the one in my photo are not uncommon - although this one is more blatant than most. There was absolutely no reason for the warning and 'keep out' sign so I reported it to the The Ramblers, who have an excellent online facility for dealing with these issues, and soon afterwards the sign was removed. Success!


8. Blocked paths.
I have to say that most footpaths are well signposted and kept clear - (in my case) well done the Kent County Council.



Eight down and two to go!
