The Norfolk Area Ramblers are celebrating a hard-fought victory to reopen a public byway in Burnham Market which had been unjustly closed for 10 years.
The land owner put up a ‘No Right of Way’ sign on the 400m stretch of byway after it was discovered that the path was not marked on the definitive maps drawn up in the 1950s. Local Ramblers provided evidence from maps dating as far back as 1797 to prove that the path should indeed be open to the public.
The application to reopen the byway was at first refused by Norfolk County Council who suggested there was insufficient evidence to alter the definitive map but local Ramblers refused to give up the fight. Undeterred, they appealed to the Secretary of State and after an independent review the decision was overturned.
Jubilant Norfolk Ramblers are hopeful that the path will be officially re-opened in January 2010 providing an important link in the network that will enable everybody to enjoy walking across Norfolk.
Allan Jones, Norfolk Ramblers rights of way committee member, said:“All of the people on the Norfolk Ramblers footpath team worked exceptionally hard to get the path re-opened.
“The byway plays such an important role in linking up the popular Norfolk costal routes with local backpacker hostels, so it is vital that people have access to the path. Now even more people will be able to get out and enjoy walking in the beautiful Norfolk countryside.”
