Editor

This letter is written on behalf of a friend who lives in the Pisgah area.

A public footpath and bridleway crosses through our land, something I do not have a problem with as our household supports access to the great outdoors for all people.

However, it astounds me just how many people do not seem to understand the Countryside Code. While the number of people walking across our land was lower than usual during lockdown and the subsequent abysmal weather, I have seen an uptick since the return of sunshine, so I would like to use this opportunity to remind people to always close the gates you pass through, whether or not they have a sign saying to. The general rule is that gates must be left as they were found.

Last summer a gate left open by an absent-minded individual resulted in a huge loss of our personal food crops, including irreparable damage to fruit trees and bushes - sheep are wily little mobsters and can strip plants quicker than you’d ever believe. We would like to avoid a repeat of this, but need co-operation from the riders and walkers that cross our land.

Today a large group passed through and left a gate fully open, which would have been disastrous if not quickly discovered.

Fox Lazenby, Pisgah.

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