Bridleways and riding routes
in South Cambridgeshire and local area

• Where can I legally ride?

• Public rights of way and other access


• Bridleways and riding routes near Sawston, South Cambs
• Circular rides; The Icknield Way; the Roman Road; Abington permitted riding scheme; permissive routes available under the Countryside Stewardship scheme; permissive routes near Little and Great Shelford


• Thetford Forest
• Beach riding
• Rides in Norfolk

• Links to Bridleway organisations 
• including Shelford and District Bridleways Group

• Sign the latest Equestrian Access petition to the Prime Minister!
  Links to the petition and BHS Press Release can be found on the BHS East of England petition webpage

Where can I legally ride?

Here is a list of Public Rights of Way, many of which horses can use. Also have a look at the Cambridgeshire County Council web page for more information.

• Public Footpath - walkers only
• Public Bridleway - walkers, horseriders and pedal cyclists
  
• Byway open to all traffic (BOAT) - walkers, cyclists, horseriders including horse-drawn vehicles, and users of vehicles of any type
• Restricted byway - this is a former Road used as a public path (RUPP) (was due to be re-classified by the government in early 2004) which will have access rights for walkers, cyclists, horseriders and horse-drawn vehicles, even though the routes may not have had equestrian rights when designated as RUPPS. For more information, see the Defra Bridleways web page

Other access:

• Permissive routes - walks, rides and areas of open access have been provided under the Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Schemes. Some of these also have bridleway access.
  

For walks and rides using Permissive Routes, see the Defra Walks & Rides web page and also see a compiled list of local routes later on this page.

But remember...Thou shalt not splatter passers-by with mud!

Please don't be a hooligan on horseback when you're out and about - respect the land and other users, and do not ride on private land unless you have permission! Take a look at the ABRS web page on Country Lore.

Bridleways and Riding Routes in South Cambs and area

Bridleways and byways

There are several bridleways and byways in the area, including along the Icknield Way and The Roman Road, around the Fens and in the forests near Thetford. Once you've mapped out your route, it's always a good idea to try it out by bicycle first to check that the route is safe and accessible.

Apart from trawling through your OS maps for these rights of way, you can look at the interactive maps from Cambridgeshire County Council which also detail some of the permissive routes in the area. Contact your local bridleways groups to find out about other unmarked routes in the area, as well as new rights of way and upgrades of footpaths to bridleway status.

I bought a fantastic book called Cambridgeshire on Horseback from the BHS bookshop which details 19 riding routes in the area.

The following five routes are the closest to us in Sawston:

• Route 2: The Roman Road. A 9.5 mile linear route between Horseheath and the Gog Magog hills. (This is a well known and trodden path of Sawstonites).
• Route 15: The Brewers Loop. A 10 mile circular route around Steeple Mordon and Ashwell. Gordon and I have cycled the whole route, and it's quite nice, with alternating road work and off-road tracks, and some good galloping spots! 
• Route 16: Longstowe. A 13 mile circular route between Hayley Wood, Kingston and the Hatleys.
• Route 17: Kingston. This is a 12 mile circular route around Wimpole Hall. Wimpole Hall (a National Trust property) have permissive riding tracks in their grounds and you can apply for riding permits to use them.
• Route 19: Hatley and Gransdens. A 12 mile circular route.
  

The Icknield Way

The Icknield Way is an ancient road that runs from the Chilterns to East Anglia for more than 120 miles. Leaflets describing the Icknield Way Riders Route are available from the tourist office, and there is also a book A Guide to the Icknield Way written by Elizabeth Barrett (Wimpole Books, Pip's Peace, Kenton, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 6JS). Part of this long-distance route runs from Balsham - Linton - past Hadstock - to Great Chesterford. The route also crosses the Roman Road, and joins up with other bridleways and the Abingdon permissive 'hatband' ride. See your OS map for details.

The Roman Road

The Roman Road runs east-west for about 9.5 miles from Horseheath towards Cherry Hinton. This public byway is open to horses but not motorised vehicles - see your OS map for details. Together with some other bridlepaths that lead off the byway, and the Icknield Way which bisects the Roman Road north-south and some quiet-ish lanes, you can tag some circular routes onto this otherwise linear route. Please do not trespass onto adjacent fields - you will get shouted at by the landowners!

Abington Countryside Riding Club 'Hatband' ride

This is a permitted rides scheme which has been organised locally. There are two circular routes which join with a section of the Icknield Way: one ride is about 1 hour, the other about 2 to 2.5 hours. Membership to the scheme costs £6 (as of May 2005) which then permits you to use the routes from April to September.
Email brian@a8a.biz for details of joining the scheme.

Permissive routes with bridleway access in the Sawston area:

I have compiled the following list from the Defra walks and rides webpages. In addition, there are other permissive tracks in the area - see below and contact your local Bridleways Group for more information.

• Alderforth Farm - near Ely - access ends 30.09.2009
• Beech Farm - Harston - access ends 30.09.2009
• Bourn Brook - Grantchester - access ends 30.09.2014
• Crowhall Farm - near Soham - access ends 30.09.2014
• Freisland Farm - near Swavesey - access ends 30.09.2013
• Haddenham Orchard Walk - near Haddenham - access ends 30.09.2012
• Impington Bridle Route A - near Histon - access ends 30.09.2010
• Mill Lane Farm/Buxhall Farm - near Cambridge - access ends 30.09.2011
• Mordon Grange Farm A - near Royston
• Mordon Grange Farm B - near Royston - access ends 30.09.2013
• Newbury Farm & Chandos Farm - near Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge - access ends 30.09.2011
• Rectory Farm - near Royston - access ends 30.09.2014
• St Catherines Hall Farm - Coton - access ends 30.09.2014
• Thriplow Farm B - Thriplow - access ends 31.10.2016
  
• Whaddon Walks - near Whaddon - access ends 30.09.2007
• Woolden Farm - near Haddenham - access ends 30.09.2011

Permissive tracks from the Shelfords

In addition, you can get written permission from Anthony Pemberton (Trumpington Farm Co., Church Farm, Trumpington, Cambridge, CB2 2LG) to ride all his tracks from Rectory Farm, Great Shelford through to Hauxton Mill. The gate (new and horse friendly) is opposite Kingsmill Lane, Great Shelford, near the church. It gives many miles of off-road riding.

Thetford Forest

Horse riders can enjoy free access in the recreational areas of Thetford Forest. Carriage driving is permitted in all Forestry Commission Areas open to the public but permits are required (Tel 01842 810271). Have a look at the Forestry Commission webpages.

Beach riding

Holkham Bay (Norfolk)

Holkham Bay, between Kings Lynn and Wells-next-the-Sea (grid reference TF888448), lies along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast path and is part of the Holkham National Nature Reserve. Horses are permitted on this stretch of beach all year round with no day or time restrictions; this is where the Household Cavalry visit when they are at Bodney camp. The bay stretches for miles and is very wide and sandy with shallow sea. Horsebox parking is available down Lady Ann's Drive and is currently charged at £7.50 per day.

Contact:
The Site Manager, Hill Farm Office, Main Road, Holkham, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1AB
Tel: (01328) 711183
Email: nature.reserve@holkham.co.uk

Holme (Norfolk) 

While horse riding is allowed on most of the beach, the sand dunes are protected.

Contact:
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Telephone 01603 625540
Email: admin@norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

More information

The British Horse Society have a good online article about riding on beaches.

Riding in Norfolk

For details and maps of the following and other routes see the Norfolk Bridle and Cycle routes webpage:

• Harling Drove
• The Fens (SW Norfolk)
• Hockwold-cum-Wilton Bridle route - a 10 mile circular route.
• Swaffham Bridle route - a 21 mile circular route.


• Thetford Forest
• The Peddars Way national trail links with the Icknield Way

Links to Bridleway organisations

Local bridleways groups:

• Shelford and District Bridleways Group - serving the Shelfords, Sawston, Stapleford, Duxford and Whittlesford.
• Swavesey and District Bridleways Association
• Brampton (Hinchingbrooke) Bridleways Group. A new organisation just being set up - more details when they become available.
• Essex Bridleways Association
• Fenland Bridleways Association

National Bridleways organisations:

• www.bridleways.co.uk aims to bring together bridleway riding information in the UK. Have a look and see if you can help by submitting routes local to you.
• British Horse Society Access and Right of Way website. The BHS work together with government departments and countryside agencies to improve bridleway access in the UK.
• British Horse Society East of England webpage
• Ride-UK - the National Bridleroute Network

• The Byways and Bridleways Trust is a charitable trust set up in 1979 to protect Britain's ancient minor highways, otherwise known as byways and bridleways.

• The Toll Rides (Off Road) Trust (TROT) is an organisation that works with local landowners and forestry agencies to provide a network of off-road riding routes in the South East and other counties. Riders pay a small fee for their permit which allows them to use the routes. Unfortunately, there are not yet any routes in East Anglia.

Other related links:

• Iceni group: endurance riding in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex