A NEW pack of short trails, which are suitable for all, has recently been launched by Burley’s Walkers are Welcome group.
The free pack details seven routes in and around Burley, along with five others in Addingham, Ilkley, Ben Rhydding and Menston.
Removable cards give comprehensive and easy to follow information for each trail, including the nearest accessible toilets and refreshment opportunities, access by public transport, car parking and location of benches.
Route gradients and any potential obstacles are also shown, as well as the type and condition of the surface being travelled over.
Funding for the project has come from Bradford 2025 City of Culture, Shipley Area Committee, Burley in Wharfedale Parish Council, and Burley-in-Wharfedale Community Trust.
The pack has been produced in collaboration with Open Country, a charity which promotes access to the countryside for all, including people with disabilities.
David Asher, from Burley Walkers are Welcome, said: “We’re thrilled we have finally been able to publish the pack of Accessible Trails in Burley and Lower Wharfedale following some three years or so planning and research.
“We’re especially grateful to Open Country for all their advice in the early stages, and for then undertaking the design and development work for the pack, which is based on a well-tested Break Free model used elsewhere including Leeds, Harrogate, Wakefield, York and Nidderdale.
“When we saw other examples, we realised that the concept complemented the work we have been undertaking since the inauguration of Burley Walkers are Welcome, of promoting access to the fantastic countryside around the village to as many people as possible.
“Although we’ve undertaken a huge amount of footpath improvement work to remove barriers to access over the past ten years, such as working with Bradford Council to replace nearly all local wooden stiles with gates, there was still much to deter people with disabilities from venturing into the countryside.
“Consulting with Open Country gave us ideas of how to encourage better access, for instance by installing benches at appropriate locations, improving the surface of tracks and lanes, promoting more dropped kerbs around the village and encouraging the installation of wider gates suitable for mobility scooters.
“The culmination of all this activity has been the publication of the pack.
“We do appreciate, however, that there are still too many barriers preventing access to our local countryside to overcome, and we welcome any suggestions for future improvements and projects.”
The Accessible Trails in Burley and Lower Wharfedale pack is now available for free, and has been distributed to several organisations in Burley and neighbouring communities.
If anyone has difficulty in locating a copy, contact Ann at burleywalkersarewelcome@gmail.com or Open Country at info@opencountry.org.uk
The pack can also be downloaded from www.opencountry.org.uk/breakfree/
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