Right, I am on a huge mission to open a circular route from Pen-y-Mynydd to behind Burry Port, so I will finally have somewhere to ride. It consists of two routes, BOAT 57/74 and Bridleway 57/66.

http://www.mapmyrun.co.uk/view_my_run_46139
It is a lovely route, just over 4 miles, the majority off road.

BOAT 57/74:
Start at the red circle and travel South, then South West along St Illtyd's Walk.
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1 - The start of the Byway off Heol Ddu. Note sign saying no vehicles.
2 - First gate - not friendly to horseriders.
3 - Right of Way has been barricaded by hostile landowners. Update 05/10/08: barricade has been removed!!
4 - ROW continues over farmyard
5 - and alongside barn.
6 - Continue down left hand path - another horse-unfriendly gate with dangerous metal projections
7 - Continue along track.
8 - And turn right through horse-unfriendly gate at end.

9 - Follow the hedgeline on the right hand side.
10 - Into the next field. (I didn't do anything to the sheep, honest! )
11 - Continue along hedgeline into next field.
12 - And aim for the gate in the middle of this pic.
13 - Which you'll never get a horse through
14 - Continue through field, over stream to next gate.
15 - Which comprises a stile to the right hand side.

16 - And a bodge-job gate to the left hand side.
17 - Continue through field.
18 - To next gate (this is an improvement on the gate that was here before!)
19 - And through the final field.
20 - Where there is a kissing gate...
21 - And a padlocked gate. Update 05/10/08: Padlock removed. Update Sept 09: Padlock back on
22 - The ROW continues down the farm lane to just beyond the chapel, then it's road.

BR 57/66

If you were doing this route in conjunction with the one above, you would do it in the opposite direction to the way described below.

The start of the bridleway, from Mountain Road.
Crossing the first field.
Gate at bottom of first field. Post is loose so gate won't shut. Update 05/10/08: gate fixed, or replaced with new wonderful gate!!
On to a stony farm track.
Very muddy by this non-horse-friendly gate... Update 05/10/08: not quite as muddy today. Could be piped to lower land adjacent
And even worse on the other side

Track continues - not quite as muddy but stilly slippery.
Through the horse-gate on the left.
Follow the hedgeline down and round.
Through this horse-gate.
And onto a fabulous track.
That goes on...

And on...
And on...
Through another horse-gate.
Down a fairly long hill, would be a fab canter up here!
Be VERY careful here, this surface is very slippy for shod horses.
The end of the bridlepath near Burry Port.

Well done for walking the routes Lucy.

They look great. Will be up for helping you to clear them, if you want. Shame re padlocked bit as would be an ok ride, so long as you wear wellies for the muddy bits.

Cheers Sue, there are so many routes marked on the map around me, yet virtually all are blocked for one reason or another

This would make the best ride, and it wouldn't take too much to clear it, but it does need the Council to get involved, both to replace the gates, and to stop the landowner from barricading the way!

I did these surveys nearly 2 years ago, and updated last year as I remember.

I would love to do that ride, it looks fab. Would also help to clear it. Good gate practice

Just walked the route again (knackered now, lol!) to find that some improvements have been made! See updated survey at top of post.

All that remains now is for some gates to be replaced on the Byway (not sure if this is the landowners or the Council's responsibility), and there's the one muddy area on the Bridleway where you need 3 hands to open the gate from horseback, but you can't jump off if you're in short boots cos the mud's too deep. We either need a better gate latch there, or for the water to be piped to the adjacent field which is lower than the lane, and should solve it.

This route, in conjunction with the Ffos Las route (when opened) will make a fabulous ride, probably in the region of 10 miles, the vast majority of it off road

The mission continues...

Great news Lucy, will be just perfect for you if they get this sorted.

Keep up the good work

Deb xx

Hi Lucy, Is the route rideable atm in long boots/wellies. Would be interested to have a go . Am not afraid of a bit of mud, so long as Solo's not too near .

LOL Sue!! We'd have to make 3pm go at the back

No, it's not quite rideable, just a couple of the gates that can't be opened cos they're wired across, and got sheep hurdles wedged into the ground too. But I'm hopeful that we can get it open really soon

I would be grateful for some company on the first ride too as I'm really not sure about what Harley will think about riding through fields full of stock

Hookay, let me know when

HUGE progress with this! to the Council!!!

Not open yet, but stuff definitely happening! Watch this space!

Lucy

Glad to see some improvements made. We will have to make this a project for the group. It has been suggested that we have a mass ride in to FFos Las and the publicity generated would do the council alot of good. Please write to the Community council to ask for their support in getting the route opened. You may need to get some letters of support so ask for some under this topic when you get an email r postal address for the clerk. We do have some funds in the group account and I see no reason why we cannot use some of it to buy some horse handles for the gates if the council can supply them. I think they are £50 each so identify which ones are needed the most and we can discuss it at the next decisionmakers meeting. Lucy can you email the other decisionmakers and set the scene prior to the meeting to save some time.