Scenic bridleway damaged by illegal 4x4 off-roading

Historic ‘trods’ in the North York Moors National Park have been damaged by a 4X4 vehicle for the second time in six months.

The illegal incident on a public bridleway in East Arncliffe Wood, near Glaisdale, is being investigated by North Yorkshire Police.

The vehicle dislodged and cracked the ancient, woodland pathway, churned up the ground, and, gouged and uprooted mature trees.

The bridleway, which winds its way through picturesque, bluebell woodland for nearly a mile, is part of the long-distance Coast to Coast and Esk Valley walks, linking the hamlet of Delves with Beggar’s Bridge, adjacent to the River Esk.

The woodland is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the path has an historic stone ‘trod’ known locally as the ‘Monks Trod’.

Matt Fitzgerald, North York Moors National Park Ranger, discovered one of the 4x4 vehicles left abandoned on the bridleway the morning after the driver had unsuccessfully tried to free it from the mud.

Police later recovered the abandoned 4x4.

This latest incident, which has upset local residents, is one of many where irresponsible 4x4 owners have caused significant damage in the National Park.

In January a green lane in the National Park at Ugglebarnby, near Whitby, was closed because of serious damage by 4x4 vehicles.

At least 15 stones of an old trod were pulled up and thrown into the ditch.

And a total of 200 metres of the route – known locally as Seggimire Lane –suffered serious surface damage as a result of the incident.

Due to the vandalism, North Yorkshire County Council closed the unsurfaced lane to all motor vehicles temporarily until a long-term solution is found.

Once commonplace, the National Park’s stone pathways, which are known as ‘trods’, have been fast disappearing since 1900. Archaeologists, cartographers and historians now view the trods of the North York Moors as an integral feature of the area’s history.

Some of the trods date back to the medieval monks, others may have been linked to the inland distribution of salt-fish from the harbours of the coast and many linked farms, churches and villages.