After 200 years the towpath alongside the canal through Bathwick is to be officially recorded.

In an odd quirk of legislation the duty imposed upon councils in the 1950s to record footpaths did not have a deadline. Thus Bath City and it’s successors did not start to record the Public Rights of Way until 2005. It started in the North West and has been slowing working across the city ever since. Paths alongside the river and canal are the latest to be added to the Definitive Map and Statement.

It was the absence of a Definitive Map for Bathwick which caused so much trouble with the footpath to Combe Down from which the unlawful fence has recently been removed. Had the path been recorded 50 years ago then the fence may never have been erected, and it would not have taken a public enquiry to remove it.

The draft  footpath order is now available for checking here. Ojections must be recieved by 5th May. Fortunately everything seems to be uncontroversial – to speed up the process only the obvious paths are being recorded at this stage. The difficult ones are being saved up until later!