HWBG Historical Information

Our Group was set up in 1992, started around a 'kitchen table' in Laughton, near Lewes, East Sussex.  We aimed to issue a twice annual newsletter to keep our members up to date with bridleways information.  We set up a system of Area Stewards, now called Parish Representatives, covering 25 parishes in the High Weald.

At the very beginning we had great cooperation from East Sussex County Council, Rights of Way Department, Nigel Kitchener and his team.  In our first eight years we worked closely with the Rights of Way team, and successfully made improvements to countless paths that had been virtually unrideable.  There are too many to list here, but some of them were at Coggers Cross, Lions Green (Waldron) (this one won an environmental award), Froghole, Pottens Mill, Merryweathers (Mayfield), Cowbeech, Studdens Lane, Bucksteep Manor (Dallington), Herstmonceux Castle, B52 at Burwash, Heathfield 4, and the disused railway line at Mayfield

Our members had approval from ESCC to employ small local contractors, and to supervise the work, which they did, to a very high standard.  Voluntary clearances were also undertaken.  Members made their voices heard on parish councils, in the newspapers, and in many other ways they raised the profile of equestrianism in relation to provision of safe off-road riding.  The Council issued a leaflet in 1995 in which they aimed to have the whole network of rights of way up to a basic minimum standard by 2000.

Sadly by the year 2000 the ability of the HWBG to continue to improve paths received a serious blow.  Introduction of new Health and Safety Legislation meant we could no longer act as voluntary agents for ESCC in the way we had been, and all work now had to be done through a Liaison Officer.  One of our members worked hard to see 'clean waste' as a way forward to repairing our paths, but met too many obstacles.  Progress came to a virtual halt, and after the floods in 2000 almost all of the Council's dwindling funds were spent repairing washed out bridges.  The majority of requests for path repairs were met with a 'no funds available' reply, and the Council was unable to fulfil its statutory duty to maintain footpaths and bridleways, apart from a very few smaller jobs.

In despair the group searched for other means of funding.  Julia Desch, founder member, worked countless hours, with other volunteers, setting up an Equestrian Study, to prove to funding agencies that equestrianism has great value to the rural community.  This study has been published and is available here.

This study shows that equestrianism contributes approximately £32 million to the economy of East Sussex.  It also shows that the total acreage of bridleways (250 miles) is equivalent to one medium sized farm (and how many of those bridleways are usable?).  It shows that many farms are interested in developing equestrian business.  There are already 180-200 horses in each parish in East Sussex, and numbers are rising.

There is hope for the future.  After being starved of funds in recent years, our Rights of Way Department has been awarded a loan of £1 ½ million, to be spread over three years, under the East Sussex Public Service Agreement 2003-2006, to support the rural economy.  Some of this money must be spent on farm diversification, and a chief aim is to attract visitors to the County, through the improvement and promotion of a network of paths.  This does not mean that we will have money to repair all our bridleways, but certain selected routes will be repaired, and if the ROW Department meets the required targets, large bonuses will come their way, to be used in the future, however they like.

Statement from David Munn, East Sussex County Council: 'The next few years promise to show a dramatic improvement in the condition of all our rights of way.' (Jan.03)

We all hope so!