Have you used the footpath through Thornborough Hall Wood to access Woodburn Drive through onto Mount Drive, Richmond Road and beyond or vice versa ?
In recent months some pedestrians using this route have been informed that they should not be using it as Woodburn Drive is a Private Road. Woodburn Drive is indeed a Private Road, however Private Roads can still have Pedestrian Rights of Way over them. There is currently no formal right of way in place, but a Historical Right of Way exists as this route has been used for more than 20 years without let or hindrance. Prior to any houses being built there was in fact an original track which can be seen on maps going back to the mid-1800s,this track/path ran up the front of all the southern gardens of Woodburn Drive and linked directly into Thornborough Hall Wood until the mid-1960s, then as the rest of the houses were constructed it was deemed not appropriate to have a footpath running through all the front gardens of the southern properties, so at this point the link at the top of the Drive was made and the steps into the Wood constructed and pedestrians have used this since then.
Leyburn Town Council are proposing to formalise this route and have it placed on the NYCC Definitive Map, thereby ensuring pedestrians can continue to use this route in the future.
In order to do this we need to provide evidence from local people that they have used this route, detailing how long they have used it and the reasons they have used it, this evidence will then be sent to NYCC along with any counter evidence for a decision to be made as to whether it should be placed on the Definitive Map.
We would like to hear from anyone who can provide evidence to help support this case to keep the path open.
Please contact the Town Council on clerk@leyburntowncouncil.gov.uk or on 01969 622561 for more information and to request a form to provide an evidence statement.
I have used this route as part of my regular exercise and, on occasions, with walking friends and family and to access the footpath to Bellerby, during the last 15years.
Vera Ainsworth.
I use this footpath quite regularly with my children. It is a nice walk away from all the cars. We often walk this way to go to the library. The residents which I come across have never said anything to me.
I, and my children, use this path, and I see many people using it to walk their dogs. This has only become an issue in the last year or so. I live in Woodburn Drive, and have no issue with people walking through. Frankly, I’m appalled by the pettiness of this so-called “problem”.
Perhaps it could become a public road; then we might legally be able to remove that trailer which constantly causes problems for drivers.
Yes we can confirm that we have regularly used this path on our walks around Leyburn with no private notices on display for many years
I have used this footpath many times for the last three years when walking my dog
Family have used this pathway for years never an issue till recently, man stopped me to tell me I couldn’t/ shouldn’t be walking through. I choose to ignore hin his attitude stank.
Yes. Both my husband and myself used to use this footpath through thornborough gardens as a walk to and from Mount Drive where we live but we’re informed a few months ago it was a private toad and we should not be walking up and down Woodburn Drive so we stopped.
Since moving to leyburn 13 years ago I have regularly used this route through the woods and then down Woodburn Drive.
I used this footpath to go to school when the primary school was up moor road. Also to go to the library and to the Shawl, as a much safer route
Since retiring and moving to Leyburn in 2004 I have walked this route regularly at least every week ,it enables me to have a great circular route aound the outskirts of Leyburn.
I use this route to go to and from the library and shawl park as it is off the main road and a much safer route for my child.
We moved to Mount Drive in July 2002 and have regularly used Woodburn Drive as an alternative pedestrian route to and from Thornborough Hall, Leyburn & the Shawl.
I built a dry stone wall to front garden of one of the properties and repaired another.
We have various friends and acquaintances who live on that road and have visited them.
A Woodburn Drive resident advised that the notices were merely to avoid any claim for injury (e.g. if someone was hurt if falling on ice). No one has ‘interfered with our passage’ since the notices were erected.
My wife and I have regularly used this path over the last 16yrs we have been Leyburn residents–generally used approximately once a fortnight as a route between our residence in Dale Grove to Thornbrough Hall Library.Also weekly when dog walking on one of our many regular circular routes round the Leyburn town periphery.
We have used this path to take the children on a walk through the woods and library over the last 2 years since moving here. It is really good access into throughbrough woods We have never had any issues walking along Woodburn drive – I wasn’t aware that this wasn’t a right of way. We live in Maythorne estate.
I was born in Leyburn in 1966 and I attended leyburn primary school.
We moved to Mount Drive when the bungalows were first built, and loads of us walked to school, via Woodburn Drive and Thornborough Hall woods, and home again most days. I dont ever recall being told this was not allowed.
I have been using this route as a way to Thornborough Hall woods since I was a child, in the 1960s. My mum used to work for a gentleman who lived in Woodburn Drive and we would often walk through the woods to get to his house, at the lower end of Woodburn Drive. I still walk through there when I walk my friend’s dog for her. I was surprised to see the signs a few weeks ago, as it seemed odd to me after using Woodburn Drive as part of my walks for the last five decades.
I have been using Woodburn Drive as a walk around Leyburn for 50 years. I would often go that way home from school in the early 70s and have always walked through there when walking my dog. My mum used to clean for an old gentleman who lived in the middle part of Wood urn Drive and would often go to his house via Thornborough Hall wood to get to work. It makes a pleasant walk away from the noise of the traffic.
i am pleased to hear we may walk down this roas
the residents were quite adamant we were trespassing
I have on a number of occasions been accosted and abused by two of Woodburn Drive’s residents. On one occasion I, and my two walking companions, plus canine companion, were filmed by one of those residents. The other resident involved shouted at me, across the Library green, that I should stop trespassing on her property. This is intolerable behaviour.
I use this route regularly with my grandchildren, we love walking through the woods and its a nice route to walk to get to the shawl
We have used this route through Woodburn drive for over 30 years we live on Dale Grove and we use it as a link to the shawl so we miss the town out
I have walked this way regularly since I moved to Leyburn in November 1980, almost 40 years. Initially I lived in Woodside and worked in Thornborough Hall. Nobody has ever challenged my right to use this route along Woodburn Drive and through Thornborough Hall woods. There is no sign anywhere except the one in your photo adjacent to the last property on the left. I believe the bulk of the gates along the front gardens are still there but again the one at the top obstructs use of this path. I usually walk up Mount Drive and through the passage into Woodburn Drive and there is nothing saying I have no right to walk along Woodburn Drive until I get to the top. What should I do then? Dematerialise? Jump over the fence into the adjacent field or walk back down Woodburn Drive giving further offence to those offended by my presence?
I have regularly walked this route with my dog without hindrance over the past 4 years
Hopefully this childish behaviour of putting up unauthorised signs and placing a bollard full of concrete on the path, which is a trip hazard, can be put to bed.
I grew up on Woodburn drive and walked to the primary school and the library through the wood most days. I now walk my dogs at least every other day up the drive and through the wood. I have many happy memories of my childhood and the hours we spent playing in it.
Maybe the public right of way should revert back to how it used to be?
And pls can something be done about that trailer? It is a piece of scrap that has been dumped on the drive for the last 13 years and could prevent an emergency vehicle access to the top of woodburn drive.
I have used this path at least once a month over the last 15 years.
Yes, I have used this route on several occasions with my dogs.
We have used this path for the past 12 years since moving to Bellerby. Saves a vital parking space in Leyburn for someone who really needs it if we walk to Leyburn . The walk (using this path) was published in aTourist information walk pamphlet some years ago.
This is all a storm in a teacup. People have been freely walking up the Drive since 1969 since the path through the woods was opened and we used it to go to the local Primary School. The right of way is clearly established.
The mentality of a few people who need to get out a bit more should not spoil the enjoyment of the path for the majority of people.
Until about 1985, now know as Manor Court opposite Thornborough Hall was the Primary School. Remember the Bobbies seeing the children across the road? How many children, their companions parents and grandparents from Mount Drive and Woodburn Drive, would walk the direct route through the Hall Gardens to and from the school? More than I could count on my fingers I’m sure. I have never known anyone to have been stopped.
In 1976 I was the Cub Scout Leader. Regularly on cub nights, Tuesdays, we would walk through the gardens and along Woodburn Drive. In the spring, the Scouts and Guides used to do an annual litter pick including through the Hall Gardens, Woodburn Drive, Mount Drive, Thornborough Crescent, and for their efforts, the Parish Council made a donation to Scout Hall funds of £25. We all believed we were there as of right not licence. Again we were never stopped.
Since that time, 1976, I have regularly walked through Thornborough Hall Gardens to Woodburn Drive and Mount Drive without let or hindrance.
Interesting that County Councils were required to produce maps of rights of way yet managed to leave so many off their definitive maps. Was this deliberate? Accidental? Negligent? Or to reduce their maintenance responsibilities?
Old plans show a track on the south side of Woodburn Drive we are told. How did this queen’s highway become extinguished for public use? Is Woodburn Drive or Thornborough Crescent a public path? Not on the definitive map. Interesting.
I have used this path for Pleasure and exercise on and off for at least 20 years without any suggestion it was other than a right of way until quite recently.