Press Release

DEBBIE CRIDDLE, PARALYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST, SENDS LOCAL RIDERS DOWN THE FIRST NEW HEREPATH TRAIL ON THE BLACKDOWN HILLS, TAUNTON

13 May 2008

This week the Neroche Scheme, led by the Forestry Commission, with the support of The Crown Estate, welcomed Debbie Criddle, Somerset-based, Paralympic gold medallist and international dressage rider, to officially open their first newly created Neroche Herepath Trail in the Blackdown Hills near Taunton.

The Herepath Trail, a new 22 km public access path and bridle way around Staple Fitzpaine near Taunton, is the first of three connected, off-road routes planned for the area. Happy local riders and walkers at the Bickenhall Farm opening on Saturday, set off together to ‘christen’ the new trail which uses sustainable, locally sourced wood chip as a surface material in some places.

Debbie Criddle, who had just returned from competing for the GB dressage team in Germany, cut the ribbon to officially open the trail. Debbie said: “It’s great that we had such a huge turnout on the day and that local riders and walkers now have this fantastic trail on their doorstep.”

The £3 million Neroche Scheme covers 90 square kilometres (35 square miles), from Culmstock Beacon to Castle Neroche within the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Its vision is to ‘liberate the landscape’ through a series of projects to restore wildlife, improve access and uncover the heritage of the landscape and its communities. The local community is closely involved in shaping and running the scheme, which is a partnership of local authorities, land-owners and agencies, and backed with money from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Neroche Scheme partnership between the Forestry Commission, a range of local authorities and The Crown Estate, set about improving existing bridleways and developing new routes in 2007. Much of the new trail runs through the Forestry Commission estate, which is leased from The Crown Estate. Their approach has been hailed as an all round success transforming large sections of neglected bridleways and bringing previously impassable trails into use for future generations of local residents and visitors alike.

James Maben, Neroche Scheme Access and Interpretation Officer said: "The Herepath Trail provides safe off-road riding and walking in an area with spectacular views and scenery. It incorporates existing public bridleways, which have been significantly improved and new bridleways, which have been developed with the help of landowners, most notably The Crown Estate."

Alan Laidlaw, Head of Customer Management at The Crown Estate said: “The Crown Estate has been behind Neroche from the start and we are delighted to have played a key role in providing safe, off-road recreational routes for walkers and riders, whilst at the same time providing a boost to the local economy.”

The new trails have been given the name ‘herepaths’, which is the old English word for ‘people's paths’, which were originally important trade and communication trackways during the 9th century.

A trail map and more information can be downloaded from the Neroche Scheme website.