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The Mary Towneley Loop, a circular bridleway route of 42 miles (68km) passing through Calderdale, Rochdale and Lancashire, is now open.
This is the first section of the Pennine Bridleway to open and provides a new facility for local riders, off-road cyclists and walkers, as well as visitors to the area.
When the Pennine Bridleway National Trail is complete it will extend for nearly 350 miles, running from Middleton Top in Derbyshire, east of Manchester, through Lancashire, the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria to Byrness in Northumberland.
The Countryside Agency has been awarded more than £1.8m from the Sport England Lottery Fund to help create part of this trail, which also includes the construction of three “feeder” or linking routes from the towns of Keighley, Penistone and Bolton.
The southern section — from Derbyshire to Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria — is expected to be open in 2004. Alun Michael, Minister of State for Rural Affairs, has recently approved the route of the northern section to Northumberland.
The Mary Towneley Loop was named in recognition of the hard work Lady Mary Towneley put in to getting the project off the ground some 10 years ago. A memorial stone to Lady Towneley was unveiled on the route above Holmes Chapel in Cheshire at its official opening in May.
The Countryside Agency has now published the Route and Accommodation/Services Guide for the Mary Towneley loop. To order a copy (tel: 0870 120 6466), quoting reference number CA29. Information on the route can be found at www.nationaltrail.co.uk
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Michael Whittaker Wins Vigo Grand Prix!
An innovative decision by the BSJA to introduce non-traditional jackets to the show jumping arena may signal an end for the use of traditional riding jackets in the sport.
Riders competing in Daewoo Grand Prix qualifying competitions during the 2002 season will do so wearing blouson-style jackets with their names emblazoned across their backs.
The BSJA has taken a lead from cricket and football in what is a revolutionary move for equestrian sport. It hopes that the new jackets will help members of the public identify riders more easily.
"All riders in the Daewoo series have been given a jacket on behalf of our sponsors and the BSJA," says BSJA marketing officer Jackie Knightly. "We are trying to bring our riders closer to the public."
The jackets are available in three colours to help viewers distinguish between riders of different levels. Nations Cup riders will wear royal blue jackets with red and white piping, while national riders have navy jackets with white piping. Young riders will sport red jackets with white piping.
The new innovation has got the thumbs up from young rider Robert Whitaker. After competing in the first class in the Daewoo series at the Royal Bath & West Show, Robert said: "The best thing [about the class] was the new jackets. They're pretty trendy: much better than the old fashioned coats we usually wear."
Riders will also be wearing the jackets in the Grand Prix at the Royal Cornwall, South of England, Royal Norfolk, Great Yorkshire, Royal Welsh, New Forest and Shrewsbury shows.
If well received, the BSJA says the jackets may become official competition clothing for riders in future national show jumping competitions.
For more information contact the BSJA (tel: 02476 698800) or visit www.bsja.co.uk
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