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Discussion Forum - Long Distance Paths - Lesser Known Paths


Author: Iain Connell
Posted: Tue 10th Sep 2019, 17:48
Joined: 2010
Local Group: East Lancashire
An interesting thread with some positive ideas for publicising lesser-known LDPs. I’m not at all against making better known the bulk of non- National Trails which make up the UK’s network of ‘named paths’. But, as has been pointed out in Strider 144 (August 2019) and in this thread, the number of those has risen to such a level - estimates range from 1500 to 1600 - that it is now very difficult, if not impossible, to keep pace with all of them.

Strider’s ‘News of LDPs’ section regularly lists changes and updates to existing paths, plus announcements of those which have been newly devised or publicised. Our LDPs database is, in my view, the finest resource online for trails and path information. But it’s a continuing and ever-expanding task merely to keep up with new routes, let alone do timely updates to existing ones.

One way of reducing the scope of this task might be to limit the number of routes which are included in the database. Our ‘What is an LDP?’ page currently says:

“This website seeks to list long distance routes within the UK for which a publication [guidebook, line on an OS map, electronic description on a public website] of some sort is currently available … We list as ‘main routes’ on this site walking routes that are 20 miles or more in length and are mainly off-road. [Shorter routes are included when they either link two other main routes, or are the only ones available in an area. ‘Local network’ routes are also included when they can be linked to make longer options.]

In September 2019 a search of the LDWA database for paths with a minimum length of 20 miles produced a total of approximately 1140 routes, ranging from ‘1066 Country Walk’ (31 miles) to Ystwyth Trail (20 miles) and ‘Zennor Churchway and Tinners Way’ (30 miles). But do we really want to count a 20 or 30 mile route - a day walk or challenge for most of us - as a LONG Distance Path ? Could we not reset the lower limit to exclude routes which take (us - here defined as ‘fit walkers with a reasonable level of [navigational] skill’) less than two days ?

Another search for paths with a minimum length of 40 miles produced a total of approximately 640 routes, ranging from ‘1066 Harold’s Way’ (95 miles) to the ‘Yorkshire Wolds Way National Trail’ (127 miles). Still a lot, but around 45% fewer than before: coping with this new total seems more like an achievable task for a team of ‘fit database managers with a reasonable level of technical skill’. (20-milers could still be included, as before, if they're links or sole routes.)

So sorry to Zennor, Ystwyth, and most of the rest, but there are now just too many of you.

Is this too simple a solution ? Should we still include 'anytime challenges' of less than 40 miles ?

Iain
Author: Michael Headley
Posted: Mon 9th Sep 2019, 18:36
Joined: 2008
Local Group: Kent
Both Andy Clark and Geoff Crowder have their own websites.
Andy's is https://andyclarkwalks.wordpress.com/
Geoff's is https://v-g.me.uk/

Any more recommendations?
Author: Andy Clark
Posted: Mon 9th Sep 2019, 17:01
Joined: 2018
Local Group: Kent
Thank you for this feedback.

Twitter was chosen as it is a medium which has the potential to reach a lot of people and pass on information, with direct links, very quickly. I appreciate that Twitter and other social media sites are not to everyone’s taste.

Today’s ‘Featured Footpath’ was the Three Castles Walk (Monmouthshire). From the LDWA database, it can be seen there are links to external websites (Visit Monmouthshire and The Guardian). Specifically, the Visit Monmouthshire site contains a detailed route description, historical information and other items of interest along the route.

So the facility already exists for links to external websites/publications, whether they be organisations or independent bloggers, to be included on the LDWA database.

If anybody knows of any good links to such websites, which cover LDPs in detail and are not already on our database, I imagine that if the LDP team are advised of these, they can be added to the database, if suitable.
Author: Geoff Crowder
Posted: Mon 9th Sep 2019, 15:05
Joined: 2002
Local Group: South Manchester
I suppose your research indicates that using Tw@tter is the most productive conduit, but it means I for one won't be aware of any publicity from it unless also duplicated on the main site. I guess that's the main reason this forum is so quiet.
Incidentally I didn't realise that non-members could access our database, it turns out they can (but can't download the GPX route files).

Yes, there are many little known LDPs of quality that deserve patronage. Some of them are described on websites of our own members, including mine, but we don't currently have any mechanism to publicise them. In fact we don't even have a subsection on the Links page for these sites - for comparison, TGO has such a section for the 'Blogger Network' of its readers. Perhaps highlighting those LDPs by linking to LDWA member reports or other sources could help with publicity.
Author: Andy Clark
Posted: Sat 7th Sep 2019, 13:07
Joined: 2018
Local Group: Kent
Having recently joined the Long Distance Paths team as a volunteer, I was amazed at the wealth of information the LDWA has amassed over the years. The LDWA database contains details of around 1600 paths or routes. This got me thinking about how we can publicise these paths better.

We are probably all aware of the National Trails and how to find information on these walks - there are plenty of resources online and elsewhere. But what about all of the other lesser known paths?
During discussions, somebody made the observation ‘I've often thought the National Trails hog the limelight - while they're certainly great walks, others are equally worthy but get a fraction of the attention’. How true.

So in an effort to redress this balance, we will be using the @LDWA1 Twitter account to highlight some of the lesser known paths, with links to the LDWA database and other relevant information. Whilst it is hoped that this will be of interest to existing LDWA members, we also hope to bring this information to the wider walking community, which may in turn highlight the LDWA.

In featuring footpaths, we will be trying to link these with other LDWA events such as Group Social Walks or Challenges. If your Group has a Social Walk or Challenge which uses one of these less well known paths, please let us know and we will try and feature it.

In due course, we would appreciate any feedback, whether positive or negative, as it will help us to judge how we should develop this idea in the future.

I’d be grateful if you, either as individuals or as LDWA Groups, would spread the word regarding this new project as the further we can reach out into the walking community, hopefully it will benefit the LDWA in the future.

Thank you.

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