What are our aims?
The objectives of the Society include the following:
- The provision, preservation and prevention of obstruction to public rights of way over footpaths and other ways used mainly as footpaths;
- The preservation or enhancement of the beauty of the countryside for the benefit of the public;
- Encouraging the evolution and maintenance of a reasonable network of well-defined footpaths for local and general use.
How do we do this?
The success of the Society largely depends upon its corporate knowledge of footpaths within its area and an awareness of the pressures being exerted on them.
This is brought about in a variety of ways, but is primarily achieved by systematically walking the paths and maintaining a record of their state; by looking at sign-posting, stiles, way-marking and obstructions for example. The information thus collected is shared with the county's Rights of Way Officers as well as with Civil Parish Councils. This is done through a system of both District and Local Footpath Inspectors whose responsibility is to collate and report relevant footpath information obtained from members walking the paths, as well as from other sources. As a direct result of this work many new stiles, footpath bridges and signposts have been put in place. Way-marking is also carried out on behalf of Cheshire County Council Public Rights of Way Department.
The County Council consults the Society about all proposals for legal footpath diversions and closures.
There are a number of long distance footpaths in the area. Way-marking and maintenance of these are of special interest to the Society.