I AM sorry that Steph Carter (Council in dock over prized trail, Letters, October 22) gave up on his mission to write of his experiences of the Herefordshire Trail in the Long Distance Walkers Association magazine. Does he perhaps protest too much?

Without some sort of unrealistic civil engineering programme, for which we would be told there are no funds, it is always going to be unlikely that every footpath and bridleway, every waymark, every stile and every possible footbridge is going to be in as-new condition.

My own experience of Herefordshire’s paths is that almost all are in good enough condition for passage by a reasonably fit and agile walker, a profile that would undoubtedly match Steph Carter’s LDWA members.

Part of the fun of a day out exploring the countryside on footpaths is the satisfaction to be had from finding one’s way using a map when the waymark system temporarily runs out of steam.

As far as muddy transits of recently ploughed fields is concerned, this may not actually be classed as ‘fun’ but is to be expected in a county where almost all of the land is used for, guess what, agriculture!

The remedy is to be shod in the sort of stout shoes undoubtedly worn by Steph. Vistas of nettles? Long trousers will brush them aside. Bramble-infested stiles? Take a pair of cheap secateurs (handy also for the liberation of sheep trapped in said brambles). Wobbly stiles? Mind how you go; we are traversing a hedge, not mincing along Oxford Street.

The landscape we see has been created entirely by farmers for the production of food since Neolithic times and our vast network of pedestrian rights-of-way evolved for the convenience of farm workers and their families to go about their daily business rather than to be a 21st century leisure attraction (although it undoubtedly is!).

By all means people like Steph Carter should agitate with Herefordshire Council for steady (if slow) improvements to footpaths and bridleways.

But it would be a disservice to all walkers to browbeat our farming neighbours who are no doubt mindful of their obligations regarding access but have to earn a difficult living, employing next to no staff.

He should return to the Herefordshire Trail, write up his experiences in an optimistic tone and take the opportunity to convey very accurately and in great detail to Herefordshire Council what needs to be repaired or cleared.

STEPHEN WEST-ORAM Stretton Grandison, Ledbury