Grassroots public path improvement campaigners celebrate major milestone in Aylesbury Vale

A grassroots group of retirees who have been campaigning to improve footpaths celebrated a special milestone in Aylesbury Vale.

North Bucks rRIPPLE (ramblers Repairing and Improving Public Paths for Leisure and Exercise) installed its 300th gate in Dinton.

rRIPPLE’s mission is to make public paths more accessible.

The team was founded in 2015, and works closely with Bucks Council and landowners to improve routes.

It is removing obstacles, such as dilapidated stiles, from the public-path network at the rate of around one per week.

rRIPPLE installs self-closing, self-latching, galvanised steel gates which are friendly to farmers’ stock and make life much easier for the ever-increasing number of more elderly and less-able walkers who wish to venture a bit further afield.

The 300th gate was sponsored by Dorton residents Peter and Jane Smith through the group’s Donate a Gate (DaG) scheme, whereby a person or occasion can be marked by a plaque on the gate.

Team leader, Bill Piers from Haddenham, said: “When we started out in 2015 with a couple of wheelbarrows, we were in awe of those Ramblers’ groups that had installed 200 gates. Now, with our Land rover, the support of Buckinghamshire council, landowners, and a fantastic team of retirees doing the hard graft, we have installed 300 gates, and are set for more. There is certainly no shortage of opportunities to replace stiles with gates to make our paths mower accessible.”

The volunteers also cover Milton Keynes and West Middlesex.

Secretary Kate Ashbrook, said: “The Ramblers are proud of the work carried out by rRIPPLE, which is extremely impressive and to a high standard. As Buckinghamshire Council has to face greater austerity, it is a wonderful help that volunteers are willing themselves to do vital work on our public rights of way.

“Public paths are enormously important for our health and wellbeing and there is no better way to explore the countryside.”

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