So here's a stereotype for you. Henry and Henrietta Cheshire are in their front garden power-washing the horse box and Range Rover. They probably call it a paddock, yard or something pretentious like that. Me, I'm following a public footpath. "You there...", gesticulates Henry pointing at me with a Barbour'd arm and peering under his cloth cap in my general direction. "Stop running". I'm not sure at first if this is some kind of general lifestyle advice, or the invitation to chat. Neither as it turned out.
I'm scaring the animals, meaning his dog, and have failed to read his homemade signs. I've run through here many times. It's never been an issue before, but this is a public footpath that passes through his garden. Like many around here, it's a shared access issue and this one is no different...except this guy doesn't like it. His new gravel drive is far enough away from his house and the footpath is well defined around the perimeter of his garden. But he's supplemented the public footpath signage with some of his own...and they're not very welcoming.
Now, I'm no Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer, joining up a journey of running through people's gardens. Actually, I'd rather not be in anyone's garden, but it's where the path goes. And neither am I off my tits running around with my hands in the air dancing like Bez blowing my whistle. I'm just on my run. But now I'm walking, like a chastised child, head held low feeling guilty of something, but I'm really not sure of what. On the other side, there's more signs. Private Road. Sat Nav users, go back! No running. Keep out. Private.
Now, I'm not one to officiously exercise my rights in this or that, but sitting authoritatively above all these signs, is the Cheshire County Councils footpath sign, and it simply means I have the right the pass through...and his signs are worthless. In fact, I was wondering if I could mount my own signs. 'Be courteous to runners.' 'Don't distract runners.' 'Runners welcome here.' It sounds silly...but no more silly than his own home made signs. Maybe he's had a bad experience with a runner.
Perhaps someone caused mayhem for that 10-15 second duration it takes to pass through this once working farm, now only a farm by name and chinzed up aspiring to be featured in Cheshire Life. It's miffed me a little and made me think twice about going back on that route. Then again I'm kind of driven to go, and take along some rowdy friends. Or I could just report him to the Council. Obviously I won't... Sometimes a path is clear. No sign or direction needed. A faint track, lightly brushed grass to guide you across an open field. Love it.
