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Correspondence. The Rights of Way Department of the HCC had received a letter from the Hertford Branch of the NFU, and this letter had been forwarded to the Chairman for his comments. The main points in the NFU letter are:

* Publicity associated with the Hertfordshire Way has caused a considerable increase in the use of these rights of way.

* Some of this increased use is by cycles, quadbikes and horses.

* Members of the NFU have received ‘nothing but abuse’ from users of these rights of way.

* The NFU would like to have signs added to the waymarks to indicate the type of right of way involved (such as ‘footpath only; no cycling’).

* The NFU ‘at county level’ would like a meeting with the HCC ‘to discuss this’.

The Chairman has replied to the HCC with a detailed response to each of these points. In particular he pointed out that the Hertfordshire Way signs already state quite clearly that it is a long distance footpath. We are at one with the NFU in wanting to stop the illegal (and damaging) use of our footpaths by prohibited vehicles, and we trust that no genuine walkers would be abusive to farmers.

	This page will be used mainly to archive selected articles from the newsletters.
1995	Origins. In 1995, as part of the Ramblers' Association's 60th anniversary celebrations, the Hertfordshire and North Middlesex Area organised a series of 12 linked walks. A few of the 60 or so walkers who completed the circuit were motivated to develop the route into a properly way-marked long-distance path. They formed an action group which researched and modified the original route, wrote and published a guidebook, and raised funds (primarily from local businesses) for way-marking the entire route with distinctive finger-posts and roundels. The action group became known as the Friends of The Hertfordshire Way. Although originally inspired by the RA, the Friends of The Hertfordshire Way is an autonomous group. It is now financed mainly by fund-raising activities of its membership, from its very modest subscriptions, from donations and from the sale of the guidebook.
1998 - July	Waymarking. Thanks to the generosity and support of some of the county’s major companies, some non-profit-making organisations and the County Council, we have been able to buy enough waymark signs to mark out the entire route of the Hertfordshire Way. The choice of a logo for the waymark signs caused some debate amongst the Committee members. Although there was agreement that a hart would be appropriate, we had difficulty in choosing a representation that would be distinctive without looking too much like the animal on road traffic signs or the County Council’s own symbol. In the end we left matters largely in the hands of the firm which had undertaken to produce the signs for us, and the preferred design met with the approval of the County. Members of your Committee, together with some volunteer helpers, have already fixed the distinctive waymarks on roadside finger-posts along the route. The machines for tensioning and crimping the metal bands proved to be quite cumbersome to operate, and the job of fixing the signs took about 30 person-days (and caused minor bruises, strains and some very bad language). We have tried to put these signs on most of the existing footpath or bridleway signposts at places where the route crosses roads; however, some of the posts proved to be unsuitable (for example, some were very insecure) and in a few places we have fixed signs to lamp-posts. We still have a few signs in reserve to replace any that get vandalised, or to fill in places that we might have missed. A complete record of places where we have fixed the signs is being kept on file and a copy has been sent to the County.
1998 - December	The Opening Ceremony. The Hertfordshire Way was formally opened on 31^st October, at a brief ceremony in Royston Parish Church. About 80 people were present in the church to hear a speech by the Chairman, in which he explained the circumstances which led to the creation of this long distance footpath and implored those present to preserve the County’s rights of way. Cllr. F. John Smith formally ‘opened’ the walk and the Rev. Leslie Harman gave a non-denominational blessing. A photographer from the Hertfordshire Mercury took a picture of a group of the main participants, which appeared in the paper for 6th November. Those attending the ceremony were then treated to sandwiches and home-made cakes. The ceremony itself had been preceded by an inaugural 5-mile walk along the Heath, led by David Allard. Some 28 brave souls (though not the Chairman, who felt it his duty to stay behind in the church to organise the refreshments) completed this walk in the pouring rain. For those who came from the south of the county, it was a good introduction to the chalky soil of northern Hertfordshire; we took quite a bit of it home on our boots.
1998 - December	Correspondence. The Rights of Way Department of the HCC had received a letter from the Hertford Branch of the NFU, and this letter had been forwarded to the Chairman for his comments. The main points in the NFU letter are: * Publicity associated with the Hertfordshire Way has caused a considerable increase in the use of these rights of way. * Some of this increased use is by cycles, quadbikes and horses. * Members of the NFU have received ‘nothing but abuse’ from users of these rights of way. * The NFU would like to have signs added to the waymarks to indicate the type of right of way involved (such as ‘footpath only; no cycling’). * The NFU ‘at county level’ would like a meeting with the HCC ‘to discuss this’. The Chairman has replied to the HCC with a detailed response to each of these points. In particular he pointed out that the Hertfordshire Way signs already state quite clearly that it is a long distance footpath. We are at one with the NFU in wanting to stop the illegal (and damaging) use of our footpaths by prohibited vehicles, and we trust that no genuine walkers would be abusive to farmers.
1999 - June	Waymarking. Early in the year we designed and purchased 1,000 distinctive green and white ‘Hertfordshire Way’ roundels. Then, with the help of a number of volunteers, we systematically waymarked almost the entire 166-mile route by fixing roundels to stiles, gates and posts. A few sensitive areas, such as the Ashridge Estate, will be waymarked later in the year. We have, however, had a very constructive meeting with the Ashridge Estate Manager who is happy to fix roundels for us at strategic points on the National Trust land. The roundels, together with the ‘Hertfordshire Way’ signposts that we placed at road intersections last summer, mark out the complete route and serve both to advertise the walk and to augment the instructions in the guidebook.
1999 - June	Wood Hall Farm (and Elstree CP footpath / RUPP 49 on Leg 8). The new owners of Wood Hall Farm have recently put a barbed-wire fence, and ‘No Footpath’ notices across the northern end of this RUPP, blocking the route from Theobald Street to Shenley. It is believed to be an illegal obstruction and several organisations have been in contact with County Hall in an endeavour to get the right of way restored. Anyone planning to walk this section of the Hertfordshire Way should contact Doug Fisher at County Hall (tel: 01992-555243) to find out if the obstruction has been removed, and if it has not, to request advice on an alternative route from Theobald Street to Shenley. Anyone who can contribute evidence to support the case that this is a long-established right of way should contact us on 01992-467928.
1999 - June	Letchmore Heath (Aldenham CP footpath 31A, on Leg 8). Footpath 31A runs in an easterly direction from Common Lane in Letchmore Heath, passing behind the gardens of two large houses in Common Lane. The garden of one of these houses has recently been enclosed in such a way as to obstruct the right of way, leaving only an unofficial ‘permissive path’ round the outside of the garden. This, of course, is not an acceptable recompense for the loss of a section of a right of way. Moreover, on a number of occasions walkers have been harassed by owners of both these properties. Anyone who experiences problems with this section of the Hertfordshire Way should submit details in writing to Doug Fisher, Countryside Access Officer, Environment Department, HCC, County Hall, Hertford SG13 8DN, with a copy to The Friends of the Hertfordshire Way.