Whether you're looking for a gentle stroll through the countryside, a scenic walk along the creek, or a peaceful woodland wander, Feock Parish is fortunate to have an extensive network of public footpaths, bridleways and byways connecting our villages. These routes are enjoyed by walkers, runners, dog owners, horse riders and nature lovers throughout the year and are one of the parish's greatest assets. Why not have a look at our Feock on Foot maps that are displayed on our noticeboards, available to download from our website or pick up a free copy from Devoran Community Library.

 

The Parish Council works hard to help keep this network open and accessible through a Local Maintenance Partnership with Cornwall Council. Under this agreement, the Parish Council is responsible for keeping the vegetation cut on the surface of the parish's public rights of way, helping to ensure routes remain safe and enjoyable to use.

 

Looking after the public rights of way is a shared responsibility. Landowners are responsible for maintaining hedges and side growth bordering public rights of way, as well as fences and stiles, while Cornwall Council is responsible for the surface of the paths, bridges and signposts. Understanding who is responsible for what helps ensure problems are dealt with as quickly as possible.

 

Help us keep our paths open

If you come across an overgrown or blocked path, broken signpost or any other issue while out walking, the quickest and most effective way to report it is directly to Cornwall Council using their online reporting system. Your report is logged immediately and you'll receive updates as the issue progresses. If the problem is surface vegetation please contact the Parish Council so this can be inspected.

 

To help identify the correct route, it is useful to include the path reference number. Every public right of way has its own unique reference, for example 305/57/1, where:

 

·305 identifies Feock Parish

·57 is the individual path number

·1 identifies a spur or branch off that path

 

Including the reference number, a clear description of the problem and, where possible, a photograph of the issue will help speed up inspections and repairs.

 

Prioritising maintenance

As funding is limited, not every path can be maintained to the same standard.

 

Cornwall Council allocates funding based on a priority system of Gold for the highest priority routes, followed by Silver and then Bronze which may receive little or no maintenance.

 

This ensures the most frequently used and strategically important paths remain accessible throughout the year.

 

Overgrown hedges and roadside vegetation

While enjoying our walks around the parish, you may also notice overgrown hedges, verges or vegetation encroaching onto pavements or highways. These should also be reported directly to Cornwall Council through their online reporting system who will contact the landowner to request they cut their hedge back, the timing will take into account bird nesting season. Reporting them promptly helps improve visibility, accessibility and safety for pedestrians, horseriders, cyclists and road users, particularly where vegetation restricts footways or highways.

 

Explore the network

The map below gives an overview of the network of public rights of way across Feock Parish. You can also  download this as a PDF, together with a complete list of every footpath, including its reference number and description, on the Parish Council website. For those wanting to explore further, Cornwall Council also provides an interactive online map where you can zoom in on individual routes by selecting the Walking and Riding and Public Rights of Way layers.

 

For more information and to report issues, visit:

Cornwall Council – Public Rights of Way: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment/countryside/public-rights-of-way/

Report a Public Rights of Way issue: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment/countryside/public-rights-of-way/

Rights and responsibilities: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment/countryside/public-rights-of-way/rights-and-responsibilities-on-public-rights-of-way/

Report overgrown hedges or verges: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/transport-parking-and-streets/roads-highways-and-pavements/report-a-problem-with-a-road-or-pavement/report-issues-with-hedges-or-verges/

 

We hope you'll take the opportunity to explore our wonderful countryside, its great for health and wellbeing but if you spot a problem while you're out enjoying it, please take a few moments to report it.