Popular public right of way in Harborough is to be cleared after being blocked by a fallen tree

A popular public right of way in Market Harborough is to be cleared and made accessible again after being blocked by a fallen tree.

The much-used trail snakes from the top of Harvest Road off Lubenham Hill down a steep hill to join the footpath by the A4304 leading to the neighbouring village of Lubenham.

The path has been obstructed for the last few weeks after a tree fell across the entrance to the muddy cross-country section heading west out of Market Harborough.

But Leicestershire County Council is now promising to “clear a new path” after being alerted to the problem by veteran outdoors campaigner Peter Pollak.

Peter, 75, of Limner Street, Farndon Fields, Market Harborough, told the Harborough Mail: “I just hope that the county council now comes out and gets down to work here as soon as possible.

“I first reported this to the council back on January 26.

“But I’ve heard nothing back and nothing has been done until now – and that’s not good enough.”

The lifelong rambler and environment lover said many keen walkers as well as runners use the trail all year round.

“I walk along there with my wife Fran all the time.

“You get fantastic sweeping views from the top of the hill.

“You’ve got East Farndon to the south, majestic open fields and meadows stretching out in front of Lubenham to the west and Gartree to the north,” said Peter, a local spokesman for the Open Spaces Society, at 156 years old the UK’s oldest national conservation group.

“Too many of our public rights of way as well as bridleways and rambling trails are disappearing all over the area as it is.

“So we need to make 100 per cent sure that brilliant paths such as this one are kept clear and protected for the benefit of all of us.

“Most walkers will be able to clamber over this fallen tree and carry on.

“But a lot of elderly people and mums and dads with young children and prams and pushchairs simply won’t be able to negotiate this obstacle,” insisted Peter.

“So I just hope that the council acts urgently to put this right.

“We’ve got the better weather coming up in the spring and summer and even more people will want to get out and explore our glorious countryside around Market Harborough.

“So I look forward to this tree being removed and the route cleared for all of us.”

Cllr Trevor Pendleton, the county council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, told the Mail: “Our team are aware of the blocked footpath in Market Harborough.

“In order to allow access on this route our teams will be working to clear a new path avoiding the tree as soon as possible.”

The council’s specialist team has decided to “make a new footpath which matches the path the developers built”, the local authority said.

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