I have just returned from a walk along the cycle/footpath on Narcot Lane. I took my sister and her two young children out for the afternoon. We unfortunately had to turn back before we reached Saint Giles. We were blocked by a "wall" of horse droppings, at the point where the path is raised above the road. This made it impossible to negotiate with a baby in a buggy and a toddler on a tricycle. The road was too heavy with fast moving traffic to risk walking down the bank, with the buggy etc. On the return journey, we were confronted by two riders on very large horses. The toddler had ridden on a little way ahead and had stopped in front of the horses. We arrived a few seconds later, to hear one of the riders, a woman in her middle years (approx. fifty), chastising a two year girl about being in the way of the horses. 

I challenged the woman about being on the path and she tried to convince me that she had every right to be there and a child should not be allowed to ride a tricycle on the path where horses ride; yes, she actaully said this, whilst sitting on her horse, on a cycle path.

I explained to her that it was in contravention of the highways act, to ride, lead or allow or horse on a footpath or cycle path. What happened next, defied all sense and logic. She let out stream of foul mouthed abuse and threats that would have shocked even the most hardened squaddie. She then began to push her horse through myself, my sister, her two year old daughter and the baby in the buggy. Saying that people like my sister should be put down at birth.

What wonderful people we seem to breed in Chalfont.