British Horse Society Royal President to open Three Downs Link long distance route

The British Horse Society's President, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, will perform the opening ceremony of the Three Downs Link, a long distance route for riders, walkers and cyclists at approximately 12 noon on Friday 26 September. The link joins together the two national trails of The South Downs Way and The Ridgeway, crossing Hampshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire in the process.

At the ceremony Her Royal Highness will be accompanied by BHS chief executive Mrs Kay Driver and BHS chairman Mrs Pat Campbell, and will meet with local BHS volunteers, landowners and council rights of way officers involved with the route.

The Three Downs Link is part of the BHS initiated Ride UK, set up in 2000 to create and promote long distance riding routes across Britain, and consists of a spur from The South Downs Way connected to a circular route taking in The Ridgeway. The total length of the route is approximately 96 miles (164km) and also provides access to the new extension of the Claude Duval Way at Waylands Smithy on The Ridgeway. Claude Duval Way now links The Ridgeway to The Sabrina Way and provides access to Swan's Way in Buckinghamshire.

A leaflet produced in association with The Countryside Agency, Hampshire County Council, West Berkshire Council, Wiltshire County Council and the South East England Development Agency is available from those organisations, or from the BHS Access Dept., Stoneleigh Deer Park, Kenilworth Warks CV8 2XZ. The BHS has also produced a handy Bed & Breakfast leaflet covering the route. Please send a sae with a cheque for £2 (payable to The British Horse Society) to cover administration charges.

www.bhs.org.uk

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