On 1st January 2026, it will no longer be possible to use historic map and documentary evidence to claim ‘lost ways’. Any path, track, alleyway, bridleway, cut-through etc. not registered on the Definitive Map – or submitted for registration – could well be in danger of being lost Even old and still well-used, but officially unrecorded, routes may be at risk.
What does this actually mean to those who walk, cycle or horse ride along our public foot-paths and bridleways? The basic message is stark – we take our access to the countryside for granted; we use routes for recreation and as a means of linking places together without thinking but, if we don’t check what we already have or what has been used in the past and that it is legally recorded, we could lose them forever. The ancient maxim on which many claimants have relied, in the past: “once a highway always a highway” will be history.
Simply put, a small strip of land between a highway and the start of a definitive path might be unregistered. After 2026, a landowner could put a gate or fence across it and restrict all entry to the public – quite legally – thus permanently hindering access to the countryside because we have assumed, but not checked, that the Definitive Map is up-to-date and accurate. It will not be just our generation which will suffer but those who follow after us and is that the legacy we wish to leave them? It is worth the risk?
. The ‘Restoring the Records’ project is two-pronged with something for everyone; volunteers are needed to check maps, walk paths to ensure the correct signs are in place, do research, interview local people about their memories and get new links approved – to list just a few activities and it is local knowledge that will be the key.
The plan is to recruit a volunteer [s] in every Buckinghamshire Parish and Town Council to spread the load and speed up the exercise – 10 years passes far quicker than you might think! No previous knowledge or training is needed; the Project Team is preparing a simple step-by-step guide which will answer most of the more common questions and will supply a map of your local area showing the rights of way.
If you are interested in becoming involved in this fascinating and very important treasure hunt, please contact Ross Osborn, the Project’s Volunteer Co-ordinator, on rossosborn41@gmail.com who will be happy to answer any questions and arrange for all necessary information and maps to be sent to you.
Category Archives: News
Cublington Tennis Trek
The Cublington Tennis Trek, held on October 2nd was heralded a great success as 24 players from the club, local area and guests from Halton and Princes Risborough took part in the third village Tennis Trek. (Previously held in 2004 and 2007)
This was a mixed round robin event played on four village courts – two at the Tennis Club, Orchard Ground, and on the delightful private garden courts in the village at the Old Stables and the Old Rectory. All players got to play on all courts, trekking round the village to compete in three of the 6 rounds of matches.
The four top placed male and females then played off in semi final sets before the winning team of Will Lightfoot (Cublington TC) and Gertruud Van Dijken (Princes Risborough TC) right claimed their prize against Jean Barnett and Peter Orchard.
A sumptuous rolling BBQ feast was available during the day and many guests and supporters enjoyed the tennis as well as the sunshine. More than £500 was raised towards the potential refurbishment of the courts to an “artificial turf ” surface, hopefully next Spring.
Organiser Gary says a further event is being planned for next year by kind permission of both the George and the Peck families.
Community Speed Watch
Community SpeedWatch is a traffic monitoring scheme coordinated by Thames Valley Police in partnership with local councils and other stakeholders, but managed and run by
neighbourhood policing teams and Community Volunteers.
How it works
• SpeedWatch can only operate in areas up to a 40 miles per hour speed limit. Community Volunteers work alongside Thames Valley Police officers to identify vehicles which break the speed limit.
• Registration numbers are entered onto a database which produces a letter informing the registered owner that their vehicle has been noted to have exceeded the speed limit and asking them not to do so in the future.
• If the same registration number is logged in another SpeedWatch anywhere within Thames Valley, the owner will receive another letter advising them that if they are caught a third time, the information will be passed onto Roads Policing, who may take further action.
Volunteers must be over 18 years old, and we need a minimum of six Community Volunteers to make this work. If you would like to be involved and reduce the speed of vehicles in the village please contact Mike Bush at 14 Whitchurch Road, or by e-mail on cublingtonpc.clerk@gmail.com
Nominations for volunteers required
Volunteers and communities make sport happen and without dedicated coaches, team managers, scorers and kit washers thousands of people wouldn’t feel the benefits of taking part in sport.
Here at Leap (The Sport and Activity Partnership for Bucks & MK) we think those people deserve a thank you. So we are appealing to you to help us identify the people and organisations who make sport happen in order that we can recognise and celebrate them.
We welcome nominations across 10 categories:
• Active Workplace of the year
• Club of the year
• Volunteer of the year
• Young Leader of the year
• Community Coach of the year
• Performance Coach of the year
• Project of the year
• Primary School of the year
• Secondary School of the year
• Unsung Hero of the year (The Terry Cook Award)
If you know of a person, group or organisation within your Parish who deserve to be recognised and celebrated then please nominate them. Nominations are open now, until 16th August. www.leapwithus.org.uk/sportawards
Shortlisted nominees from each category will be invited to the county Sport Awards presentation evening at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on 18th November.
You can find out more about the awards and previous winners by visiting our website. www.leapwithus.org.uk/sportawards
Advice on swarming bees
Although spring appears to be very slow this year in the next few weeks there will be a flurry of honey bee swarms.
There is a swarm collection service provided by the Mid Bucks Bee Keepers Association in conjunction with the British Bee Keepers Association.
If contacted by the public reporting a swarm of bees we will do our best to collect it if possible and provide advice and guidance to people.
Last year we dealt with over 300 calls from the general public and commercial organisations.
Our members attended over 120 honey bee swarms.
This is probably a good sign of the health of the pollinator population in our area.
The mild wet winter and this cold spring have not been good for honey bees in particular so every swarm will be important to us as beekeepers.
Contact
MBBKA Swarm Hotline 07770 370132 or BBKA British Bee Keepers Association website http:www.bbka.org.uk
Advice on swarms as a downloadable pdf available here
swarm collection 2016
Brian Bush
(MBBKA & BBKA swarm officer)
Waples Walk unveiled
The inauguration of the new commemorative walk with lectern and map and took place on the Nob on Easter Sunday. Over 70 villagers, friends and relatives attended the opening ceremony led by Joan Waples and then walked the walk in brilliant sunshine before retiring to the Biggs Pavilion. It was indeed a fitting tribute to our sadly missed friend.
Your memory will live on.
Thanks to all those who provided the ample refreshments along with sandwiches, snacks and cakes.
Five Go to Treasure Island – a review
Yet again a triumph from the Cublington panto crew. A wonderful marriage of Enid Blyton and Robert Louis Stevenson saw The Famous Five, rather unusually, go to Treasure Island. Jane Alexander exuded calm confidence as Julian with Ally Lovatt very professional in the role of Dick. Chris Gibby’s bunches, as Anne, will surely set a new fashion for 2016. Out with the hipster beards and in with bunches! We enjoyed Di Grace’s tom-boyish portrayal of George. Was there a subliminal message in the dungarees? Emma Gurney’s Timmy the dog set a record for the Cublington panto of being completely word perfect. Careful, you’ll do Kim the Prompt out of job. Oh, hang on… Aunt Bessie (surely Aunt Fanny? Ed.) was superbly portrayed by Jan Antosiewicz, channelling his inner Miriam Margoyles and was snatched away by the dastardly pirate chief John Law, channelling his inner Keith Richards, ably assisted by First Mate (newcomer Jennie Chappell) and Roger the Cabin Boy (Chloe Wilson in fine voice).
The action moved from Aunt Bessie’s cottage to a sun kissed Caribbean where we met Creuset the Cannibal – Chris Brandon wearing a flesh coloured, figure-hugging body stocking and a few palm fronds to hide his blushes. At least, I hope he was wearing a flesh-coloured body stocking, otherwise the mind boggles at the near miss we all had, especially the unfortunates in the front two rows. Some things can never be unseen… There was music, with Evelyn the height of professionalism on the piano. Chloe too, sang beautifully. The others… Well, at one point John Law asked the audience to join in if they knew the words. We will if you know the tune, came the reply. Many thanks to all those who made this production possible , such a cherished part of the fabric of Cublington life.
Thanks too, to the writers, the producers, the directors, the ticket sellers, scene shifters, doormen and make up artists, sound technicians, the best boy and the grip (what is that? I’ve always wanted to know). We appreciate all of your efforts, the long dark nights of the soul as you stumble to rehearsals without even the possibility of a pint in the Unicorn afterwards as you’re doing dry January, and the arguments over who gets to wear those dungarees this time.
We loved it all.
See you next year.
Portrait of a Village
An exhibition by Martyn Gates
This unique social commentary of the village of Cublington features not only people living in the village, but also events that have taken place, buildings and the surrounding landscape.
The exhibition is from Monday, February 22, till Friday, March 4, at Queens Park Arts Centre, Aylesbury.
Waples Walk Lectern Unveiling
The ceremony to open the Waples Walk will take place on Easter Sunday, 27th March at 2pm. Villagers are asked to congregate on the Nob for the unveiling of the lectern showing a map of the walk, followed by the walk, for those who want to of course, (approximately 2 miles), followed by refreshments in the Biggs Pavilion.