Footpaths - Which Included and How shown on Maps

Information on this page shown under these headings

• Which Footpaths are Included on Maps?
• Footpath Symbols
• Notes on Footpath Symbols
• Further Explanation
• Length of Footpaths Shown
• Rights of Way

Which Footpaths are Included on Maps?

The original aim was to show all the "best" footpaths - but in recent years has been extended to show all paths (But with the "best" getting greatest prominence!).  This includes all those likely to be attractive for a leisure walk, plus any which are good to link these together, or back to the nearest bus route.  At this point in time I hope I have marked "nearly all", but no doubt I have still missed some and will add these as I find them, or as readers tell me about them.
 

Footpath Symbols

The representation on the maps uses the symbols shown on the right.
 

Notes on Footpath Symbols: 

Main Footpaths include major routes, main routes, main paths in a park or similar. Most are visible on the ground and often well made, and some are signed, BUT some may in part be less visible (e.g. crossing open grass) or less well kept (covered in leaves or even muddy!).  Recently (Since mid 2008) I have started using the "Smaller surfaced Footpaths" symbol, in particular to make it possible to show all the footpaths on housing estates, where some of the footpaths are very short, and very close to others - even narrower version of this symbol is used where needed to fit the detail in.

Other "Green" Footpaths include other visible routes, alternative routes across open grass, etc.  Not all are shown - the main criteria is to help people using main paths to navigate, or plan alternate routes to suit their needs!
 

Further Explanation 

The above statement appears elsewhere with the "Key to Footpath Symbols" diagram.  For further explanation I offer the following:

1.  The choice of  if to show a path as 'Main Footpath' or "Smaller surfaced Footpaths" or 'Other "Green" Footpath' is often a close run decision.  Aspects considered include:

• The locality.  In some areas the main footpaths are those surfaced and signed, so lesser paths are shown as 'Other'.  In less organised locations the main footpath may just be the best route, with 'Other' being a selection of the alternate options for the intrepid explorer.
• In a grassy public open space, the 'Other' category is used to illustrate a possible route across the grass.  Where relevant, these have been drawn to use gaps in hedges etc., but is mainly shown to suggest the scope for a possible route.

2.  Most paths are drawn the same width as the widest shown on the diagram above in order to show clearly on screen or A4 print, but are reduced to ¾  or ½ (as also indicated on the diagram above) of this width in areas where finer detail is desirable.

3.  Some routes which are described in detail elsewhere are "highlighted" with (e.g.) Yellow or Orange backgrounds.

4.  The position of paths is shown as follows:

• When the path is shown on the base map, this is followed.
• All other paths are shown where they appear to be on the ground relative to features shown on the base map.
• Where paths meet bridges, tunnels or roads the scale immediately around the junction is sometimes exaggerated in order to clearly show the layout.
• Where paths are shown following roads, the path is usually shown running immediately beside the road (as though it is a pavement to an exaggerated scale).  This also has the advantage of not covering up the name of the road.  The path shown is on the side of the road I felt "best" to use, or if equally good, chosen at random.
• Where the path is separated from the road by a wide grass verge, this is indicated by exaggerating the gap between the edge of the road and the edge of the path.

5.  The Car Park indication is only added where I believe a public car parking area exists (either explicitly due to being signed, or by normal sensible practice!), but is not shown on the base maps.  I have not shown areas where road-side parking is sensibly possible, but which may not be encouraged by local residents.
 

Length of Footpaths Shown 

The total length of footpaths marked on the Maps within the Coventry City boundary was estimated (5-Apr-2010) to be 399.6 kilometres, broken down as follows:

Map	Main Footpaths	Other "Green" Footpaths	Footpaths on Roads	total
11	5.1	4.4	2.7	12.2 km
12	9.1	4.4	4.8	18.3 km
13	9.3	6.1	2.0	17.4 km
21	14.5	13.4	6.2	34.1 km
22	17.4	14.6	8.6	40.6 km
23	28.8	12.5	3.4	44.7 km
31	16.6	21.2	9.3	47.1 km
32	25.4	15.4	20.4	61.2 km
33	19.4	20.8	9.2	49.4 km
41	5.7	8.8	1.7	16.2 km
42	12.6	11.9	11.3	35.8 km
43	6.9	13.4	2.3	22.6 km
Totals km	170.8	146.9	81.9	399.6 km
Totals miles	106	91	51	248  miles
TOTALS	197		51	248 miles

For comparison, the "bottom line" counts on 22-Jun-2002 are shown in table below.

Map	Main Footpaths	Other "Green" Footpaths	Footpaths on Roads	total
Totals km	125	106	55	286 km
Totals miles	78	66	34	177  miles
TOTALS	144		34	177 miles

The total length has increased by nearly 40%, but the number of "green" paths has increased by a much higher percentage (about 160% increase, from c.600 to c.1600 counting "number of paths" as they are/would be numbered on the present/eventual Definitive Map).  This is caused by the inclusion over the last 2 years of all the short paths within housing estates.
 

Rights of Way 

I have not distinguished between the various official status of any footpath shown on the map.

In practice many shown are one of the following:

• Public Right of Way
• Permitted Footpath
• part of a Public Open Space
• Canal Towpaths
• none of above, but a way which is currently in general use by the public

I have omitted any paths visible on the ground, but which I am aware are in fact private.  If I have included any in error, please let me know and I will correct the presentation.  E-mail me at webmaster@coventry-walks.org.uk .