IT is a real embarrassment to take visitors, during this good summer, on any inland footpaths in Cornwall. Especially so, when being stopped by yet another impassable path, you are aware the opposite should be the case, as reputedly Cornwall County Council are supposed to be spending £2.1 million in improving our pathways! Complaining of blocked paths to Cornwall County Council used to elicit a hopeful reply and a ranger's visit to get the problem fixed, but since Cornwall County Council have decided to use their £2.1 million over the period to October 2008 on what they call 'Gold' paths, their replies now give a far less hopeful outlook for action of any kind on 'Silver and Bronze' paths which are over 50 per cent of all Cornwall's paths! So Cornwall, taking the easy route, are titivating their 'Gold' paths with pretty little gold discs on the wayposts, whilst the rest of the paths become even more impassable by the day! Cornwall has the worst record in Britain on footpaths (41 per cent usable), compared to Devon's 90 per cent. Why can not Cornwall make immediate efforts on the 'Silver and Bronze' paths? Is it because they have cosy-ed up to the landowners and farmers who have seldom acted on Cornwall's Access Team's requests. The 'Bronze' paths, I understand are classified this because they are 'unused'. The truth is different, slightly but significantly. 'Bronze' paths would be used if they were usable! My visitors were sympathetic to me for my efforts to cut my way through various 'jungle' paths (Polbathic, for one) and the obvious lack of care evident at Pelynt and the aptly named (they joked) Bogga Mill paths, near Lanreath. They are keen walkers, maybe they will go to Devon in future, whilst Cornwall throws away, as usual, massive income from walkers' visits. Come on Cornwall, or should we all go up a few miles of the A38 and walk in a walker's heaven on Devon's footpaths? I hope other correspondents will back the campaign to get paths cleared, so visitors and residents alike can use the marked footpaths.

J E HARPER St Germans