NATIONAL park rangers were given an insight into equestrian life in the Yorkshire Dales by swapping their Land Rovers for a day in the saddle.

The Malham-based Yorkshire Dales Trekking Centre teamed up with the British Horse Society to offer staff first-hand experience of the issues facing riders who use the bridleways which criss-cross the Pennines.

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority regional manager, Alan Hulme, said: "The afternoon gave our rangers the opportunity to find out first-hand about some of the problems riders face, such as troublesome gate openings, boggy ground and the narrowness of some of the bridleways themselves.

"We've learnt from the session and will apply the experience to our ongoing efforts to improve the bridleway network for all legitimate users; walkers and cyclists included."

Sue Rigby, of the British Horse Society said: "To date, meetings with the authority have been held around a table in a meeting room. The afternoon was a little different, giving the rangers a new perspective and the chance to experience the bridleways on four legs instead of two.

"We hope we can build a greater understanding of some of the issues we face as horse riders and that the rangers reflect on their time in the saddle when planning their work on the area's bridleways."

In the coming months the national park authority will undertake a survey of the National Park's bridleway network in an attempt to highlight where improvements can be made and to plan future maintenance programmes with the equestrian in mind.