About The Chess Valley Bridleways Association (CVBA)

Founded in 1973, following the death of a horse involved in a road traffic accident, the CVBA represents and supports horse riders in an area bounded by Watford, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, Little Chalfont, Amersham, Chesham, Bovingdon, Hemel Hempstead and Kings Langley.

The CVBA’s principal aim is to contribute to making the area as safe as possible for horse riders and other road users. It works closely with Parish, District and County councils, landowners and other bodies interested in Rights of Way.

The CVBA works to grow off-road riding and we also strive to keep local bridleways and tracks well maintained and safe (from fly tipping, fallen trees, rabbit holes and being overgrown).

To supplement Rights of Way, the CVBA also contributes to the development and maintenance of permissive tracks and organises a network of licensed tracks in the area.  The licensed track network is managed by the CVBA in conjunction with three local landowners who are paid an annual rental fee for the designated tracks across their land. These tracks are open to CVBA members ONLY who pay an annual fee to ride.

The CVBA’s millennium project was the creation of the Metro Track, which connects two bridleways adjacent to the Metropolitan Railway near Chorleywood.

The CVBA attends Public Enquiries regarding bridleway status and provides evidence of use to County Councils looking into lost or mis-classified ways on the definitive map through historical and past user use.
The CVBA also attends Rural Watch, Chiltern Society, and BHS meetings and is affiliated to The British Horse Society (BHS).

The Jasmine Safety Track Trust (JSTT) worked with the CVBA and aimed to add new tracks to the existing system, but has now disbanded. Their Memorial Track at Bucks Hill celebrates the lives of a number of our local horses, past and present.  You can read all about the history of the JSTT here.

The CVBA welcomes new members, and should you wish to become a member then please complete our Membership form online.

If you are not a member then please join as the bigger the CVBA is, the more authority it carries in negotiation with councils when it comes to clearing and managing tracks.

A copy of the CVBA’s Constitution can be viewed here.