A SERIES of verbal clashes between golfers and ramblers using Kendal Fell has resulted in new advice being issued to walkers.

Underlying tensions over rights of way on the course have surfaced during the summer with hikers and players coming into conflict, with several confrontations reported to landowners South Lakeland District Council.

"It's been happening through the summer and it has been sparked by a spate of correspondence in The Westmorland Gazette," said SLDC's head of economy and environment.

The steering group which drew up a management plan for the course earlier this year has issued a statement aimed at walkers after taking legal advice.

It says: "Although Kendal Fell has village green status, any additional rights of access and recreation that this confers must respect the fell's long-standing use as a golf course."

Walkers are advised to use established footpaths across the fell for their own safety and also to help protect the rights of golfers to play.

The steering group - made up of representatives from SLDC, Friends of the Lake District, English Nature, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Kendal Golf Club and Kendal Town Council - has also agreed that existing public rights of way will be made more clearer with signs and waymarking.

This may also involve the use of bells to draw golfers attention to the fact that walkers are crossing the fairway, particularly on the "blind" hole two.

The final management plan will be published this month and will include recommendations such as repairing walls, replacing recent conifer planting with native trees, introducing signs on footpaths, clearing scrub and mowing the species-rich grassland at specific intervals.

Mr Greenwood added: "Implementation of the plan should help restore the landscape quality and nature conservation interest of the fell for future generations to enjoy - either as golfers, walkers or residents of Kendal."

The golf course has been in existence on Kendal Fell for more than 100 years and around 25 years ago the area was officially declared a town green.

Ian Brodie, director of the Friends of the Lake District, said there were a number of public rights of way across the golf course which have had fairways put across them which did not help relations between golfers and walkers.

"There are some misunderstandings by golfers over what the rights of the people of Kendal are and there are people in Kendal who don't recognise that golfers have a legal tenancy to be there."

Kendal Golf Club captain George Inchmore said in a statement to the Gazette: "The golf club hopes that the joint communique based on the legal opinion sought by SLDC now helps to clarify the position for all concerned."