All routes which are public rights of way should be shown on the Definitive Map produced by the relevant highway authority. In Suffolk this is the County Council.
Walkers may use all kinds of right of way. The categories are :-
Footpaths, bridleways (usable by riders and cyclists), byways open to all traffic (BOATs) and restricted byways. Some were known as "Roads used as public paths" ( RUPPs), but this term is now obsolete and a new category known as a `restricted byway' has been introduced. These are usable by non-motorised vehicles as well as by those who are entitled to use bridleways.
All routes shown on definitive maps should also be marked on Ordnance Survey 1 : 25,000 maps (Explorer) and 1 : 50,000 (Landranger). Be warned, however, that they can be several years out of date and not necessarily 100 % accurate. See also 'What if a path is not on the Definitive Map?'
Where can you see definitive maps? Copies are kept in the County Council's head office in Ipswich and the two Area Offices at Halesworth and Bury St Edmunds. They should also be available for inspection – for its own area only - in the office of the local district council.
However, the working copies of the maps (showing all changes) are now available to view on-line. To see them, go to:
Every public right of way has a number. To be able to quote the number is helpful when reporting a problem. The numbers appear on the Definitive Map but another very useful way of discovering the number of a path is to use “ROWMAPS”.where the course of a path can be seen as an overlay on Google Earth. This can be highly recommended. You will first need Google Earth loaded on to your computer. Downoad the “augmented KML for Suffolk” at:
http://www.rowmaps.com/kmls/SK/