Imagine my dismay on Sunday on visiting Rutland Water with my husband and our son's two Lhasa Apsos.

We arrived quite early in the morning and parked at Sykes Lane. We had a cup of coffee first and then set off for a walk along the dam.

We were under attack from the moment we got onto the wall by cyclists who seem to think that the paths are there solely for their use.

One couple rang their bells to warn us they were approaching and one man went off on to the grass but the others just whizzed up behind us – I was constantly having to check behind us to see who was coming as my husband is deaf and then to the front as well as keeping the dogs in check on their lead.

We were continually having to step off the path on to the grass as they would not yield any path to us.

After a while we decided we would go back, have a drink and then walk towards Whitwell – this proved to be even worse.

There was some kind of sailing event on with music drifting across the water and the cyclists became ever more arrogant in their approaches – not bothering to slow down (the majority obviously in training for the speed trials in 2012); not going into single file but riding two or three abreast and in one case a group of six swooping round a corner at speed behind us, swerving to miss us and then narrowly missing a small girl on a bike with stabilisers on the other side of the path.

As for dismounting to go over cattle grids as politely requested on numerous signs, they just ignore them.

What is the matter with these people?

Surely the resource is there for everyone to enjoy and there are a lot of elderly people, children and dog walkers who are being put at risk by these selfish and inconsiderate "Sunday cyclists."

An unhappy memory for me to take back when I go home.

Jenny Whysall
Lugo,
Spain