Beagle,
I remember, after Chivenor was reopened (or as it was in the stages of being reopened), a number of footpaths were needed as new buildings were being built. It was decided not to build the footpaths there and then, but to wait for a few months and then do an aerial recce before deciding where to build. People can be relied upon to find the shortest or the most appropriate route on the ground. Simple!