Green Laning report

User avatar
Ascender
Posts: 3518
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2018 12:07 pm
Currently Driving: 2019 M2 Competition

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Ascender »

ZedLeg wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 1:14 pm
Ascender wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 12:20 pm This looks like an absolute blast and I genuinely never knew it was even a thing. Top way to spend the weekend!
It's harder to organise up here as you need land owner permission to use the lanes, there are clubs that do it though.
I did wonder about that, will have to do a google. I wasn't sure exactly how far the "right of way" thing would translate - i.e. walking, running, biking is fine.... but 4x4s?!
Cheers,

Mike.
User avatar
Orange Cola
Posts: 2232
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:56 pm

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Orange Cola »

Simon, I went and did a days driving here www.kankku.co.uk which I think you’d be interested in. They supply the cars, all of which have been modified properly plus a guide. You go about the Lakes driving the green lanes to get to places which are pretty inaccessible and have great views.

It’s not easy terrain either, we had a number of wading points and a lot of “it’ll never get up that” rock crawl moments but the guide was very good and showed us how to drive the cars over the terrain to get there. Although the cars are modified to be capable the emphasis is on the drivers skill to get the most out the car and ultimately go places where others with all the gear and no idea have failed to get to (we heard a couple of amusing stories in there when we asked). They’re also very good at letting you drive properly, left foot braking where required, getting the car positioned right, no worries about paint work against the foliage or wearing the brakes out, no signing your life away with additional insurances at the start of the day either. Just some genuine and friendly off road guys who love doing what they do. The trails are quite challenging too, which makes you glad you’re in someone else car in a way, plus they’re well up on green lanes and the more subtle things which go with them.

We can’t wait to go back, best driving experience I’ve ever done 8-)
Mustang GT 5.0 V8 -- Jaguar F-Pace
User avatar
Jobbo
Posts: 9174
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:20 pm
Currently Driving: S6 Avant, Jimny, Macan, Mini

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Jobbo »

That looks good - and I was expecting mad prices but they aren’t that bad. Shame it’s such a long trek up there.

Whitecliff in the Forest of Dean is great too.

Currently trying to arrange a day out where Choo can open the gates 😄
Last edited by Jobbo on Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Orange Cola
Posts: 2232
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:56 pm

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Orange Cola »

We’ve headed up here on holiday distance wasn’t an issue for us in the end, it was recommended to me by some family members who live in the area some years back so definitely one to bear in mind for future. Prices are reasonable considering the high standard of kit you get to drive freely, I would quite like to do a two day one with camping and friends if that’s ever available, we found the five hours we did (plus an hour stop for a pub lunch) to be about the most you’d want to do as you’re knackered after that.

My other half was dubious about it at first but I think she enjoyed it as much as me once she saw the first trail which started out a technical rock crawl section.
Mustang GT 5.0 V8 -- Jaguar F-Pace
User avatar
Jobbo
Posts: 9174
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:20 pm
Currently Driving: S6 Avant, Jimny, Macan, Mini

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Jobbo »

Excellent day of laning yesterday round Worcestershire and just into Herefordshire. Quite different to my Cotswolds excursions; the ground doesn’t drain so well and it’s actually a bit more hilly to the west of the River Severn.

Defeated by one muddy climb due to tyres (finally decided to get the chunky A/Ts for the spare wheels now, having not previously been sure I needed them). Fortunately the difficult lane is close to my friend’s house so we can try that again easily.

We did manage a couple of shorter similar muddy hill climbs with the benefit of some momentum though. And we forded quite a few rivers. The first was the deepest:


Enjoying the Vitara; it’s even fun to drive on the road between lanes 😃
User avatar
240PP
Posts: 1422
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2018 9:27 am
Currently Driving: A5 3.0 TDI, 987 S.

Re: Green Laning report

Post by 240PP »

As impressive as the video is, was there any need for the cameraman to be wanking?
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6166
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Peugeot 406

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Sundayjumper »

Jobbo - is there a particular resource you use to find these green lanes ? I need to go exploring with the Touareg but apart from buying an OS map I don’t know where to start. There’s presumably better / detailed info around as to what’s driveable ?

I've got my chunky tyres on now:

IMG_0901.jpg
IMG_0901.jpg (100.58 KiB) Viewed 2690 times
Last edited by Sundayjumper on Sun Sep 08, 2019 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Jimmy Choo
Posts: 2002
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2018 7:43 am

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Jimmy Choo »

Jobbo wrote: Sun Aug 04, 2019 2:29 pm Excellent day of laning yesterday round Worcestershire and just into Herefordshire. Quite different to my Cotswolds excursions; the ground doesn’t drain so well and it’s actually a bit more hilly to the west of the River Severn.

Defeated by one muddy climb due to tyres (finally decided to get the chunky A/Ts for the spare wheels now, having not previously been sure I needed them). Fortunately the difficult lane is close to my friend’s house so we can try that again easily.

We did manage a couple of shorter similar muddy hill climbs with the benefit of some momentum though. And we forded quite a few rivers. The first was the deepest:


Enjoying the Vitara; it’s even fun to drive on the road between lanes 😃
I feel cheated. That clearly wasn't an Aston or a Ford and there were no ladies of any ethnicity!
Banal Vapid Platitudes
User avatar
Marv
Posts: 1374
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:33 pm
Contact:

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Marv »

Sundayjumper wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 8:22 pm Jobbo - is there a particular resource you use to find these green lanes ? I need to go exploring with the Touareg but apart from buying an OS map I don’t know where to start. There’s presumably better / detailed info around as to what’s driveable ?

I've got my chunky tyres on now:


IMG_0901.jpg
I've never seen a Touareg fitted with knobbly tyres before! 😁
Oui, je suis un motard.
User avatar
Jobbo
Posts: 9174
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:20 pm
Currently Driving: S6 Avant, Jimny, Macan, Mini

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Jobbo »

Steve, I joined GLASS (the Green Lane Association) which is about £48 for the year. That gives access to their mapping database, TrailWise2. It’s a great resource.

However, what it does is highlight the Other Routes with Public Access and Byways Open to All Traffic (ORPAs and BOATs) which are shown on OS maps in England and Wales. It does also have user-submitted comments on many of them (plenty of legal rights of way aren’t actually passable) and generally gets updated quickly when a TRO limits use (sometimes permanently, sometimes at certain times only) which is not at all apparent from an OS map.

Back issues of Land Rover Owner often have suggested routes in, and the ViewRanger app has a website which you might find routes on too. Fundamentally TrailWise2 is the best resource but it’s well worth using multiple sources. I’ve not gone as far as digging through the List of Streets yet, which is a per council specific database, but that’s the definitive info on whether a route is legal. But being just a list of road names it’s a bit hard to use 😄
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6166
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Peugeot 406

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Sundayjumper »

Marv - I'm not surprised, but it's a shame as they're quite competent offroaders. They all (well, the early ones, up to 2010) have a proper transfer box & centre diff lock, and mine also has the optional rear diff lock & air suspension. At its max height it has a fraction under 12" of ground clearance. The V10 also has a mammoth amount of torque - 553 lb-ft. Offset by being bloody heavy though !

Jobbo - I've found www.bywaymap.com which shows various byways but doesn't have feedback on condition etc. There's a few not too far away so if I'm allowed out this afternoon I'll go for a look.
User avatar
Jobbo
Posts: 9174
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:20 pm
Currently Driving: S6 Avant, Jimny, Macan, Mini

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Jobbo »

TFL Car on Youtube have a mk1 Touareg (petrol V8) to which they have fitted knobbly tyres and they've been very impressed with its ability off road. Apparently they were available with centre, rear and front diff locks in some markets :shock:

The Byway map shows just BOATs, not ORPAs, so it's missing the majority of legal routes. BOATs seem to be prevalent on historic downland so you may be fortunate where you are. Here's a zoomed-out excerpt from Trailwise2 - all the coloured routes are clickable:
davejevons
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:20 pm

Re: Green Laning report

Post by davejevons »

Here seems the most appropriate place for this...

Some of you might remember we picked up a 3.6 TDV8 L322 about 10 months ago. In an effort to try and justify it, we signed on to a Forestry Commission 4x4 trip round Cannock Chase. We were expecting a tour of the fire roads and a lectrure from the ranger about wildlife. Turns out it was a bit more exciting than that! Fortunately our 8 year old loved it.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Definitely worth a go if you have a 4x4 and fancy getting a bit more ambitious.

Apologies for hijacking your thread Simon.
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6166
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Peugeot 406

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Sundayjumper »

Jobbo wrote: Mon Sep 09, 2019 2:39 pm TFL Car on Youtube have a mk1 Touareg (petrol V8) to which they have fitted knobbly tyres and they've been very impressed with its ability off road. Apparently they were available with centre, rear and front diff locks in some markets :shock:
Ah, the mythical front diff lock ! There's a couple of images on the internet - literally a couple - of a selector dial with a front diff lock icon, but nobody has ever seen the actual diff. Nobody has found it in any of the VAG technical docs either, in the parts diagrams and wiring schematics.

The question comes up in the Touareg forums quite regularly. There's always someone who's convinced it's just a matter of plugging in the switch and then it'll work :lol:

Jobbo wrote: Mon Sep 09, 2019 2:39 pm Here's a zoomed-out excerpt from Trailwise2 - all the coloured routes are clickable
The BOATs to the west & SE of Wokingham are the ones I'm going to check out first. I don't imagine they'll be very challenging but they're close to home and very easy to get to.

wokinghambyways.jpg
wokinghambyways.jpg (61.22 KiB) Viewed 2556 times
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6166
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Peugeot 406

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Sundayjumper »

Dave - none of your pics show up for me !
User avatar
Jobbo
Posts: 9174
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:20 pm
Currently Driving: S6 Avant, Jimny, Macan, Mini

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Jobbo »

Nor for me - Dave, you’re not hijacking my thread (hey, if others are interested maybe we could do a green laning meet!) and I’d love to see them.

I’ve not thought about trying pay and play type sites, though there’s a GLASS day at Hawkstone Park in November which would be tempting if I had my new tyres by then.
User avatar
IanF
Posts: 2320
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:58 pm
Currently Driving: Ferrari F430 Spider
BMW M4 Comp
Mini Cooper
LR Evoque P300e
Contact:

Re: Green Laning report

Post by IanF »

I can see Dave’s pics on iPhone and iPad. Looks good fun! 8-)
Cheers,

Ian
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6166
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Peugeot 406

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Sundayjumper »

Jobbo wrote: Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:58 pm (hey, if others are interested maybe we could do a green laning meet!)
I’d probably be up for that, depending on the location. Is hoyley still around with his Rangie ? I can’t remember where he’s based.

I did a pay & play thing many years ago with my Frontera. It was fun and it felt like you could take more liberties with the driving as it was private land. You’re not ripping up a public RoW.

Also, there’s plenty of other people around to help if you get stuck :oops:
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6166
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Peugeot 406

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Sundayjumper »

IanF wrote: Mon Sep 09, 2019 8:25 pm I can see Dave’s pics on iPhone and iPad. Looks good fun! 8-)
Weirdly, now I’m on my phone (was on laptop earlier) I can see the fourth pic but not the first three.
User avatar
Sundayjumper
Posts: 6166
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:04 pm
Currently Driving: Peugeot 406

Re: Green Laning report

Post by Sundayjumper »

Image


Image
Post Reply