BOAT: Buckholt Lane

• Overall Rating: 3
• Location: Broughton, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 131, 'Romsey, Andover & Test Valley. Stockbridge & Ludgershall'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU301325
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 09' 10" W001 57' 20"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU291318 or SU277321  
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates:  N51 08' 50" W001 58' 60"  or N51 08' 80" W001 60' 60"
• To see: Broughton Down Nature Reserve, tumuli, course of a Roman road.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

Buckholt Lane is a two-pronged byway, both of which are driveable. Once leaving the straight metalled road that serves as a driveway for a couple of houses, the greenlane turns hard right past an unusual sculpture (see pic, left) and, on the surface of gravel that covers its entire length, starts a steep climb uphill to the west. It should also be noted that, although there is a height barrier at this end of the lane, there is room to spare to get a Defender through it. The lane turns to the south west and continues climbing up to a summit of 138m AMSL, passing through a copse called Smith's Plantation until the lane divides.

The junction

First we'll deal with the shorter track. If you choose to maintain track, the southerly branch takes a course past some mature beech trees and a reservoir which pass on the western side, and then starts a gradual descent towards it's terminus on Roman Road, having dropped 30m in elevation since its summit. Not a bad little track, and it allows convenient access to the considerably longer byway called Whiteshoot Road.

The second, far longer, branch passes with the beech trees on its eastern side this time, and starts running down the side of Cold Harbour Hill until it crosses Whiteshoot Road. Over the whole stretch of this branch the hedgerows that line it have been well maintained, but in places the have started to grow back a bit and as such a few scratches on the paintwork is inevitable. Curving slowly towards the north-west, then turning sharply south-west and beginning to climb uphill once again, this byway eventually emerges into the farmyard of Buckholt Farm after passing under another spacious height restriction barrier. Immediately after doing so, to avoid blundering into the farmyard proper follow the 'acorn' Clarendon Way signs to the left and around the back of a large barn. The lane then ends when it meets the metalled country lane which shares it's name.

The course of the Roman road which ran between Silchester and Old Sarum, and the embankments in some places, can still be seen just to the south of this byway. Broughton Down Nature Reserve and its associated tumuli can be found just north of the greenlane, which offers incredible views northwards towards the Wallops.

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