UCR/BOAT: Broughton Drove

Location: Rookery Ln, Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20, UK
  • Overall Rating: 4
  • Location: Broughton, Hampshire.
  • OS Explorer Map 131, 'Romsey, Andover & Test Valley. Stockbridge & Ludgershall'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: SU317324
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 09' 00" W001 54' 80"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference:  SU323344
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 10' 80" W001 54' 00"
  • To see: Danebury, Museum of Army Flying.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
Starting at the southern end, in the village of Broughton, this lane is accessed via the shallow, concrete-bottomed ford through Wallop Brook on Rookery Lane. The southern half of this byway is classified as a UCR, and it, like the rest of the lane, is in pretty good nick. On a solid earthen surface, and lined with well-maintained hedgerows, this lane is very easy going indeed. In fact we encountered a chap in a Range Rover Sport having a go at it, so how hard can it be!

The UCR winds its way gently uphill, passing a stereotypical rusty corrugated iron barn on the eastern side until it reaches the junction with another BOAT called Stevens Drove, which leaves downhill to the east. Broughton Drove changes from a UCR to a BOAT at this junction.

The byway then slowly crawls uphill along a beech- and yew-lined course, gently twisting and turning as it follows the filed boundaries of Eveley Farm. This easy lane ends at around 81m AMSL where it breaks out of the trees onto Broughton Road. The end point for this byway is also the start point for another, also called Broughton Road, which strikes out to the north east from here. The occasional nice view over rolling hills, and the ease of progress, make this lane worth a drive for sure.


For those even mildly interested in history, or even those simply searching for a nice view, the hauntingly beautiful Danebury Iron Age hillfort is worth every second. Definitely go and see it. Just a little further afield, and much more recent, is the Museum of Army Flying on Middle Wallop airbase, with a decent collection of aircraft. Both lie to the north-west of Broughton Drove.


View Broughton Drove in a larger map

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