BOAT: Parnholt Lane

• Overall Rating: 1
• Location: Furzedown, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 131, 'Romsey, Andover & Test Valley'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU368301
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 06' 90" W001 47' 60"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU391284
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 40" W001 44' 30"
• To see: bluebell woods, tumulus.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This untitled green lane (which whe have called Parnholt Lane)  is basically a tragedy of the needless, overbearing bureaucracy all too common in this country. It's absolutely mind-blowing in spring, as the byway passes through the old beech forest of Parnholt Wood, which is absolutely smothered in bluebells. Anyone with eyes, or at least a nose, cannot fail to be awestruck by the spectacle.

But its a dead end: you can drive down it but you'll have to turn around at the end and drive back, as the restricted byway (a RUPP) is closed to motorised traffic and gated off to the north and east (no gate as far as we know seems to yet exist on the southern piece of RUPP, curiously, although it is correctly signposted). Rather than re-designate the end of this green lane as a BOAT to keep it as a through route, Hampshire Council (who are usually so good!) just killed it off. So instead of driving it, take a picnic and walk it instead. The bluebells usually (when the seasons are on time) in April Just don't pick the flowers please: it does damage the health of the woodland and they are better off left growing in the ground where they can be enjoyed by all who visit (and the creatures that depend on them)!

For those interested in history, a decent-sized tumulus called Dirty Mount (uhuhuhuh) can be found just to the south of the byway (see map). It's pretty much intact: even the ditch around the circumference is intact, despite being covered with bracken.

To Hampshire County Council this is Byway 33.

FEAST your eyes (and your nose).

View Parnholt Lane in a larger map