UCR: Cheesecombe Farm Lane

Location: Hawkley, Hampshire, UK
  • Overall Rating: 3
  • Location: Hawkley, Hampshire.
  • OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: SU745278
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 04' 50" W000 93' 80"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU748285
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 10" W000 93' 40"
  • To see: not much.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
NB: We drove this byway in relatively dry conditions. In the wet, it would be a trial, and damage to the byway from rutting etc. would be certain. We therefore propose a voluntary 'light usage' policy where people avoid it after heavy rains or in winter.


Starting at the south-western end of this byway, the unclassified country road leaves Cottage Lane in a north-easterly direction on a surface of compacted earth interspersed with areas of rubble which fill the pot holes, no doubt because it is used as a farm track. The foliage that flanks the byway will offer the odd bit of resistance at points but throughout the lane borders are relatively tame.

Heading gently downhill, eventually a footpath leaves the byway to the north. It is here where the tricky part begins. The byway plunges suddenly, and steeply, downhill on a surface of chalk and leaf-litter and in the wet would be as slippery as greased rugby ball. One can imagine the damage tyres spinning frantically for grip would do... There are also a couple of large fallen trees to negotiate. These have been chainsawed and removed, but their stumps still lay on the track and present an obstacle. Slow and steady does it.

One of the 'quagmires'
Continuing its descent, the byway turns sharply to the north and continues towards its nadir at Oakshott Stream. The stream itself is bridged, but there are the odd patches of thick, dark, cloying, peat-like mud which, although a hard bottom of rock is present in each, does remain wet even in dry periods and therefore these are an obstacle. Please don't exacerbate ruts: drive it in the dry!

After crossing Oakshott Stream, the byway heads uphill, slowly at first, but then, on a right angled turn, continues very steeply indeed and this forms that last major obstacle of this byway. Soon afterwards the green lane disembouches onto the tarmacadam of the driveway serving both Buttermilk and Cheesecombe Farms. No prizes for guessing that they have sizeable dairy herds.

Take it slow, take it easy, don't do it after wet weather and enjoy.

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