BOAT: The Old Tramway

• Overall Rating: 2
• Location: Bulverhythe , East Sussex.
• OS Explorer Map 124, 'Hastings & Bexhill, Battle & Robertsbridge'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: TQ763081
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 84' 60" E000 50' 40"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference:  TQ771084
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 84' 80" E000 51' 50"
• To see: 1066 Country, Hastings including the harbour, castle, caves, the old town, and the East and West Hills with their funicular railways. The town of Battle, with its Abbey and the actual site of the Battle of Hastings, is a 15 minute drive to the north of the town.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

According to my grandfather, this BOAT used to be part of the route of a branch of the former Hastings tram and trolleybus system.

Starting at its western end, in Lewis Avenue just off the roundabout at Glynde Gap on the A259, the lane strikes out east on an initially tarmac and then gravel and compacted rubble surface. It passes down the back of some houses and garages and after around 200m the council seems to have built an earthen bank across the lane. Since this track is not subject to any particular TRO or closure order that I can can discover, I imagine these serve purely as a deterrent to the evils of fly tipping.

The unremarkable lane passes the remains of a chapel at around its halfway point, thought very little of it appears to be left visible to the naked eye. Curving gently to the south-east, just before it becomes the metalled access road to a garden centre, another earthen bank restricting access. The lane ultimately ends back on Bexhill Road, the A259.

This lane is more popular with dog walkers than greenlaners, and the banks serve to make access to it harder than it strictly needs to be. As such, there are far better lanes elsewhere in this area.

View The Old Tramway in a larger map.