BOAT: Chiltley Lane

• Overall Rating: 3
• Location: Liphook, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU850312
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 07' 40" W000 78' 70"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU853314
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 07' 60" W000 78' 30"
• To see: Hollycombe Steam Collection.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

We drove this byway from the western end, and were that it was longer! Leaving the tarmac of Chiltley Lane proper over a small bank just to the north of Highfield School, this green lane offers a pretty unrutted earthen surface and the foliage is well cut back. We drove it in mid-February and the snowdrops were already starting to push through the surface at the western end: winter is over!

The track proceeds downhill and through some pleasant woodland. Shortly it turns sharply to the left in order to avoid a large mature oak, and where it does there is a bit of a mud pit which seems always to be filled with water. It has a firm bottom, however, and is not much of an obstacle other than it is located on a bend as the byway turns back to the east towards its termination on Highfield Lane, which also demarcates the Hampshire/West Sussex border. A great byway which only scores a 3 as it is unfortunately so short.

Nearby to the south can be found the Hollycombe Steam Collection, a great day out if you have kids. This is Hampshire County Council Byway 42.

The water splash.

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