UCR: Back Lane

• Overall Rating: 3
• Location: West Marsden, West Sussex.
• OS Explorer Map 120, 'Chichester'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU763130
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 91' 20" W000 91' 50"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU763156
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 93' 50" W000 91' 60"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

We drove this long, yet unremarkable, byway from its eastern end, starting where it leaves another unnamed country road just south west of West Marden, heading north-west for a few yards until it turns to the west. For a very short distance here it remains metalled as it serves an equestrian facility, but on passing the latter the surface soon becomes (and stays, for the most part) one of coarse gravel with patches of bare earth. The foliage lining the green lane is always well cut back and never presents a threat to paintwork.

Proceeding westwards between hedgerows, the byway soon crosses a footpath, the junction with which is marked on the fingerboard as a 'Public Way' in our direction (quite the most unhelpful term ever, for all user groups!). Shortly after the junction 'Northern Petroleum Plc' have gone bananas with signs cautioning, warning and designating all over the place at the site of a (now disused) quarry. Who knows what all that is about?! On passing the quarry the byway plunges downwards into Bottom Copse. It remains very easy going however and after a couple of jinks the green lane, after passing through a collapsed gate, once again serves as a driveway for several cottages. Just before the end of the byway, a metalled driveway leaves southwards (I'm not sure whether or not its private, best to avoid just in case) and our byway subsequently terminates similarly to how it began: back on tarmac and forming a junction with the unnamed country road it left further to the east. Worth a drive if you're passing.

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