UCR: Green Lane

• Overall Rating: 3
• Location: Hambledon, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 119 'Meon Valley'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU619119
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 90' 40" W001 12 00"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU620125
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 90' 90" W001 11' 90"
• To see: nature!
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

We're not sure what the true name of this apparently un-named byway is, so (predictably) we called it 'Green Lane' after the first cottage we saw.
Perhaps 'Whiteflood Lane' would be more apt as there are two farms nearby with that word in their title but, to be fair, we were FAR too excited by the sighting of a little owl to give a stuff what its real title is. If you know better please comment below!

Starting at it's southern end, this UCR leaves Longwood Dean Lane on a northerly track along a tree-lined, tarmac driveway through some very pleasant countryside indeed. On passing the first cottage on the right (a beautiful house indeed) the byway is crossed by a footpath called the 'King's Way' and it is here that the UCR proper begins on a relatively hard, un-rutted surface. It's well kept: the undergrowth rarely if ever poses a threat to paintwork and it's easy going on the suspension. (How we wish we could always say that about UCRs!)

Continuing northwards the byway follows a field boundary before, without fanfare, arriving at another cottage called Lowe Whiteflood Farm where, to the left, Baybridge Lane departs for its short distance towards the village of Baybridge itself. It's fine to leave the byway at this point if you so desire as you wouldn't be missing much, but your intrepid explorers of course do not have such a luxury: we must press on!

And indeed the byway does press on for a short distance further in a similar manner, only this time only slightly more overgrown, towards its eventual embouchement back onto the tarmac of Belmore Lane at Whiteflood Farmhouse to the east of the village of Owslebury. It's not a great byway, but it does score higher due to the sheer amount of wildlife we spotted whilst driving it: a green and pleasant land indeed!