Showing posts with label 121. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 121. Show all posts

UCR: Tinwood Lane

Location: Tinwood Ln, Chichester, West Sussex PO18, UK
  • Overall Rating: 3
  • Location: Crockerhill, West Sussex.
  • OS Explorer Map 121, 'Arundel & Pulborough'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: SU926078
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 86' 20" W000 68' 60"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU911084
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 86' 80" W000 70' 60"
  • To see: RAF Tangmere & museumBoxgrove Priory, Devil's Ditch, Boxgrove Pit 4x4 Driving Centre.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
Tinwood Lane begins by striking out westbound at a crossroads on the unusually titled road 'Great Ballard School'. Initially on a tarmac surface, the lane passes some equestrian land (and a new house, by the look of it) as far as a wood with another unusual title: 'Van Diemens'. On entering the woodland the tarmac ends, the surface becomes mud and leaf mould intersected by tree roots and the green lane begins to descend downhill slightly. Encroaching foliage is never a real worry. At this point on the Ordnance Survey map it looks as though the UCR branches off and parallels the main track for a short distance, but judging by the number of 'Private' signs and locks on the metal gate this is apparently not the case!

Turning subtly southwards and then climbing back uphill, the byway crosses Boxgrove Common and then follows the boundary of an old quarry called Boxgrove Pit: now an off-road driving centre and the perfect venue to act like a vandal, rather than doing so on the green lanes! Further on still the track turns sharply to the north-west and quickly ends back on the tarmac after passing Keeper's Cottage. Not the most fascinating lane in the area, but worth a drive if you happen to be passing.

Historically, the immediate surrounding area is far more interesting. The legendary RAF Tangmere is situated just over the A27 to the south of this byway, not a huge amount remains other than the control tower and some taxiways, but it's museum is worth a look. Just to the west is Boxgrove Priory, a very pretty, large and old church built on top of an even earlier Anglo-Saxon one. To the north-west can be found part of the extensive Devil's Ditch, which is part of the Chichester Entrenchments dug in the iron age and are believed to be a defensive feature to protect the area from attacks by more northerly tribes. Boxgrove Pit 4x4 Driving Centre is open on the second sunday of every month.


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UCR: Sandy Lane

Location: Sandy Ln, Pulborough, West Sussex RH20, UK
  • Overall Rating: 2
  • Location: Watersfield, West Sussex.
  • OS Explorer Map 121, 'Arundel & Pulborough'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: TQ014161
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 93' 60" W000 55' 80"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: TQ012168
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 94' 20" W000 56' 10"
  • To see: not much.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
The Mid-Sussex area around Arundel is pretty sparse when it come to greenlaning opportunities, and even those that do exist are not always spectacular. This short byway conforms to that description. It starts, at its southern extremity, in the small village of Watersfield at a junction with the A29. Make sure you take the right-hand lane at this junction, as the left lane is a dead end.

Initially completely unassuming, you would be forgiven for thinking this greenlane was mistakenly marked as a byway on the Ordnance Survey map. However, once the cottages have been left behind the surface quickly deteriorates and eventually the trail lives up to its name as it changes to sand and parallels the edge of some attractive woodland. Motor vehicles can kick up a lot of dust on this lane in dry weather which, although it looks cool to us, isn't quite so great for other lane users, so should you encounter anyone else on this short lane please try not to baptise them in dust!

Soon the lane begins to climb uphill and unfortunately the tarmac begins again as suddenly as it was left behind, this time as the greenlane passes the stables of Coldwaltham Farm. The byway then end where it meets a country road called Waltham Park Road over a total distance of no more than a half mile.This lane is not really worth the trouble of visiting in its own right, but if you happen to be passing through this area on your way to somewhere bigger and better you could do worse than paying a visit.


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UCR: Wiltshire's Lane

Location: Wiltshire's Lane
  • Overall Rating: 4
  • Location: Sutton, West Sussex.
  • OS Explorer Map 121, 'Arundel & Pulborough'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: SU956152
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 92' 90" W000 64' 10"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU971152
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 92' 80" W000 62' 00"
  • To see: Bignor Roman villa, Duncton Hill viewpoint, The White Horse pub
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
Unusually marked by a signpost that reads 'Public Way'. Although we're not really sure what that phrase actually means, this byway is open to motor vehicles. I cannot find a name for this trail anywhere, so for want of better I have christened it 'Wiltshire's Lane' after the barn of the same name located towards the eastern end. If anyone knows the correct name for this byway, please comment below!

We drove this great greenlane in an easterly direction from the A285. The lane entrance itself is relatively well hidden behind a hedge when approaching from the north. The trail immediately heads uphill for a short distance on a surface of compacted chalk with grass running down the middle. The foliage is well kept for almost the entire length, as the western half at least seems to see a decent amount of usage from farm and forestry vehicles, so there is little chance of damaging your paintwork.

The byway begins to ebb downhill, and as it does so it takes a brief turn to the south-east and heads down the flank of Barlavington Down before resuming its original track and following the contours of Farm Hill, heading uphill and past a large stack of felled timber on the northern side of the lane. This stack is reached just before the lane enters Northcomb Wood, and this entrance to the woodland is signed with a four-way signpost with a noticeboard about the LEAF scheme tacked onto it. Perhaps worth a read if you find the urge to 'brew up'.

There are various entrances to fields here, and in the woods there are a couple of tracks the diverge away from our UCR, none of which are gated. It is obvious which way Wiltshire's Lane is headed, so please don't trespass  and stick to the byway. Damaging crops and soil doesn't help anybody.

On entering the pleasant Northcomb Wood the trail turns to the south-east and begins to fall ever-more-steeply downhill, whilst the chalk surface has seen some washout with heavy rains in April 2012 leaving a channel which criss-crosses the track, and as such it gets a little bumpy in places. Soon it passes a small chalk extraction pit on the southern side of the lane and eventually turns sharply to the north. Eventually the lane bottoms out and takes on final turn to the east, passes Wiltshire's Barn and finishes where it meets a country road called Folly Lane, just west of the beautiful village of Sutton. A great lane and well worth driving all the way out here for.

Bignor Roman villa can be found to the east of the lane, which (apart from being generally awesome) has some of the best mosaics in the country on display. Definitely check it out. Duncton Hill viewpoint, which offers spellbinding views northwards over mid-Sussex, can be found on the sharp bends in the A285 just north of here. A great spot for a picnic (if you don't mind traffic...). And if you fancy some nosh and a top pint, visit The White Horse pub in nearby Sutton.


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UCR: Newhouse Lane

Location: 31 Newhouse Ln, East Dean, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0NJ, UK
  • Overall Rating: 0
  • Location: East Dean, West Sussex.
  • OS Explorer Map 121, 'Arundel & Pulborough'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: SU905142
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 92' 10" W000 71' 40"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU916148
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 91' 80" W000 69' 80"
  • To see: not much.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
This metalled byway is a dead end as it changes status to a RUPP, and therefore offers no access to motor vehicles. Avoid.



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UCR: New Road

Location: New Rd, West Sussex PO18, UK
  • Overall Rating: 0
  • Location: East Dean, West Sussex.
  • OS Explorer Map 121, 'Arundel & Pulborough'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: SU908130
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 91' 00" W000 71' 00"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU912140
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 91' 80" W000 70' 40"
  • To see: not much.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
This byway is a dead end as it changes status to a bridleway, and therefore offers no access to motor vehicles. Avoid.



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BOAT: Peak Lane

  • Overall Rating: 0
  • Location: Kingston, West Sussex.
  • OS Explorer Map 121, 'Arundel & Pulborough'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: TQ081019
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 80' 70" W000 46' 80"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: TQ081015
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 80' 30"  W000 46' 80"
  • To see: not much.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
Unlike it's sibling to the west, Bread Lane, this microscopically small byway is subject to a TRO and therefore offers no access to motor vehicles. Avoid.

The 'beach end'.

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BOAT: Bread Lane

Location: Brookpits Ln, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17, UK
  • Overall Rating: 2
  • Location: Climping, West Sussex.
  • OS Explorer Map 121, 'Arundel & Pulborough'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: TQ004017
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 80' 70" W000 57' 60"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: TQ008009
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 79' 90"  W000 57' 10"
  • To see: not much.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
This byway is a dead end and would usually score a 0, but exceptional circumstances in this case mean that we won't evaluate it based purely on its greenlaning qualities. Running from the hamlet of Climping, through fields and all the way down to the sea, this well-maintained byway is probably the best kept secrets on this stretch of coast as it offers access the beach.

Vehicular access to the beach itself is (thankfully) blocked by concrete blocks and a bank at the end of the lane, and its pretty hard to turn around here, so good luck if you own a 110! Needless to say, don't try and access the beach with your vehicle, as it is illegal to do so here (although it's not everywhere in the UK!).

The northern end...
...and the beach end

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UCR: Colebrook Lane

Location: 8 Colebrook Ln, Watersfield, Pulborough, West Sussex RH20 1NA, UK
  • Overall Rating: 0
  • Location: Watersfield, West Sussex.
  • OS Explorer Map 121, 'Arundel & Pulborough'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: TQ017160
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 93' 50" W000 55' 50"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: TQ016167
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 94' 10"  W000 55' 50"
  • To see: not much.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
Despite being shown as a track on the Ordinance Survey map, it peters out into nothing wider than a footpath at its northern end, and therefore this byway is a dead end. Avoid.

You won't get much further than this!

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UCR: Mouse Lane

Location: Mouse Ln, Steyning, West Sussex BN44, UK
  • Overall Rating: 0
  • Location: Steyning, West Sussex.
  • OS Explorer Map 121, 'Arundel & Pulborough'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: TQ174115
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 89' 10" W000 33' 30"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: TQ156124
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 89' 90"  W000 35' 70"
  • To see: Chanctonbury Ring.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
Avoid. Chanctonbury Ring lies not too far away to the south-west. Go take a look at that instead! But this UCR is a dead end, as it merges into a private road owned by the huge Wiston House estate, and is blocked by this:



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