BOAT: Nutcombe Lane

• Overall Rating: 3
• Location: Froxfield Green, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU710223
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 99' 60" W000 98' 90"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU715216
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 99' 00" W000 98' 30"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

NB: this is an challenging byway and you may not be able to complete it without damaging either your vehicle or the byway itself (or both1). Avoid unless you really do know what you are doing!

Innocuous thus far...

Make no mistake: this byway is a awkward b**t*rd! Like it's brother North Stroud Lane (which lies just to the north), it lulls one into a false sense of security before throwing up the most almighty obstacle just before the end!

We drove it from the north. Leaving Ramsdean Road at Rookery Farm, the going is relatively easy to start with. The surface is, for the first few yards, concrete as it serves as a driveway for a farm yard, but this soon ends on passing by. The surface then changes to earth with (initially) light ruts and plunges into woodland.

The going is easy enough and gently downhill, and very soon a footpath joins this byway as it takes a jink to the east. The declination increases here, and actually becomes relatively steep as it battles with Criddell Stream for dominance of passage. It can get very wet and soft here after heavy rains, and the steam itself has been known to flood the byway so we recommend that, should you want to actually drive this byway, that you only do so in summer and after a dry period to avoid damaging the surface as well as your vehicle.

On passing the stream, the byway enters Nutcombe Copse and begins to climb back up towards it's ending on Ramsdean Lane. However, before one gets that far there is an extremely tricky, technical section to pass. On the climb, the byway has carved something of a holloway out of the terrain with the result that, on the western side, a bank of four to five feet high has been carved out. Couple this with some absolutely vicious tree roots protruding from said bank, and that fact that the wildly undulating surface inevitably forces ones vehicle to lean towards the threats, means that there is a very good chance that a sizeable dent may appear on one's vehicle. On passing the 'cliff' there is an extremely harsh 'lump' to get over which also takes quite some negotiation. Use a spotter, take it slowly, and use appropriate caution. The picture below says a thousand words!

Once past that lot, the byway almost immediately returns to the concrete on a driveway serving New Barn and Holly Cottage, and ends soon after on Ramsdean Lane. Phew!

We named it Nutcombe Lane after the copse it passes through, but don't actually know if that is the correct name or not. If you know better, please comment below!

Tree roots and 'cliff' are on the left. Note the incline.

To Hampshire County Council, this is Byway 17. This byway is also featured in Land Rover Owner International magazine's November 2012 issue as byway number 24.

BOAT: Fairacres Drive

• Overall Rating: 2
• Location: Froxfield Green, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU701259
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 02' 90" W001 00' 10"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU708260
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 03' 00" W000 99' 00"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

We drove this short byway from the West. It begins as a stone-chip-covered driveway serving Fairacres Farm. Being a driveway, the surface is obviously in good condition and the hedgerow on either side is kept well clear of the carriageway. But, predictably, on passing the cottage on the southern side the conditions close in.

The driveway surface changes from stone chip to lightly-rutted earth, the foliage either side of the track closes in, and the going is a little trickier, but could still hardly be considered difficult. The occasional light scratch on the paintwork is a risk, however. The byway twists and turns subtly on its way eastwards and, very quickly, it ends up back on the tarmac, next to a pond and crossed by a footpath, on another driveway serving a house called Rapley's Lodge.

It's pleasant and its bucolic, but it's brief, it's not particularly interesting, and it's not really worth going out of your way for a visit to be honest!

To Hampshire County Council, this is Byway 501.

UCR: Cheesecombe Farm Lane

• Overall Rating: 3
• Location: Hawkley, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU745278
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 04' 50" W000 93' 80"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU748285
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 10" W000 93' 40"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

NB: We drove this byway in relatively dry conditions. In the wet, it would be a trial, and damage to the byway from rutting etc. would be certain. We therefore propose a voluntary 'light usage' policy where people avoid it after heavy rains or in winter.

Starting at the south-western end of this byway, the unclassified country road leaves Cottage Lane in a north-easterly direction on a surface of compacted earth interspersed with areas of rubble which fill the pot holes, no doubt because it is used as a farm track. The foliage that flanks the byway will offer the odd bit of resistance at points but throughout the lane borders are relatively tame.

Heading gently downhill, eventually a footpath leaves the byway to the north. It is here where the tricky part begins. The byway plunges suddenly, and steeply, downhill on a surface of chalk and leaf-litter and in the wet would be as slippery as greased rugby ball. One can imagine the damage tyres spinning frantically for grip would do... There are also a couple of large fallen trees to negotiate. These have been chainsawed and removed, but their stumps still lay on the track and present an obstacle. Slow and steady does it.

One of the 'quagmires'

Continuing its descent, the byway turns sharply to the north and continues towards its nadir at Oakshott Stream. The stream itself is bridged, but there are the odd patches of thick, dark, cloying, peat-like mud which, although a hard bottom of rock is present in each, does remain wet even in dry periods and therefore these are an obstacle. Please don't exacerbate ruts: drive it in the dry!

After crossing Oakshott Stream, the byway heads uphill, slowly at first, but then, on a right angled turn, continues very steeply indeed and this forms that last major obstacle of this byway. Soon afterwards the green lane disembouches onto the tarmacadam of the driveway serving both Buttermilk and Cheesecombe Farms. No prizes for guessing that they have sizeable dairy herds.

Take it slow, take it easy, don't do it after wet weather and enjoy.

BOAT: Stodham Lane

• Overall Rating: 2
• Location: Liss, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU778265
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 03' 30" W000 89' 10"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU784269
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 03' 70" W000 88' 30"
• To see: ancient earthwork.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

Stodham Lane is a very simple, straightforward byway. We drove it from it's western end. Leaving Pruetts Lane, the byway leaves the country road at a very sharp hairpin bend. Heading east on a hard surface of compacted gravel or clay, the going is extremely easy as the surface is well maintained (there is barely a pothole) and the undergrowth on each side is kept cut well back and never threatens the paintwork.

The track twists and turns its way along a field boundary with a shallow ditch on the southern side, and then suddenly heads uphill on reaching 'Sunrise Cottage', and... that's it. There is nothing further that remains to be remarked upon about this byway other than it ends where it meets the B3006 between Hill Brow and East Hill, Liss. Not really worth going out of one's way to visit.

Oh, actually there is one thing for the history buffs: just to the south of the lane lies a large ancient earthwork, although nobody seems to know what it is.

BOAT: Huntsbottom Lane/Woodlands Lane

• Overall Rating: 1
• Location: Liss, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU785274
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 04' 10" W000 88' 10"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU784270 or SU787268 or SU792268
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 03' 80" W000 88' 30" or N51 03' 60" W000 87' 90" or N51 03' 80" W000 87' 20"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

No matter which way one approaches this byway, the small section away from the tarmac is so overgrown that there is just no point even trying.

Move along.

UCR: Un-named UCR

• Overall Rating: 0
• Location: Terwick Common, West Sussex.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU818246
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 01' 50" W000 83' 50"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU817237
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 00' 70" W000 83' 60"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This byway is so overgrown that there is just no point even trying.

Move along.

This uniquely British scene is located at the top of the byway.

BOAT: Old Litten Lane

• Overall Rating: 0
• Location: Ashford Hill, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU734271
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 03' 90" W000 95' 30"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU749271
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 03' 90" W000 93' 20"
• To see: Ashford Hangers National Nature Reserve.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This byway is protected by a TRO and is closed to all motorised traffic. The northern part isn't a dead end as such: one may exit along Cockshott Lane. But the majority of the byway is protected by metal gates so there is going further.

Move along, unless you want to park up and have a walk around the extremely beautiful Ashford Hangers National Nature Reserve (and you should!).

This barrier is enforcing the TRO.

BOAT: Woolshers Lane

• Overall Rating: 0
• Location: Sheet, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU762270
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 03' 80" W000 91' 30"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU755277
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 04' 40" W000 92' 40"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This byway is protected by a TRO and is closed to all motorised traffic.

Move along.

UCR: Tankerdale Lane

• Overall Rating: 0
• Location: Sheet, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU766258
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 02' 70" W000 90' 90"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU771260
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 02' 90" W000 90' 10"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This byway goes no further than the Portsmouth-London Woking railway line, no matter which direction you drive it from: take a look at the picture inset below and consider how you'd pass it!

Nothing to see here. Move along.

No getting through here!

UCR: Tipsall Lane

• Overall Rating: 1
• Location: Hill Brow, West Sussex.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU792258
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 02' 70" W000 87' 10"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU784235
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 00' 60" W000 88' 30"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

Talk about a disappointment!

This byway starts off so positively as a very pleasant drive on a sandy surface past Canada Cottages and on through forestry land. Starting from the northern end, one follows the instruction of the finger posts with 'Public Way' engraved upon them, and the track heads downhill though coppice and pine plantations.

BUT... immediately on exiting the forest (at the third junction with a bridleway), it becomes so overgrown as to be totally impassable to anything but pedestrians. Hugely frustratingly, it continues in this manner for no more than 200m or so where it opens out onto the wide-open driveway of Tipsall House. The greenlane enthusiast has been robbed of a lovely byway simply because of a lack of maintenance!

Further south, after the junction with Slade Lane, the UCR continues westwards for a fair distance again, but, in the same irritating vein, it is so overgrown as to be impassable for almost its entire length, until it emerges from the undergrowth onto the driveway of Durleighmarsh Farm. It's almost irrelevant to the enthusiast therefore!

Until this byway receives some much-needed maintenance, it is best avoided. Sigh.

BOAT: Chapel Common Road

• Overall Rating: 1
• Location: High Cross, West Sussex.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU809286
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 51" W000 84' 70"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU812280
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 04' 60" W000 84' 20"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This byway is little more than a country road that has seemingly fallen into disrepair. It's metres wide, completely covered in tarmac with liberal potholing, and is so easy going that the saloon cars of dog-walkers can cruise down it in comfort. It can be recommended for little more than a pleasant drive through the woods (especially in autumn: sec picture, below), even if some it is  bizarrely protected by razor wire and security fencing. It seems they REALLY don't want you in that woodland, which obviously raises questions about what they are actually up to in there... Move along!

They REALLY don't want you in there!

BOAT: Stephen's Lane

• Overall Rating: 3
• Location: High Cross, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU709274
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 04' 20" W000 99' 00"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU706268
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 03' 60" W000 99' 50"
• To see: tumulus.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

Just a trickle...

This unnamed byway (helpfully called 'Track' on Hampshire County Council's definitive map) has been christened 'Stephen's Lane' by us after the small area of woodland found at its southern end. If you know of a more appropriate name for it, please comment below! (Who Stephen was we don't know...)

We started at its northern end. Striking out in a southerly direction as the light was starting to fade we found this well-maintained byway to offer a thin surface of mud and loam with an underlying hard layer of flint and occasional rubble, making the going good and easy with no chance of us causing new ruts in the wet. We mention the moisture here because when we drove this byway in December 2013 we had all been living through the wettest winter since records began in the late 1700's, and therefore greenlaning was a really bad idea in almost every instance with floodwater and fallen trees sometimes barring the way. However, your intrepid explorers simply had to go and survey the record-breaking scene so we selected a number of byways to drive on that day that we knew had a very solid, decent surface immune from the threat of damage by our wheels. As we mentioned, this was one of them.

That said, at the nadir of the green lane's descent (around half-way along), there was (as shown in the photo) quite simply the biggest and deepest amount of standing water I've ever seen on a byway. It was basically a temporary lake! This part always holds its water and there is always just a little puddle or something for a good while after rain, but wow. But... we didn't buy the snorkel and wading kit for aesthetics, so after depth- and surface-checking with a large stick we forged a path through and climbed out towards the end of the lane on Privett Road, near the aforementioned Stephen's Copse'. Relatively unassuming in the dry, this track came into its own during our visit and so scored higher than it otherwise would have.

A tumulus and a long earthwork feature of uncertain origin can be found just to the west of the green lane for those with an historical interest.

To Hampshire County Council this is Byway 49. This byway is also featured in Land Rover Owner International magazine's November 2012 issue as byway number 20.

Statistics
Total distance: 0.69 km (0.4 mi)
Total time: 04:07
Moving time: 03:50
Average speed: 10.07 km/h (6.3 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 10.83 km/h (6.7 mi/h)
Max speed: 13.95 km/h (8.7 mi/h)
Average pace: 5:58 min/km (9:36 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 5:32 min/km (8:55 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 4:18 min/km (6:55 min/mi)
Max elevation: 240 m (788 ft)
Min elevation: 228 m (749 ft)
Elevation gain: 9 m (28 ft)
Max grade: 7 %
Min grade: -8 %
Recorded: 30/12 15:58

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BOAT: Green Lane

• Overall Rating: 3
• Location: High Cross, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU724276
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 00' 44" W000 96' 80"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU714281
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 04' 80" W000 98' 30"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

No prizes for guessing how this 'green lane' got it's name! Starting at its eastern end, this dead straight lane wavers not from its westward intent over its entire (short) length. It's rare to find a straighter byway!

Although well maintained, it is not without its perils however. When we drove this byway in December 2013 we had been living through the wettest winter since records began in the late 1700's, and therefore greenlaning was a really bad idea in almost every instance either with the ground far too soft to support us without damage, or floodwater and fallen trees barring the way. However, your intrepid explorers simply had to go and survey the scene, so we selected a number of byways to drive on that day that we knew had a very solid, decent surface. This was one of them, and its flint and compressed stone surface, lying under perhaps a millimeter or two of mud, did not let us down and neither did we cause any new ruts.

That said, at the nadir of the green lane's descent, there was (as shown in the photo) quite simply the biggest and deepest amount of standing water I've seen. It was basically a temporary lake! This part always holds its water and there is always just a little puddle or something for a good while after rain, but still... we didn't buy the snorkel and wading kit for nothing, so after depth- and surface-checking with a large stick we forged a path through (see video) and climbed up to the end of the lane at Ragmore Farm, at the junction between Ragmore Lane and King's Lane. Relatively unassuming in the dry, this track came into its own during our visit and so scored higher than it otherwise would have.

To Hampshire County Council this is Byway 43.

Statistics
Total distance: 1.33 km (0.8 mi)
Total time: 13:45
Moving time: 06:35
Average speed: 5.80 km/h (3.6 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 12.12 km/h (7.5 mi/h)
Max speed: 22.92 km/h (14.2 mi/h)
Average pace: 10:21 min/km (16:40 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 4:57 min/km (7:58 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 2:37 min/km (4:13 min/mi)
Max elevation: 287 m (942 ft)
Min elevation: 255 m (836 ft)
Elevation gain: 7 m (22 ft)
Max grade: 3 %
Min grade: -9 %
Recorded: 30/12 15:41

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)

BOAST: Holtham Lane

• Overall Rating: 3
• Location: Newton Valence, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU727320
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 08' 30" W000 96' 20"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU728306
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 07' 10" W000 96' 20"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

We drove this lane from north to south. Leaving a country road just south of the village of Newton Valence, the byway proceeds as an earthen holloway with an underlying firm chalk surface, so the going is easy, even though the very occasional holly branch will make the paintwork protest. Climbing uphill towards Cuckoo Copse the gradient shallows out almost completely, the greenlane leaves the woodland behind and takes a right-angled curve to the south to proceed between high hedgerows. At this stage the surface is in very good nick, well drained as it is on a firm surface with a grassy centre.

Following the field boundaries, the byway then curves back slightly to the east before taking another relatively sharp turn to the south east, finally cresting a hill next to the 'trig point' 220m AMSL and ending back on the tarmac just south of Goleigh Farm.

Please note: the byway opposite the southern end of this track is subject to a TRO and as such you cannot continue down it in a four-wheeled motorised vehicle.

To Hampshire County Council these are Byways 12 & 21, combined here for convenience.

Statistics:
Total distance: 1.71 km (1.1 mi)
Total time: 07:29
Moving time: 06:59
Average speed: 13.69 km/h (8.5 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 14.67 km/h (9.1 mi/h)
Max speed: 22.01 km/h (13.7 mi/h)
Average pace: 4:23 min/km (7:03 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 4:05 min/km (6:35 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 2:44 min/km (4:23 min/mi)
Max elevation: 261 m (857 ft)
Min elevation: 190 m (623 ft)
Elevation gain: 72 m (235 ft)
Max grade: 17 %
Min grade: -3 %
Recorded: 30/12 15:27

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BOAT: Downlands Lane

• Overall Rating: 2
• Location: Priors Dean, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU725292
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 80" W000 96' 60"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU721299
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 06' 40" W000 97' 10"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

Well, what's to say? This short, unnamed byway (please comment below if you know of a better name for it) serves as the gravel/compacted earthen driveway to Five Ash Farm and Downlands Farm, west of the village of Hawkley. It is a well kept lane: encroaching foliage never poses a problem, the unrutted gravel surface is for the most part in good nick. You could probably bring a Ford Fiesta up here and get through comfortably!

The only really noteworthy part of this greenlane is how dead straight and flat it is: there is but one tiny bend around a farm building. There really is nothing else to say about it, as there isn't even a nice view from it! The byway soon ends on a crossroads with two other country roads just south of Slade Farm, which must be really annoying at Christmas time. Not really worth the bother of visiting unless you happen to be in the area.

To Hampshire County Council this is Byway 19.

Statistics:
Total distance: 0.76 km (0.5 mi)
Total time: 03:38
Moving time: 03:33
Average speed: 12.49 km/h (7.8 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 12.80 km/h (8.0 mi/h)
Max speed: 18.00 km/h (11.2 mi/h)
Average pace: 4.80 min/km (7.7 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 4.69 min/km (7.5 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 3.33 min/km (5.4 min/mile)
Max elevation: 265 m (868 ft)
Min elevation: 249 m (816 ft)
Elevation gain: 6 m (18 ft)
Max grade: -2 %
Min grade: -10 %
Recorded: 02/07/2013 16:57

View Downlands Lane in a larger map

BOAT: Exchange Lane

• Overall Rating: 2
• Location: Hawkley, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU731293
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 90" W000 95' 80"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU7262915
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 70" W000 96' 40"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This short, unnamed byway (please comment below if you know of a better name for it) starts at the telephone exchange south of Manor House Farm, west of the village of Hawkley. It is a well kept lane: encroaching foliage never poses a problem, the unrutted gravel surface is in good nick and drainage has been taken care of with horizontal 'lips' of wood to divert surface runoff to one side of the byway. You could probably bring a Ford Fiesta up here and get through!

The only really noteworthy part of this greenlane is where it rounds a bend and heads uphill on a relatively steep gradient, climbing 39m on the way. It's far from dramatic, but it at least provides a little interest on an otherwise unremarkable, short byway. The track ends on a country road just south of Five Ash Farm. Not really worth the bother of visiting unless you happen to be in the area.

To Hampshire County Council this is Byway 20.

Statistics:
Total distance: 0.53 km (0.3 mi)
Total time: 05:28
Moving time: 04:59
Average speed: 5.84 km/h (3.6 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 6.41 km/h (4.0 mi/h)
Max speed: 10.80 km/h (6.7 mi/h)
Average pace: 10.27 min/km (16.5 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 9.36 min/km (15.1 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 5.56 min/km (8.9 min/mile)
Max elevation: 255 m (836 ft)
Min elevation: 214 m (702 ft)
Elevation gain: 39 m (126 ft)
Max grade: 0 %
Min grade: 0 %
Recorded: 02/07/2013 16:49

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BOAT: Shell Lane

• Overall Rating: 2
• Location: Colemore, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU711305
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 06' 90" W000 98' 60"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU705305
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 07' 00" W000 99' 50"
• To see: The Pheasant pub.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

In here, somewhere, is a byway!

This relatively short, unnamed byway (please comment below if you know of a better name for it) starts by leaving a country road on a due western track, and almost immediately runs into trouble. This greenlane clearly sees little use as it is almost completely unrutted, and little wonder: it's really quite dramatically overgrown! There is literally just enough room on either side to force a Defender down it, but you can forget about protecting the paintwork: scratches are an inevitability. It really needs to be cut back, and soon.

Proceeding downhill on a gentle gradient, at about the halfway point the greenlane is very nearly totally blocked by a fallen tree. It's been chainsawed back to a stump but even so there is literally millimeters to play with between it and the bank on the other side. We got through without damage but only just!

Once negotiated the byway opens up for a couple of meters where a farmer's track crosses our trail (a welcome breath of fresh air!) but soon plunges back into the jungle for the last few meters. The byway thankfully ends just south of Manor Farm in the hamlet of Colemore. Stressful, and best avoided until it is cleared.

For a cracking selection of real ales and some great food, you could do far worse for your compulsory après-laning tipple than The Pheasant public house in Lower Farringdon, to the north of the western end of this byway on the A32.

To Hampshire County Council this is Byway 18.

Statistics:
Total distance: 0.66 km (0.4 mi)
Total time: 14:42
Moving time: 13:44
Average speed: 2.68 km/h (1.7 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 2.87 km/h (1.8 mi/h)
Max speed: 9.00 km/h (5.6 mi/h)
Average pace: 22.38 min/km (36.0 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 20.88 min/km (33.6 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 6.67 min/km (10.7 min/mile)
Max elevation: 239 m (784 ft)
Min elevation: 210 m (690 ft)
Elevation gain: 12 m (40 ft)
Max grade: 0 %
Min grade: 0 %
Recorded: 02/07/2013 17:04

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BOAT: Berryhill Lane

• Overall Rating: 2
• Location: Upper Farringdon, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU712354
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 11' 30" W000 98' 40"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU704354
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 11' 40" W000 99' 50"
• To see: The Pheasant pub.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This unnamed byway (please comment below if you know of a better name for it) starts on the northern edge of the village of Upper Farringdon, heading north and almost immediately rounding a building to head west. Passing a beautiful traditional grain store (so THAT'S what those stone 'mushrooms' are for!) and between a further couple of houses on a mixed surface of gravel and tarmac, the greenlane is, in truth, little more than a poorly surfaced country road. The unadopted surface soon changes to one exclusively consisting of gravel as the greenlane proceeds downhill on a shallow gradient, and very soon, without ceremony, ends up back on the tarmac of the A32 (Gosport Road) just north of the village of Lower Farringdon. Don't bother driving it unless it's en-route to somewhere else!

For a cracking selection of real ales and some great food, you could do far worse for your compulsory après-laning tipple than The Pheasant public house in Lower Farringdon, just south west of the western end of this byway.

To Hampshire County Council this is Byway 23.

Statistics:
Total distance: 0.63 km (0.4 mi)
Total time: 02:16
Moving time: 02:12
Average speed: 16.61 km/h (10.3 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 17.23 km/h (10.7 mi/h)
Max speed: 43.20 km/h (26.8 mi/h)
Average pace: 3.61 min/km (5.8 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 3.48 min/km (5.6 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 1.39 min/km (2.2 min/mile)
Max elevation: 181 m (594 ft)
Min elevation: 170 m (557 ft)
Elevation gain: 10 m (32 ft)
Max grade: 8 %
Min grade: -6 %
Recorded: 02/07/2013 17:44

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BOAT: Huckers Lane

• Overall Rating: 0
• Location: Selborne, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU740337
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 08' 80" W000 94' 40"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU754343
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 10' 40" W000 92' 40"
• To see: Gilbert White's House.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This byway, after passing the last dwelling, is subject to a TRO for all motor vehicles and is closed to motorised traffic. Go and educate yourself on the subject of the natural world in Gilbert White's House instead.

To Hampshire County Council this is Selbourne BOAT 68.

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UCR: Shotters Lane

• Overall Rating: 0
• Location: Hawkley, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU715323
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 08' 60" W000 98' 10"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU718330
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 09' 20" W000 97' 50"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

The section of this byway south of the tree line that borders Shotters Farm is so overgrown as to be impassable to a 4x4. Even a trail bike would struggle here. As such, until the foliage is cut back we are treating it as though it is closed to traffic.

Screw that for a laugh!

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