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.

BOAT: Sunwood Lane

• Overall Rating: 3
• Location: Buriton, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 120, 'Chichester'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU759156
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 97' 10" W000 91 90"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU761193
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 96' 90" W000 91' 70"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

Ruts over a foot and a half deep in places.

This short byway should be a lovely drive through beech woodland. However, it has seen so much inappropriate use that it has been thoroughly defiled.

At the southern end, there is plenty of evidence of illegal off-roading in existence, not to mention a bit of fly-tipping here and there. The byway itself has been driven far too often in the wet by people seeking a cheap thrill in tooled-up 4x4's and as such the surface of this byway is very, very heavily rutted. They are so deep that there is even evidence of diff casings grounding out on the raised centre of the track.

By way of a brief description, the byway begins on the sharp hairpins of the country road serving access to Sunwood Farm. It leaves in a northerly direction on a bit of degraded tarmac up to the 'fly-tipping/illegal offroading' area, where the byway turns slightly to the left and starts its heavily-rutted climb up the steep gradient. Passing through beautiful beech woodland, the climb continues and ends abruptly back on the tarmac in the farm yard of Sunwood Farm (after which we have named this byway: if you know the correct moniker please comment below).

Leaving the farm yard, the byway turns into a dead-end trundle towards the Hampshire/Sussex border, at 'Hundred Acres'. Good old West Sussex County Council, in their inestimable wisdom, chose to re-classify the BOAT as a RUPP within their territory, and thus, since 2006, this strech of byway has been closed to motorised traffic, creating the dead-end.

In short, a minority have ruined this byway for the majority. There is little to see and it is very short indeed, so don't bother visiting and lets hope the byway one day recovers.

To Hampshire County Council these are Byways 44 & 47, combined here for convenience.

A very brief stretch of tarmac lies at the southern end, encouraging fly-tipping.

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

View Stephen's Lane in a larger map

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

View Green Lane in a larger map

)

BOAT: Warren Lane

• Overall Rating: 0
• Location: Hawkley, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU736288
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 40" W000 95' 00"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU732286
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 30" W000 95' 60"
• To see: Wealdon Edge Hangers nature reserve.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This short byway is subject to a TRO and closed to motorised traffic. Wealdon Edge Hangers nature reserve can be found on this greenlane.

To Hampshire County Council this is Byway 23.

There's a barrier further up, as per the sign.

View Warren Lane in a larger map

BOAT: Brook Lane

• Overall Rating: 2
• Location: Empshott, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU750330
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 07' 10" W000 93' 00"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU746309
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 07' 30" W000 93' 60"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

UPDATE 10/05/2014: This byway is apparently completely blocked at its southern end by a fallen tree. The rest of the green lane is apparently also rather overgrown. Best to avoid this byway until a clearance programme has been completed.

This unnamed byway (which we, in the absence of any evidence, have called Brook Lane after the cottage to the north of the green lane) is very short it has obviously seen very little recent usage as it is becoming rather overgrown. The foliage protruding from the hedgerows that line this green lane makes it relatively tight in places and scratches on paintwork are guaranteed.

Starting at its southern end on Milk Lane (just south-west of the pretty village of Empshot) the byway leaves the country lane on a north-westerly track. It is initially a steep climb up from Mill Lane, and although the earthen surface of the byway is solid enough it is also covered with the roots of mature trees, the negotiation of which makes progress slower and much bumpier than it otherwise would be.

Once the roots are passed, however, the byway levels out and plunges into the aforementioned briar and little else can be said of it until it's welcome ending in the hamlet of Empshott Green. Not really worth a visit.

To Hampshire County Council this is Hawkley Byway 4.

View Brook Lane in a larger map

BOAT: Snailing Lane

• Overall Rating: 4
• Location: Hawkley, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 133, 'Haslemere & Petersfield'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU761292
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 80" W000 91' 40"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU754287
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 30" W000 92' 50"
• To see: Hawkley Inn.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

Update 28/05/15: Apparently (see comments below) the hole in this byway has reached a depth of 6'. Avoid, because it's ridiculous.

NB: This is a very hard, technical lane. If you have even the slightest doubt about your capabilities or that of your vehicle, DO NOT drive it, as you WILL get stuck here.

We're not lying: it really is a mess.

This is a short byway, yes, but do not let that deceive you! It's is damn hard going. Starting from its northern end, where the metalled section of Snailing Lane meets on a curve with Upland Lane at Primmers Cottage, the byway itself is very easy going initially. On a south-westerly course the green lane lulls one into a false sense of security as the earthen surface is solid and unrutted, the foliage is well kept and its a dead straight track.

However, on reaching the mid point of the lane the surface takes a real turn for the worse. I am not exagerating when I write here that there are a series of gigantic 'bomb-holes' in the surface of the green lane, with the worst being the last (when travelling westbound as we were). See the picture below with your intrepid explorer assessing the best course of action: for scale he is 6' tall precisely. To make it worse, if one tries to circumvent the largest hole (you may pass with difficulty to the south) a partially fallen tree blocks progress, presenting a further obstacle and a wonderful opportunity to damage one's vehicle. If we had entered the hole we would not have gotten out without assistance either from a winch or a friendly farmer's tractor, and bearing in mind this was in a dry spell and there was not so much as a puddle to be found (even so the surface was still very soft). May providence preserve us in wet weather! To this end I propose that users of this website adhere to a voluntary restriction order so it doesn't get any worse: don't drive it in winter, or during or after a spell of wet weather.

Once through (should you be lucky) the lane continues as easy going as it started, and soon ends on Hawkley Road, just south of the very pleasant village of Hawkley. Phew! Go and get yourself an excellent, well earned ale in the Hawkley Inn, a great country pub.

To Hampshire County Council this is Hawkley Byway 25. This byway is also featured in Land Rover Owner International magazine's November 2012 issue as byway number 14.

Here's the worst of it, in the dry.

Statistics:

Total distance: 0.89 km (0.6 mi)

Total time: 24:25

Moving time: 19:59

Average speed: 2.19 km/h (1.4 mi/h)

Average moving speed: 2.67 km/h (1.7 mi/h)

Max speed: 12.60 km/h (7.8 mi/h)

Average pace: 27.43 min/km (44.2 min/mi)

Average moving pace: 22.46 min/km (36.2 min/mi)

Fastest pace: 4.76 min/km (7.7 min/mile)

Max elevation: 149 m (490 ft)

Min elevation: 128 m (420 ft)

Elevation gain: 21 m (69 ft)

Max grade: 0 %

Min grade: 0 %

Recorded: 02/07/2013 15:47

View Snailing Lane in a larger map

BOAT: Coulters Dean Lane

• Overall Rating: 4
• Location: Buriton, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 120, 'Chichester'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU748194
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 97' 00" W000 93' 50"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU738195
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 97' 00" W000 95' 00"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

Coulters Dean Lane is far easier than Milky Way, which line just to the north of this byway! The two should really be driven in conjunction. We started this short byway from its eastern end, in the farmyard of Coulters Dean Farm. The lane passes through and proceeds on a gravel/chalky earth surface and soon passes underneath some 'overwhelmingly attractive' electricity pylons (if a better argument for localised, community energy generation exists we'd love to hear it).

The byway is pretty undulating, with some steep gradients, but it is a very easy drive on an east-west alignment, and the foliage is kept cut well back. There really isn't much else to say about this green lane, though: it's just up and down in a straight line! It soon finishes on a crossroads with New Barn Lane and Kiln Lane, just after passing over Buriton Tunnel , an underground reservoir (just to the north) and a bungalow in construction (how is planning permission still being given out for bungalows? Do we learn nothing?!).

This byway is part of the South Downs Way, and as such is popular with many other types of user groups. Take care, and use caution, courtesy and common sense if you encounter them!

To Hampshire County Council this is Byway 25.

Statistics:
Total distance: 1.05 km (0.7 mi)
Total time: 05:02
Moving time: 04:47
Average speed: 12.56 km/h (7.8 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 13.20 km/h (8.2 mi/h)
Max speed: 25.20 km/h (15.7 mi/h)
Average pace: 4.78 min/km (7.7 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 4.55 min/km (7.3 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 2.38 min/km (3.8 min/mile)
Max elevation: 209 m (687 ft)
Min elevation: 191 m (625 ft)
Elevation gain: 27 m (87 ft)
Max grade: 5 %
Min grade: -6 %
Recorded: 06/06/2013 18:05

View Coulters Dean Lane in a larger map

BOAT: Mead Lane/Milky Way

• Overall Rating: 4
• Location: Buriton, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 120, 'Chichester'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU746203
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 97' 80" W000 93' 80"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU749195
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 97' 10" W000 93' 30"
• To see: Buriton.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

A tough byway, this one! Starting from Pitcroft Lane, just east of the beautiful village of Buriton (well worth a visit in its own right) this greenlane proceeds on a surface of chalky earth. It's a little rutted in places and it is most certainly not smooth: we were bumping around all over the place! The byway passes along the eastern boundary of the grounds of the beautiful Buriton House (tastefully done large houses are getting rarer these days it seems...) in a hollow way and then begins a gentle climb up towards Cockshot Wood.

Just after entering Cockshot wood the byway turns through 90 degrees and heads almost due east, and here the gradient becomes considerably steeper. During the climb, at the time of year we drove the lane, the wild garlic (Allium ursinum) has gone crazy and the smell is almost too much. There is a literal sea of the stuff, and it's white flowers don't need a great leap of imagination to work out where one of its common names, Milky Way, came from.

However, this climb is also where the byway presents its biggest challenge. Whether through overuse or water damage (or both), there are some very large potholes around half-way up. They accounted for us: we could go no further with the status quo so we had to get out and recover as many sticks, branches and boulders as we could find (the ground being too hard to dig) and work hard filling in the holes with them, so that on the 6th attempt (!) our traction control hauled us through it. If one was driving this byway westbound there would be no problem as gravity would pull one through, but uphill it's a real task and in wet weather it may well be impossible. Therefore: do not drive this green lane eastbound unless it is dry and you are confident in both your abilities and those of your vehicle.

After a pleasant climb through beautiful woodland this lane ends without further ado on an unnamed country road just north of Coulters Dean Farm, a full 207' higher than when we started.

To Hampshire County Council these are Byways 18 and 19, combined here for convenience.

Statistics:
Total distance: 1.30 km (0.8 mi)
Total time: 24:46
Moving time: 24:34
Average speed: 3.14 km/h (1.9 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 3.16 km/h (2.0 mi/h)
Max speed: 12.60 km/h (7.8 mi/h)
Average pace: 19.13 min/km (30.8 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 18.97 min/km (30.5 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 4.76 min/km (7.7 min/mile)
Max elevation: 196 m (642 ft)
Min elevation: 133 m (435 ft)
Elevation gain: 73 m (238 ft)
Max grade: 0 %
Min grade: 0 %
Recorded: 06/06/2013 17:38

View Mead Lane/Milky Way in a larger map

BOAT: Bopeep Lane

• Overall Rating: 0
• Location: Weston, Hampshire.
• OS Explorer Map 120, 'Chichester'.
• Starting OS Grid Reference: SU725219
• Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N50 99' 20" W000 96' 80"
• Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU722214
• Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N50 98' 80" W000 97' 20"
• To see: not much.
• ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!

This byway (which is nameless, so we named it after the copse found at its southern end) is subject to a TRO, is massively overgrown, and is closed to motorised vehicles. Move along.

To Hampshire County Council this is Byway 33.

View Bopeep Lane in a larger map