BOAT Routes East Meon

[Bert]

Hello all. Has anybody in the Hampshire area, or anybody really, travelled any of the BOAT in the Meon Valley area? I can see a couple there that could be made into a "loop" with some tarmac in between, skirting around the edge of Hen Wood. Anybody?

 

[diggerdave]

Hello all. Has anybody in the Hampshire area, or anybody really, travelled any of the BOAT in the Meon Valley area? I can see a couple there that could be made into a "loop" with some tarmac in between, skirting around the edge of Hen Wood. Anybody?

Can I recommend that you join GLASS so that you can get full access to Trailwise, which is a database of legal green lanes?

I don't know that part of the country but a quick glance at Trailwise shows that several/most of the BOATs in that area have been closed to motor vehicles, meaning it's a criminal offence to drive them (and you could get your car crushed/big fine)

GLASS also campaign againt the selfish closure of the ever-diminishing number of lanes that are available to drive

 

[Bert]

Can I recommend that you join GLASS so that you can get full access to Trailwise, which is a database of legal green lanes?

I don't know that part of the country but a quick glance at Trailwise shows that several/most of the BOATs in that area have been closed to motor vehicles, meaning it's a criminal offence to drive them (and you could get your car crushed/big fine)

GLASS also campaign againt the selfish closure of the ever-diminishing number of lanes that are available to drive

Hello DiggerDave.
You are quite right. Though the routes are still listed as BOAT on the ordnance survey maps and on the ByWay Map, all but one of them have been closed.
The only one that didn't have a 'no vehicle access' sign planted in front of it set in concrete had a 'Voluntary Restraint' sign posted by LARA which had fallen off the post and was laying miserably in the frozen grass and water at its base. It was just legible though so I reinstated it upon the post and respected the request.
So, all in all, I got about a mile off-road.
Joining GLASS seems like a good idea, though down South it seems as though there isn't much left accessible? Perhaps I'll have a look see for a Salisbury Plain organised trip of sorts.
It makes me even more envious of all the lucky folk in Australia, Africa and America with all those thousands of miles of road!

 

[MODVRS]

The February 2016 edition of Land Rover Owner (sorry!) magazine featured a circular route just North of Alton, Hampshire. If you pm me an eMail address I can send you a scan of the relevant page.

 

[Towpack]

The track adjacent to Hen Wood (Halnaker Lane?) was TRO'd in June 2009 so no motor vehicles.
There seems to be Limekiln Lane and Rakebottom Lane just to the East of Hen Wood and below Ramsdean but these are banned to 4w vehicles, mc's only!
There's a BOAT directly to the East of Ramsdean joining Ramsdean Lane and Road which is shown as open to all. Access to Trailwise is free, you just get a bit more detail with user comments if you join Glass/TRF etc but the basic routes are there. Looks like green laning is quite thin on the ground in your area.

 

[Bert]

The track adjacent to Hen Wood (Halnaker Lane?) was TRO'd in June 2009 so no motor vehicles.
There seems to be Limekiln Lane and Rakebottom Lane just to the East of Hen Wood and below Ramsdean but these are banned to 4w vehicles, mc's only!
There's a BOAT directly to the East of Ramsdean joining Ramsdean Lane and Road which is shown as open to all. Access to Trailwise is free, you just get a bit more detail with user comments if you join Glass/TRF etc but the basic routes are there. Looks like green laning is quite thin on the ground in your area.

Hi Towpack.
It was the Hen Wood one that was of main interest, being the longest route shown in my rather pitiful area. It's all rather sad really. The one joining Ramsdean Lane and Road is very short, and googling it, part of it (south end) is concrete. Interestingly, you can see the start at the south end, but if you try to Google it from the North, that section of road is completely missing.
One of the routes on the Byway Map that was open is part of the South Downs Way that goes between East Meon Road, eventually coming out and joining Hogs Lodge Lane though again this was very short. (Start point: 50.965656,-1.028317; end point: 50.967089, -0.996849)
There is a dog leg shown on the map (50.967528, -1.001952) that is listed as a BOAT but has a restricted byway rating at the end of it (50.976848, -1.011798) so we didn't venture down that one. Yet.
It is increasingly looking as though I should tag onto one of the Salisbury Plain 'tours' for some enjoyment.

 

[diggerdave]

Salisbury Plain is great. Of all the places you can go in the UK though, I certainly recommend doing it with someone who knows the lanes though as they constantly change according to the needs of the military, and it helps to have scoured the published notifications and be used to what lanes get temporarily closed. It's a unique experience in a unique place. I was lucky enough to go with a bunch of local lads last year. Some people never go laning anywhere else because there are so many rights of way to explore in one small area

If you're looking for a guided tour, I went with 4x4AdventureTours to Wales a couple of times about three years ago when I was first getting into green laning. They used to do Salisbury Plain tours although I never went on one (just Wales). I can't remember the guy's name off the top of my head , but the couple of tours we did were great

Just one thing with reference to GLASS. Yes, you can use the free version of Trailwise BUT by joining GLASS you are also contributing to our only national campaign group dedicated to keeping lanes open. I don't know why the lanes in your area have been TRO'd. Sometimes there's a good reason (unsafe or just not sustainable for whatever reason) but often it's local authorities being influenced by the powerful and selfish rambler's lobby who just can't bear the thought of sharing a tiny proportion of legal rights of way with a hobby that they don't approve of.

Sorry about the rant, but I've just come back from a weekend's laning in the Peak District where some of the best green lanes in the country have been stolen from us, although it would have been a lot more were it not for the campaigning efforts of GLASS

 

[MODVRS]

The March 2017 issue of Total Off Road features lanes in North Hampshire.

 

[StarCruiser]

I may be going on the 28th April to the 1st of May with a group from Sussex 4x4 Response. I expect you'd be welcome to come along one day or even join in the camping at Sixpenny Handley if you wanted.
I'll probably go, I've just got a few things to sort out first.

 

[Bert]

I may be going on the 28th April to the 1st of May with a group from Sussex 4x4 Response. I expect you'd be welcome to come along one day or even join in the camping at Sixpenny Handley if you wanted.

Hi StarCruiser....sorry, who's this aimed at and what's it about if you don't mind me blundering in...... cheers, Simon

 

[StarCruiser]

Apologies, I hadn't seen the timeline or been specific enough, my bad.

The aim is you as OP and it's about Salisbury plain.
The outing consists of camping at Sixpenny Handley campsite over the weekend of the may BH with trips out led by other members of the group (Sussex 4x4 Response) onto Salisbury plain with activities as challenging or not as you like. Non SX4x4R members have come along before.

 

[Bert]

Apologies, I hadn't seen the timeline or been specific enough, my bad.

The aim is you as OP and it's about Salisbury plain.
The outing consists of camping at Sixpenny Handley campsite over the weekend of the may BH with trips out led by other members of the group (Sussex 4x4 Response) onto Salisbury plain with activities as challenging or not as you like. Non SX4x4R members have come along before.

Hi SC. That sounds pretty good and would love to attend if I'm free. Will check the calendar tomorrow. I am attending an organised event on weekend 22 - 23 April on Salisbury with Protrax. If I can also make your one, other than the vehicle and camp gear, what else would I need to bring?

 

[StarCruiser]

Recovery gear, food, beer, not necessarily in that order of course.

I've not committed yet so I'll try and get my act together if you want to come along I can ask to put your name down. They usually like payment for the camping in advance but it's not a lot. Quite a nice little camp site.

 

[Bert]

Recovery gear, food, beer, not necessarily in that order of course.

I've not committed yet so I'll try and get my act together if you want to come along I can ask to put your name down. They usually like payment for the camping in advance but it's not a lot. Quite a nice little camp site.

Hello SC.... It's taken some jiggling, but this is what I can manage. I could either arrive late Friday evening or very early Saturday morning, camp overnight (is it at Church Farm?) but I need to leave mid afternoon Sunday as I have to make it to a gig in Southampton on Sunday evening. Will this work for you? I'd likely have one other person on board, but not definitely.
I can manage food and beer, but as far as recovery equipment, I can only scrape up a defibrillator at present. I am not yet equipped in that department being new and all......what do you think? Regards, Simon

 

[Bert]

Recovery gear, food, beer, not necessarily in that order of course.

Recovery update. I've now got some shackles and a couple of straps. At the very least I have gear to connect to someone should I need rescue........

 

[StarCruiser]

That sounds fine Simon. If you're new to this there's plenty of experienced members to show you the ropes if you like. There's also plenty of help should you need additional pulling power to extract lesser Marques from the sticky stuff. because you won't get stuck yourself of course. What tyres do you have? Probably the most important part, traction wise anyway.

 

[StarCruiser]

Ok, I've put our names down with a request that you can come along. Shouldn't be a problem but best to ask. It's £10.50 per night per unit plus £3.50 if you want electricity.
I've put you down as having a tent, is this correct?

 

[Bert]

That sounds fine Simon. If you're new to this there's plenty of experienced members to show you the ropes if you like. There's also plenty of help should you need additional pulling power to extract lesser Marques from the sticky stuff. because you won't get stuck yourself of course. What tyres do you have? Probably the most important part, traction wise anyway.

I've got some lovely new BFG AT K02's.....being fitted on Saturday.

 

[Bert]

Ok, I've put our names down with a request that you can come along. Shouldn't be a problem but best to ask. It's £10.50 per night per unit plus £3.50 if you want electricity.
I've put you down as having a tent, is this correct?

Yep, I have a tent...... and thank you for the invite. Most appreciated.....

 

[StarCruiser]

Yep, I have a tent...... and thank you for the invite. Most appreciated.....

Do you need power?