Laning - A genuine question.

[Olazz]

Now I've never done any laning before, not tried it and nor been tempted.

Having read Crispin's report it got me wondering.

Can someone please tell me what the attraction of laning is? Lots of people do it and rave about it.

I understand everyone gets their own buzz from it and may get something different out of it for themselves. So what am I missing here?

I'm keen to find out why one would drive through water and mud up passed the door sills etc and do the damage they seem to do to their cars.

Marius you've just been on your first, by request......

So what's the Craic?

 

[silvercruiser]

For me its the adventure and on some lanes the challenges you have to get over and also the scenery especially when i have been to wales there's some bloody good views that can only be seen from the one lane that you are on.


Joe

P.s most lanes you do not end up axle deep in mud and i do try not to damage my landcruiser

 

[Chas]

Now I've never done any laning before, not tried it and nor been tempted.Having read Crispin's report it got me wondering. Can someone please tell me what the attraction of laning is? Lots of people do it and rave about it.
I understand everyone gets their own buzz from it and may get something different out of it for themselves. So what am I missing here?I'm keen to find out why one would drive through water and mud up passed the door sills etc and do the
damage they seem to do to their cars.Marius you've just been on your first, by request......So what's the Craic?

Why do we do it? because it's there no seriously, I suppose different people have different reasons, I do it because it is putting yourself and your vehicle in the situations it was built for. I do 'sometimes' go to pay and play sites but not so much since I first went overlanding. To me laning (never on your own) and overlanding with friends is a lot about the journey more than anything else, it just gets boring seeing the same bit of scenery and driving around in circles at P&P sites.

 

[karl webster]

At first my opinion about lads i new who went off roading in there trucks, i thought they were a bit sad to be honest.

Couple of years ago me and a mate took are trucks off roading just for something to do. We enjoyed it but i wouldnt have done it every week.

Becoming a member of this forum then brought attention to me about meet ups and the lincomb weekends that are organised a couple of times a year.

One the first lincomb meet we met some good lads,had a laugh, and had a sxxt hot time. We had a play in tonys woods.

On that weekend we had the chance to go lanning,never been before so thought we would give it a go. We said to tony p we didnt want to damage the trucks so we did some lanes that were quite tame. We pulled up when we were about ready for home and tony said there was another lane on the way back that would be quite interesting and challenging.We all jumped at the chance, Got on the lane and it was great. no damage really but great fun.

After that weekend we have been lanning alot,We go as much as we can. Nice to see what these trucks can do,where they can go,and how well they do it.

If you have never given it ago,try it. You may actually enjoy it. You can do it with no damage really as long as you are carefull.

Another plus for me is the countryside that we see. I would never have seen parts of the uk if it wasnt for lanning that i have seen.

I also enjoy the camping side of things as well. Good bunch of people,few beers,fire,stoping where you like within reason breakfast in the morning. All good

karl

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

you'll have to come and find out Laurence It's a bit like overlanding but on a smaller scale and you can afford to be a bit more adventurous in where you try to get your truck. I like the camping trips best as the lanes are a bit boring for me now (partly due to closures, partly due to driving them so much). Those trips are also a useful way to get your truck and kit set up for bigger trips.

 

[Paul_Humphreys]

All of the above and the bouns is the wife done not come along

Paul

 

[whereisgibson]

For me it's because, right now, I have to condense my adventures into at most a long weekend. And with that you meet great folks, learn more about your vehicle, see our truly wonderful countryside, and find reasons to buy stuff you probably don't really need

 

[24Seven]

I see it more of a social gathering and I always love a trip through Wales with camping and beer

Although Olazz, I really do see where you are coming from, it sounds like the "Mud Club" around here at times, the UK really does need an active non type based overland community........still waiting

 

[Crispin]

Social, a bit of scenery, have some fun in the truck and some social

The recent lanes were just being explored. Neither Tony or myself wanted to be indoors so we went to have a look see. At the risk of being shot down, a lot of what we did might have been done by a couple of Essex lads in a [stolen] Saxo

There could be more and more testing lanes (The few I have been on in Wales were nice) but really, it's for the getting out and social side of it.

We could meet in car park at Asda on a Wednesday night. That's also social

You do realise you are on a rubbish lane when you round a corner and there is a Nissan Micra in front of you

 

[TonyP]

Really all of the above and also for me is just getting away from the mundane. We work 9-5 all week (more for some) so it's great to get out with a group of like minded people, have a laugh and push the 4x4 as far as we can/dare.

I am still to do a camping trip mainly do to not having any camping equipment, but hopefully I will sort out something practicle which means I can stay over with the lads, have a few bevvies and generally socialise more

Salisbury Plain is a good place to start in that you get all the elements without too much risk (excluding Trevor and his monkjacks)....

 

[Chas]

You do realise you are on a rubbish lane when you round a corner and there is a Nissan Micra in front of you

I was going up a mountain in Croatia and met a Fiat 500 (old type) coming down

 

[Paul]

Well after the last big Salisbury Plain meeting i think it was all summed up. My brother and sister in law came along in their terracan with NO previous experience and had a great time, very surprised with what even a basic 4x4 can do. Think it shocked a few others too
Anyway, great social scene and a very simple day out for the kids. Can also be a good way to judge what kit is out there and what is needed or even wanted for major trips.

 

[Olazz]

Very interesting responses gents.

Perhaps I shall venture out and see what's what!

 

[silvercruiser]

Social, a bit of scenery, have some fun in the truck and some social

The recent lanes were just being explored. Neither Tony or myself wanted to be indoors so we went to have a look see. At the risk of being shot down, a lot of what we did might have been done by a couple of Essex lads in a [stolen] Saxo
:

Oi Borrowed

Joe

 

[Trevor]

Olazz,

Last August I was looking to ditch my company car as I have a large trailer that the car struggled towing. I said to Mrs Trev, how about we buy something a bit bigger that can tow up to 2.5 tonnes, she agreed and immediately I was looking at 4X4 vehicles which could handle that capacity.

Our original remit was reliiability (that's LandRover ruled out then), Wife friendly which is why I ended up with a 120 instead of a 100 (she loves those soft curves dontcha know ) and it's our daily drive. The final selling point was that it will be good in the snow as we couldn't get our cars off the inclined drive in the snow last year.

I found this forum while I was researching and asked many many Newbie questions (thanks chaps), so 120 purchased and was enjoying it as a tarmac runner.

Trouble first set in when you are aware that you have the extra lever and button for low range and diff lock, being a bloke and after reading and seeing the photos of where these vehicles can go you become tempted to maybe drive on a grass verge or two (oh the feeling of going off road )

I went to a pay and play site with the wife and soon realised that our stock vehicle was no competition amongst the heavily modded beasts, now, whilst we don't want to go down the same route with ours we still wanted to experience the capabilities of the machine. This is where the bug first strikes, we bought the thing but just tarmac running was already a bit boring and a waste of all this engineering.

I joined GLASS which allowed me access to trailwise and found some legal lanes nearby, this is good but you soon find out that a change of tyres to All Terrain will help you traverse these lanes a bit better.

You then start to realise that most lanes are now no longer accessible to motor vehicles and the few that are still available makes you want to try then out before they disappear forever. Then I had a chance to run on the Salisbury Plain (via this forum) with a bunch of guys much more experienced than me, this is the biggest confidence booster to allow you to put your vehicle through some challenges knowing you have help and knowledge when you doubt yourself or get into trouble, I asked loads of questions over the CB if I wasn't confident about something or needed advice to tackle a particular section.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I never set out originally to green lane or offroad but kind of slowly drifted into pushing my own driving boundaries (not the vehicle), green laning for me offers the half way house of really using the capabilities of my truck without needing to make heavy modifications and have fun at the same time. At some point you are faced with overgrown foliage, it's a personal decision whether you want to risk a few light scratches to carry on, or try and drive through water or mud, For me, I will risk it a bit but am happy to bottle it if I think I am really might damage something

It's different things to different people but definately a journey and learning curve, you can get off the ride at any time but the best part is getting on the ride in the first place in my opinion.

As mentioned a number of times in this thread, the social aspect and relaxed atmosphere is a draw in itself. I work in IT and I'm supposed to be sensible apparently, so, draw your own conclusions but I would urge you to at least dip your toe in the water amongst friends, come on in, the water is lovely

Come and have a run, it'll be fun (and safe too).

Hope this helps a bit.

 

[sae70]

And because we are all just a little bit barmey

Here's a little lane a couple of us did after TOR did a road book on it saying it was no longer crossable Had to give it a go after that

Took a few attempts, the construction of a mud plough, a little eccentricity & the tide had to be out

Oh & it was only 100meters long

1st attempt
[youtube:2xud8ozf]qY4miC6Rgfc[/youtube:2xud8ozf]

Success @ last
[youtube:2xud8ozf]X39pLUsgbcE[/youtube:2xud8ozf]

[youtube:2xud8ozf]3-UXHj5ZVEo[/youtube:2xud8ozf]

Good clean fun I think you'll agree

 

[Ben]

i go laning every fortnight, and i think im quite blessed that in shropshire we have some cracking lanes, its also not to far to venture into wales or the peak district, where there are also some great lanes.

i enjoy challenging lanes with deep river crossings, lots of technical, tight rock sections, and of course mud. i like to always pick the most difficult line, and to test my vehicles capabilities. this does of course mean that i do break stuff from time to time, but i dont mind its all part of the fun.

one of the reasons i go laning so often is because i believe that its only a matter of time until all the lanes in this country are all reclassified as restricted byways and motor vehicle rights removed. so i want to drive them while i can.

ive already missed out on driving a lot of lanes due to the nerc act, as ive only been going laning for the past 5 years.

i think 4x4ing is unique in the motorsport world in that you can have a lot of fun whilst going very slowly!

 

[Chris]

Of course what you lads are missing out on is being able to do this with a rifle next to you so that you can bag the evening meal at the same time. Sorta combines all the pleasures at once! Ahh freedom.

On road
Off road
Beer
Guns
Camp fire chats
Camping
Beer
more guns
Field repairs
Stories
Gadgets
Beer
Outrageous stories
First Aid .......?

Chris

 

[BIG clean GREEN]

Kind of touched on by a few, but I strongly recommend anyone fancying a bash at laning to check out the status of the lane prior to venturing down them, number 1 obviously because it's a legal issue and secondly it's because of people who use the lanes illegally hat they get restrictions or closures on them. Great fun though !

Nick.

 

[chriscolleman]

Laning or just a simple drive through the countryside is always a small adventure.

And for me a day out by myself away from everything and everyone.

I had a hardcore laning period in the short lj70 cruiser, but these days prefer my Polaris ATV. It's smaller size and lesser footprint opened up a whole new offroading world.

My 80 is the toyhauler and extraction vehicle. Haven't needed the extraction part yet.