Easter Rally - Greenlaning

[CliveV]

Have had a response back from the local GLASS representative and they seem keen to help.

I have suggested that we meet for a briefing meeting mid morning on the Sunday, say 10:30am and depart c. 11:00am so we should be on Green Lanes for an hour or two when we can stop for a picnic lunch then carry on for another hour or two.

Should be plenty of Photo opportunities.

The briefing meeting is just to go over some of the basic safety aspects - we do not want any accidents!!

Most common is driving too close to the vehicle in front. Road tyres not on tarmac DO slide!!

Other basics will be not to let arms legs or any other body part dangle out of the window - there may be barbed wire about!

More as soon as I have it.

 

[BigRoy]

Hi Clive, please forgive my ignorance on the subject but what is the procedure for greenlaning?

Do we need permission from the land owner or do we need a GLASS member in attendance, is there a cost involved, insurance, etc?

Roy

 

[BrianStAlbans]

Roy, I believe 'greenlanes' are the vehicular version of bridleways for horses and footpaths for....err..feet. As such they are untarmaced public roads. No permission needed just a bit of respect. Brian

 

[CliveV]

Hi Roy

At the moment there is a change to the law that could see all Byways open to all Traffic (Boats) reclassified as footpaths which will mean the loss of many Bridleways and Byways.

The likes of the Ramblers Association are now getting all bitter and twisted when people do as the law allows and register these lanes and bridleways for what they are and have been for many centuries.

The reason for this diatribe is that just because a BOAT is maked on a OS map does not give anyone the right to drive it.

On an OS map the routes are marked thus (but in red)

-+-+-+-+- BOAT

---------

 

[CliveV]

sorry not sure what happened there!

On an OS map the routes are marked thus (but in red)

-+-+-+-+- BOAT

--------- Bridleway

.-.-.-.-. Road used as Public Path (RUPP)

......... Footpath

Byways open to all Traffic should be OK but there can be restriction orders placed on them by local councils if the lane need work or repair.

It is these types of repairs that local volunteers such as FoDRoW in Dorset usually undertake with the help and support of the local authority.

Sadly, the hooligan element can ruin a lot of good work. I have read of flooded lanes made worse and fences being taken down to get stuck vehicles out. All things that should not happen.

If you want extreme off-roading there are plenty of proper off-road sites that we can go and play in. Green lanes are simply for driving sensibly with due consideration for others. However, many greenlanes are well beyond your average saloon car and indeed such a vehicle would soon get into trouble and cause more damage than a 4x4 that would simply use all 4 wheels to crawl over the problem without "digging itself in".

Before any Greenlane trip it is advisable to visit the Local Highways and Byways dept to check the up to date list of those lanes that are open. It is not unknown for the notice to be placed at one end then an unsuspecting driver entering the lane from the other end! Thus breaking the restriction order without realising it.

Glass will let us have a map of all the open lanes and even come with us as guides ( sounds a bit safari-ish!!)

As regards insurance my vehicle is insured for all sorts of off-road use. Others who are using their own vehicle may want to check. However, these lanes are Byways (as long as we stick to them and must not go onto footpaths or Bridleways) and as such are part of the queens highway so insurance should not be a problem. But you know my opinion of insurance companies!!

As regards passengers in my vehicle there will be a sign that says the trip is taken at the passengers own risk and that no fee is being charged. That way anyone that gets an arm scratched, or anything else cannot sue me.

Have a look at the Glass website.

A lot of info on there.

 

[sparkes]

Well pointed out Clive

For those who are going. Green laning is for sight seeing and a little off road experience. If the going is tough (which is not a problem for most 4x4's) the lane will be abandoned and we will move onto another location. This is NOT a "OH look, a muddy field" type trip. This type of recreation is undertaken to see parts of the countryside that are not visible from the tarmacked highway and sometimes are too far to walk to.

Insurance. These are legal roads and your insurance should cover driving on them. passenger insurance is the same as you going in a friends car to tesco's.

Oh yes, Packed lunches will probably be needed as a picnic in the country is nice. Unless it rains then I WILL be in the pub at lunch time.

The group WILL be split up. As Clive as already said we will not travel in a convoy of more than 4 cars. This is to minimise the footprint of the vehicles on the lanes as well as appease any other groups using the routes we choose.

One other thing Clive and myself will insist on, is this. During this trip, we may come across other user groups. Some are very vocal about use of the lanes and on a very rare occasion will "let you know". Under no circumstances is anyone to react to this. It is to ignored and dealt with by the lead cars. Why? Well, we will have checked and confirmed legal access to the lanes (see Clive's note above) and we will have experienced people with us. We do not want the day ruined because the local Walkers want an argument. We will just inform them of the legal status and how it was confirmed and then move on.

We will be going out to have fun and see some sights. It will be bumpy at times, and possibly muddy. So please wear good shoes and have a warm coat with you.

Steve

 

[CliveV]

This from the Glass Representative - who are being mosthelpful.

I think what they say is self explanatory - I suggest we take on board their experience and if we have to travel a bit further on Tarmac to get to more scenic area then let do it.

Any feed back welcome R Clive

"South Birmingham/North Worcestershire is something of a desert where green lanes are concerned but your main options are: [a] there are 4 or 5 lanes in Worcestershire, to the east of the M5, nothing exciting but pleasant and trouble-free, western side of Warwickshire also has a few, and a little further south (south-east of Broadway there are some in the Cotswolds which are more scenic). However, the Cotswold ones are mostly dual status RUPP/UCR (Road Used as Public Path/Unclassified Road) and depending on whether your trip is before or after the NERC (Natural Environment and Rural Communities) Act, and exactly what it says, these might no longer be legal to drive. Shropshire and Herefordshire have a greater number of viable green lanes but are further away.

The preferred option will depend on how near to the site you want to go - there are Worcestershire and Warwickshire lanes about 30 mins from the site but if you go 1 hour from the site the scenery and lanes themselves are better, in my view.

In either case there are suitable lanes and also ones to avoid so a few of us will be happy to advise, I can check the route a few days before (any excuse for a trip out!) and if you wanted, it is likely that someone would volunteer to be a guide."

 

[sparkes]

This from the Glass Representative - who are being mosthelpful.

I think what they say is self explanatory - I suggest we take on board their experience and if we have to travel a bit further on Tarmac to get to more scenic area then let do it.

Any feed back welcome R Clive

"South Birmingham/North Worcestershire is something of a desert where green lanes are concerned but your main options are: [a] there are 4 or 5 lanes in Worcestershire, to the east of the M5, nothing exciting but pleasant and trouble-free, western side of Warwickshire also has a few, and a little further south (south-east of Broadway there are some in the Cotswolds which are more scenic). However, the Cotswold ones are mostly dual status RUPP/UCR (Road Used as Public Path/Unclassified Road) and depending on whether your trip is before or after the NERC (Natural Environment and Rural Communities) Act, and exactly what it says, these might no longer be legal to drive. Shropshire and Herefordshire have a greater number of viable green lanes but are further away.

The preferred option will depend on how near to the site you want to go - there are Worcestershire and Warwickshire lanes about 30 mins from the site but if you go 1 hour from the site the scenery and lanes themselves are better, in my view.

In either case there are suitable lanes and also ones to avoid so a few of us will be happy to advise, I can check the route a few days before (any excuse for a trip out!) and if you wanted, it is likely that someone would volunteer to be a guide."

Clive

I have to agree, go a bit further and the views are far better.

Herefordshire is not that far from the site and the local roads (normal ones) are very plesent themselves.

 

[LMH]

This from the Glass Representative - who are being mosthelpful.

I think what they say is self explanatory - I suggest we take on board their experience and if we have to travel a bit further on Tarmac to get to more scenic area then let do it.

Any feed back welcome R Clive

"South Birmingham/North Worcestershire is something of a desert where green lanes are concerned but your main options are: [a] there are 4 or 5 lanes in Worcestershire, to the east of the M5, nothing exciting but pleasant and trouble-free, western side of Warwickshire also has a few, and a little further south (south-east of Broadway there are some in the Cotswolds which are more scenic). However, the Cotswold ones are mostly dual status RUPP/UCR (Road Used as Public Path/Unclassified Road) and depending on whether your trip is before or after the NERC (Natural Environment and Rural Communities) Act, and exactly what it says, these might no longer be legal to drive. Shropshire and Herefordshire have a greater number of viable green lanes but are further away.

The preferred option will depend on how near to the site you want to go - there are Worcestershire and Warwickshire lanes about 30 mins from the site but if you go 1 hour from the site the scenery and lanes themselves are better, in my view.

In either case there are suitable lanes and also ones to avoid so a few of us will be happy to advise, I can check the route a few days before (any excuse for a trip out!) and if you wanted, it is likely that someone would volunteer to be a guide."

Clive

Is this a good time for me to tell you that I get travel sick? (Should be ok with tablets though!).

Lisa.

 

[Lol1]

This from the Glass Representative - who are being mosthelpful.

I think what they say is self explanatory - I suggest we take on board their experience and if we have to travel a bit further on Tarmac to get to more scenic area then let do it.

Any feed back welcome R Clive

"South Birmingham/North Worcestershire is something of a desert where green lanes are concerned but your main options are: [a] there are 4 or 5 lanes in Worcestershire, to the east of the M5, nothing exciting but pleasant and trouble-free, western side of Warwickshire also has a few, and a little further south (south-east of Broadway there are some in the Cotswolds which are more scenic). However, the Cotswold ones are mostly dual status RUPP/UCR (Road Used as Public Path/Unclassified Road) and depending on whether your trip is before or after the NERC (Natural Environment and Rural Communities) Act, and exactly what it says, these might no longer be legal to drive. Shropshire and Herefordshire have a greater number of viable green lanes but are further away.

The preferred option will depend on how near to the site you want to go - there are Worcestershire and Warwickshire lanes about 30 mins from the site but if you go 1 hour from the site the scenery and lanes themselves are better, in my view.

In either case there are suitable lanes and also ones to avoid so a few of us will be happy to advise, I can check the route a few days before (any excuse for a trip out!) and if you wanted, it is likely that someone would volunteer to be a guide."

I assumed that this was going to be a "Days outing", so as far as I am concerned, lets make a day out of it. Travelling further to get a better view and trouble free tour of the area is fine by me. The idea was to take a picnic, so an extra hour on the hard stuff shouldn't make a difference.

On a further note, your correct Clive, it's nice to see cooperation from a society that has little to gain from helping people except a hearty thank you. Perhaps we could fund a gift for any of the guides?

 

[CliveV]

Yes Lol - I was thinking along similar lines.

As for Lisa - if you are Travel sick - head out of the window please!! Try to avoid the ramblers!!!

Steve - I really need advice on which routes etc and travelling times. Do not know this area at all. Much appreciate you advice.

 

[sparkes]

Sorry Clive but no. However, get what lanes you can from Glass and I will see what info I can find out and distances etc

Steve