Off road/Greenlaning....

[mad1]

Hi all,

Hope you are all doing ok.

I'm looking for for some ideas or pointers about how to start Greenlaining.

I briefly joined a off road forum but to be honest they seemed like a bunch off up there own ***** and not very helpful.

Now Iv had time off I'm looking to use my landy more once things go back to the new normal.

I'm not looking to smash it to bits just looking to find some nice drives to make a day out of it.

 

Thanks in advance 

M1

 

Edit to add:

Anyone in Northeast involved with Glass

Edited June 6, 2020 by mad1

[WalkedUp]

Sadly my experience of green laners is that they trespass and cause damage. May be a small minority. Wish you the best of luck finding somewhere reputable to enjoy your Land Rover. 

[mad1]

Yeah I 100% agree....I dont want to be involved with that side as quite rightly said they do seem to be portrayed like that.

 

[Guest cookoff013]

Join a club, get a cb too😑

[amateur]

I used to do it on my bikes about 50 years ago. The key thing was to find official RUPPs (roads used as public paths) and not stray off on to paths or bridleways. We used to get some hostility from some walkers and horse riders, despite our cutting our engines and explaining that we were on a vehicular right of way.

Some of the RUPPs that we did ride, however, have now lost the vehicle rights.

[washerboy]

1 hour ago, WalkedUp said:

Sadly my experience of green laners is that they trespass and cause damage. May be a small minority. Wish you the best of luck finding somewhere reputable to enjoy your Land Rover. 

Yes sums it up around here, ripping up trees and footpaths so that you need waders to walk them. Mob handed so dangerous to confront them. 

 

[London Best]

I used to do a lot of greenlaning, first with a mate’s Willis Jeep then with Land Rovers. Gave it up in the 90’s after it became popular through Land Rover magazines, became populated by idiots and often gave out a bad image.

 

Mad1, try googling GLASS, green lane association. I dunno if it is still going. Good luck.

Edited June 6, 2020 by London Best

[mad1]

Thanks to you all for your inputs... 

Looks like this is not going to be as easy as I though,don't want to be tarred with same brush as those who wreck and ruin land and property.

Might just have to drive round and round farm 🤪

 

Stay safe 

M1

[team tractor]

I used to run ride outs locally . If people respected the land it would help. 
the one bloke I took out used to pick a new line across the field . He said I’ll just use tracks when they shut them . 
scott I’ll take you out around here if you fancy a trek . 
I take my terios out 😂😂. It’s a good laugh. 

[mad1]

18 minutes ago, team tractor said:

I used to run ride outs locally . If people respected the land it would help. 
the one bloke I took out used to pick a new line across the field . He said I’ll just use tracks when they shut them . 
scott I’ll take you out around here if you fancy a trek . 
I take my terios out 😂😂. It’s a good laugh. 

Nath....you are not to be trusted with another persons limbs....🤪

[fern01]

PM sent

[SPARKIE]

scott did ya ever see the modded vitara I had? sold it last year as a lot of my mates gave up.

1/ join fb... loads of groups on there and glass have a page. you will be able to find law abiding locals to you who run days out.

2/ get ya self some of the ordanance survey maps from go out doors or ebay for ya local area. find the lanes on the maps and check on the glass register to see if said lane has tro restrictions or not. (NOT ALL RESTICTED LANES HAVE SIGNS)

3/ try to find a local to go with. nothing worse than being out on ya own and either breaking down or getting stuck.  (SEEN THIS HAPPEN LOADS)

4/ get a cb and a flashing yellow light anything happens on a moor and ya have no phone signal cb comes in handy if theres any other people nearby. also a flashy yellow light so if ya break down flick it on and people can see ya there. (GUIDED THE AA MAN TO WHERE MY MATES LANDY TIMING BELT SNAPPED WITH MINE.)

5/ highlift jack and really heavy duty tow roads and d clamps are a must. get you our of sticky situations

6/ have a look for local  pay and play sites. (great fun and ya know ya not doing anything illegal)

7/ keep a small amount of food and water in the vehicle (had a mate wait 7 hours for recovery in dark)

8 above all have fun... don't think the landy is invincible they do get stuck... a lot. infact id say more than modded suzukis lol.

9/ KEEP AWAY FROM NATHAN.... WITH HIS BAD LUCK HE WILL PROB ROLL HIS TERRIOS ONTO YOU

 

ps tyres are everything.... insa turbo special tracks are great in mud /extreme situations

Edited June 6, 2020 by SPARKIE

[London Best]

All good post from SPARKIE.

[figgy]

Son and some of his mates were into it. Still are but not as much. There is lists published by local councils of green lanes, well rights of way highways with allowed vehicular access. Doctors gate was always a good one but been closed for a while. There is a green lane goes from Cumbria right across to the north east.

I'll ask my son when he comes in what websites he was using.  I know there are lists of what's open and what isn't, as some get temporarily closed for repairs or if weather has been poor to preserve them.

Edited June 6, 2020 by figgy

[blackbird]

I did it for years & it was really good fun but for the hassle the rambling/horse riding #### would give us, but today most lanes have been shut, you would be better off finding a group that organise off road events on private land.

Edited June 6, 2020 by blackbird

[team tractor]

2 hours ago, SPARKIE said:

scott did ya ever see the modded vitara I had? sold it last year as a lot of my mates gave up.

1/ join fb... loads of groups on there and glass have a page. you will be able to find law abiding locals to you who run days out.

2/ get ya self some of the ordanance survey maps from go out doors or ebay for ya local area. find the lanes on the maps and check on the glass register to see if said lane has tro restrictions or not. (NOT ALL RESTICTED LANES HAVE SIGNS)

3/ try to find a local to go with. nothing worse than being out on ya own and either breaking down or getting stuck.  (SEEN THIS HAPPEN LOADS)

4/ get a cb and a flashing yellow light anything happens on a moor and ya have no phone signal cb comes in handy if theres any other people nearby. also a flashy yellow light so if ya break down flick it on and people can see ya there. (GUIDED THE AA MAN TO WHERE MY MATES LANDY TIMING BELT SNAPPED WITH MINE.)

5/ highlift jack and really heavy duty tow roads and d clamps are a must. get you our of sticky situations

6/ have a look for local  pay and play sites. (great fun and ya know ya not doing anything illegal)

7/ keep a small amount of food and water in the vehicle (had a mate wait 7 hours for recovery in dark)

8 above all have fun... don't think the landy is invincible they do get stuck... a lot. infact id say more than modded suzukis lol.

9/ KEEP AWAY FROM NATHAN.... WITH HIS BAD LUCK HE WILL PROB ROLL HIS TERRIOS ONTO YOU

 

ps tyres are everything.... insa turbo special tracks are great in mud /extreme situations

😂😂😂 I’m the luckiest man alive 🙈. 

[Centrepin]

I used to be Rights of way officer for one club before giving it up due to idiots going off piste and causing damage. They then had the stupidity to post pictures on line posing by the damage.

It would be a bit like a game keeper posing with 10 dead eagles he'd shot. I left without another word and never looked back, cut all my ties.

I then helped start Central Off Road Club which ran for a good few years, followed the law and we helped train many new leaders. I ran a monthly lanes day which was always over subcribed and highly popular. I also ran navigation days which I simply called "Navex's" to instruct and help people understand route planning.

My daughter ran a club called the Monday Mud Club, not to be confused with The Mud club. It was for people working weekends so they could off road mid week.

My best advice is pick your friends as you would to go shooting, some are good and safe others not worth a knife, fork and spoon.

Try and stick to BOATS, Byways Open to all Traffic. You can also look for ORPA's, Other Routes with Public Access. Forget RUPPs these are now mostly reclassified as Restricted Byways, briefly, only available if you have a right to be on them, otherwise closed. An example of right being, Farmers, working on the land, access to pylons, airiels, or similar. Shooting, but you would have to provide proof.

Fines are heavy now and rightly so. Police can and do confiscate vehicles, they can also issue a vehicle ASBO, 2 strikes and you loose the vehicle. 

You need to be 100% certain you have a right to be on the land, even then you will meet opposition, even from people who have no right to be there.

Planning and legally checking a route could take days to do, yet mere hours to drive.

My advice is join a long standing club, The Mud Club is one that springs to mind,as they cover the UK, they run regular days out, but unlike the ones I ran, your expected to pay handsomely. 

GLASS, will keep you legal where possible, but again, it ain't cheap.

.....and as someone already said, Insa Turbo Special Tracks...they are THE tyre, but oh so aggressive. 😉

[Wymondley]

20 hours ago, washerboy said:

Yes sums it up around here, ripping up trees and footpaths so that you need waders to walk them. Mob handed so dangerous to confront them. 

 

I'm not sure why anyone greenlaning would go to the trouble of ripping up trees, and driving on a footpath is also illegal.

So I suspect you're mistaken and and it's not greenlaners you're refering to.

 

To the op, if you have no experience, join GLASS (glass-uk.org) and get involved with a local group as it's vital you understand where it is and is not legal to drive.

A great way to see the countryside at a relaxed pace.

There's still a good network of historic unsurfaced roads to explore despite a lot of closures over the past years, enjoy it while you can.

Be prepared for a lot of ignorant antis though... But if you shoot you'll be used to that.

Edited June 7, 2020 by Wymondley

[washerboy]

They use the trees to winch out. 

They are public footpaths that have been walked for years then about 10 yrs ago the Land rover boys started green laneing as you call it. It's a nightmare to walk it as the lanes are knee deep holes full of water like mini trenches. 

 

[Wymondley]

11 minutes ago, washerboy said:

They use the trees to winch out. 

They are public footpaths that have been walked for years then about 10 yrs ago the Land rover boys started green laneing as you call it. It's a nightmare to walk it as the lanes are knee deep holes full of water like mini trenches. 

 

Before I comment further, and without wishing to be rude, can I ask if you understand the different classifications of public rights of way and who can use them?

Just so we know if we're talking about illegal use or inappropriate use.

Neither of which should reflect on greenlaners,  in the same way poaching shouldn't reflect on the wider shooting community.

Also what area of the country are you?

[washerboy]

It's south Yorkshire. Just between Doncaster and Goole. 

[Vince Green]

The definition of a green lane is a legal roadway (usually an ancient cart track ) that's not the same thing as a public footpath. Only difference is it has never been tarmaced over. The council should still maintain it but of course that doesn't happen so they become over grown and a lot of land owners want them to fall into disrepair.

It doesn't include private farm roads, footpaths or bridleways, towpaths etc. Its not a right to roam

Years ago a lot of motorcycle clubs used to ride the green lanes every year just to be able to say they were still in use so the councils couldn't declare them defunct, they used trials type bikes but they have to be street legal. Road traffic acts are still in force because they are still a road.

[Farmboy91]

My old man is a green laner, bikes now though. From what he's said the 4x4 boys don't like it when they get passed by the bikes.

Not offering an opinion either way on that myself.

I did get a call late one afternoon a few years back along the lines of ' you know xxxx, can you try and get hold of he's parents, quick as you can I haven't got alot of battery'. Then cuts me off. 

I knew that particular mate had an R1 so just assumed the worst. After a bit of searching I got hold of the mum and dad, the text the number to the old man and got a text back saying 'thanks'.

About 9.00 that night he rung me again, to explain this time. 

Turns out he'd been out on a lane he used to cut through near the a140, got to within 30-40 odd yards of the end and managed to properly beach he's Cherokee, completely up to its axles in mud  😂

The bloke who he wanted to get hold of used a unimog for work and he used that to come pull the jeep out. Took him two hours the next morning to clean the mud off 😂

 

[Wymondley]

22 minutes ago, washerboy said:

It's south Yorkshire. Just between Doncaster and Goole. 

Not an area with many Byways (a vehicle right of way), so I suspect illegal "off roading". Report it to the police and local council.

These people are yobs, they have nothing to do with responsible greenlaning.

[amateur]

1 hour ago, Centrepin said:

........Try and stick to BOATS, Byways Open to all Traffic. You can also look for ORPA's, Other Routes with Public Access. Forget RUPPs these are now mostly reclassified as Restricted Byways, briefly, only available if you have a right to be on them, otherwise closed.......

I did write that it was a long time since I last rode on an RUPP. I don't think that my back could cope with it nowadays 😂