Some people don't agree with off-roading and green laning, but I find it a lot of fun and in the case of yesterday, saw some very nice views and was totally non-damaging to both cars and roads - as it should be!
Went to Northamptonshire and drove around 30miles of the local byways and greenlanes. Northampton seem to have an excellent policy of maintaining the lanes for all, to the point of closing some that do mud up a lot during the winter months. Some of the lanes were better than some normal roads I've been on.
(http://www.disco3club.colston-online.co.uk/Northampton/slides/IMG_7006%20EOS-1D%20Mark%20III%20copy.jpg)
(http://www.disco3club.colston-online.co.uk/Northampton/slides/IMG_6935%20EOS-1D%20Mark%20III%20copy.jpg)
(http://www.disco3club.colston-online.co.uk/Northampton/slides/IMG_6932%20EOS-1D%20Mark%20III%20copy.jpg)
With more on Here (http://www.disco3club.colston-online.co.uk/Northampton/index.html#)
As a general rule, I'm not in favour. We've a Green Lane at the top of the road and it's had it's ar$e torn out of it - initial damage to the surface has now continued with significant erosion. But the worst of it is the 'clever' bikers who've decided to go off-Lane and tear around the adjoining SSSI! >:(
Mark,
As ever, some nutters always spoil it for others, in your case seems to be bikers, but some 4x4ers are as bad.
You can see the cars we are driving - not tricked up old 90's, but basically standard road cars.
The club I'm is is a member of the Green Lane association which has a code of conduct for driving lanes. In principle, you don't wreck them!
Some walkers complain that cars are causing erosion - but if you look at the popular walking areas - The Peaks etc, then there is a massive problem of foot traffic ruining the country side too! At least in many cases, it is the offroad community that repairs the green lanes so that they are kept open.
I don't have a problem with green laneing , or motorbikes, mountain bikes or horses.
Whenever I'm up in the Peaks (My usual stompping ground.), 5 minets walk from where ever you park your car and your totally alone.
I'm sure there's room for everyone.
Graham. :tup:
We have a 'green lane' (chemin rural) leading to our house. I maintain it by occasionally chucking some gravel down on it - free from the local quarry. The only time it really suffers is once every four years when the Grappe de Cyrano entrants spend the weekend tooling around the countryside. Then it gets very chewed up. But that's just volume of traffic ;)
I agree with Graham, there's room for everyone as long as they don't deliberately wreck things - a little wear and tear is fair enough.
Used to live in Cardiff and the Brecon Beacons were my regular stomping ground - despite it being way quieter than the Peaks, there were still scramblers chewing up the paths! >:(
Undoubtedly, walkers contribute a significant effect on paths - I used to use the broad rule of thumb that 50 walkers = 1 scrambler, 10 walkers = 1 horse! ;)