My two penn'orth ...

The bomb hole is probably the 'correct' route .. but so is the 'go-around'. The simple fact is that the lane at that point is wide enough to drive almost anywhere between them!

Like many places, most lanes are actually as wide as the distance between walls or boundaries, unless part of the lane is designated footpath or bridleway, which is where a lot of confusion comes in. There are usually one or two tracks that are 'vehicle width' and which everyone takes, but that doesn't mean they are the only legal vehicular ways through ... and it doesn't mean that someone going off the 'worn bit of the route' is necessarily in the wrong or driving illegally! Do you think the sheep/cattle/geese/herds of whatever cared which bit of the lane they walked over, ate off, **** on, dug up? It's only our road oriented conventions that say we must keep to a normal roadway/vehicle lanes width when in fact there is very little legal definition of the widths of byways, especially ancient drover roads that are now byways.

How do you determine the widths of the drive-able lanes at each point? It's easy at gates or when there's walls, but at the bomb hole there is a wood a fence and another fence .. which bits between the fences are deemed not legal to drive? How were they determined and who determined them?

Just my thoughts on driving lanes .. ;)

Having said that .. some Byways might also be 100 yards wide between fences/boundaries, but the only legally drive-able bit might be a single track in the middle or either side, or even meandering .. each might be different to the next .. hence checking needs to be done, usually through the local council or authority.

For anyone worried, the bomb hole can be done in a standard 300Tdi Disco quite easily, without damage .. OK, I bent a bumper once, but that was my fault!
 
My standard Disco 200Tdi and Range Rover both clouted the tow bar going down the bombhole but picked up no other damage. As Fez says, the legal route is through it, but the council ROW team are happy for people to be signposted around it.

As has also been said, a mild deviation like that isn't the problem. The problem is that people go massively off-route and do stuff like driving up and down the rivers, or going where the hell they feel like. It's depressing to be honest that a few careless idiots make us all look bad. There's a good lane near Strata where a really bad off-piste area was fenced off. The idiots just smashed through the fence with their 4x4s. There were bits of truck all around. Sadly none that allowed identification.
 
Ive got to say, i did see an off piste line on the bomb hole video you did a few weeks ago but i didnt say anything because i dont want to be "that ****er" that pulls everyone up on everything, i did mean to send you a pm about it but i forgot.

Its an easy mistake to make, but strata being one of the most popular routes in the uk its important i think to get it right.

The bomb hole is the correct line, not the way round it on the flat or up the other rocky section.

I dont want to have a winge, but thats the route :)

lol. Some of the guys didn't feel their trucks were up to the bomb hole. I don't think you can pick at someone taking an easier route in that case, especially when driven so slowly and carefully. I get the point though!

I know what you mean about going massively off track just for kicks. I do like to think that if you watch my videos you can see the respectful way we drive the lanes. If we do wander its usually with good reason and with great care. OK, you might be able to criticize some of the driving styles of people in my group and occasionally I speed up bits of footage to squeeze more into a film but as a group of lads who are regularly out and about, we like to try and tread lightly!
 
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My two penn'orth ...

The bomb hole is probably the 'correct' route .. but so is the 'go-around'. The simple fact is that the lane at that point is wide enough to drive almost anywhere between them!

Like many places, most lanes are actually as wide as the distance between walls or boundaries, unless part of the lane is designated footpath or bridleway, which is where a lot of confusion comes in. There are usually one or two tracks that are 'vehicle width' and which everyone takes, but that doesn't mean they are the only legal vehicular ways through ... and it doesn't mean that someone going off the 'worn bit of the route' is necessarily in the wrong or driving illegally! Do you think the sheep/cattle/geese/herds of whatever cared which bit of the lane they walked over, ate off, **** on, dug up? It's only our road oriented conventions that say we must keep to a normal roadway/vehicle lanes width when in fact there is very little legal definition of the widths of byways, especially ancient drover roads that are now byways.

How do you determine the widths of the drive-able lanes at each point? It's easy at gates or when there's walls, but at the bomb hole there is a wood a fence and another fence .. which bits between the fences are deemed not legal to drive? How were they determined and who determined them?

Just my thoughts on driving lanes .. ;)

Having said that .. some Byways might also be 100 yards wide between fences/boundaries, but the only legally drive-able bit might be a single track in the middle or either side, or even meandering .. each might be different to the next .. hence checking needs to be done, usually through the local council or authority.

For anyone worried, the bomb hole can be done in a standard 300Tdi Disco quite easily, without damage .. OK, I bent a bumper once, but that was my fault!

Absolutely Paul, i was just playing devils advocate really.

Like i said, most people(me included) and the council and the gate keepers dont have a problem with the mild diversion around the bomb hole. The fence line and trees beyond do really dictate the path there.

My standard Disco 200Tdi and Range Rover both clouted the tow bar going down the bombhole but picked up no other damage. As Fez says, the legal route is through it, but the council ROW team are happy for people to be signposted around it.

As has also been said, a mild deviation like that isn't the problem. The problem is that people go massively off-route and do stuff like driving up and down the rivers, or going where the hell they feel like. It's depressing to be honest that a few careless idiots make us all look bad. There's a good lane near Strata where a really bad off-piste area was fenced off. The idiots just smashed through the fence with their 4x4s. There were bits of truck all around. Sadly none that allowed identification.

Yes, i was meerly trying to establish a line between the mud flingers and the people who are trying to navigate an obstacle.

I agree wholeheartedly about the off piste morons, they give us all a bad name. I will continue to report and individuals and vehicles i see going off into areas they clearly know are off piste.

lol. Some of the guys didn't feel their trucks were up to the bomb hole. I don't think you can pick at someone taking an easier route in that case, especially when driven so slowly and carefully. I get the point though!

I know what you mean about going massively off track just for kicks. I do like to think that if you watch my videos you can see the respectful way we drive the lanes. If we do wander its usually with good reason and with great care. OK, you might be able to criticize some of the driving styles of people in my group and occasionally I speed up bits of footage to squeeze more into a film but as a group of lads who are regularly out and about, we like to try and tread lightly!

See you say "I don't think you can pick at someone taking an easier route" but technically they can. They(the powers that be) have way marked a route and wether we like it or not, thats the route we have to follow. :(

Im really not trying to have a go at anyone but you did ask at the very start of this thread. :lol:

I like your videos, there well made and thought out. They put a good spin on greenlaning and show a responsible user group not a bunch of mud flingers out on a jolly wherever they want.

If anyone had have seen bad driving or people not caring about the lanes etc then they would have piped up by now im sure. I certainly would, i like getting out and about driving lanes too much to not voice my opinion, which is an issue sometimes :eek:

All you can do with others in your group is point them in the right direction. I have asked people out with me before to chill out and be respectful. Some didnt so i said i wasnt going to do anymore lanes with them and went home. I certainly wouldnt take any newbies who i dont know down some of the more fragile lanes in my area. Its difficult, to gauge. Sometimes people dont understand what there vehicles can do and how to operate the box properly
 
Hey Mr ellebarto , they had one of those pin . pinz , pingy thingy (can't pronounce the ruddy thing:rolleyes:) at the military vehicle stand at Culdrose air day ...ha ha except the one we looked at had a double rear portal axle thingy ...see i'm technical me ...:D twas fab , along with some old army trucks , lightweight old landys too . v nice..:)
 
Hey Mr ellebarto , they had one of those pin . pinz , pingy thingy (can't pronounce the ruddy thing:rolleyes:) at the military vehicle stand at Culdrose air day ...ha ha except the one we looked at had a double rear portal axle thingy ...see i'm technical me ...:D twas fab , along with some old army trucks , lightweight old landys too . v nice..:)

The guy that comes out with us restores them and usually has 2 or 3 on his drive. I think he runs the UK club.



Here's a video of a double rear axle Pinz out with us in Wales. It was a compilation I did for him of the Pinz's on the day so it gets a bit boring. Its not a Land Rover after all.....
Welsh Borders Pinzgauer Military Off Road Vehicle Green Laning and Off Roading - YouTube
 

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