Where can I legally drive a 4x4 off road?
Discussion
I live in a pretty rural area and often see places I would just to go and drive, just because I can. Only problem being is that they are either fenced off, have mounds of earth to stop cars getting on or are blatantly just farmers fields etc.
Is there anywhere I'm actually just allowed to go and drive off road? I saw an episode of 5th gear I think where they took a Lada Niva off road and said it was just legal green lanes through the moors etc. Is there a map I can get access to online that shows these?
Cheers
Is there anywhere I'm actually just allowed to go and drive off road? I saw an episode of 5th gear I think where they took a Lada Niva off road and said it was just legal green lanes through the moors etc. Is there a map I can get access to online that shows these?
Cheers
Your local council office/website should have a right of way map with all the Legal Byways highlighted. Just be responsible and stick to them religously.
Other than that, pay and play sites are the only places to have any fun. I got rid of a 4x4 purely because therewas nowhere within about 30-40 miles to go have fun in it, and I got bored of the local lanes.
Other than that, pay and play sites are the only places to have any fun. I got rid of a 4x4 purely because therewas nowhere within about 30-40 miles to go have fun in it, and I got bored of the local lanes.
As has been said, pick up an O/S map & look for BOATs. Local authority websites also often have lots of info on their green lanes that are open.
Pay & Play sites are great fun. Although, make sure you find a good one, as some of them can be like demolition derbys if they are not marshalled properly.
Join your local 4x4 club. For obvious reasons, many great off road areas are kept quite hush hush, but your local club will be able to point ou in the right direction
Pay & Play sites are great fun. Although, make sure you find a good one, as some of them can be like demolition derbys if they are not marshalled properly.
Join your local 4x4 club. For obvious reasons, many great off road areas are kept quite hush hush, but your local club will be able to point ou in the right direction
I don't want to be the one sounding like trying to spoil the fun, but if you drive on the legal routes, be careful about not doing any damage. In recent years there has been mass legislation that has unfortunately restricted access to motorised vehicles, and as you will imagine particular anti-civilisation groups continue to campaign to put a stop to all greenlaning and off-roading full stop.
Cheers for the info.
Been researching and have found some local byways that are open to cars but tbh, they all just look like farm tracks with nothing challenging in any way etc.
Looks like, for what I want, it will be pay and play, although was hoping I would be able to have some fun without paying for it really
Been researching and have found some local byways that are open to cars but tbh, they all just look like farm tracks with nothing challenging in any way etc.
Looks like, for what I want, it will be pay and play, although was hoping I would be able to have some fun without paying for it really
That's the drawback these days with so many campaigning to rid the use of vehicles on those routes. The only ones that have been interesting or were interesting have mostly been closed down because they deteriorated beyond what was safe/reasonable (and what was politically acceptable).
Byways are not the place to be doing 'challenging' off roading. Damaging the surface is a good way to get the byway TRO'd when other users complain about it getting chewed up, and in the past I've even turned back to avoid soft bits.
Another consideration is what happens if you get stuck, put the vehicle on its side (possibly with you trapped) or break down. Recovery from a difficult lane would be ££££££.
Pay and play sites are by far the best option for mucking around in 4x4s.
Another consideration is what happens if you get stuck, put the vehicle on its side (possibly with you trapped) or break down. Recovery from a difficult lane would be ££££££.
Pay and play sites are by far the best option for mucking around in 4x4s.
Edited by Eggman on Sunday 15th January 20:02
Deluded said:
Cheers for the info.
Been researching and have found some local byways that are open to cars but tbh, they all just look like farm tracks with nothing challenging in any way etc.
Looks like, for what I want, it will be pay and play, although was hoping I would be able to have some fun without paying for it really
Most pay and play sites are around £20-30 for the day, so fairly good value for money.Been researching and have found some local byways that are open to cars but tbh, they all just look like farm tracks with nothing challenging in any way etc.
Looks like, for what I want, it will be pay and play, although was hoping I would be able to have some fun without paying for it really
Byways can be fun in their own way but you won't find much particularly challenging unless it's very wet, in which case good off-roading etiquette is not to drive them.
I really wanted to get into off-roading a couple of years ago, got myself a half-decent modded Suzuki SJ, but my local pay and play closed down right afterwards, and after I'd driven the local green lanes I just wasn't inspired to use it. I just found everything was against you if you wanted to be a sensible, responsible 4x4er, far too many idiots ruining it for everyone else.
The local authorities and National Parks around here have spent a large amount of cash sanitising the BOATs to put people off using them for pleasure
TBH you could drive a Mini Metro over most of them now whereas previously they were pretty hardcore - now just covered in hardcore
Id strongly suggest joining a club
Not driving like a t
t offroad is also a givenA small number of w
kers have a lot to answer for regarding the bad press the 4x4 brigade receiveCheers
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