Off roading

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Here in Great Plains of Norfolk, I was asked over the weekend if I wanted go off roading with a group of friends once we are allowed. I had to laugh, as we all live in Norfolk and I couldn’t see there being many places around here to do such a activity. As couple of friends have bought some 4X4’s and wanted to have a go. With the idea of going away camping and making a weekend of it.
I am rather intrigued as I have never had the opportunity. By biggest worry is that I will like it and will want to buy one myself.
 
Soldato
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This is not green-laneing then ?
hadn't heard the terminology till last week, but sounded like self-righteous 4x4ers exploiting ill maintained rights of way, and tearing them up to the detriment of the community, and the council tax paying public .
 
Soldato
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better of finding yourself an organised club that arrange outings. because of access laws you cant just open a gate to fields and start driving around.
 
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This is not green-laneing then ?
hadn't heard the terminology till last week, but sounded like self-righteous 4x4ers exploiting ill maintained rights of way, and tearing them up to the detriment of the community, and the council tax paying public .
Yes I guess it would be called green laneing. I have just learnt this myself and the more I look into this, the more I am coming to the same thought as you.
 
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This is not green-laneing then ?
hadn't heard the terminology till last week, but sounded like self-righteous 4x4ers exploiting ill maintained rights of way, and tearing them up to the detriment of the community, and the council tax paying public .
I used to do the green lanes on my motorbike a while ago and the people you describe do exist, but don’t represent everyone. There are careful and respectful green laners on both 2 and 4 wheels, but their proportion of the overall population was dwindling back when I was doing it in 2000-2010. There was an increasing amount of..... chavs getting involved. I’m sure the respectful users still exist though but as access is gradually removed due to the actions of the aforementioned, the incentives for the conscientious reduce as significant travel is sometimes required. Even over a decade ago I remember significant ball ache due to preachy walkers and horse people who didn’t understand access rights, and that was for us as a group who at first sight of walkers or horses in the distance would stop and turn off the engines until they had passed to a safe distance. I have witnessed some confrontations between the more uncouth laners and walkers/horsey people which have escalated to the police being called.

It was great fun but it became such a chore in the end that I just gave up.

Off roading on private land with permission is a different story though. Much more fun if you get a good course.
 
Soldato
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Yes I guess it would be called green laneing. I have just learnt this myself and the more I look into this, the more I am coming to the same thought as you.
You won't be doing much of that in Norfolk. http://maps.norfolk.gov.uk/highways/

You need to zoom the map right in to see the public rights of way (untick the others), of those only the Byways open to all traffic (BOAT) can be driven and as you can see these are very few and far between.

That said there is a club based around Thetford that normally go out once a month AFAIK.
 
Man of Honour
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yer, we've driven most of the ones in Norfolk, and thats about 10 at most. Thetford forrest does have quite a lot but you get a few miles in, find someone in their estate car fly tipping / dogging and you realise its not really offroading at all.
 
Associate
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This is not green-laneing then ?
hadn't heard the terminology till last week, but sounded like self-righteous 4x4ers exploiting ill maintained rights of way, and tearing them up to the detriment of the community, and the council tax paying public .

or could be termed as entirely legal road users and tax payers exercising their entirely legal right to enjoy the countryside in the way of their choosing on the tiny remaining number of 'green lanes' out of the hundreds of thousands of miles of rights of way reserved for non-motorised users. :rolleyes:

not that ive done it in years and years, but we seem so eager to take away other people rights in this country we will be lucky if theres any left.
 
Soldato
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I'm a Green Laner!

2 years ago I joined 'Glass', a responsible green laning association.

With the subscription, you get an awesome online map, the money also goes back into green lane upkeep, signage and maintenance.

There are hooners, but I'm not one of them.


See if you can spot my Fiat Panda 4x4. :o

However, having said that, this is the dream..

 
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