steve b Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 1 hour ago, pat_pending said: At least I can say I've driven some extremely technical routes when very few people knew of their existence, most of which are no longer open and probably never will be. Has it just become too easy? When it took many hours of research and a particularly hardy soul to drive 200+ miles in a series on SATs, it limited who would bother. Now it's all on line and civilised 4x4s are readily available. It also seems there's more relevant discussion in this one thread than the whole of the GLASS forum. Me too , feel very lucky to have had the experiences . I too have researched and driven 250 miles in a 2 litre 80" on SAT's and had a great week in Wales with two other Land Rovers , another 80" 2 litre and a 2a 88" . More locally , as a group we researched local disused vehicular rights of way - county roads mostly - and cleared wide and high enough for us and horses . Many are still in use now but not by vehicles .... Too easy now and very hard to police/control so the clock is ticking as far as I can see . Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 Things have been going to hell in a handcart for a long time now. I only have to recall Strata Florida when I first drove it in 1995 to last years foray to see the decline. That's why I love our foreign laning trips; far from the chav off roaders, gentle lanes, no damage to lane or truck, coffee and relaxation. The only challenges in the terrain caused by snow melt run off, not 40" mud monster tyres. Roll on September 😊 Mo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 34 minutes ago, Mo Murphy said: Things have been going to hell in a handcart for a long time now. I only have to recall Strata Florida when I first drove it in 1995 to last years foray to see the decline. That's why I love our foreign laning trips; far from the chav off roaders, gentle lanes, no damage to lane or truck, coffee and relaxation. The only challenges in the terrain caused by snow melt run off, not 40" mud monster tyres. Roll on September 😊 Mo My trips to the Sierra Nevada are a joy. I'm only pre-running routes for a 'tour' company, but the majority of the customers are French or Dutch, so generally have a better attitude towards 'off tarmac driving' (although not all), meaning they want the journey not the challenge). Over the years I have logged well over 700kms of routes in the Sierra Nevada and the Beatics.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted January 6, 2022 Author Share Posted January 6, 2022 We had a trip to France many years ago, I can't say it was a success as far as laning was concerned, I did have a good laugh though. Going abroad is not really an option for me now. I can't see the situation here getting better though as no one will deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 2 hours ago, Nonimouse said: Over the years I have logged well over 700kms of routes in the Sierra Nevada and the Beatics Sierra Nevada I know of (and @panthersloverhas a fantastic view of them) but the Beatics - where is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 6 minutes ago, Peaklander said: Sierra Nevada I know of (and @panthersloverhas a fantastic view of them) but the Beatics - where is that? Bad spelling, that's what - I meant to write Baetics. It's a system of mountains that runs all up through the South of Spain, from Gib up through Andalucia and Valencia Also know as the Cordilleras or the Beticas. It includes the mountain range north of Ronda, the Sierra De Las Nieves (a personal favourite and where we used to take the Porsche Cayenne owners club, back in the day). I even have routes in the Parque Natural Los Alcornocales (form my days working for Toyota Gibralta I love Spain, as long as I'm no where near the tourist hotspots on the Mediteranian Coast. So many mountains, so few 'wild campers', so many legal routes to drive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 28 minutes ago, Nonimouse said: I love Spain, as long as I'm no where near the tourist hotspots on the Mediteranian Coast. So many mountains, so few 'wild campers', so many legal routes to drive Ah ok I see now. The Sierra Nev is at one end of that range. We 'discovered' non-touristy Spain a few years ago and have been twice so far. I looks as though we will be going again in the Spring, probably to include Andalusia. The first night in Spain a few years ago was a wild camp on the top of a hill above the final scene cemetery set from The Good The Bad and the Ugly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 There is more to lane recovery post use than just numbers, driving style and Tyre size. A lot is down to the soil etc. I think I have said this before but during the European Jeepers Jamboree hundreds of Jeeps with very aggressive tyres drove lanes aggressively. The whole place was a quagmire, with miles of mud on the roads. A year later it returned to the same lanes, most you couldn't tell they had been driven. The French were amazingly tolerant (they have a history of supporting motorsport) even a household at the end of one lane did not bat an eyelid at all the motors going past all day and helped us out when we had an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 1 hour ago, pat_pending said: We had a trip to France many years ago, I can't say it was a success as far as laning was concerned, I did have a good laugh though. Going abroad is not really an option for me now. I can't see the situation here getting better though as no one will deal with it. Shame Pat, France is pretty carp for laning. Spain and Portugal on the other hand are fantastic for it. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 28 minutes ago, Mo Murphy said: Shame Pat, France is pretty carp for laning. Spain and Portugal on the other hand are fantastic for it. Mo France was excellent and still has good bits - the expert on here is Arjan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 1 hour ago, Peaklander said: Ah ok I see now. The Sierra Nev is at one end of that range. We 'discovered' non-touristy Spain a few years ago and have been twice so far. I looks as though we will be going again in the Spring, probably to include Andalusia. The first night in Spain a few years ago was a wild camp on the top of a hill above the final scene cemetery set from The Good The Bad and the Ugly. I know that cemetary, up above Burgos in the National Park. There various bits of GBU film sets in Almeria, Andalucia and Aragon. We drove through one of the sets on the Baja Aragon, back in 91. If you like unspoilt spain, I would reccomend the Picos De Europa, Monserat (in Catalonia, and not far from the lovely Savi and Phil at Spanish 4x4) and the Sierra De Barbanza (loads of wild horses). The mountains along the coast between Malaga and Almeria, on the the south side of the Alpujarra valley are amazing. The valley itself was one of the last bastionsof the Moors in southern spain, then the last bastion of the Communists in the Spanish Civil War. It's a truly amazing place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 15 minutes ago, Nonimouse said: The mountains along the coast between Malaga and Almeria, on the the south side of the Alpujarra valley are amazing. Yes we have been there, it is a beautiful area and we are probably heading back soonish. Just talking about dates and ferries now. This is above Burgos and the film set below... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 3 hours ago, Nonimouse said: France was excellent and still has good bits - the expert on here is Arjan Sure it is providing you have the permission of the local mayor. Fine for organised tours with the time and funding to organise prior to not so good for a small group looking for a journey. I understand it is a bit easier in the North of the country but if I'm going abroad I prefer to go south away from UK type weather 🤣 Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 If you look at the videos of TET in France it looks like they have a lot of good lanes the whole length of the country ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted January 7, 2022 Share Posted January 7, 2022 ... but you haven't driven any yourself, Stephen ? Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted January 7, 2022 Share Posted January 7, 2022 18 hours ago, Nonimouse said: you like unspoilt spain, I would reccomend the Picos De Europa, Monserat (in Catalonia, and not far from the lovely Savi and Phil at Spanish 4x4) and the Sierra De Barbanza (loads of wild horses). I love the Picos De Europa - though my laning experience there was limited to getting a lift to and from our caving expedition campsite in the back of a Land Rover (our local contacts ran walking and 4x4 tours out of Arenes De Cabrales). Can't camp up there now, since it became a national park - official camp sites only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 On 1/7/2022 at 2:07 PM, geoffbeaumont said: I love the Picos De Europa - though my laning experience there was limited to getting a lift to and from our caving expedition campsite in the back of a Land Rover (our local contacts ran walking and 4x4 tours out of Arenes De Cabrales). Can't camp up there now, since it became a national park - official camp sites only. Spain has a no wild camping rule now - but Parking overnight is fine. I've wild camped all over Spain and have never been questioned/fined, I think the Guardia Sevil have more important things to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 2 hours ago, Nonimouse said: Spain has a no wild camping rule now - but Parking overnight is fine. I've wild camped all over Spain and have never been questioned/fined, I think the Guardia Sevil have more important things to do I know people who've been moved on from a wild camp in the Picos, by the park rangers. That was over twenty years ago, though, in the second year it was a national park (first year there were no staff hired, so you couldn't actually get permits for anything as there was no-one to apply to - but there also wasn't anyone to enforce them). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Booked a ferry to Santander for just after Easter. I might be sending a pm or two for some ideas 😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 We were chased out of a forest clearing in Spain one morning by a Park Ranger in a 90 after wild camping there 🤣 We were mid cooked breakfast ! Lots of threats of Big fines ! Pikey wrote an entertaining account of it here on James Trembaths site https://www.4x4adventures.co.uk/_main/_reports13/portugal1.htm We made our excuses and left promptly. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon W Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 Well this thread is all a bit of doom and gloom take your chins out of your pints and cheer up a bit. I am a member of glass and use trailwise 2 and find it very useful and it does make route planning a lot easier and saves having to back out of lanes which end up too narrow. Yes if you get to a lane and it is a lot muddier or you are likely to do damage I will turn around. I don't use the glass forum but tend to find a lot more happens on the local Glass facebook groups, i have met up with random strangers and shown them the ropes and the responsible way to lane and have made some good friends from doing so. Unfortunately there are always people who will give the rest of us a bad name, tearing up tracks and hitting things at speed to spray mud everywhere (there is currently a new youtube channel which is doing this unfortunately) but that is where Glass are there to help by liaising with land owners and offering help to councils and funding for repair projects. In my area Lauren the local rep does loads of good work in keeping the peace and maintaining the lanes. So all is not lost. Granted there are some areas which attract the mud pluggers more than others such as Salisbury plain I recently travelled from south to north wales over 4 days by as many lanes as possible in mid summer and other than the honey pot lanes such as strata hardly saw another user. I am fortunate I live in wales and a lot of our lanes are hard based so stand up well to the weather. Also laned around the peaks and lake in recent year and found lot of well maintained tracks with hard bases which are ok to use all year round. Have also found a lot of lesser trodden tracks which have grass has grown over inbetween users which is always a nice sign. So cheer up, get out there and enjoy yourselves, our hobby may not be around for ever so may as well make the most of it while you can. A not so doom and gloomy Jon 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 On 1/5/2022 at 5:00 PM, Peaklander said: This is a 'lane' near us, called Moscar Cross Road Here's another recent one. Apparently "a novice" who has received a police warning and told his vehicle will be seized next time. It was reported that he had to plead with the farmer to tow him out. I know the farmer and it won't have been an easy conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 On 1/7/2022 at 4:51 AM, Mo Murphy said: ... but you haven't driven any yourself, Stephen ? Mo No - but I’ve forgot what we were talking about, so not sure what you mean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 11 hours ago, Anderzander said: No - but I’ve forgot what we were talking about, so not sure what you mean! Alzheimers or alcohol ? 😁 Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted February 20, 2022 Share Posted February 20, 2022 Something that begins with ‘A’ for certain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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