Green Laning in Bucks

Well for those who want to take their pride and joy off road and gain many a battle scar (at this rate I think a new pain job will be needed soon!) :shock: Here is some notes on what you can do in Bucks. Have a few more to try out, so watch this space!

Apologies for no pictures, wife forgot the camera! D'oh! :roll:

I called the buck Highway’s authorities and asked them which lanes were open as By Ways/ BOAT’s. They very kindly sent me a list of all the current ones open. I was shocked to see how few they were! The Route No Refers to the route on their plans

Date; 20 Sep 2008

Route No. 7
Length 1150M
Grid Start 483678, 202506
Grid End; 481819, 204041
Name: Upper Icknield Way
Weather: Sunny
Condition of By Way; Tarmac, changing to Tracks, some overhang and narrowing due to bushes
Overview;
This is closed from Nov – April. Good one to start with. Very simple and non taxing, We started the Wycombe road end and went up, what really is an access road to some of the houses. The road then turned into the standard track, shallow ruts and nice fields to one side and back of house to the other. You make your way up the Icknield Way, pass a couple of ramblers (poles included) and on the most they were rather friendly, except one, who gave a scowl (to which my daughter asked if she had just ate a lemon? Which I think shocked her! )

About half way down, I would recommend you slow to a crawl as there is a school playing field access that bisects the route, but being a Saturday, no kids and the ‘level crossing’ gates were in our favour. Once past this is where you get the overhanging branches and extended bushes, but apart from that a real nice drive, and in the sunshine fantastic ‘dappling’ of sunlight through the (still) green trees. Once at the end a slight rise and you come to the main road where you cross to the other side of the Icknield Way

Route No. 8
Length 950M
Grid Start: 480558, 202506
Grid End; 481258, 203110
Name: Upper Icknield Way
Weather: Sunny
Condition of By Way; Tarmac, changing to Tracks, some overhang and narrowing due to bushes
Overview;
This starts off as a well maintained cinder type track and is rather narrow, due to the bushes and the houses to both sides, however a few meters down the houses to one side become fields. This does have an ever increasing gradient as you head towards Whiteleaf, but also does widen out, but the overhanging trees do make for some interesting noises (and marks) on the roof! Apart from a cyclist, who tried to explain to me that a By Way is not meant to be driven on, it was quite a rather nice trip and Clare (my Wife) did rather well for her first time. The lane does narrow as you come up towards the end of the Grid references, and could do with cutting back some of the trees, it also pops out to a severe blind bend on your left. if you do this, this is another one that is closed Nov – April.

*If the weather is good, like we had today, I would suggest turning right and following the road up the hill. At the top turn left into the car park, as there is a short walk and it takes you to a fantastic view point where you can see right across most of Bucks and into Oxon. Great place for a pick nic and for the kids/ animal to run around.

Route No. 92
Length 1720M
Grid Start:478296, 203404
Grid End; 478790, 201734
Name: Old Oddley Lane
Weather: Sunny
Condition of By Way; Starts well maintained, changes to real green lane just past the rail crossing
Overview;
This is what it’s about! All Diff locks on! Really enjoyed this one.(though no Low range) You start on a gravelled, wide path, just off the main road – Icknield Way, for about 200M, you then come to a rail crossing with a double hinged gate. Once over and the gates re closed, the track does turn into a very narrow, deep rutted green lane, right through to the end and from the crossing it is evident that it is used part of the way for the farmers to get from field to field. Be careful as if you have a LWB or wide vehicle, you may encounter a really bad ‘dog leg’ between two trees about 200M from the end. Taking this slowly it was great fun and everyone enjoyed it, though the track could do with some maintenance 150M from the end. Fields both sides, except for the end, where you have houses back gardens on each side. Again be careful as you pop out right onto a main road. Again Nov- April

Route No. 74
Length 1500M
Grid Start:477002, 201205
Grid End; 473886, 201165
Name: None given
Weather: Sunny
Condition of By Way; Starts well maintained, almost like a non tarmac drive
Overview
Meh – After the last green lane this was tame in comparison. Very simple in the dry, load of walkers, ‘tuting’ and a few cyclists who were rather nice (especially the blond goddess! – and she was worth the black eye I got from the Mrs!). Just when you get to the end it changes to a bridleway and you have to turn around and come back.

Route No. 1
Length 960M
Grid Start: 478573, 203641
Grid End; 479183, 203101
Name: No Name
Weather: Sunny
Condition of By Way; Well maintained, Gravel all the way, with a bit of uneven mud at the end
Overview
Quick, clean and simple. But be careful, very popular with kid cyclists and families.

If you have any questions, please post or drop me a PM

Spider1V