Trail route across England
 

Yeah i know this is not exactly a large trip or anything but i'm planning to ride from southern England (southampton) to at least Newcastle using as little tarmac as possible on a small trail bike, camping along the way-Lack of cash forces me to work and lack of holiday forces me to not take my planned africa trip this year.
I don't care whether the routes are legal or not (RUP's etc.)but can anyone point me in the right direction of getting these routes other than buying 30+ maps of each county/town?.

"I don't care whether the routes are legal or not (RUP's etc.)but can anyone point me in the right direction of getting these routes other than buying 30+ maps of each county/town?"

Don't mean to give you a hard time over this but do us all a favour and stick to the legal routes. With the Countryside Rights of Way Act currently reviewing all access rights now isn't the time to p**sing the landownwers off. I know because I'm one of the poor sods who goes to work every day to fight your corner on PRoW and the CRoW Act. What defence will you be leaving me with next time I'm talking to the Country Land Owners Assoc? Not much eh!

Cheers

Chris

If i can stick to legal routes then of course but if there are 2 routes and I need to make a short go for it to get to the second then so be it. The TRF are pretty useless, you would think they know all he routes but don't, each area TRF don't even have details of all routes, are there any maps which cover the whole of the UK, i had a look at some OS maps but the route isn't covered.

You can contact each council on the route you are planning and they can provide the legal routes. As routes change legal position from time to time and the OS do not keep up to date maps this is the best way of not getting into disputes with landowners. Then I'm afraid it's purchase a buch of 1:50,000 scale maps and off you go.

Regards,
Kevin.

Martync - can you post the results of your enquiries? I'd like to have a go at something like this and it sounds really interesting - and quite timely with all this daft stuff that's going on at the moment by certain parties in the UK who seem hell bent on trying to do to stop bikers enjoying the countryside too.


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Fuzzy Duck
(I'm quackers about bikes)

Fuzzy

your right I don't know what the place will be like here in the UK in 20 years time- people wrapped in padding with warning sighns everywhere?


my findings so far:
well, Ive concluded that to go legal all the way will take a lot of planning due to the changing situation and seems there is no body which holds all of this info so a map for each county looks the way to go, hell i'll need a bmw to take the load of the maps(I was thinking an XR250!).

However i live close to the ordnance survey and will visit them soon with my quest- never know may be able to buy the route on CD.

any other ideas welcomed though!

What a great idea! Like the trans-america trail but in our own back yard.

Martyn, one way to go about this is to share the load. I'd like to do this trail as well - if you find that you do need to contact heaps of councils then let me know.



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Barry
3AJ Tenere

Great Idea Barry - sharing the load makes loads more sense. I'm willing to get involved too.

Perhaps we can start by contacting local off-road clubs - I was thinking of joining the one in my area (although I'm not sure a R100 GS would go to places these super light thumpers manage to go...) Is this what you meant about TRF MartynC? Maybe some clubs will be better than others?

Some of these guys will know the local tracks and might be willing to get involved in putting a UK route together. Who knows it might have already been done by a network of clubs. Also it might be worth talking to TBM magazine - they do great articles about trail tracks. In fact it might be worth stringing a collection of their trails together to make one BIG route? Although this probably wouldn't work out as the shortest route, it would make a fantastic ride!

What do you think? I'm happy to contact TBM.

[This message has been edited by Fuzzy Duck (edited 04 February 2004).]

Martync
Don't want to **** on the bonfire, I have ridden illegally myself (no damage, no upset, no problem basis) and I've wondered about the same type of trip myself, but, I'd recommend anyone who does want to ride offroad in UK in future to read http://www.bmf.co.uk/press/2003/press276.html and perhaps even contribute.
They ARE out to get us ! Shout now, or don't moan later.
On whatever basis, good luck with your plans, but don't upset the people (TRF/BMF/MAG etc)helping on your behalf.

Sounds fantastic!

How exactly do you know if the tracks are legal or not? Are we talking 'green lanes' here or just normal bridle paths/footpaths etc?

How would I find out this info in my local area? Council?

Did anyone have any luck with this, or find any nice extended places that's possible?