I am off to the Isle of Wight next week and fancied showing off the new car by doing a bit of gentle off roading. Having seen the attached link I wondered if anyone knew the route these guys use on the island?
It looks pretty tame stuff but I have my in laws with me which is perfect.
It would be good to get them all up and out for a picnic and a bit of different sight seeing.FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
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2nd Apr 2007 10:04 pm
DG Site Moderator
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50949
Fisherman ...apparently there are 29 miles worth of BOATS on the Isle of White ...I checked on Fugawi and there are some long lanes over high ridges. You might want to contact IoW council and check if they are all open ...but you've given me an idea for a possible disco3 event in the future 21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
2nd Apr 2007 10:46 pm
cecilthecat
Member Since: 21 Oct 2006
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 47
I'm sure I read about this somewhere in one or the LR owners mags and seem to remember that you need a licence or Permit to drive them.
Could be wrong though
2nd Apr 2007 10:52 pm
DG Site Moderator
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Yer....I've got a 'driving' licence 21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
2nd Apr 2007 10:55 pm
DG Site Moderator
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Fisherman ....here is the e-mail for the Rights of way office if you want to check whats open:
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
Nice one DG. E-mail sent.
I will post the response.
FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
3rd Apr 2007 9:37 am
fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
As promised, here is the response from Alex Russell at the e-mail addy you supplied.
Two byways in Shorwell and Chale parishes are closed at present awaiting surface repairs. These are C32a which becomes SW41 Appleford Road to Beckford Cross, a little way north of Chale Green, and SW56 from Kingston to Atherfiekld Road via Dungewood Farm, south of Shorwell village.
Byways are shown on the Definitive Map as a continuous line with v’s either side. The Definitive Map can be viewed on iwight.com/definitivemap (part of the Rights of Way pages).
We appreciate your taking care on these routes which are our remaining historic highways, especially on the Tennyson Trail from Newport to Freshwater Bay which goes through SSSIs and scheduled ancient monuments.
Kind regards
Bless him, he couldn't have been more helpful.
Big fun coming riiiiiiight up!
FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
3rd Apr 2007 11:41 am
SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
would be interested in what you thought Fisherman as this is obviously very local to me??
end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
10th Apr 2007 9:35 am
fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
Well I just got back from the Isle of Wight and what a week it was. The sun shone for the whole week and managed to get a day out on the byways, great fun.
As mentioned before, I had my in laws and my kids on board so it had to be reasonabley easy stuff, which it was.
If anything it was a bit too easy for the D3, and it took the whole route with absolute style and grace.
There was little to worry it to be totally honest and it wasn't much more than a bumpy road and ruts to contend with.
I arrived Sunday morning at the Freshawater end of the Tennyson Trail, a three part trek all the way to Newport. The start of the trail is about 20' before the Freshwater sign when approached from the west on the southern coastal road. It was my first time off road without the back-up of an organiser, so I didn't really know what I was doing, or looking for. I found the beginning of the trail after some driving back and forth a few times and the use of an OS map of the island.
We pulled off the road and onto the trail and immediately came across a small sign basically telling me to take care of the track and the ancient monuments on the route. This confirmed my trip was correct and legal and started driving the rutted tyre tracked route up the hill, across what is actually a golf course. On the way up there were a number of hikers walking back down. One of these hikers was pushing a pram and had a child of about 12 years old with her. As she drew level with my nearside window she screamed "this is a footpath you fool!" through the window straight into my wifes ear. I shouted back that it wasn't and was begged to shut up by the Mrs. She didn't want to cause a fuss, and I wanted to get out and ram the OS map up her &rse sideways until she agreed that what I was doing was my right.
This put a dampener on the first part of the trail, but her, may she live a long and desperately sad exsistance.
The route was just ruts in the chalky ground for all of the first section, some bits deeper than others, but nothing anywhere near the D3's limits. There are some great views of the island and it's well worth taking your camera. The second section (The fist time I crossed a road) was into a field with some steep inclines and the track was waist deep at some points, but the middle grassy bit was no higher than normal. The whole track was just sunken 4' at some places into the field which meant that you would have to climb out of the window if you did need to get out of the car. The views up here are staggering and most of the island can be seen from the top.
The last section was along the edges of fields and into some very tight unmade lanes which had a fair amout of broken down foiliage, this needed to be cleared before any progress could be made. I really expected to see my pride and joy scratched beyond repair when I eventually got off the trail and found myself in a pub car park. (The first pub you come to out of the track isn't worth eating in) My D3 was covered in white dust and the scratches were all over each side, but upon closer examination, the scatches appeared to vanish and were only in the dust. I ran the D3 through a car wash and there were no scratches at all!
Result.
More to the point, the slight wind up from the bitch at the early part of the day was completely overshadowed by the absolute scream we had on the run. We laughed and screamed at the amazing ability the D3 had, and our attempts to clear a path were some of the funniest things I've ever seen my Father in law do.
I recommend everyone to go and have some IOW fun. And should you see a mouthy old tart on your way up, give her a mouth full from me!
FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
14th Apr 2007 6:46 pm
fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
Meant to add that Wild Horses, the 4x4 tour company state that they are the only company licenced to use the Tennyson trail and charge from £50 per person to ride it. Maybe we could charge £45 for anyone wanting to come along. FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
14th Apr 2007 9:08 pm
AndyJWB
Member Since: 16 Apr 2006
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 176
Looks like you had fun! People like that woman really wind me up. Last time I went doing some lanes with my local LR club the first lane of the day was blocked by a van, and we all had to turn around on a single track road. As we were doing this a man appeared and stood and watched us turning around, looking at us like we were criminals. Instead of shouting abuse at him, we decided on the CB radio all to shout a cheery hello to him and give him a wave. This seemed to wind him up more than if we'd started an argument with him, and we weren't doing anything wrong. Glad the bitchy woman didn't ruin your day though, there are too many people like that on ROWs today.Not a D3 owner
14th Apr 2007 10:23 pm
DaveT
Member Since: 01 Aug 2005
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 2572
Fisherman, great report & the D3 looks great - particularly the pic with the gate in the background
(My next one's going to be grey, and that pic is enough to convince me I've done the right thing)
I went to IoW last year for a day out with the outlaws, and couldn't help noticing a track up on the ridge, but Mrs T wouldn't let me go and look
The 'incident' with the pondlife demonstrates the importance of doing your research so that you know you are in the right, and can have the confidence to continue.
Next time we're going up there!Long succession of Disco's since 2001...
SIII Lightweight - neglected & rusting. Bulkhead, A panels, vent panel & outriggers now disintegrated - Next years project!
14th Apr 2007 10:55 pm
fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
The link above shows the routes all over the IOW, and it's best to check with [email protected] and have a chat with Alexandra. She will tell you if any of the byways are closed for any reason. Armed with this you can go with confidence in the knowledge that you have the right to be there.
Start with map 22 and follow the route through to Newport.
I found the start about 20' East of the Freshwater sign on the A3055.
Enjoy.
FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
14th Apr 2007 11:34 pm
fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
I've had a couple of pm's asking if the 20' was feet or minutes????
It is literally 20 feet east of the Freshwater sign.
So just before you get to the Freshwater sign heading west on the A3055 on the right. It's a tight turn and you may be better off going past and turning round to approach.
The pic's are not really representative and it does get a little more challenging throughout the trail.
If you're down that way, I urge you to do it as it's a great bit of fun.
FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
Sounds like the trail is smoother than a lot of the roads on the Island. Lived there for a few years as a kid and hated it, but the cycling was good and I can see how the trails I used to ride would be fun in the D3.
I'm finding at least a couple of instances each week where some mouth on legs yells at me when driving on my local RoW, usually at the ford that a lot of people choose to use as a beach My neighbour has had people video him "for evidence". Evidence of what? Using a RoW with wilful intent to get from A to B? Making a splash when driving through a clearly marked and signposted ford?
The best bit of this weekend was when some pale, greasy lard- stuck his camping chair in the middle of the road (it may be gravel, but it's still a road) and refused to move. I just stuck the D3 in offroad, went round him and then backed up so he got a reverse bow wave along with the finger. T sers, the lot of them.I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
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...I checked on Fugawi and there are some long lanes over high ridges. You might want to contact IoW council and check if they are all open ...but you've given me an idea for a possible disco3 event in the future 
her, may she live a long and desperately sad exsistance.
