Green laning in Herts?

[bakerlonglegs]

Hello hello,
I want to have a go at green laning. I haven't bought a bike yet, but have loads of tips from posts on here regarding what to look for and there seems to be a few beginner-friendly 250/350 bikes about for around a grand.

But before I start spending money, I'd like to suss out what rides happen around these parts, as I don't fancy learning to ride off-road on my own. The Herts branch of the TRF meets once a month and I'm going to their next meeting. Does anyone know of any other groups/clubs in the Herts/Beds area?

Cheers

Andy

 

[ktm520]

Hello hello,
I want to have a go at green laning. I haven't bought a bike yet, but have loads of tips from posts on here regarding what to look for and there seems to be a few beginner-friendly 250/350 bikes about for around a grand.

But before I start spending money, I'd like to suss out what rides happen around these parts, as I don't fancy learning to ride off-road on my own. The Herts branch of the TRF meets once a month and I'm going to their next meeting. Does anyone know of any other groups/clubs in the Herts/Beds area?

Cheers

Andy

Andy

Greg Masters and i often do the Herts green lanes. Pretty well all the lanes around Herts are relativley easy (all doable on a GS in the Summer) and a good place to start.

 

[ovenpaa]

Well I am close and I quite fancy having a go at somepoint, so if you need someone to laugh at...... I think I would start on the 640 so I need to get the TKC80's back on first but that is only a Saturday morning of cussing to get done.

 

[Grazoid]

Depends on which bits of Herts you want to ride. The TRF who meet in the south of the county never ride in Herts!

During my recent stint as county rep for MAG I contacted them regarding info on any RoW issues they where having , after I wangled my way on the Herts Access Forum. They snottily told me they never ride in Herts as they are mainly London based and prefer to trailer and van the bikes to other areas dunno if it was true or not but stopped me ever going to them again with any issues, started working with the local LARA boys instead.

The usable trails in the north going into Cambs are great on smallish bikes , but are very slippy as it is mainly clay soil.

Checkout the lanes around Ashwell that link with up the old drove road to Melborn
, last winter it still had access for two wheels but not 4. Live in Derby now so not up on the closures.

Good lanes around Preston and Hitchin as well particulary the Offley Cross/Maidens Lane , one of the few places you will find actual road signs on a junction of a Byway in the south east

Walkern has a couple of small ones and a few fords in proximity as well

I used to spend many a happy hour within 20 miles of my old place in Baldock...sigh...now just got the Peaks on my doorstep instead of the flatlands of the Bedford Clay Plateau

 

[riderbob]

How does one find out where the green lanes are? Is their a UK website or does each council provide a different site, etc? Keen to do some green-laning as well, but not sure where to start.

... or should I just google?

Thanks,

Andy

Greg Masters and i often do the Herts green lanes. Pretty well all the lanes around Herts are relativley easy (all doable on a GS in the Summer) and a good place to start.

 

[bakerlonglegs]

Thanks for the replies all!

KTM - when you and Greg go for a ride do you post it up on here? Once I've got a bike (with all the Christmas bills rolling in today, that could be a month or two off ), would it be alright to tag along?

Ovenpaa - you're on! Although if anyone's going to get laughed at it'll be me falling abaaht all over the place....

Grazoid - local TRF sound a bit snotty then? . Not looking forward to this meeting I'm supposed to be going to. Even when I get a bike I won't have a trailer or van, so I was hoping to start with local lanes for local people. Who are the LARA lot? Is that a Land Rover thing?
Cheers for the tips on the routes! I used to work in Baldock (little office above what used to be a Victoria Wine opposite the White Lion).



Andy

 

[ovenpaa]

KTM - when you and Greg go for a ride do you post it up on here? Once I've got a bike (with all the Christmas bills rolling in today, that could be a month or two off ), would it be alright to tag along?

Ovenpaa - you're on! Although if anyone's going to get laughed at it'll be me falling abaaht all over the place....

Have I missed something here? I thought you had a 990 or have I overslept? I know it is the dark season and tend not to pay as much attention as I should. Anyway let me know when you are up for it and we can do some mutual bike picking up.

 

[Grazoid]

Thanks for the replies all!



Grazoid - local TRF sound a bit snotty then? . Not looking forward to this meeting I'm supposed to be going to. Even when I get a bike I won't have a trailer or van, so I was hoping to start with local lanes for local people. Who are the LARA lot? Is that a Land Rover thing?
Cheers for the tips on the routes! I used to work in Baldock (little office above what used to be a Victoria Wine opposite the White Lion).



Andy

Depends on the rest of them I suppose - just a warning they where less than friendly to other likeminded orgs.

LARA is mostly landy folk , but a lot of them ride as well and don't like the local "wooly hatters" either. the irritating thing was that nearly all of the Harlow MAG group where also in MAG, but they actually lived in Essex, hwreas Herts TRF used to have most of it's members living in North London.

When did you work in Balders ? Left there after 15 years early in 2006. I was the poor bugger who was the main point of contact for the North Herts MAG Gremlin Show that we held at the Lion for 10 years.

 

[Grazoid]

Whoops as per above many of Essex TRF where also Harlow MAG members as they all lived in Essex. Herts TRF , as I was informed, had no interest in Herts RoW's as they were mainly from London ....

Luckily as a few of us liked getting muddy as well as being into building bikes and holding a fairly biggish Custom and Classic show we kept the fight going.

Funnily a lot of us now we are older own GS's of varying sizes and ages .... hmmm... a pattern maybe is emerging

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

LARA

http://www.laragb.org/

 

[bakerlonglegs]

Hi Grazoid - Cheers for the correction! I did wonder which bits were 'MAG' and which were 'TRF'
As the Christmas bills roll in I seem to have a bit of a choice:
1 - Buy a cheapy hack 600 quid or less, to get going on (and fall off many times!)
or/and
2 - Wait a few months and buy something a bit nicer when finances allow.

Dunno. 'Tis a shame about the local TRF, but I might trundle along to the next local meet anyway and see if there's been any changes. I'll keep you posted.

Hi Ovenpaa - Yes, there's a big orange bike in the garage (950 actually). However, my off-road experience is as good as zilch and I'd like to learn on a pogo (is that the right term for a little trail bike?) before risking my pride 'n' joy.

N'n'F - for the link!

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

I would advise you start cheap and go aircooled. Once you've learned to stop falling off then upgrade to something Orange with radiators

 

[ktm520]

Thanks for the replies all!

KTM - when you and Greg go for a ride do you post it up on here? Once I've got a bike (with all the Christmas bills rolling in today, that could be a month or two off ), would it be alright to tag along?

Ovenpaa - you're on! Although if anyone's going to get laughed at it'll be me falling abaaht all over the place....

Grazoid - local TRF sound a bit snotty then? . Not looking forward to this meeting I'm supposed to be going to. Even when I get a bike I won't have a trailer or van, so I was hoping to start with local lanes for local people. Who are the LARA lot? Is that a Land Rover thing?
Cheers for the tips on the routes! I used to work in Baldock (little office above what used to be a Victoria Wine opposite the White Lion).



Andy

The TRF groups like any volountary group are often difficult to break into, and get to know and of course only as good as the effort the members put in.

I have recently re-joined the TRF as i want to get out more on a regular basis, though I previously got the impression that my riding style may not fit in with some of the more staid riders (apparently roosting and larking about can be frowned upon ).

Being close to the border of both Essex and Herts it's difficult to choose which group to be affiliated to. There didn't seem to be much communication and organisation between groups.

I'm looking forward to the tutting and raised eyebrows when I turn up on the 950

 

[darkhorse]

The TRF groups like any volountary group are often difficult to break into, and get to know and of course only as good as the effort the members put in.

I have recently re-joined the TRF as i want to get out more on a regular basis, though I previously got the impression that my riding style may not fit in with some of the more staid riders (apparently roosting and larking about can be frowned upon ).

Being close to the border of both Essex and Herts it's difficult to choose which group to be affiliated to. There didn't seem to be much communication and organisation between groups.

I'm looking forward to the tutting and raised eyebrows when I turn up on the 950

I think it would be more surprise if you turn up on the 950 as you keep talking about it

 

[Greg Masters]

KTM - when you and Greg go for a ride do you post it up on here? Once I've got a bike (with all the Christmas bills rolling in today, that could be a month or two off ), would it be alright to tag along?

Andy

Of course you can!

We normally ride out every few weeks and post up on here before we go.

The starting location is usually the garage at South Mimms Service Area and we ride home from where ever we've got to by mid-afternoon.

Here's a few shots of where we ride (click on thumbnails);











Greg

 

[ktm520]

I think it would be more surprise if you turn up on the 950 as you keep talking about it

oooh ya bitch


Want to buy a KTM 520 ? It's got electric start (if you do a google search i'm sure you will find a definition for this)

 

[darkhorse]

oooh ya bitch


Want to buy a KTM 520 ? It's got electric start (if you do a google search i'm sure you will find a definition for this)

as before, you tyre licker, you will never sell that old 520

don't have a kick start anymore

 

[bakerlonglegs]

Greg - for the offer! Once I get up and running I'll keep a look out on here for the next run.
South Mimms is just down the A1M from me, so that's ideal (although I think the garage is being refurbished at the moment?).
I'm planning to go to the bike show at Excel to pick up some off-road boots.
On the bike front, TBM has just come out and I'm scanning their bike guide for likely candidates....

Andy