It was Thursday the 25 th September the weather was fine and I’d decided to pop down to Julian’s and do a spot of laning. Phil and Jamie wanted to come so we set off in the 3 door Discovery from Enfield around 10:15 am. We arrived in Lenham at about 12 o’clock and stopped in the village for some lunch.
Land Rover Discovery 200 Tdi "Trigger"
We sat on a bench in the car park and ate fish and chips. From here we made our way to Julian’s arriving 1:30 pm. After quick cuppa and chat we set out for the first lane. I was navigating with Phil driving, Jamie and Julian were in the back. After a couple of miles we entered the first lane at Riggs Hill Farm OS map ref: TO 527946, it was a narrow overgrown track. After about a quarter of a mile we came to sign which said “Beware Trains” and sure enough there were train tracks crossing the road with a gated level crossing. The tracks were not marked on the map at all and appeared to be unused. Julian volunteered to investigate this mystery next time he was in the pub. We continued down the lane to OS map ref: TO 527944 where we took the left fork which after a short distance became more open.
It wasn’t long before a large bush blocked our path so out came the bow saw and grass hook. Jamie, Phil and I trimmed the hedgerow back whilst Julian supervised. After about 15 minutes the way was sufficiently clear to continue. I drove for a while, with Phil following on behind on foot. Ten minutes later we swapped drivers again and Jamie had a drive, it was the first time he’d driven the Discovery let alone a green lane.
Within 5 minutes we came to a spot within a spinney at OS map ref: TO 941520 where there were a load of old cars, vans and a tractor which were being consumed by the undergrowth. There was a Mk1 Cortina, a Mk1 Triumph 2.5 PI, an FB Vauxhall Victor, a Bedford pickup truck as well as what looked like a 1940’s Rover or Wolsey, it was so overgrown it was difficult to tell.
There were various other sundry vehicles scattered about in vary degrees of decay. After brief stop for a photo-shoot we carried on. We exited the lane at OS map ref TO 940517 and then Phil drove about half a mile to the next green lane at OS map ref TO 932523. We turned left off the road and proceeded down an open track which ran along the field boundaries. This track is good until you reach the wooded section just before it descends to Pilgrims Way. There is a nasty slope that threatens to tip you over down a steep drop of about 25 feet into the adjacent field.
Its OK, as long as you take it slowly, Julian and I had travelled this lane in the opposite direction about 6 months before.
From this point its steep drop down a narrow wooded section to join Pilgrims Way at OS map ref: TO 927518. We turned left down here and took a leisurely drive to Charing Hill stopping once on the way to top up the radiator. We continued on the metalled section of Pilgrims Way until OS map ref: TO 966492 where we turned left towards Pett Place . Bearing left through the village we ended up on a sharp bend that looks like a cross roads at OS map ref: TO 966488.
There is a tiny lane that leads N.N.E the trees touch overhead and it has the appearance of a tunnel. The lane is very narrow with one or two very large trees. There is a very real danger of smashing the side windows on these trees due the inclination of the track and I only cleared them by less than an inch. At the end of the lane we turned right as we rejoined Pilgrims Way after a short distance there is a left turn just passed some houses into another lane that skirts a Quarry like bowl.
The track was narrow and steep and climbed steeply, the Discovery leaned alarmingly in several places. The lane proceeded along the eastern edge of Longbeech Wood, passing a gliding club en-route at OS map ref: TO 973494.
We exited the lane at about 4:30 pm. and decided to call it a day, so we drove up to the A252 and turned left towards Charing. At Charing we joined the A20 and proceeded at a steady pace to Lenham where we turned right and made our way back to Doddington. After a short stop for another cuppa it was back to the grind of the M2, M25 back to Enfield . It was a long and tiring day but well worth it.