Ulysses

That's good news!

Bored.

Research trip out then. Ulysses is in good health following the ECU settings change and I had a spare day. Time for some research on lanes. Both ones that I hadn't been down before and ones that may be newly unearthed.

First off the cuff was one I had been down before, to get things started. A tarmac lane to the old farm, then a small ford and a gravel track thereafter:

 

GOPR3256 Gill farm


A bit more backroads and a fuel stop I was onto the next odd lane. A disused and disintegrating tarmac road. Not that exciting and I encountered a car coming the other way at one point:

GOPR3257 Arkleby


Then more backroads lead to lanes at Bothel:
GOPR3258 Bothel


Onto main roads heading south and towards my next lane at Dubwath. I had been working at the house bordering the lane recently so had chance to walk it and see whats to be expected. It was certainly T&S in a few places and a hump to get over that wouldn't be possible with a bigger car.

 

GOPR3259 The Gragg nr Dubwath


Then after a short drive down the side of Bassenthwaite lake it was a long walk up and down a lane to check if it was passable. Some serious drops to look out for, but firm underfoot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So next was a loop around to come at the lane under research from the top. Scenery everywhere and made it down the tight bits with no issue...

 

 

 

 

 

GOPR3260 Wythop hall to Beck Wythop 1


GOPR3261 Whythop hall to Beck Wythop 2


Then it was onto another lane named 'Green Lonning' on OS maps, but appearing as a Byway on council mapping. A drive it was then to see what its like, and agreeable too. Some excellent views to be had. Can even see across the Solway to Scotland at some points.

 

 

 

 

GOPR3262 Green Lonning nr Wythop Mill



Into Cockermouth for some lunch then onto the next one. A ford thats hard to find this time. Hidden and only low water today, but one to keep an eye on.
GOPR3263 Bridgefoot ford


Continued...
 

Next on the cards was a favourite. Loweswater. Its a track that isnt difficult but has really good views over the lake and fells surrounding. 

 

 

GOPR3265 Loweswater 1


GP013265 Loweswater 2


Then a fair bit of tarmac driving. I chose to go south from Loweswater to Buttermere. mistake. Sooo many tourists and all parking in really stupid places. Nevermind, at least the scenery was superb...

 

 

 

 

Then it was onto the steep pass that goes from Buttermere towards Keswick area for some more spectacular scenery. So much good stuff in such a compact place, its no wonder its full of the tourists!

 

 

  4

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was heading North from Keswick homewards. Some pretty autumn colours on the way and a call into Bassenthwaite to check out a UCR and a ford...

 

 

 

 

 

GOPR3266 Bassenthwaite ORPA dots


GOPR3267 Bassenthwaite ford


Then the penultimate lane on the way back. A nice gentle lane to finish the day.

 

GOPR3268 Baggrow


Thanks for watching  

Nice. They look a bit wider and more open than what we typically get around here in Devon. It's not unusual for even a Jimny to be like a cork in a bottle here.

Thanks Les, Devon is something we have thought about having a group trip down to before now, but its such a long way from here. It does look to contain some fantastic lanes. Just not sure I can face the 9hr drive and horrendous fuel bill to get there and back. Maybe I need to buy a trailer to tow it behind my work van?

Sunday was a nice run out on my own so I wasn't tackling any of the snotty ones and was having a walk up and down the ones I didn't know before driving them. Playing it safe and getting some exercise in

There are some pretty good lanes around here. One of the reasons why I got the Jimny is that there is room to sleep in it if I remove the passenger's seat. A friend and I have plans to take a few week-long tours of green lanes further afield.My trials car will beat a relatively standard Jimny in most lanes but it's not practical for long distances.

Currently we're trying to do pretty much all of the driveable lanes in Devon.

I haven't updated this thread in a while. Been busy with selling house and all that. Still not moved house yet but have a rest from the packing and sorting out at least. Ulysses is still slowly rusting away. I've had to repair one of the chassis crossmembers this month and a long patch in the passenger side chassis rail by the front radius arm mounting. How much patching is too much?!   Its solid enough now and isnt rattling or driving funny so maybe that will have to do. At least for now anyway. Its just a toy really so never gets used much and currently is living in a fairly damp garage. I guess a less rusty car at the start would have been a wiser choice maybe 

Enough doom and gloom though. Ive been checking out some lanes near where I am hoping to move to and managed to find one that just wouldn't have it going uphill when wet. I think I took the top layer off and exposed clay type mud. I could have reversed out of it, but there was a handy tree and I had a winch to make it the last 50mtrs. A short and sweet lane that nobody ever uses (except me)...         

Might be rusty Ricky but its going very well. 

Little laning jaunt out yesterday with CamoJimny and Paul & John in their silver Jimny. Poor weather for it unfortunately but we still had a good trek about the place. Too wet for some of the lanes so we avoided them but the ones we did were good. Some epic water splashes on the Westgate H lanes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOPR3270 Unthank


GOPR3271 Westcowburn Head nr Slayley Hall


GOPR3272 Highclear


GOPR3273 Slayley forest 1


GOPR3274 Slayley forest 2


GOPR3275 Blanchland moor 1


GP013275 Blanchland moor 2


GOPR3276 Westgate H down East to middle


GOPR3277 Westgate H middle section


GOPR3278 Westgate H up west from middle


GOPR3279 Westgate H down west side


GOPR3280 Huntshield ford


GOPR3281 Coldberry end 1


GOPR3282 Coldberry end 2


GOPR3283 Hartside down


GOPR3284 Viol Moor


GOPR3285 Hazel rigg


 

Project update. Its been a while and I have a moment to do it.

I have been moving house so the laning has been on hold for a while. All of my garage stuff is in storage boxes and there is no space to work on the car at the moment. Brett is in the same boat so we decided to postpone most of this years trips due to garage and storage issues, as well as the general stress of moving. I have beaten him to it this week and moved but he isnt far behind. 

I did make it to the Bigjimny north meet and had lots of fun exploring parkwood/tong. Excellent day out and well worth the 3hr each way drive to get to it. I bailed early before it got messy to get home for the move. Ulysses performed well though there was a lot of CV clicking noises. I went down some of the harder lines but decided better of trying them back up. They even got a few cracking photos of Ulysses..

 

 

 

 

Thanks Martin and DrRobin for those excellent pics  

I have moved this week but it will be a while before I get a proper garage built so poor Ulysses is sitting out in the weather at the moment. A nice new garage is planned and hoping to be water tight by the winter. We shall see how long that takes to get done. 
 

Riccy, thanks for providing such a great show. I enjoy driving the easy stuff, but seeing you and the other guys tackle some of the hard slopes and muddy holes makes the event for me. It is truly amazing to watch some of things you can get down or up in a Jimny, even if it has been much modified.

If you want any shots in higher resolution, just PM me with an email address, or I will put them on Flickr for you.

Robin