Free/pay off roading / green lanes info

Deadly Dave · 26-12-2009 12:05pm #1

I am wondering if there are any legaly drivable greel lanes not too far from Dublin. I know I could join a club and use a Coilte forest but for the two or three times a year when I have a few hours to play it wouldnt be worth it.
I have used a place at Glenmalure a few times but need more.

I have also contacted National Parks who have told me there is a €€€€ fine for Off Roading in the wrong places, but they couldnt tell me anywhere I could go.

So ........... anyone got any places please ??

WestWicklow1 · 26-12-2009 4:57pm

You can go along to Leinster 4x4's 1100 acres any day they're out and pay the non member's day fee.

fonecrusher1 · 26-12-2009 11:10pm

WestWicklow1 wrote: »

You can go along to Leinster 4x4's 1100 acres any day they're out and pay the non member's day fee.

How much is it for the day & how many hours off-roading do you get?

fiacha · 26-12-2009 11:16pm

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

How much is it for the day & how many hours off-roading do you get?

http://www.leinster4x4.ie/

fonecrusher1 · 26-12-2009 11:31pm

fiacha wrote: »

http://www.leinster4x4.ie/

Thanks for the link but that doesnt really answer my question. Or am i missing something?

WestWicklow1 · 27-12-2009 1:34am

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

How much is it for the day & how many hours off-roading do you get?

It costs a non member €60.00 for about eight hours off roading (10.00 - 18:00). This time of the year you'll get less hours because we can't enter the forest until 11:00 (the shooters leave at 11:00) and we normally wind up about 16:00 - 16:30..

fonecrusher1 · 27-12-2009 1:47am

WestWicklow1 wrote: »

It costs a non member €60.00 for about eight hours off roading (10.00 - 18:00). This time of the year you'll get less hours because we can't enter the forest until 11:00 (the shooters leave at 11:00) and we normally wind up about 16:00 - 16:30..

Thanks WW1. 6o quid eh? quite expensive. Is that the normal fee for this sort thing?

WestWicklow1 · 27-12-2009 2:03am

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Thanks WW1. 6o quid eh? quite expensive. Is that the normal fee for this sort thing?

I know when the amount was being decided some research was done into what others were charging (there's not a lot to campare with though) and it was also decided that it should be an amount to encourage people to become members rather than paying a non member fee. When you consider what it costs to lease the forest for a year and the cost of insurance and all the other expenses the club has, €60.00 is not too bad. Also, its a superb forest.

fonecrusher1 · 27-12-2009 2:30am

WestWicklow1 wrote: »

I know when the amount was being decided some research was done into what others were charging (there's not a lot to campare with though) and it was also decided that it should be an amount to encourage people to become members rather than paying a non member fee. When you consider what it costs to lease the forest for a year and the cost of insurance and all the other expenses the club has, €60.00 is not too bad. Also, its a superb forest.

Thanks for the info.
I suppose considering that Munster 4x4 charge 80 euro its a not too bad. How much is it for members?

Slidey · 27-12-2009 3:57am

Thread title edited to cover the whole of Ireland and keep all the info in one place.

Also stickied for a while.

fonecrusher1 · 27-12-2009 4:00am

Slidey wrote: »

Thread title edited to cover the whole of Ireland and keep all the info in one place.

Good idea, im living in Munster myself.

Deadly Dave · 27-12-2009 1:57pm

Slidey wrote: »

Thread title edited to cover the whole of Ireland and keep all the info in one place.

Also stickied for a while.

Thanks Slidey but perhaps you could change it to Free Off Roading / Green Lanes as there are clubs and pay to play sites around.

WestWicklow1 · 27-12-2009 3:49pm

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Thanks for the info.
I suppose considering that Munster 4x4 charge 80 euro its a not too bad. How much is it for members?

Nothing other than the annual membership fee.

WestWicklow1 · 27-12-2009 3:50pm

Deadly Dave wrote: »

Thanks Slidey but perhaps you could change it to Free Off Roading / Green Lanes as there are clubs and pay to play sites around.

Do you not like paying Dave?

fonecrusher1 · 27-12-2009 4:16pm

I would like to know exactly how much these 4x4 clubs are paying Coillte for the use of the forest roads to justify their pricing. Paying 60/70/80 euro for a few hours off road is ridiculous.
I presume the pricing is based on the fact that a lot of 4x4 owners are fairly well off? Thats certainly not the case for me.
Yes off course you have to pay something, but i think 20/30 euros is plenty.

Good old rip off Ireland. Everything is more expensive.:rolleyes:

Slidey · 27-12-2009 4:41pm

I have changed the title again (:o)

Just so all the details can be kept in one thread.

101sean · 27-12-2009 5:21pm

Typical pay and play in the UK is £20-30 but there is obviously a bigger market and more sites, no way I'd pay €60 here though.

WestWicklow1 · 27-12-2009 6:08pm

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

I would like to know exactly how much these 4x4 clubs are paying Coillte for the use of the forest roads to justify their pricing. Paying 60/70/80 euro for a few hours off road is ridiculous.

I know exactly how much is being paid out by one club but I'm not in a position to disclose it here. I will say however that it ain't cheap to lease 1100 acres from Coillte. Coillte also insist on a club having €13m public liability insurance.

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

I presume the pricing is based on the fact that a lot of 4x4 owners are fairly well off?

I mean it sincerely when I say that nothing could be further from the truth in the club I belong to.

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Yes off course you have to pay something, but i think 20/30 euros is plenty.

I would probably agree with you if I wasn't in the position of knowing what the expenses involved are. Leinster 4x4 have the occasional open day where the daily fee is very much reduced in an effort to get non members to come out and in the hopes of enticing them to join. I'll post a thread here when the next one is coming up.

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Good old rip off Ireland. Everything is more expensive.:rolleyes:

Maybe the clubs are being ripped off by Coillte and the insurance companies but I can assure you that the clubs are not ripping off non members by charging €60. With L4x4 if you join within a few weeks (can't remember how many) of paying for a non member's day out it is deducted from your annual membership fee.

fonecrusher1 · 27-12-2009 6:24pm

Fair enough WW1, you obviously have more information on the subject than me so i appreciate your response.
So it seems that again its all about insurance......same old story.

Greedy vultures.

Deadly Dave · 27-12-2009 7:26pm

WestWicklow1 wrote: »

Do you not like paying Dave?

I pay my way and more no problems. However paying €60 each time for the one hours off roading that I would want to do a few times a year doesnt work for me. In the UK there are hundreds of free green lanes to use and I started this thread to see if there are any in Ireland.

WestWicklow1 · 27-12-2009 10:23pm

Deadly Dave wrote: »

However paying €60 each time for the one hours off roading

Certainly paying €60.00 for one hour is expensive. Who charges that?

Deadly Dave · 27-12-2009 10:27pm

WestWicklow1 wrote: »

Certainly paying €60.00 for one hour is expensive. Who charges that?

Leinster4x4 charge that for the day but I only want one hour

WestWicklow1 · 27-12-2009 10:32pm

Deadly Dave wrote: »

Leinster4x4 charge that for the day but I only want one hour

Have you asked them to consider a one hour charge?

fonecrusher1 · 27-12-2009 11:24pm

Deadly Dave wrote: »

Leinster4x4 charge that for the day but I only want one hour

Dont see the point in doing one hours off-roading to be honest. Your only going to rush through everything & probably do damage to your 4x4 & not learn anything in the process.
I make a day of it. Flask of hot coffee, a few sandwiches, good thick socks & waterproof boots.
You really need a few hours to get into it.

WestWicklow1 · 28-12-2009 12:21am

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Dont see the point in doing one hours off-roading to be honest. Your only going to rush through everything & probably do damage to your 4x4 & not learn anything in the process.
I make a day of it. Flask of hot coffee, a few sandwiches, good thick socks & waterproof boots.
You really need a few hours to get into it.

Totally agree. One hour is completely useless. A couple of hours driving, lunch and kick tyres, get going again, go to an extreme obstacle, watch (and learn from) those who can do it, get going again, get stuck, winch or get winched out, watch and learn, watch and learn, yap, kick tyres.......

Seriously Dave you don't know what you're missing. I'll let you know when the next open day is on.

fonecrusher1 · 28-12-2009 12:40am

Hey WestWicklow1 what sort of event is the open day? Is it actual proper green lanes or is it like a big obstacle course?

WestWicklow1 · 28-12-2009 1:08am

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Hey WestWicklow1 what sort of event is the open day? Is it actual proper green lanes or is it like a big obstacle course?

fonecrusher1, everyone must be in a group. No one is allowed to wander around on their own. Everyone signs in and non members are given the option of joining a green lane group, an intermediate group, an advanced group (non winch, but with recovery gear), an advanced group (with winches and recovery gear).

Each group is led by an experienced club member who knows the forest and the trails suitable for his/her particular group. Another club member takes up the tail end charlie position. Each group will be briefed before starting and there are normally regular stops to check that everyone is happy with what the group is doing. Everyone meets up at an agreed location for lunch and anyone can move to another group after lunch (in either direction) if they wish.

Great fun, very enjoyable, everyone has a great time and the club gets a few new members.

Deadly Dave · 28-12-2009 11:37am

WestWicklow1 wrote: »

Totally agree. One hour is completely useless.

Seriously Dave you don't know what you're missing. I'll let you know when the next open day is on.

I agree too

but thats all I can manage at the moment.

I am on Leinster4x4 forum too WW1 but have been away for the last few open days.

jto555 · 28-12-2009 2:26pm

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

I would like to know exactly how much these 4x4 clubs are paying Coillte for the use of the forest roads to justify their pricing. Paying 60/70/80 euro for a few hours off road is ridiculous.
I presume the pricing is based on the fact that a lot of 4x4 owners are fairly well off? Thats certainly not the case for me.
Yes off course you have to pay something, but i think 20/30 euros is plenty.

Good old rip off Ireland. Everything is more expensive.:rolleyes:

Hi, I have just come across this thread and (with the moderators indulgence) feel that I might just add a bit about Leinster4x4.ie and our prices.

While €60 may seem a little expensive compared to the Pay and Play sites in the UK, you are comparing a club to a business where they can cover their costs over a much bigger clientele. But we do have a yearly membership of €300 and we our out most Sundays. So to compare the UK Pay and Play sites - £20 x 52 weeks is £1040 Sterling to our €300 Euro. Not a rip-off I’m sure you will agree. The membership is just to cover the costs of insurance and the forest lease from Coillte.

As for one-hour membership, which was brought up in this thread, a commercial Pay and Play site may be able to help there, but we do not have the infrastructure to facilitate that. However we do have a couple of open days during the year where the membership fee for the day is about €10. The daily membership is to encourage people to join our club.

Our main aim in Leinster 4x4 is to have fun. We are not a money-making enterprise but a group of like minded people who just want to have fun with our 4x4’s.

John
Chairman, Leinster 4x4
www.leinster4x4.ie

Slidey · 28-12-2009 3:45pm

Thanks John for clearing that up and welcome to Boards.

Hope you might stick around and contribute to the forum as a whole.

fonecrusher1 · 28-12-2009 4:00pm

jto555 wrote: »

Hi, I have just come across this thread and (with the moderators indulgence) feel that I might just add a bit about Leinster4x4.ie and our prices.

While €60 may seem a little expensive compared to the Pay and Play sites in the UK, you are comparing a club to a business where they can cover their costs over a much bigger clientele. But we do have a yearly membership of €300 and we our out most Sundays. So to compare the UK Pay and Play sites - £20 x 52 weeks is £1040 Sterling to our €300 Euro. Not a rip-off I’m sure you will agree. The membership is just to cover the costs of insurance and the forest lease from Coillte.

As for one-hour membership, which was brought up in this thread, a commercial Pay and Play site may be able to help there, but we do not have the infrastructure to facilitate that. However we do have a couple of open days during the year where the membership fee for the day is about €10. The daily membership is to encourage people to join our club.

Our main aim in Leinster 4x4 is to have fun. We are not a money-making enterprise but a group of like minded people who just want to have fun with our 4x4’s.

John
Chairman, Leinster 4x4
www.leinster4x4.ie

Thanks for the response John.

In all fairness the open day does seem to represent value for money. 10 euro for the day is pretty cheap.

Cheers.

Free/pay off roading / green lanes info

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