Free/pay off roading / green lanes info

Deadly Dave

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

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

fonecrusher1

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

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

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

http://www.leinster4x4.ie/

fonecrusher1

fiacha wrote: »

http://www.leinster4x4.ie/

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

WestWicklow1

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

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

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

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

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

Also stickied for a while.

fonecrusher1

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

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

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

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

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

I have changed the title again (:o)

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

101sean

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks John for clearing that up and welcome to Boards.

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

fonecrusher1

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.

Pkiernan

The rates seem perfectly fine to me.

I have a question though, are any of the courses open to quads, or is it just full size 4wds?

Thanks.

WestWicklow1

Pkiernan wrote: »

The rates seem perfectly fine to me.

I have a question though, are any of the courses open to quads, or is it just full size 4wds?

Thanks.

Our lease specifically excludes quads and bikes. That's not to say that Coillte is against quads and bikes, its just the lease we have and it suited us then.

alexlyons

just wondering

I know full well that manual is the far preferred option for offroading for a whole host of reasons. but is there many who use auto 4x4's?

mainly aimed at John I suppose, is their much of an option for something like an L200 to just do a bit of a trail, nothing major like destroying the body work, but still presenting a challenge? I'll have to wait to get an old SWB pajero to do the crazy stuff!

Deadly Dave

alexlyons wrote: »

just wondering

I know full well that manual is the far preferred option for offroading for a whole host of reasons. but is there many who use auto 4x4's?

Autos off road no problem and are prefered by some as you dont loose momentum when changing gear.

alexlyons wrote: »

mainly aimed at John I suppose, is their much of an option for something like an L200 to just do a bit of a trail, nothing major like destroying the body work, but still presenting a challenge? I'll have to wait to get an old SWB pajero to do the crazy stuff!

I`m sure he will answer for himself but I believe there are wide tracks in the forest similar to green lanes.

Deadly Dave

Gelnmalure, Co. Wicklow. N52 59`45", W 6 25`51". There is a small free area on the side of the road to play. The Park Rangers dont mind anyone playing there but dont go up into the hills.

WestWicklow1

alexlyons wrote: »

mainly aimed at John I suppose, is their much of an option for something like an L200 to just do a bit of a trail, nothing major like destroying the body work, but still presenting a challenge? I'll have to wait to get an old SWB pajero to do the crazy stuff!

Yep, it goes from typical forest tracks where no damage will come to your vehicle to extreme and everything in between.

alexlyons

Deadly Dave wrote: »

Autos off road no problem and are prefered by some as you dont loose momentum when changing gear.

that seems good, kinda what i was hoping for but not expecting! I was hoping to get an L200 but the tax for non comercial is 2100 and not sure if i'll manage to get it commercial :mad:

WestWicklow1 wrote:

Yep, it goes from typical forest tracks where no damage will come to your vehicle to extreme and everything in between.

that sounds good! i may look at getting an old old pajero for the really extreme stuff!

fonecrusher1

The Nagle mountains in cork have loads of 4x4 trails that are owned by Coillte.







Disclaimer; you can only use these roads with the express permission of Coillte.

Deadly Dave

There is a area in Kilmacanogue, Co Wicklow that bikers use on the side of The Sugarloaf. I havent seen any 4X4s using it though. Its at N53 09`37", W 6 09`58", through a gate on the left up from the village. I think its common ground. I dont know if its legal for the bikers to be there or not but the local farmer doesnt object.

alexlyons

Ye i know a guy who uses that, says its pretty good alright.

the mucker

WestWicklow1 wrote: »

Yep, it goes from typical forest tracks where no damage will come to your vehicle to extreme and everything in between.

would love to go along for a day but do you need full size 4x4. Would vitara on road tyres just block the lane for others:eek:.

WestWicklow1

the mucker wrote: »

would love to go along for a day but do you need full size 4x4. Would vitara on road tyres just block the lane for others:eek:.

Well you have to start somewhere and coming along in your Vitara is a start. You won't block fire tracks as they are plenty wide. If you go onto some more extreme tracks you probably would but there again you're probably not going to do that.

Come along and drive the fire tracks and watch. Beware though, you will want to come back

Keep an eye on the "Events before" forum at http://leinster4x4.ie/vbulletin and you'll see a thread usually with a date on it.

the mucker

will do thanks for advice

elius

Hi all,
For all Land Rover owners out there,
Non members are welcome to Club Land Rovers Irelands events. Held on the last sunday of every month in are coilte leased Forest in wicklow. Prices for non members are €35 for the day. All forms of off roading are catered for. Insurance Tax and Doe/Nct are required as is recovery gear. Families welcome. Keep an eye on www.clri.net for more events. And in the forum section there is also a non club events worth keeping an eye on for non land rover off-roaders..

Leinster4x4 prices are spot on between Insurance and coilte off roading is not cheap.. Though great value for money. People pay more to walk round golf courses.

Regards

1_Tyreman

Hi All, I know its a while since the last post on this topic but I'm new on here so you'll have to excuse me on that one.
I recently had the pleasure of being a participant on a owners club day out in Wicklow with the Leinster 4x4 club and I really enjoyed it. There was all manner of terrain available to try out and all for the most part non damaging.
We were very well looked after with a lead vehicle and someone at the back to offer encouragement to those with a nervous disposition or pull out the ones who bit off a little more than they could chew.
Although if you and your vehicle were able for it and up for it then there was loads of more challenging sections available and help on hand to get you through.
I have also experienced Munster 4x4 terrain at a more intense level on several occasions and I love it. Its generally worth every penny, if not for the day out but for all you learn about your vehicles limits and some of yours too. They too have lanes suitable for all oh and no matter what kind of a mess you make out of it you don't get left behind.

Have a look at Munster 4x4 website and the gallery section for the extreme bits then go have a look at the "3 Peaks Challenge" in October each year. Most of the money raised over and above whats needed to run the events throughout the year goes to local charities.
Hope the above is of use to someone thinking of giving it a go offroad.:)

101sean

Picked up from Hillbilly 4x4 and LRA forum. Commercial site but opening event profits they say will go to charity. I'll probably go anyway.

The official opening of the DARTFIELD OFF-ROAD COURSE will take place over the weekend of May 22nd and 23rd 2010. This will be a family event with camping and a camp fire on the Saturday night and a full schedule from start to finish, of adventures, activities and tests of skill for all ages.

Activities will range from bouncing castles, kids pony rides, demonstrations of pony tacking, anatomy (pony anatomy that is), inspection, grooming, mucking out and shoeing (followed by a kids pony quiz, just to see if they were listening), safari drives, pony treeking, horsedrawn carriage rides, horseshoe throwing competitions, night safaris, night forest walks, kids navigation classes & exercises, lots of kids competitions, blindfold and reverse driving challanges, bush meat (deer & lamb) preparation, backwoods cooking, tour of the Dartfield Horse Museum etc. etc. etc. etc........and all included in the entrance fee.

As this is a private 350 acre estate, street legal and non street legal vehicles are welcome. Don't be put off by all the kids activities, they are there to allow the true off-roader time to indulge him (or her) self in some serious off-roading and winch recovery. One of the forest routes will require a winch and muds to get through it. A weekend of non-stop activity and adventure awaits you all.

Dartfield is located on the old N6 Dublin to Galway road, approx 35 miles east of Galway and half a mile west of Kilreekle. The town of Loughrea (5 miles to the west of Dartfield) has numerous shops, pubs, restaurants and deli/service stations.

The Dartfield Off-road course is not attached to any off-road or 4x4 club, and following the official opening will be available for use by all clubs and the general public.

Admission is €30 per vehicle for the weekend or €20 per vehicle per day. People inside the vehicles are free, so bring as many kids as you can control.

After expenses (rental of digger, portaloos, bouncing castles etc etc..), all proceeds will be divided between the two cancer charities of the Stargazer Lilly Foundation.

I will post a timed schedule of activities and some photos of the routes in the weeks coming up to the event.

E-mail blbyrne@eircom.net for further information.

Indications of attendance would be appreciated.

1_Tyreman

Wow,
Isn't that an interesting development.... How off road are the forestry sections......without meaning to offend anyone but are they Munster extreme or just Leinster extreme?
Anyway it sounds brill to me and is relatively close to home too. Cost sounds reasonable too. Might make it to the open day yet.

Final question is it just the preserve of the Landie anoraks or can some real 4x4's attend too?

Best wishes:D

101sean

I reckon it's open house to anyone, let's have some proof all 4x4s are equal(ish). I know nothing about the site, just copied the details. I've pm'd the original poster, but here's a link to the main museum site http://www.dartfield.com/location.html

It would be good to see any 4x4 doing what they are built for and owners having fun, preferably followed by some banter over a few beers about who got stuck the most

O.A.P

I like the sound of that. I hope I've time that weekend to go.

101sean

I'm going to be there from around 5pm Friday, know of several others going along as well. Promises to be a good weekend, if I'm not out in my Blue 110CSW, I'll be sipping beer out of the fridge in my trailer in the shade of a camouflage awning :cool::D