Do you often ask – “where can I ride off-road in the UK?”

Depending on whether you are riding for fun or your quad is a utility vehicle, there are some great green lanes around the UK where you can legally ride your ATV or UTV off the tarmac. From beginner trails to the more advanced, there’s something for everyone. Take your Polaris off-road and discover the beauty of the UK countryside!

Ensure you plan a route and stick to it to avoid riding in any prohibited areas. It’s important to make sure you ride a route that carries MPV (Mechanically Propelled Vehicle) rights.

Green lanes/roads are accessible by side-by-sides and quads, but it’s important you know specifically what type you are allowed on. Those named as a “Byway open to all traffic” or “BOAT” are public rights of way that you are legally allowed to ride on with your side-by-side or ATV/quad. Additionally, any route that is an “unclassified road” or “UCR” can be driven on.

Note, these routes could be wrongly marked, or have Traffic Regulation Orders on them, so to find the correct status of your route, look at the Definitive Map (DM) held at your Council’s Rights of Way Department, or List of Streets (LoS) held by the Highway Authority.

Before you ride:

It is important to know your vehicle and what it can achieve – making sure you know things like wading depth, ground clearance, and overall vehicle dimensions are all very helpful for planning the perfect route. Consult your vehicle manual for more information.

Preparation is key in any scenario, so ensuring you travel with riding essentials is a must: Things like emergency fuel, first aid kit, water, phone, hi-jack lift and spare parts are always handy to carry, just in case.

Most off-road vehicles also have a number of parts and accessories available to buy that can help in sticky off-road situations – like a winch or specialist tyres. It helps to familiarise yourself with what’s on offer so you know what can be done in worst-case scenarios like if you ground out in deep ruts.

For more hints and tips to riding off-road in the UK, head to the Green Lane Association website for advice on a route or even to join their organised green lane trips with a Green Lane Association representative.