I imagine there must have been a blue moon someplace as I feel compelled to write a post, but what about? As it happens I recently had the great fortune to drive north through Brockenhurst, through the switchback which is the Lyndhurst one-way system and onward to the M27.
As per normal in the summer, there was a sizeable tailback from Lyndhurst, north up the A337 and when I say sizeable, maybe epic might be more appropriate. Epic as in Ben Hur, but with considerably less movement involved.
As I passed by smiling and waving (inside at any rate, I have no desire to induce road-rage in those less motile than myself), I fell to wondering whether these poor unfortunates had ever heard of the M271 or the A326 and Ashurst. Easy one that, obviously not or they would have used either of those roads and entered the Lyndhurst one-way from the Ashurst direction.
Now, whilst all roads are supposed to lead to Rome, there are not that many which lead to Lyndhurst, especially if you are coming south from the outside world via the M27. In fact, so far as A roads are concerned, you’re in single digits. That would be OK if Lyndhurst had a multi-lane by-pass rather than a somewhat narrow (single track) one-way system. It doesn’t so the trick if there is one is to join the one-way system when it becomes at least two lanes. Thus, the concept of approaching from the Ashurst direction.
Coming from the east, you get to Lyndhurst at the point where there are two lanes, so therefore, if you are heading to Lymington, and frankly, where else would you be going, you get to drive just one side of the triangle(ish) of the one-way system. It’s not perfect, but it is better than nothing.
Of course, if you are a fan of the scenic route, you can turn off just before you even get to the Lyndhurst one-way system and journey via Beaulieu to Lymington through moorland and twisty-turny country roads. If you don’t have to rush, then the B3056 is a good option. In fact it comes with the recommendation of my sister and family, who always take that route.
So by all means, let your Elisa guide you straight down the A337 from the motorway via her clipped satnav tones, but when you hit the back of the queue, don’t say I didn’t warn you! Just make sure you have a plentiful supply of jolly music, or alternatively tune your radio to one of our local stations Nation Radio South. Music may not always be jolly but you’ll be able to hear about other unfortunates caught like you on their regular travel broadcasts. A problem shared is a problem halved, or so they say….