# The A3 - Devils Punchbowl.



## strider8173 (Apr 13, 2012)

The A3 runs from London to Portsmouth. The route has remained the same for 100s of years and alot has history has past along it. 
The Devils Punchbowel is a sight of natural beauty and this histoic road, intill recently, passed around it. Now, thanks to the new tunnel, the road has returned to what it once was a muddy track. 








Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr

*start of the old road*




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr

*nature returns*




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr

*the bend *




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr

*a workmans glove*




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr

*old catseye*




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr

*new trees*




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr
*
evidence of the old road*




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr

*old boots*




Untitled by SMCGILL09, on Flickr
*
the new road*


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## cogito (Apr 13, 2012)

I was wondering what would become of this road, good to see the area is being restored to it's more natural roots with plenty of trees being planted. Thanks for posting.


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## strider8173 (Apr 13, 2012)

It is good..but theres still a small part of me that wishes they just left it as the tarmac road and let nature take it back on its own time, you no with road signs and stuff still there.


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## dairylicked (Apr 13, 2012)

Cos they dont want people to have fun in the countryside with vehicles. Nice report tho. I like old roads .


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## lilli (Apr 13, 2012)

Nice  I have been on that road quite a few times and wondered what had become of it when the tunnel opened


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## flyboys90 (Apr 13, 2012)

Thats good to see that something looks better than it was,thanks for sharing.


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## Winch It In (Apr 13, 2012)

What's happened to the by-ways that use to cross the old A3, it use to be a nightmare crossing the A3 with my landy and 3 others following me.


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## strider8173 (Apr 13, 2012)

i no what you mean winch i used to do that myself, i seem to remember some good rock steps in those woods. the lanes r still there and acessable, the old road is still used to get to a youth hostel down there.


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## Winch It In (Apr 13, 2012)

strider8173 said:


> i seem to remember some good rock steps in those woods.



That use to be a good lane but the council made it into a slope been like that for last 2 years as ramblers kept hurting there selfs.


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## strider8173 (Apr 13, 2012)

stupid ramblers.


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## Flexible (Apr 14, 2012)

I liked that, nice pics too. I too would have preferred if they'd left the road, but as someone already said you'd then get nutters doing 'speed trials' on it 

How long was that section? And why was it closed / tunnels built?


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## strider8173 (Apr 14, 2012)

its only about 2-3 miles, its was closed because of the massive amount of traffic going along it, after the bend theres a small village and it used to be traffic jams all the time. 
however now the tunnels build all the traffic bypasses the village and its now a ghost town. all the local businesses closing ect.

altho i did spot a derelictplace on the edge of town.  
its been added to the map.


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## Flexible (Apr 14, 2012)

Ah. I bet there's hundreds of small rural villages up and down the country with a major road going slap bang through the middle that could do with a bypass. Looks a nice area.


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