The A3 - Devils Punchbowl.

[strider8173]

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

 

[cogito]

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.

 

[strider8173]

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.

 

[dairylicked]

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

 

[lilli]

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

 

[flyboys90]

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

 

[WinchItIn]

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.

 

[strider8173]

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.

 

[WinchItIn]

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.

 

[strider8173]

stupid ramblers.

 

[Flexible]

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?

 

[strider8173]

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.

 

[Flexible]

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.