How Green Laning became a lifeline to Colin and Tamara in poor health

Lancaster Insurance, a proud official insurance partner of the Green Lane Association, is sharing the story of Colin and Tamara whose love of green laning has transformed their health.

Colin, 52, and Tamara, 36, from Northamptonshire, became a couple 15 years ago and were once avid walkers, but struggled to keep up their hobbies due to chronic health issues.

Tamara suffered a slipped disk in 2014, and as a result, was later diagnosed with osteoarthritis and permanent nerve damage. She also has recently undergone spinal fusion surgery. Colin, who lives with fibromyalgia, experiences widespread pain and extreme fatigue.

What could have been a permanent retreat from the outdoors instead became a new beginning, thanks to the discovery of green laning, the legal driving of unsurfaced public roads and paths, usually using 4x4 vehicles. Through green laning, the couple have been able to manage the frustrations of their conditions, meet new people, and get back out into the countryside once more.

“At first, I couldn’t see much happiness in my future. Whenever I tried to look ahead, all I could see was that I was limited because of my physical health. All I focused on were the negatives,” explained Tamara.

“Having something to look forward to is important for your mental health and wellbeing. So, being able to say, ‘Sunday looks nice, we’ll go out and check out a couple of green lanes and take a little picnic along’ makes such a difference to your week.”

The couple now regularly explore rural routes across Northamptonshire and further afield in Wales and Derbyshire.

Colin has taken his passion further, volunteering as the Green Lane Association’s Area Rep for Northamptonshire. In this role, he helps to keep lanes open, welcomes new members and liaises with organisations such as the police and local authorities.

“I’ve been making the most of the summer evenings and taking members out and some of them have commented that they didn’t know the lanes were there,” said Colin. “It’s so rewarding to help people find things they didn’t know were there and discovering the countryside.

Summarising on their love of green laning, Colin said: “Green laning has brought the outdoors back to us rather than being stuck at home watching the television all the time.”

“Green laning has given me something to look forward to enjoying again. I've been able to get back into nature, which is where I tend to be happiest,” explained Tamara. “We've made some good friends, it gives me peace and relaxation and has done wonders for my mental health.”

The couple’s story is a testament to the vital work the Green Lane Association does in preserving England and Wales’ historic network of green lanes and making the countryside accessible to everyone that uses it. By restoring these roads, everyone will benefit.

With Lancaster Insurance’s continued support of the Green Lane Association, stories like Colin and Tamara’s are becoming more widely recognised. Together, the organisations champion responsible access to green lanes, ensuring that they can be enjoyed by current and future generations.

Yvonne Gosney from Lancaster Insurance comments: “We’re proud to partner with the Green Lane Association and raise awareness of the important work they do. Colin and Tamara’s story shows just some of the benefits that exploring the great outdoors can have, and the joys that green laning can bring to everyone.”

Tristan Craddock, director of the Green Lane Association, said: “Colin and Tamara’s story illustrates the many mental and physical health benefits that green laning brings to people of all ages. We’ve done a lot of work in recent years to help those with mobility and health issues to access our network of byways and unclassified roads and we believe that these historic roads are a wonderful resource to enable truly inclusive access to the countryside.”

To find out more on Colin and Tamara’s story, you can watch their video here.