Good winch for pulling 2 ton van?

born_again

Proper job. Hardcore & then a decent surface. Not going to be cheap. May even require planning permission?

Although the option of a Quad & trailer in secure storage could be cheaper.

Mildly_Miffed

GervisLooper said:

I was going to buy more but I took the other route and paid almost 300 quid for the plastic grids. I am really mad I bought them now as I got them today and they are rubbish for the intended purpose. Also I now have loads of nasty plastic which will not rot away.

I guess I will find a use for them but they are so awful for driving on. Well not totally awful, I actually got myself stuck today when I tried to run off the gravel I already laid and on to the grids laid on mud. They immeditately sank like the titanic into the mud and I got stuck while still on the gravel as I forgot that by turning I would go off the tracks of gravel and into the mud median in between.

So I was stuck but those new grids got me out pretty easily and they do grip well. The big problem is, while they are supposed to interlock, they just come undone at the slightest bumpy terrain. This is no good at all as my land is bumpy all over the place. With gravel it is easy to level things off and the grip has been very decent when laid thick enough.

This is just about worst possible case at the moment. Ground totally waterlogged, so any meaningful rain just sits on top - or runs off and floods - instead of soaking in and away.

Sorting the drainage in the field may help in more normal conditions.

But, yes, you can't just chuck those mats on top of rutted muddy grass and drive on them. You're meant to have a firm flat base for them, then infill. Think National Trust carpark.

GervisLooper

Mildly_Miffed said:

GervisLooper said:

I was going to buy more but I took the other route and paid almost 300 quid for the plastic grids. I am really mad I bought them now as I got them today and they are rubbish for the intended purpose. Also I now have loads of nasty plastic which will not rot away.

I guess I will find a use for them but they are so awful for driving on. Well not totally awful, I actually got myself stuck today when I tried to run off the gravel I already laid and on to the grids laid on mud. They immeditately sank like the titanic into the mud and I got stuck while still on the gravel as I forgot that by turning I would go off the tracks of gravel and into the mud median in between.

So I was stuck but those new grids got me out pretty easily and they do grip well. The big problem is, while they are supposed to interlock, they just come undone at the slightest bumpy terrain. This is no good at all as my land is bumpy all over the place. With gravel it is easy to level things off and the grip has been very decent when laid thick enough.

This is just about worst possible case at the moment. Ground totally waterlogged, so any meaningful rain just sits on top - or runs off and floods - instead of soaking in and away.

Sorting the drainage in the field may help in more normal conditions.

But, yes, you can't just chuck those mats on top of rutted muddy grass and drive on them. You're meant to have a firm flat base for them, then infill. Think National Trust carpark.

Yes I only read that after the seller told me to read the manual and it notes it in there you should do 3 ton gravel per m2!!!

That then defeats the purpose, for me at least, as I was going to buy gravel anyway so either or not both!

I may have made a little progress with the drainage. Yesterday I dug 15-20 just above where I usually walk and there is gravel but the gravel had been oozing mud when treading lately.

This morning, after heavy rainfall, when I have stepped on the gravel patch it was much firmer and the ditch above is well full of water. So possible successful proof of concept?

I am thinking just keep 'pocking'' the field with these similar ditches now. The problem I am having though is how to drain them. It is rather far away from where the slope begins. Although there is a general overall slope, the two sides of the field are sort of shelves before dipping in the middle and towards the south. So it is 50 odd feet or more until the top parts could reach the slope down. As such the ditches I made so far are 'flat' and the water just sits there.

How am I supposed to get it to go to the parts where it is going to naturally then flow via gravity since they are a considerable way off? It is hard to dig futher that a foot or so as then I am into heavy stone content.

Do the ditches alone, staying 'staganant' still provide drainage and lower the water table of the surrounding land? I am wondering if once they get to a certain level, provided still below the surface level, they would then flow in the direction of the lower parts of the fields via channels.

I will say this though, directly water flow is fun!

paul_c123

Can you simply restrict/eliminate vehicle movements until spring? It sounds like you don't have a sound basis in land management, but you own a field.