A hydraulic system for recovering hydraulic energy, the hydraulic system comprising at least: - a first actuator (24, 108, 109) for generating hydraulic energy and providing fluid under pressure, - a tank line for receiving the fluid under pressure drained from the first actuator (24, 108, 109), - a second actuator (26, 110, 111) driven by the fluid under pressure drained from the first actuator (24, 108, 109), - a recovery line for supplying the fluid under pressure drained from the first actuator (24, 108, 109) to the second actuator (26, 110, 111) for driving the second actuator (26, 110, 111), wherein the fluid pressure in the recovery line is dependent on the fluid pressure in the first actuator (24, 108, 109), - a first directional control valve having at least one state in which the first actuator (24, 108, 109) is in communication with the tank line and the recovery line, wherein the tank line and the recovery line receive the fluid under pressure from the first actuator (24, 108, 109) via the first directional control valve, - a second directional control valve having at least one state in which the second actuator (26, 110, 111) is in communication with the recovery line, wherein the second actuator (26, 110, 111) receives the fluid under pressure from the recovery line via the second directional control valve, characterised in that the hydraulic system further comprises: - a pressure compensating valve which controls flow of fluid in the tank line and maintains a fluid pressure differential across the first directional control valve when the first directional control valve is in the state connecting the first actuator (24, 108, 109), the tank line and the recovery line, which fluid pressure differential is dependent on a setting of the first pressure compensating valve, wherein the first pressure compensating valve is provided with - a first fluid pressure sensing line in communication with the recovery line, and - a second fluid pressure sensing line in communication with the first actuator (24, 108, 109) when the first directional control valve is in the state connecting the first actuator (24, 108, 109), the tank line and the recovery line. - a first actuator (24, 108, 109) for generating hydraulic energy and providing fluid under pressure, - a tank line for receiving the fluid under pressure drained from the first actuator (24, 108, 109), - a second actuator (26, 110, 111) driven by the fluid under pressure drained from the first actuator (24, 108, 109), - a recovery line for supplying the fluid under pressure drained from the first actuator (24, 108, 109) to the second actuator (26, 110, 111) for driving the second actuator (26, 110, 111), wherein the fluid pressure in the recovery line is dependent on the fluid pressure in the first actuator (24, 108, 109), - a first directional control valve having at least one state in which the first actuator (24, 108, 109) is in communication with the tank line and the recovery line, wherein the tank line and the recovery line receive the fluid under pressure from the first actuator (24, 108, 109) via the first directional control valve, - a second directional control valve having at least one state in which the second actuator (26, 110, 111) is in communication with the recovery line, wherein the second actuator (26, 110, 111) receives the fluid under pressure from the recovery line via the second directional control valve, - a pressure compensating valve which controls flow of fluid in the tank line and maintains a fluid pressure differential across the first directional control valve when the first directional control valve is in the state connecting the first actuator (24, 108, 109), the tank line and the recovery line, which fluid pressure differential is dependent on a setting of the first pressure compensating valve, wherein the first pressure compensating valve is provided with - a first fluid pressure sensing line in communication with the recovery line, and - a second fluid pressure sensing line in communication with the first actuator (24, 108, 109) when the first directional control valve is in the state connecting the first actuator (24, 108, 109), the tank line and the recovery line. - a first fluid pressure sensing line in communication with the recovery line, and - a second fluid pressure sensing line in communication with the first actuator (24, 108, 109) when the first directional control valve is in the state connecting the first actuator (24, 108, 109), the tank line and the recovery line.