The Mud Life - 11 - February 2020

THE MUD LIFE ISSUE 11 FEBRUARY 2020

MAGAZINE

ALFA ROMEO STELVIO QUADRIFOGLIO TOURING AROUND AFRICA BENTLEY FACTORY TOUR FIAT 500X CITY CROSS SEAT TERRACO GREEN-LANING

MITSUBISHI ASX EXCEED 4WD

NEWS REVIEWS ADVENTURE

pages 72-79

Bentley Factory Tour Important information Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the contents of The Mud Life magazine are accurate, we accept no responsibility for errors or omissions, nor the consequence of actions made as a result of these.

When responding to any advertisements in The Mud Life magazine, you should make appropriate enquiries before sending money or entering into a contract. The publishers and owners take reasonable care to ensure advertiser’s probity, but will not be liable for any losses incurred as a result of responding to adverts.

Copyright All images and material on these pages are protected by copyright Š Damian Turner. All rights reserved. None of the images or material within this magazine may be reproduced, duplicated, copied, sold, resold, or otherwise exploited for any commercial purpose that is not expressly authorised by Damian Turner or Karen Lee Turner.

IN THIS ISSUE TURNER'S TORQUE 5 NEWS 6-11 WHAT'S ON 12-13 LANING LIFE 14-18 VEHICLE REVIEWS Mitsubishi ASX Exceed 4WD 20-25 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio 27-33 Fiat 500X City Cross 34-39 Seat Tarraco 40-45 Flash Drives 46-49

DAMIAN TURNER Editor-in-Chief, Writer, Photographer, Reviewer

KAREN LEE TURNER (A.K.A. The Muddy Madam)

Creative Director, Layout Designer, Reviewer

F O L LOW U S

THE TEAM

INTO AFRICA... 50-55 GOODS & GEAR 56-61 GREEN-LANING - GLASS PEAKS 63-70 COMPANY PROFILE 72-75 BACK TRACK 76-81 BENTLEY FACTORY TOUR 82-87 FB PAGE OF THE MONTH 88-89 DINE OUT WITH DAMIAN 90-91 READER'S RIDES 92-97 READER'S FURRY FAMILY 98-99 PAST JALOPIES - TRAVELLING SMURF 100-103 RETRO SNAPS 104-105 DIRECTORIES 106-107

FACEBOOK - TheMudLifeMag INSTAGRAM - themudlifemag TWITTER - themudlifemag WEBSITE - www.themudlife.co.uk

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Click on the covers to read any of our past issues.

TURNER’S TORQUE It’s been said that we live in a throw away society; from coffee sachets, plastic packaging and even cars. Ok, the latter may be a bit extreme and a tad exaggerated, but we’re not far off.

Every now and again manufacturers will offer a scrappage scheme that’s designed to tempt drivers into new cars, and claim that if you buy one you can help save the planet by driving a newly built and more economical car.

These schemes have their benefits of course, if your old car is nearing its sell by date, and you’re not convinced it’ll pass its next MOT without major work, then great. However, I’m of the generation that not only prefer to actually own things, but deem it silly getting into debt when you don’t actually have to.

Don’t get me wrong, new vehicles are good. Not only are they generally more economical to run, but they’re also a damn sight safer than a lot of older vehicles, like my 26 year old Surf for instance, but will they last?

He explained that the 4x4 was his wife’s 1996 Surf which, like mine, is rapidly closing in on 300k, and if road tested today it would probably be absolutely hammered for the hard and shiny plastics used in the interior, the cheap click of the switches and general grey colour scheme, but after 24 years of hard use, every single switch, instrument, bulb and function still works as designed, nothing has been replaced, and nothing rattles.

He states that every exterior panel is dented (unlike mine), scratched, or both, but it isn’t rusty. Apart from service items, it hasn’t had any mechanical parts replaced, even though it tows a two-tonne load weekly and only ever gets an annual wash (whether it likes it or not). It even happily runs on alternative fuels when diesel gets a bit too pricey. The car is, what he called, quality.

So let’s hear it for older cars, that if serviced regularly, will last for decades, making them arguably better for the planet.

Now that’s a controversial comment!

The other day my attention was drawn to a small photo of a 3rd generation Toyota Surf in a magazine, and underneath was a letter that the owner had written.

Deux Smurf - looking good for 24 years old, and still going strong!

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NEWS

NEWS

NEWS

New AWD Grandland X Hybrid4 VAUXHALL’s first-ever plug-in hybrid

The new Grandland X Hybrid4 is Vauxhall’s first ever plug-in hybrid, and a key part of their commitment to electrifying its entire product portfolio by 2024.

It achieves 0-60 mph in just 5.9 seconds, offers 4 driving modes - Electric, Hybrid, AWD and Sport, and is powered by a 1.6 litre, 200hp 4 cylinder turbo petrol engine and two electric motors, which together produce up to 300hp, offering a combined fuel consumption of 204mpg.

In pure Electric mode, the car has a range of 35 miles, and a top speed of 84mph. In Hybrid mode, the engine and electric motors operate together, or alternately as car automatically selects the most efficient method of propulsion depending on driving conditions and driving style - eg. when travelling at low speeds, the system will switch to electric mode for zero-emission driving. To further improve efficiency, the car features a regenerative braking system, which can increase the electric range by up to 10%.

The electric unit consists of 2 electric motors, one at the front and one at rear. The front electric motor transfers its power to the front wheels via an electrified eight-speed automatic transmission, while the second electric motor and the differential are integrated in the rear axle. This second electric drive turns the Grandland X Hybrid4 into a permanent all-wheel drive vehicle. The top speed in ‘AWD’ is 146 mph.

Sport mode combines the power of the engine and the electric motor for a particularly dynamic driving style.

Fast, easy and convenient charging The Grandland X Hybrid4 comes with a 3.7kW on-board charger, with an optional 7.4kW version available.Vauxhall will also offer devices for fast charging at public stations, as well as wallboxes for home - a 7kW wallbox can provide a ful charge in less than 2 hours.

Vauxhall has introduced an exclusive charging offer to both Grandland X Hybrid and Corsa-e buyers. Customers will receive a free 6 month membership to Polar, providing a convenient way to charge away from home. Polar, the UK’s biggest public charging network, has over 7,000 charging points nationwide, including over 400 rapid charge points.

After the free six-month period, customers pay just £7.85 per month, though are free to cancel at any time.

This offer isn't limited to private buyers; any customers, private or company car drivers, can take advantage of the Vauxhall LEV charging offer.

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NEWS As car security systems become increasingly more sophisticated, thieves are targeting car parts instead, including alloy wheels.

NEWS

NEWS

FORD develops thief foiling 3D-printed locking wheel nuts

One method to deter wheel thieves is to use locking nuts, one on each wheel, which require a special adapter, or key, to loosen.

But even these are vulnerable, leading Ford engineers to harness 3D printing technology to develop nextgeneration locking wheel nuts.

Voice pattern defines the nut’s shape

Together with EOS, a leading supplier for high-end solutions in 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, Ford has created locking nuts with contours based on the driver’s voice.

Like an iris scan or a fingerprint, a person’s voice can be used as a unique biometric identification. Engineers record the driver’s voice for a minimum of one second, saying something like “I drive a Ford Mustang”, and use software to convert that singular soundwave into a physical, printable pattern. This pattern is then turned into a circle and used as the design for the locking nut’s indentation and key.

The nut and key are designed as one piece, then 3D-printed using acid and corrosion resistant stainless steel. When finished, the nut and key are separated, with a small amount of grinding required to make them ready for use.

The design also includes second-level security features that prevent the nut from being cloned or copied. The unevenly spaced ribs inside the nut and indentations that widen the deeper they go prevent a thief from making a wax imprint of the pattern, as the wax breaks when it is pulled from the nut.

If not using the driver’s voice to create the contours, the nuts could feature designs specific to a vehicle, such as with the Mustang logo, or use the driver’s initials. The design could also take inspiration from a driver’s interest, for example, by using the outline of a famous racetrack.

Raphael Koch, Ford Advanced Materials and Processes research engineer, said: “It’s one of the worst experiences for a driver, to find their car up on blocks with all four wheels gone. Some alloy wheels can cost thousands to replace, but these unique rim nuts will stop thieves in their tracks. Making wheels more secure and offering more product personalisation are further proof that 3D printing is a game-changer for car production.”

For more than 30 years, Ford has increasingly used 3D printing to make prototype parts which help reduce the development time for new vehicles, and to print special bespoke car parts, including the intake manifold in Ken Block’s Hoonitruck, and the pair of wind louvres found on the M-Sport Ford Fiesta World Rally Championship car.

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NEWS

NEWS

NEWS

New MITSUBISHI L200 TROJAN Mitsubishi Motors in the UK has expanded its L200 Series 6 pick-up truck range with the addition of the new Mitsubishi L200 Trojan.

Available from £24,699 and positioned between 4Life and Warrior models, the L200 Trojan features Mitsubishi Motors’ renowned Super Select 4WD system. It also has the same striking exterior appearance of the L200 Warrior and Barbarian, thanks to 18" alloy wheels and front grille, exterior door handles and door mirrors all with chrome styling.

Available with a choice of a 6-speed manual or a new 6-speed automatic transmission, the L200 Trojan is powered by a new Euro 6d compliant 2,268cc turbo diesel engine, which helps to deliver lower emissions and improved fuel efficiency resulting in significant fuel savings in real-world situations.

It also comes complete with a host of safety equipment such as Forward Collision Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning and automatic lights and wipers, along with active stability and traction control, seven airbags, Hill Start Assist and Trailer Stability Control systems that are standard across the L200 range.

The Mitsubishi L200 Trojan is in showrooms now, and is also available online at www.mitsubishi-motors.co.uk

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NEWS

NEWS

The 1968 Ford Mustang GT made famous during a ten minute high-speed car chase in the film Bullitt, starring the eternally cool Steve McQueen, was sold on January 10th at a Mecum's Florida auction house for $3.4 million.

NEWS

'Bullitt' Ford Mustang GT sold for record amount

The sale makes this the most expensive Mustang ever sold, surpassing a 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake that sold last year for $2.2 million.

Owner Sean Kiernan, with his sister Kelly Cotton riding shotgun, drove the car across the auction block at Silver Spurs Arena and then addressed a crowd of about 25,000 before the bidding started.

The car had an unusually low starting price, with no reserve.

Kiernan said “This car had sold twice in its life, it’s been in my family for 45 years. Each time it has sold, it was $3,500, so we’re going to start it off at that price and go from there.”

Images courtesy of Mecum.com

Bidding surpassed $3 million in the first minute.

The top bid went back and forth for several minutes between someone in the crowd and a bidder on the phone, before the mystery buyer on the phone won, agreeing to pay $3.4 million plus a 10 percent buyer’s premium, making the final figure handed over a whopping £3.74million.

Kiernan’s father, Robert, bought the car after seeing an ad in a 1974 issue of Road & Track. The New Jersey family used it as a daily commuter until the clutch gave out in 1980.

In 1977, Steve McQueen tracked down the Kiernans, and sent them a letter asking if he could reclaim the muscle car in return for a similar Mustang. He wrote 'I would like to appeal to you to get back my ’68 Mustang, I would like very much to keep it in the family, in its original condition as it was used in the film, rather than have it restored; which is simply personal with me.'

His plea remained unanswered by the time of his death in 1980.

“As far as Mustangs go, this is it. With dad being down in the record books forever, that’s what matters to me. I’ve been at peace with the sale for probably eight months now. We’re just having fun with this.”

Robert and Sean Kiernan began working on the Mustang in 2001.

After Robert Kiernan’s death in 2014, Sean Kiernan finished the car and revealed it to the world.

Following the car’s sale, Sean Kiernan said he doesn’t think a more expensive Mustang will ever be sold.

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NEWS

NEWS

NEWS

Is there at future for SUZUKI's Jimny?

When it was launched at the end of 2018 this plucky little motor, which was The Mud Life's first ever cover star, sent many fans running into dealerships to get one.

At its launch, Suzuki stated that the higher CO2 emissions levels of this model would adversely affect Suzuki’s whole range CO2 average in Europe after 2020. This target was set across its range of vehicles according to EC CAFE legislation.

Now with the introduction of these tougher regulations, we've been wondering what was going to happen to the Jimny..

Recently Suzuki GB has sent out a statement on the subject - "Following on from recent media speculation, and reports of the future of the Jimny model in Europe, Suzuki GB

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PLC would like to confirm that the model will remain on sale in the UK in very limited numbers throughout 2020."

Suzuki GB said that they will make every effort to ensure delivery to its customers who have already placed an order.

Further imminent developments in the Suzuki range to lower CO2 emissions, and further improve fuel consumption, include the introduction of 48V selfcharging Hybrid technology fitted as standard to the Swift Sport, Vitara and S-Cross models.

Suzuki pioneered 12V Hybrid technology in 2016, and this is now available as standard equipment across all Ignis models as well as all Swift models from the Spring of this year.

NEWS

NEWS

NEWS

ISUZU D-MAX for Wiltshire Search & Rescue

A bespoke Isuzu D-Max has just been delivered by Isuzu to Wiltshire Search & Rescue, a voluntary organisation set up to help Wiltshire Police find vulnerable and missing people in times of crisis.

The unique Isuzu D-Max has been fully kitted out with the very latest emergency response equipment which includes, 360 work lights to aid night missions, hazard beacons to bring attention to the vehicle on emergency call outs.

There’s also an electric winch for vehicle recovery from floods or other stranding scenarios, and a multi frequency two-way radio for communicating with search and rescue team members including Police and other emergency services.

Also inside there’s low power consumption LED cabin lights and in the rear load area a sliding stretcher mounting for patient transport and a 240V inverter fitted.

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WHAT'S ON in February Race Retro

21st - 23rd February Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire https://www.raceretro.com From historic to vintage and classic to retro vehicles, it’s all covered here.

“Race Retro showcases every discipline including formula and circuit racing, rallying, hill climbs, touring cars, single marque series, motorcycling, sports and GT cars.

Drivers, team managers, riders, mechanics, manufacturers and enthusiasts all come together ahead of the forthcoming season.”

Adults - from £23 Child up to 15yrs - from £8 (under 5 - free)

Hot Wheel Monster Truck Live

NEC, Birmingham - 1- 2 Feb Glasgow SSE Hydro - 7-9 February hotwheelsmonstertruckslive.com Bringing everyone’s favorite Hot Wheels Monster Trucks to life, combining Hot Wheels’ iconic jumps and stunts with epic crashing and smashing to deliver an exhilarating family entertainment experience.

In addition to the Trucks, each show will feature specialty acts like the superstars of freestyle motocross, world record attempts, and Megasaurus – the massive, car-eating, fire-breathing prehistoric robot who loves chomping on anything with four wheels.

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ALL PLAY & NO WORK......

makes a Mud Lifer very happy Spring Tractor World & Classic Commercial Show

22nd - 23rd February Three Counties Showground, Malvern www.tractorworldshows.co.uk If tractors do it for you, this may be the show for you. It's a large well established vintage, classic and modern tractor, and vintage machinery show.

Mainly held indoors there will be over 100 specialist traders, and clubs, garden, model and horticultural displays, and more.

Also a huge HJ Pugh Vintage Auction Sale on Saturday, and a Classic Commercial drive in day and vintage sortout spares day on Sunday.

London Classic Car Show

Single Day Ticket from £10.50 Weekend Ticket from £15 Weekend Camping from £55

20th - 23rd February Olympia London, Kensington www.thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk The organisers say "Now in its sixth year, the show is firmly established as the must attend event for discerning classic car owners, collectors, experts and enthusiasts."

Olympia London will be transformed into a classic car buyer’s paradise, featuring some of the world’s finest classic cars and vintage models for sale.

Adult Tickets - £25 Child Ticket - £20 Family Ticket - £75 (2 adults & 2 children under 16)

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g n i n Life a L

aton E n e r u a

by L

Read about green laning as seen through Lauren ‘Sunshine’ Eaton's windscreen at The Green Lane Association, and find out what’s hot, or not, in the laning world each month. Enjoy!

Scorcher of the month The Wayfarer I attended a meeting with Denbighshire county council on 13th January and the good news is they will be carrying out some repair work, erecting signage, and installing off piste solutions in the near future along the length of the lane that passes through their county. The rest of the route is under the management of Wrexham CC and the future of that end is a slightly different story.

One major issue is that deep waterholes have caused people to deviate from the track onto the banks (mostly motorbikes), the lane runs through SSSI land and this deviation, however slight, is a serious issue which carries a £20,000 fine if caught.

Denbigh will be filling the waterholes with stone, erecting barriers to prevent deviation from the track and requesting signage from Natural Resources Wales to advertise the sensitive nature of the surrounding moorland – it appears that many are not aware this is nature reserve land.

Denbigh have asked me to stress the sensitivity of the area.

SSSI land is protected by significant legislation and huge fines, NRW are looking into prosecutions after complaints from local farmers who are prosecuted for even accidental acts on this land (such as spillages). Deviation around an obstacle onto private/SSSI land is NOT legal, despite the old wives tales that are often spread on social media.

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The police continue to work closely with GLASS, Denbighshire and Wrexham councils in regards to antisocial and irresponsible behaviour on and around the lane. This has led to a significant drop in users which due to its current state is no bad thing - especially as it's the irresponsible users that are being deterred by this action.

The bridge (the one everyone stops on for the obligatory photo) requires work; it has a max load capacity of 3 tons and is beginning to fall apart.

The majority of the maintenance work is required at the Wrexham end of the route – the sleeper section for example. The county council are currently not in the position to begin works and therefore we're not going to see anything happen for some time. This is partly due to it being winter and wet, the land being an SSSI which makes things extremely complicated and involves several other organisations when it comes to decision making/ permissions and budgets, but it is also down to the management at the council being very different to that at Denbigh.

I am continuing to work closely with Denbigh going forward and will continue to apply pressure to Wrexham in an attempt to speed up the required work. In the meantime due to the worsening state of the bridge and the general state of what is an SSSI, plus the extremely wet weather, it would be wise to avoid the area for now – a voluntary restraint has been advised on TrailWise2 to reflect this.

What’s hot...

2020 is the 25th Anniversary year of the Green Lane Association! In that time GLASS has become the largest multi-user group to represent those who drive or ride vehicular rights of way. From funding lane repairs, representing 4x4 drivers during legal action, giving drivers a voice at government level and providing green laning mapping software – TrailWise2 – GLASS are at the forefront of the green laning community and continue to grow from strength to strength – membership soared in 2019!

As it's a special birthday year we will be rolling out more new member benefits than ever over the next 12 months as a thank you for your continued support.

Every single membership fee goes directly towards preserving our hobby and rights of way for years to come - each one of you helps to keep our lanes open and we believe that deserves our thanks in return - so watch this space as your membership is going to give you even more this year!

Wales

While January tends to be a quiet month for lane projects due to the cold and wet, the North Wales contingent of GLASS are not resting on their laurels.

It’s been a busy month for meetings with county councils, national park authorities and the police.

Lanes such as the Wayfarer, Happy Valley, Carn March Arthur, Horseshoe Lane and other honeypots have come under close scrutiny and big plans are under discussion forged through building close relationships between the user group and those who manage and police our unsurfaced roads. Watch this space for updates coming soon!

Strata Florida remains closed for the next month.

Sadly works have been hampered by those continuing to drive the lane during a period of temporary closure put in place to allow work to go ahead. Please avoid the area for now; it’s a small price to pay to get the lane fully re-opened sooner rather than later.

Corwen Carwash was deeper than I’ve ever seen it only a week ago! Avoid until the water recedes - it’s simply not passable to vehicles after so much rainfall.

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Dorset

There is a current voluntary restraint on BOAT E38/17 Mill Lane and UCR D40215 Roke Hill in the Heavy Horse Centre area between Verwood and Cranborne.

There have been numerous complaints made by local residents and estate owners regarding recent inappropriate use and off piste damage by 4x4s over the Christmas/New Year period.

Unfortunately this isn’t the first time the lanes have seen problems and the area is currently being monitored by recording vehicle descriptions and registration numbers.

Area rep, Rob Elliott, is currently building bridges with complainants in an attempt to manage the situation.

Staffordshire and Cheshire

The first joint county social meet was held on 13th January at The Watermead in Northwich to great success! Over 30 attendees came along including non-GLASS members, complete newbies, right up to ex reps and execs.

It was great to see such a large and mixed group sharing their experience with each other. Hosted by Geoff Meadows (Cheshire rep) and myself, meetings will be held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm.

A South Staffs meet will be held on the 3rd Thursday of every month from February onwards.

For details see the Staffordshire GLASS Facebook group.

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Cumbria and The Lake District

Storrs Woodland Lane (TWIUD: SD3993-02) is currently open for business after our new Cumbria rep James Dixon worked with the police to get a trailer, that had been parked purposefully to block the lane, removed.

Do be advised that the obstructions are being put there by someone who would prefer us not to use our legal rights of way and this action has not been gratefully received, should anything else appear in the lane please call 101 and report it.

James and friends also carried out some temporary repairs to Breast High over January making the lane passable to all 4x4s until a more permanent solution can be actioned – top job!

The Lake District being a contentious area continues to rumble on, anti 4x4 campaigners are insistent that they don’t want us there and a protest in February and judicial review of the LDNPA’s report on 4x4 usage in the national park are their next plans of action.

While the outcome of the JR is for the court to decide, as a green laner you can help by continuing to drive the area legally, responsibly and behave in a way that proves that we are not who the antis would like to publicly portray us as.

Don’t give them any evidence to back up their bluster!

Derbyshire/Peak District

PDVUG in association with GLASS continue to run newbie days in the area, see their Facebook groups for more info. Routes are planned to be non-damaging/ scratchy and take place on sustainable routes over winter.

Oxfordshire

Unfortunately four byways in the south of the county have had a TTRO put on them as the result of inconsiderate use, in particular during an incident on the night of 28th December. Avoid the following until further notice: Cornhill Lane, TW UID SU3787-05 Green Lane, TW UID SU3786-01 & SU3686-03 Hardwell Lane, TW UID SU2887-01

What’s not...

There are two distinct groups within the laning world: those who lane responsibly and sustainably, and those who don’t.

The latter are the main cause of closures across the UK, as can be seen by some of the reasons behind the VRs/ TROs listed earlier. We need to change the culture of those who think it is acceptable to flout the law, and the constant hard work put in by our community and local authorities to keep our lanes open for us to drive.

The antis are very vocal and will use any small incident to evidence their cries to close rights of way to vehicular users. Most of us understand this and would never act in a way that would bring our hobby into disrepute, but there is a small number who either don’t seem to care, or don’t understand that their behaviour is what causes us to lose lanes to permanent closure.

What would you say in this situation?

It’s one GLASS reps find themselves in often: When a county council, who already doesn’t have the money to spend on recreational routes, states that if they spend on repairs, and further irresponsible driving occurs, they’ll be forced to close the route, so unless we can guarantee that won’t happen, a closure is inevitable.

• Regular digital bulletins • 2 printed magazines per year • Members website and forum • TW2, the essential green lane route planning tool • • Access to area reps for route planning and advice • Member discounts from selected suppliers • Legal challenges • Extensive knowledge base •

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GLASS will offer financial assistance or begin legal action in an attempt to block closures, but it still costs local authorities thousands of pounds to address any issue brought to their attention.

Happy Laning!

Lauren x GLASS Media and Communications Officer

This is the reality of laning and it’s a reality I’ve personally been involved in several times already this year - please think before you drive, your actions have repercussions for every single laner in the country and the long term future of our hobby.

That being said, while there are a minority of rogue laners out there, membership is at its highest ever and continues to grow daily.

Many thanks to all those who continue to support our hobby!

That’s all from me for this month. I’ll be back with news of anti protests, laning project updates, new member benefits and what’s hot and what’s not in the laning world. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about green laning, or to directly support your hobby, visit the GLASS website

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For more information on green lanes visit:

www.glass-uk.org To join GLASS go to:

www.glass-uk.org/join-glass.html

Click here to get The Mud Life Magazine sent straight to your inbox!

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Mitsubishi ASX Exceed 4WD

What is it?

The ASX hasn’t had the best reviews of late, even considering that it has recently undergone its second comprehensive update just as it reaches its 10th birthday.

acceleration was lacking. Having said that, my previous press car was the 510bhp Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, so maybe the ASX was fine and I was just in mourning.

To be fair it’s been noted that Mitsubishi is stuck between a rock and a hard place as in 2017 they joined the Renault-Nissan alliance and are currently busy developing a new B-segment SUV platform, so for now we have to make do.

On an icy December morning I set off towards Southport with the aim of driving some green-lanes. The empty and twisty lanes around Bretherton became my playground for a short while, and whist I was obviously keeping within the speed limits I was enjoying pushing the ASX ‘round the corners quicker than I normally would in these conditions. The confidence I had was down to the 4wd system that kept us firmly planted on the wet roads.

On the subject of its recent update, Mitsubishi have done a nice job on the outside, as the whole front has been redesigned to bring it in line with the look of the new L200 pick-up. There’s a sleeker clamshell bonnet and bold front grille, though the rear is more familiar, albeit with new LED tail-lights and a sharper bumper design.

On the road

Fitted with a new 148bhp, 2.0 litre normally aspirated petrol engine, which replaces the old 1.6-litre unit, has 27% more torque and on paper 30% more powerful.

Overall the new engine is sprightly enough, but I found mid range

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Visibility is great all around with large door mirrors, which can add a bit of wind noise at speed, but outside noise was kept to a minimum. The ASX has soft suspension that does a pretty good job of ironing out rutted tarmac and potholes, though it does tend to lean when cornering at speed; drive normally and you’ll be fine.

The ASX has an array of safety features, one being that if you stray over the legal speed limit it gives off an audile bleep, which is very handy and not annoying in the slightest…

Off-road

Tyre choice is always an important consideration when you’re venturing off into the unknown, and although the ASX came with road tyres, it handled mud and wet grass with surprising ease. On slippery inclines it struggled to find grip, but the 4WD did a fantastic job and was only let down by the summer tyres becoming clogged. A few extra revs managed to clear them easily enough.

The 4WD system worked well, even when one or more wheels were off the ground. The system in the ASX offers a choice of three modes for various driving conditions with an electronically controlled centre differential to determine the optimum torque split to the front and rear.

2WD mode, torque is sent only to the front wheels for better fuel economy and agility.

4WD AUTO mode, torque is varied to maintain traction on loose surfaces or adverse on-road conditions, from 98% front/2% rear to 50% front/50% rear.

4WD LOCK mode, approx. 1.5 times the torque of 4WD AUTO mode is transferred to the rear wheels to improve traction on poor road surfaces and when the vehicle requires additional traction when off-road

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Interior

Although comfortable and well equipped, it also feels very lightweight, which is no bad thing. The dash is plastic, as is the centre console, but as I always ask, how many times during a journey do you sit and caress your leather-trimmed dashboard? Well of course you do, but I’m talking about everyone else!

The interior of the 2020 model year Mitsubishi ASX has been upgraded with finer grade materials for both the cloth and leather-trimmed interiors. These are complemented by a black cloth headlining and small detail changes such as the new ergonomic air- conditioning and heater controls which are now finished in piano black and silver.

The centre instrument panel also benefits from a piano black finish and now incorporates a new larger 8� Smartphone link Display Audio (SDA) system and features smartphone connectivity including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and DAB radio. In Exceed models, the SDA system will also feature built-in TomTom navigation.

Have I mentioned that is has a proper handbrake yet?

Well it does, none of that electronic nonsense here!

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Engines ‘n’ transmissions

The 2020 ASX gives you the option of either 2 and 4WD, though it’s only available with a 2.0 litre petrol engine. Gearbox-wise you do have the choice of either a five-speed manual or CVT. Official combined fuel figures state that the 4WD ASX should get 38.7mpg, throughout the week it only achieved around 30mpg, though to be fair, for the most of it I wasn’t hanging around!

Conclusion

Of course, the ASX isn’t an ‘off-roader’ in the typical sense, though its 190mm ground clearance is better than it’s sibling, the Eclipse Cross, but it performed better than I expected whilst green-laning.

There are more comfortable and better value crossovers out there, but the ASX remains tough, practical and well equipped. Buy an ASX and you get Mitsubishi’s 5-year warranty and a 12-year anti-corrosion perforation warranty, Price from £20,695 - as tested £25,945 more at » www.mitsubishi-motors.co.uk

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Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio What is it?

Bloody fast, that’s what it is!

Now I’ve got the obvious out of the way, where do I begin? Well, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is without doubt one of the most exciting and intoxicating SUVs on sale today. To create this high-performance machine, Alfa engineers have based it on their equally supreme Guilia Quadrifoglio, using the same chassis and fire-breathing monster that is the 510bhp 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6.

Incidentally, the V6 was designed by former Ferrari engineer, Gianluca Pivetti.

Performance figures speak for themselves, with a 0-62mph time of just 3.8 seconds and an eye-watering top speed of 176mph, this is super car territory, not SUV. But on paper that’s all well and good, but how does it perform in the real world?

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On the road

During the first few days, work dictated short commutes with a bit of town centre driving, and all in all it behaved as any car would, though a little stiffer through the potholes, but with added growl from its quad-tipped exhausts.

We drove to the Great British Land Rover Show down at Stoneleigh, which was a 250 or so mile round trip, and on the motorway at 70mph it masked its potential incredibly well, a docile creature one minute and a cheetah the next. Just thinking that at 70mph, if I booted it, it had a further 106mph to give, gave me a huge grin.

Get it on fast and twisty B-roads, everything about it feels spot on, its light and responsive with quick steering that manages to feel sharp and precise.

It’s a real joy and manages to make you feel like you’re driving a sporty saloon rather than an almost two tonne SUV. Like the standard Stelvio, it has the Q4 all-wheel drive system, though it’s a rear-biased set-up that sends 100% of the engine’s power to the rear wheels in normal driving and up to 50% to the front axle when it detects slip. It turn, this makes it incredibly predictable, even when you floor it mid corner and it steps out a little!

With great power comes great responsibility, and with an SUV which is as fast and controllable as the Stelvio Quadrifoglio it doesn’t take long to find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

I found myself switching my view from the road ahead to the speedo and back again more than I have in any other vehicle, then it spits and crackles and tries to tempt you to go just a little bit faster - it’s so addictive.

Fuel-wise, being sensible I was getting around 20-22mpg, which I didn’t consider too shabby for a car of this size and performance. The engine can shut down a bank of its cylinders to reduce fuel consumption when cruising at steady speeds, which is helpful.

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Off-road

Yeah, nah. I seem to recall the conversation with he PR team going something like this.

Me - “Can I book a Stelvio Quadrifoglio please?”

PR team - “Umm, you know it’s the fast version, don’t you?

Me - “Yes.” PR team - “Okay........but it won’t be coming back in the same state as the other one, will it?”

You see, the last time I borrowed a Stelvio, which was around 12 months ago, I visited a friends farm and tested it around his myriad of tracks, and it performed a lot better than I ever expected it to, as you can read here, so I had no doubt in my mind that the Quadrifoglio would do the same.

In reality it isn’t built for that, so apart from a bit of posing at the end of a green-lane, there were no rockclimbing and no bog holes to splash through - sorry.

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Interior

When I booked the Quadrifoglio I had a choice of either a dark blue one or this, the red one, and because I live in Lancashire I opted for the red one which would stand out in the dank, miserable December sky. I was told that it had carbon brakes and sports seats, but I didn’t care, as long as it was red.

The aforementioned ‘sports seats’ turned out to be Sparco Carbon Shell sports seats, which are an expensive option, they look absolutely fantastic, but by ‘eck, they’re narrow.

Once I’d slotted each bum cheek into them they did offer loads of support and allow you to sit down nice and low, but for a 6ft2” 19 stone bloke, nah, not for me.

Another stand-out piece of equipment are the huge and beautifully crafted aluminium shift paddles and a steering wheel laced with Alcantara and carbonfibre. The rest of the interior I wasn’t that keen on, it just looks and feels a bit bland, especially for its price range.

On the tech side of things it comes with an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-equipped 8.8” infotainment system, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, keyless entry, blindspot monitoring and ambient lighting coming as standard.

Speaking of standard equipment, you also get 20” alloy wheels, adaptive dampers, xenon headlights, leather and Alcantara seats, cruise control, sat-nav and Bluetooth, which are just some of the goodies included in the £70,900 starting price.

Interior space is much like the standard Stelvio with loads of space up front with plenty of storage space for family life and a good-sized boot offering 525 litres of nothingness.

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Conclusion

The Stelvio Quadrifoglio is undoubtably a 5 star SUV and is now on my ‘Lottery-win’ garage list, but I wouldn’t go for the carbon seat seat option, not unless I can miraculously lose half my bodyweight, and then some.

Base price: £69,150, car tested, with options £85,250 more at » www.alfaromeo.co.uk One-stop shop for Jeep parts, spares and accessories.

Jeepey supply market-leading parts, spares and accessories for all Jeep models from 1942 onwards www.Jeepey.com

01482 666491

Fiat 500X City Cross 1.0ltr 34

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What is it?

Using the same platform and mechanical bits ’n’ pieces as the Jeep Renegade, the 500X is essentially the car you want if you’ve outgrown the standard 500 - it’s better looking, too, and much prettier than the awkward looking 500L - in my humble opinion.

At one point you could buy your 500X with AWD, but not anymore, sadly, so it’s just standard 2wd, which is a shame.

Off road

Any thoughts of diverting off the beaten track was shelved when I put one wheel on a section of grass outside my house and the 500x ground to a halt and began spinning its other front wheel. It was at that moment I decided I wasn’t going to attempt anything else! Ground clearance along with approach and departure angels are pretty decent, mind.

On the road

With a respectable 118bhp, the 1.0ltr, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that’s mated to the 6-speed manual ‘box is quite lively and fun to use when pushed.

Around town and on a local commute the 500X was a joy, in fact coupled with its funkiness and lightness I had no complaints at all during short trips.

On fast roads and long motorway journeys, wind, engine and tyre noise are mostly well suppressed, there can be a fair bit of road roar on coarse surfaces, mind. My overall experience was only marred by a bouncy ride on bumpy and undulating surfaces which Muddy Madam wasn’t overly impressed with.

Its steering is quite light, perfect for city driving, not so much when pushing your way along country roads, but in reality it isn’t designed for that type of spirited driving. I haven’t driven the automatic version, which has a reputation for being a tad on the sluggish side, but the 6-speed manual I found to be slick, precise and easy to use. When you decide to floor it, it offers a nice throaty rasp, too.

Fuel-wise, around town and fast country jaunts, the computer was telling me it was averaging 33mpg, which is a little off the 40.4mpg quoted in the press release. Having said that, it’s one of those cars in which I found it difficult to use all its fuel, and I do try!

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Interior

I appreciate that it won’t be everyones cup of tea, but just look at it, isn’t it funky? I love the colour coded plastic strip across the dash, it adds to the fun and made me smile every time I got in. I even liked the how they’ve integrated the centre screen into the dash, which is a first for me. The infotainment system was easy to navigate, buttons and switches are a welcome design feature and the seats are comfortable.

Leg, shoulder and head space up front is in abundance, but you’ll struggle to get in the back if you’re a 6-footer, especially if the driver and front seat passenger are 6-footers too.

My only problems were that there wasn’t enough space between the clutch pedal and transmission tunnel to fit my size 11, and the hand brake switch is a little too far back and almost under the centre arm rest to activate. Every time I wanted to engage the handbrake I had to perform a little contortion with my left hand, it was a tad awkward.

All models get a 7” touchscreen infotainment system with a DAB radio, Bluetooth, two USB ports, an aux-in and Apple CarPlay and Android.

Sat-nav is only standard on Cross Plus models, but most people have Google Maps anyway.

In the back you have a double floor and with the seats up you have 350 litres of space to fill.

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Engines ’n’ gearbox

There aren’t many engines to choose from, and significantly no diesels either. There’s a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol, which is the slowest, the 1.0 litre three-cylinder turbocharged unit in this car and the topspec 148bhp 1.3-litre petrol that’s sadly only available with the automatic, which I haven’t driven yet.

Conclusion

My only real criticism is that its electric handbrake switch is in an awkward position, really wish it had a proper one. Overall I really enjoyed living with the 500X for a week, and if Fiat offered me one as a long termer I wouldn’t be upset, it was fun, engaging, easy to drive with plenty of personality.

I was going to add that I was quite sad to see it go, which is true, but it was swapped for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, so, hmmm…

Price £18,995, £22,100 as tested more at » www.fiat.co.uk/fiat-500x

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Seat Tarraco

2.0ltr 4Drive

What is it?

Named after the old name for the Spanish port of Tarragona, the Tarraco completes Seat’s threesome of SUVs, joining both the Arona and Ateca.

Although it’s built to rival the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Skoda Kodiaq, it’s also of course their not-so-distant cousin.

Granted, its silhouette is very similar to the Kodiaq’s, which it shares much of its underpinnings with, though you’ll find the Tarraco is marginally longer and a tad lower.

On the road Usually when we have a press car it gets used for the usual weekly commute, but we also take them out to nice roads and take lots of pretty pictures of them, our week with the Tarraco however was different, much different. Its main duties throughout

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the week was to take 3 of us, plus cosplay outfits (don’t judge us), on a 10 hour round trip to Great Yarmouth, which it did with aplomb. It was quiet, comfy and very spacious. The rest of the week compiled of more laborious journeys and errands without much time for playing around and posing.

The 187bhp, 2.0-litre petrol engine mated to the smooth 7-speed DSG ‘box made light work of pretty much every journey, and at a steady 70, 60 and 50mph for 460 or so miles, the petrol engined Tarraco achieved 35.3mpg.

Get on the twisty bits and turn the dial to ‘Sport’ it’s quite fun to throw around corners, the 4drive feels stiff and well balanced. Obviously it isn’t a sports car, but it does really well for a 7-seater, high sided SUV and will get you to 60mph in 9.8

seconds and continue all the way up to 123mph.

What I’m looking forward to is when Seat’s newly-independent Cupra division, which already makes the 300bhp Ateca, get their hands on the Tarraco, now that’ll be fun!

thought was to phone said friend to bring his tractor and a long rope, but for a moment I though, just what if, I turn the Tarraco’s dial to 4x4? I did and with the gentlest of throttle I didn’t just drive out, but I drove out with effortless grace. I was impressed, especially considering it was on road tyres.

Off road Although I have no photographic evidence, I ended up on a very soft and wet field at a friends farm, and as I ground to a halt, my heart sank almost as quickly as the Tarraco did. My immediately

The Tarraco isn’t the obvious choice as a green-laner, and nor should it be, but its 4wd system is the same as you get elsewhere in the group, and therefore with the right tyres it will surprise you.

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Interior The seats are the first thing you notice as you get in, and they’re firm yet comfortable, and after a straight 5 hour drive didn’t leave me a numb bum or backache.

As I wrote a while back about the Kodiaq’s dash layout, the Tarraco is typical of the brand, it won’t make you smile by it’s individual style or luxury, but it’s acceptably functional and easy to operate. Having said that, the stick-on style tablet can be awkward to use, especially when driving, but that’s the same with most and not Seat specific. You do have gesture-control on this particular model, which is a nice touch.

Second seat passengers have plenty of legroom with the ability to move their seats back and forth, in this particular model there’s also optional picnic tables attached the back of the front seats.

With the third row of seats down there’s 700 litres of nothingness, ample space for suitcases, boxes and cosplay outfits…

Engine ‘n’ gearbox It’ll come as no surprise that the Tarraco comes with a range of engines from the VAG, which is no bad thing. You have a choice of two petrol engines, a 148bhp 1.5-litre and this 187bhp 2.0litre, plus two 2.0-litre diesels, producing 148bhp and 178bhp.

Entry-level models come with front-wheel drive and a 6-speed manual ‘box, while higher-spec cars get a 7-speed DSG and a 4WD system. If you’re the type of driver who regularly endures long journeys with every seat occupied or lots of luggage, then you’ll want the torque and economy of the diesels, otherwise the petrols are fine.

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Conclusion What a great family hack the Tarraco is. There’s a good amount of space, everywhere, and it’s practical too. It handles long and laborious motorway journeys as well as the twisty fun bits with ease, and after week I got the impression it can handle pretty much anything a young or older family can throw at it.

Being Seat’s flagship model there’s a healthy level of standard equipment inside and out with decent materials and lots of tech. prices start at £28,320 (as tested £36,330) more at » www.seat.co.uk

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H S A L F IVE DR

What is a Flash Drive?

On media days we get to drive cars for around an hour, which is great when you want to get a feel for it, but not necessarily enough for a full review, so these are our mini reviews.

Volkswagen T-Cross R-Line It was during a Volkswagen media day down in Banbury when I finally got my hands on Volkswagen’s new supermini based SUV, the T-Cross R-Line 1.0 TSI 115 PS. With 115bhp on tap from the 1.0 litre, 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine, and a 0-62mph time of 10.2 seconds, the T-Cross is a nippy ole thing, and when you add the slick 6-speed manual box, it’s fun, too. This however had the 7-speed DSG ‘box fitted, and even though it was just as quick, I was happy to let it do all the work.

Along the country lanes around Aynho, the little T-Cross

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handled itself well, though it wasn’t so happy on a few bumpy sections and corners, but it’s a small city car so you have to give it some slack. Overall I was really quite pleased with its ride and comfort levels.

Its steering is light which in turn gives the T-Cross a feeling of agility and I would imagine it’s a joy to manoeuvre around town and tight carparks.

Inside I found it quite easy to get into a comfortable position, even with my wide girth!

The front seats are comfy, fully adjustable and offered plenty of support. The dash layout is equally as pleasing as it is functional.

FLA DR SH IVE

In the back the second-row bench seat slides back and forth as standard, which means you can trade off a bit of space in the good-size boot for extra leg room, or vice versa. Fuel-wise, Volkswagen reckon it’ll achieve 45.6mpg on a combined drive. price - £17,395 for the S model, R-Line starts at £23,995 (as tested - £26,735)

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H S A L F IVE DR

Mercedes GLE 300d

It isn’t that often I get to drive a Mercedes-Benz, so when the opportunity arose last year on a press day to drive their new GLE 300d 4MATIC AMG Line, I grabbed the keys and sped off.

I say sped off, although the 2.0 litre, 4 cylinder engine has 245hp and will get you to 60mph in 7.2 seconds and reach 140mph, during our short drive I got the distinct impression that it would prefer it if you left it Comfort mode and simply waft along.

'Wafting' is what it felt best at, with large comfy seats and

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a quiet cabin, there was very little wind or road noise and the 9-speed automatic was seamless.

On the subject of the cabin, up front there’s loads of storage and plenty of vents to keep you either cool or warm.

The dashboard looks great with two 12.3” displays inlaid into it. I couldn’t tell you what the infotainment system was like as I didn’t have the time to get down and technical with it, unfortunately, though it did look a bit intimidating!

Have I mentioned the ‘Hey Mercedes’ virtual assistant?

I didn’t try that either, sadly.

It's a big SUV, it’s longer (+105 mm), wider (+12 mm) and lower (-24 mm) than its predecessor, and when the third row seats are folded flat, the new GLE offers an additional 45 litres of boot space over the old model.

Fuel wise Mercedes-Benz, reckon you should see between 39.2-33.6 mpg on a combined run, not bad for an SUV of this size. price - £55,685 (as tested - £66,315)

FLA DR SH IVE

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Written by Rowan Dixon

Into Africa 50

Africa is a continent often heard about in the press, but rarely for good reasons. Over its long history it has been home to some of the earth's most powerful and beautiful empires, and the greatest minds to ever walk the planet. It is home to beautiful animals, huge deserts and stunning coastlines.

Unfortunately over the past 400 years this incredible continent has gone through incredible hardship and suffering, triggered by external forces, as well as from within. I am not a historian, nor a political expert, or politician, I am however someone who has always dreamt of Africa, and has wanted to see the continent (or as much as possible) from the ground, not behind the curtain of the western media or politics.

In the summer of 2019 I was at a friend's BBQ; university exams had finished, and we were celebrating what would hopefully be a fantastic summer. Little did I know that I would meet a guy called Neirin that evening, and that 6 weeks later we, along with a mutual friend of ours called Scott and a medical student named Orla, would be heading to North West Africa in a 2002 90 series Toyota Land Cruiser, christened Lennie the Land Cruiser.

This is the story of an incredible adventure which was planned in just 6 weeks, which took us through beautiful mountain ranges, across deserts and minefields, and into the tropics of Senegal and The Gambia, all on a shoe string budget.

dfhidfhidfhidfhidfhidfhidf Scott and I are both petrol heads, but neither of us owned a car that we would be able to take us on our 17,500km journey through northern Africa. After extensive research we decided that the best vehicle for the group would be a 90 series Land Cruiser, and headed to Manchester, with just 4 weeks until our planned departure, to pick one up.

The 90 series is a very tough, medium duty 4x4, loved by many in the UK for their reliability and practicality, however, we would be running close to the GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) of the car, so ordered some OME suspension from France, and installed it over a long weekend in Scotland, with the help of Scott's two spaniels, along with a roof rack to help carry our equipment.

Many overlanders love to fit rooftop tents, fridges and drawer systems to their vehicles, however this really isn’t necessary and can add thousands in costs. In total we made 3 modifications to the 90 series, the aforementioned OME suspension, roof rack and some BF Goodrich KO3 tyres. This is all you need (if your vehicle is newer you don’t need the new suspension) to have the trip of your life, and what a trip we had!

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On the first day the 3 of us drove for 17 hours, covering 1,300km through France. It was a fantastic start to our trip, stopping off in Le Mans for lunch and soaking up the French countryside. The only downside was the extortionate diesel costs, but thankfully we had filled up our tank before leaving the UK, as well as two, 20 litre jerrycans which helped cut the costs a little. This gave us a total of 130 litres fuel capacity, equating to a range of just under 1000km, the minimum generally recommended for overlanding in Africa. The funny part being we only ever used the jerry cans in France during the whole trip, and never needed them in Africa.

Even though Lennie is a bit rusty underneath he didn’t skip a beat, and the next morning we continued south to Seville where we picked up Neirin. That night we drove down a dirt track 10km from the ferry port, and slept under the stars lying on a tarp, excited for the next day.

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dfhidfhidfhidfhidfhidfhidf

At the start of September Scott and I headed off from London to pick up Orla, who I'd never met, from a train station on our way to the Eurotunnel.

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dfhidfhidfhidfh 52

In the early morning of September, 10th we bundled our kit into Lennie and headed for the ferry. During the 90 minute ferry crossing the excitement was incredibly prevalent. We watched as the rock of Gibraltar disappeared behind us and the coastline of northern Morocco rose up out of the water, with the Rift mountains in the distance.

I’m not quite sure what we all expected getting off the ferry and arriving into Morocco, however the immigration officers couldn’t have been nicer, and after spending about 40 minutes

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sorting out Lennie’s paperwork and getting insurance, Orla hopped into the driver's seat and we headed to Tangier.

Little did we know; Orla had never driven an automatic, in fact she hadn’t driven any vehicle since passing her test 9 months earlier. This made for a very interesting drive along the coast and into Tangier, but we arrived without incident, and had breakfast in Café de Paris, the iconic café in the heart of the city where British and French spies used to meet.

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Tangier was alive with locals selling everything from beautiful silverware to vibrant spices. Children were running around in the street and old men sitting on chairs smoking, watching the world go by. We went through the local markets, buying food for dinner that night, and olives, lots and lots of olives, before saying goodbye to this fantastic city.

We headed south towards the rift mountains and had our first proper taste of the local driving. It was brilliantly crazy, with drivers overtaking on blind bends, horns blazing and people packed into the back of pickups. It was like Scott had been born to do this kind of driving, and he really got into the rhythm of the hysteria.

After an hour of snaking up the stunning mountain roads, and being thrown around in the back of Lennie, thanks to Scott’s enthusiastic driving, we arrived at one of the most beautiful towns I have ever seen, Chefchaouen.

The city is painted in a beautiful blue, with stunning cobbled streets snaking in between stone houses and market stalls. It was a fantastic assault on the senses, not only with the vibrant blue walls, but also by the spices and soaps being sold. This was the first time we had seen any Europeans, not many, just a handful, and it would be the last time for over 2,000km.

That evening we continued south, climbing higher into the rift mountains, through stunning gorges and past hundreds of eucalyptus trees.

We had been recommended to use an app called iOverlander, where people can post places they have camped with their 4x4’s. We were heading to a location on top of one of the peaks, but with only a rough description we were slightly nervous that we wouldn’t be able to find it as the sun was quickly setting.

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Actually, we had no problems finding the turnoff up a rough track, just as the sun was setting. We pitched the tents, and Orla cooked a fantastic meal with the food we had bought earlier that day.

We had only been in Africa for 14 hours and were already buzzing with excitement. The next day we would be heading farther south, on our way to The Gambia, a journey which would take us through contested territories, across the longest minefield in the world and through tropical storms flooding the landscape. (more to come in the next issue)

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DAVANTI TERRATOURA A/T

Don't forget to click

Davanti’s first foray into all-terrain tyres has been exhaustively tested against its best and most popular premium rivals for more than a year at test centres in the Arctic Circle, Mediterranean and right here in the UK.

All the products in the 'New Products' & 'Goods & Gear' sections have clickable links & images that will take you to the manufacturer's or supplier's company sites, and we would love it if you click though and have a better gander at all their lovely stuff.

We sometimes also add a 'buy it at Amazon' link. If you click through, and buy via those links The Mud Life Mag will get a tiny referral fee from qualifying purchases.

This fee in no way effects what you pay, it just helps us, and is another avenue we are using to fund the creation of this magazine, rather than charging for each issue.

Thanks

Karen Lee & Damian

Initially launched in 11 sizes, with fitments including Land Rover’s Defender and Toyota’s Hi-Lux to the Ford Ranger and the Jeep Wrangler.

Terratoura has been designed to deliver predictable handling, outstanding grip, excellent ride comfort and low noise.

“Terratoura is a serious allterrain tyre for serious drivers.

In independent testing, the tyre outperformed the more established names in a series of on-road, off-road and winter disciplines.” said Sean Maddocks, Davanti Sales Director. more at »www.davanti-tyres.com/terratoura-a-t

New Stuff we've discovered this month MUD TD5 DOUBLE DIN CONSOLE The MUD Td5 Double DIN Console replaces the now obsolete factory 2002-2007 Td5 Defender single DIN radio fascia, and allows you to enjoy the increased features and functionality of larger touch screens found on Double DIN Head units.

The console uses a stronger one-piece design than the flimsy two piece original Land Rover part, and provides a simple DIY upgrade.

It uses all of the factory fixings, and requires no cutting, drilling or modifications to be made to your dashboard. An injection moulded manufacturing process ensures a perfect fit and a factory appearance every time.

Available in a Matt Black or Brunel Silver finish. more at » www.mudstuff.co.uk prices: Matt Black Finish: £149 & Brunel Silver Finish: £199 56

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AUTOMATIC SELF ADJUSTING BRAKE PIPE CUTTER WITH RATCHET HANDLE Modern brake pipe cutters can be quite small and compact but there are many instances when working on the car where there is still not enough clearance to turn the cutter around the whole circumference of the brake pipe.

This new mini brake pipe cutter from Laser Tools solves this problem with its ratchet mechanism.

Simply slide the cutter over the pipe and a few turns of the handle will quickly and cleanly cut straight through.

The handle gives excellent leverage, even if the space is really restricted. It is self-adjusting, so no need to keep tightening the blade down onto the pipe as you are cutting. more at » britpart.com

BREAKER BAR WITH BUILT-IN IMPACT SYSTEM Available from Britpart is their breaker bar with built-in impact system. Measuring 330mm long with a 1/2” drive, it allows the bar to be loaded with one hand and then impacted with a hammer for significantly increased force, it’s ideal for when and where air tools are not an option.

It has a swivel head giving access to difficult areas, an impact absorbing composite grip handle as well as being bi-directional for removing left or right handed stubborn nuts and bolts using combine hand and impact force. more at » www.britpart.com

Britpart are delighted to now be an approved stockist for the entire ARB range of products in the UK. For nearly 40 years Britpart has been synonymous with parts for Land Rovers and now we are expanding our range of quality aftermarket parts with the introduction of the ARB catalogue for a multitude of 4x4 vehicles.

ARB’s range of products for the off-road and pickup market includes Air Lockers & > Compressors

Recovery Points & > Equipment

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Upgraded > Suspension > Rear Protection

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GOODS & GEAR I’m sure a lot of you have watched the FiberFix video from a few years ago where they rolled two cars into a quarry, one with a roll cage held together with duct tape and the other with FiberFix Repair Wrap (if you haven't watch it below).

FI B E R F I X

Advertised as ‘stronger than steel’, FiberFix Repair Wrap combines industrial-strength fibres with specialised resins into a wrap that bonds to almost anything, hardens like steel, and provides a permanent fix. They also do a Heat Wrap version which is perfect for high temperature repairs such as car exhausts and hot water pipes.

What I like about the FiberFix range is that there isn’t a zillion adhesives and wraps to choose from.

There are the wraps and: • Rigid Patch is a fiberglass patch for permanent repairs on flat or hard-to-wrap surfaces like wheelie bins or wheelbarrows.

• 10x Tape like it's name say is ten times stronger than duct tape, and virtually un-tearable. Don't worry, they supply a blade with it.

• Total Repair is a glue that can be instantly cured by the blue light that is fitted into the bottom of the tube, which means you don't have to hold broken pieces together for minutes until set.

Because of this you can also use it to seal cracks, fill gaps and rebuild broken bits of objects in seconds.

• Extreme glue is the strongest super glue gel that sticks all the usual stuff, and also provides a flexible fix for your more elastic repairs such as shoe soles.

We have all of the above at Muddy Towers, and typically, even with Muddy Madam's proclivity for clumsiness, nothing has been broken since they arrived. Going off feedback and reviews on-line, when something does break, we’re going to be well covered. more at » www.fiberfix.com buy in the UK at » Amazon.co.uk

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GOODS & GEAR F IR EKING S WE D I SH P A RTY CA N D L E

The Fireking instant lighting Swedish Party Candle is a kiln dried log, with quarter cuts, that is sourced from sustainable woodland, and can be used as a small outdoor fire, light source or cooker.

I used one on Abergele beach recently, not only because it was a tad chilly, but I also fancied cooking my dinner on it, and it couldn’t be easier to use. Simply make sure it’s on stable, level surface, away from anything flammable, obviously, then light the included firestarter with a match or lighter, and within minutes you’ll have a ferocious fire keeping you warm.

Once established I waited for it to settle down a bit before I started cooking, then grabbed my cast iron pan, added a bit of oil, a burger and some onions. Then something weird happened.

In all the years I’ve been reviewing products, I’ve honestly never had so many people approach me to enquire what I was doing. Within an hour five blokes and two ladies wandered over to have a nosey!

After cooking my dinner, and boiling numerous pints of water, I sat back and bathed in the warmth emanating from the block. The great thing about the candle is that after burning it doesn’t leave any lasting damage, just ash, and maybe a small scorched bit of grass, if you forgot to put it on a non-flamable surface. prices: standard £7, medium £12, large £18 more at » www.firekings.co.uk THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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GOODS & GEAR T H UL E EA SY F OLD XT2 B I K E RA CK All through my childhood and up until I bought my first car, I cycled everywhere, I loved it. During school holidays, a group of mates and I would pack a few butties, some orange juice, a coat and cycle to Southport or Blackpool for the day... good times.

These days though I can’t seem to find the time to spend a whole day cycling, never mind the energy, but I really miss cycling, so when Thule offered to send me their Easy Fold XT2 bike rack to review I became incredibly excited, not only because it gives me the chance to take the bikes places, but it’s also ridiculously easy to use - let me explain.

In its folded position, using a handle on the top, pick it up and slot it onto your tow ball, then push down the lever that clamps it in place, and lock it using the key.

It isn’t going anywhere now.

Next, plug in the electric adaptor and now you have brakes lights, indicators and lights. Lower each side of the carrier, then place a bike in the grooves. From there you simply attach a lockable clamp onto your bike frame and secure both wheels with built-in ratchet type straps.

Because it’s so easy to remove, when we arrive at our destination and have unloaded the bikes, I can just unhook the electrics, fold up the two sides, unclasp the towball ‘hitch’ and chuck it in the back of the car. It’s the same when at home, I can simply fold it up and store it under the stairs; perfect.

The only thing to bear in mind is, if like me you have an old car, the Thule 13Pin connector won’t fit, but you can go out and buy an adapter, or order one from Thule.

I love it’s simplicity, I love the build quality and I love that it’s so practical. Yes, it’s expensive, but in my experience Thule gear lasts for a very long time. more at » www.thule.com RRP £615 price: £500.53 (at time of publishing)

from Thule's own Amazon Store here » amazon.co.uk

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GOODS & GEAR FIR EDRA GON FOLD I N G SOLI D FU E L S TOVE & FUE L B LOCK S Usually I don’t worry about the size and weight of the BBQ's and stoves that I cart around with us, as everything usually gets thrown in the back of Deux Smurf.

There are times however when size and weight are an issue, backpacking and canoeing for instance, I love both my Weber, Cobb and Aquaforno, but neither are going to find their way into Winona!

With that in mind, let me introduce you to the Fire Dragon Folding Solid Fuel Stove from BCB International.

As the photo shows, simply press the two ends of the stove and it opens up, then slide in the wind shield and you’re ready to go.

The stove itself is lightweight (110g), and the solid fuel blocks are quick and easy to ignite, even when wet. They’re also odourless, nontoxic and made from sustainable ingredients, resulting in a clean burn that will last for approx 8 minutes, oh, and they can also be used as a hand sanitiser!

I have a couple Firedragons, one is kept in our camping box, and another is kept in Deux Smurf, simply because you never know what might happen, and a warm brew (it can boil 500 ml of water in 5 minutes) can lift spirits immeasurably when the worst occurs. more at » www.firedragonfuel.com

1. Firedragon cooker & fuel set (includes 6 x 27g tablets of Fire Dragon Solid fuel blocks)

price: £5.59 - » amazon.co.uk

2. Firedragon set (includes cooker, 3 solid fuel blocks and flint & striker)

price: £7.99 - » amazon.co.uk

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h c o Mo

GLASS Peaks

The green-lane references I use are from Trailwise, to access Trailwise you must be a member of GLASS (Greenlane Association).

Time flies, doesn’t it? A case in point is this particular mooch which was organised by a couple of members of the Cumbria and Lancashire group from GLASS, and took place last February, but it only feels like a month ago!

Our rendezvous point was at a fast food joint at the end of the M67, at 9.30am on a reasonably bright Sunday morning. On arrival I was greeted by around sixteen 4x4s, which meant we had around 3 groups. In my group there was our leader, Peter in his red 90, John in the Wrangler, Paul in the green Isuzu Trooper, Phill in the white Trooper, and of course wme in Deux Smurf.

It wasn’t long before we were on our merry way following the leader of the pack, John. Around 15 minutes later and we were straight into our first lane, the Old Gate Track (Trailwise ref; SE1005-05). It’s a short track that leads you onto Rake Head Road (SE1005-06) but has a fair few opposing holes to negotiate to test your suspension, though easy enough when driving downwards.

From there we carried on east until Rake Head Road turns into Holme Woods Lane which eventually takes you over the dam at Riding Wood reservoir and onto SE1105-05, aka Ramsden Lane.

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Now, before I go any further it’s worth mentioning that not long after I drove this there was an experimental TRO (Traffic regulation Order) on this route, but after some legal wranglings it has been revoked. This is still a sensitive route, so if you do venture along it please drive with care and restraint. As well as that, I was up there last week, and without warning the barriers were erect stopping us from driving,.

From the west, Ramsden Road begins with a narrow rocky climb between the stone walls then opens up just before the first right hand bend, which is where it becomes rutted and rocky, but as we all had ‘proper’ 4x4s this wasn’t a problem.

Upon reaching the corner that makes Ramsden Road famous, Peter was first in the 90 which simply flexed its way through, then Paul his green Trooper, John in his Wrangler and then me.

Although I had a brand new set 265-75/16 BGF KM3s fitted days before, they’re no use if they’re flailing in the air! Yes, I got my line wrong. As the front off side wheel caught some air and the rear wheels at maximum flex, I lost forward traction. I only needed to reverse a couple of feet, re-adjust my line and press a little harder on the throttle and I was through. Deux Smurf, don’t forget, is of 1996 vintage and therefore lacked any of the electronic 4x4 aids that the others had. That’s my excuse anyway! Phill was next in his white Trooper, and like everyone else, made it look easy.

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Lane 4

The next few lanes, SE1305-02, SE1306-02 and SE1404-01 were straight forward and wouldn’t trouble a Ford Fiesta, the latter is a bit rocky in places, but easy enough to take a Subaru Forester along (which I did last week).

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New exciting destinations including email: hello@dday1944.tours Poland, Ukraine, mob: 07888 060099 Estonia and Italy facebook: Normandy 1944 D-Day Tours coming soon! website: www.dday1944.tours

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For our next lane we turned off Wood Royd Hill Lane and onto Old Bar Lane, or SE1705-02.

Initially it was fine then the soft, deep ruts appeared. It was a nice short lane, but one to avoid in wet weather if you have a 4x4 without decent ground clearance, chunky tyres and a low tow bar, as you may ground to a halt. I wouldn’t drive it in wet weather anyway as I would imagine you’d chew it up even further, and nobody wants that.

Next was SE1607-02 or Cheese Gate Nab Side, and almost from the start it was a challenge with quite a large step across the lane which proved to be the perfect width for the 90, as both front and rear wheels got caught on either side of it. It took a waffle board, momentum and multiple goes for Peter to find enough traction to get his 90 over it.

John was next in his Wrangler, and with a longer wheelbase and larger diameter mud terrain tyres, made it look easy, as did Paul in his green Trooper.

When it was my turn I kept close to the right hand bank and approached the step with caution, and once my front tyres were over I offered some extra throttle. With that the rear tyres scrambled for grip and slid towards the bank, found traction and I was over. The fun hadn’t finished yet though, as within a couple of feet there’s a deep rain channel to catch out the unaware, so I had to maintain momentum, through the channel and ‘round the tight right hand bend - it was a challenge!

Once Phill was up in his white Trooper we pulled over at the next corner for a bite to eat and a brew and reflected on the lanes so far. The rest of the lane wasn’t the easiest either, with some off-camber ruts and deep holes.

Cheese Gate Nab Side is definitely not a lane for the inexperienced or smaller SUVs on road tyres.

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Our next lane was what appears to be an extension of SE1708-04, and called Scar End Lane. It’s fairly steep and can be narrow in places, but it has a solid base and easy enough to drive a Forester up. again in a Forester. On a nice day the views across Jackson Bridge and towards Holmfirth are stunning.

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Lane 8

From there we drove a couple of short and easy lanes before heading for High Bank Lane, SE2104-01. It’s another non-challenging lane that follows the contour of hillside down towards Thurlstone, it was here where we decide stop for 10 minutes and immerse ourselves in more spectacular views.

On reaching the main road we spent the next 30 mins or so on the fast, twisty and entertaining Mortimer Road towards the A57, and our next couple of lanes

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SK2387-02 and SK2388-05 both have fairly solid bases, but as you begin to climb higher up the moors, the ruts get a bit deeper until you reach the top over Ughill Moors. Once at the top the lane flattens out with only the odd hole to worry about. Eventually SK238805 takes us down to Sugworth Road, where we said our goodbyes to both Paul and Phill in the Troopers.

Within a mile or so we turned left onto SK2288-02, which from the beginning looked a right mess with deep ruts disappearing into the distance.

It isn’t the steepest of lanes, but on a wet day I would imagine it being be near impossible to climb. As I’ve mentioned, it was a lovely day and it hadn’t rained for a while, so once Deux Smurf’s new BFGoodrich KM3s fell into the ruts, traction and the threat of deepening the ruts wasn’t an issue.

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Lane 12

After a few more road miles we reached SK2687-02 which is basically and easy farm track in between stone walls. It’s fairly wide too as I seem to recall pulling over to the side letting a people carrier past.

Our last last was SK2987-02, or Coppice road. It’s a single track lane that climbs upwards from the A57 with some narrow gate posts halfway along to keep you on your toes., but a with a solid base was another easy and exited on the eastern end into housing estate.

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And that was it, the end of a fantastic days ‘laning. There was some challenging lanes and easy ones, but the whole point of green-laning, for me anyway, isn’t about the challenge, it’s about the adventure and enjoying the beautiful views with like-minded people. If you want the same, seriously consider joining GLASS (www.glass-uk.org)

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We always wanted the mag to be able to be read for free, but to do that, and be able to eat each month, we need a bit of support. Many artists and writers in the past had patrons to help them survive whilst they created their amazing works, so we would love you to become our 21st century patrons, and help us keep The Mud Life Magazine going.

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COMPANY PROFILE ARDVENTURES I first met Russ on the UK launch of the new Jeep Wrangler early last year, he and his colleagues were tasked with creating an unforgettable and challenging day around Windermere that showed the true off-road capabilities of the new JL Wrangler.

I have spent most of my life in the motor industry, working for my parents until I was 27 when they sold the business. I then worked for Central Garage group which owned 3 Land Rover Dealerships, this was an awesome time and cemented my love of Land Rovers. For 10 years I was the Dealer Principle running the Driffield & Pickering branches with 70 staff to look after.

Of course, the Jeep performed admirably, as you would expect, but it was the level of organisation that caught my attention, especially directing some of the non 4x4 experienced journalists up and down Parkamoor.

Land Rover Dealerships were fun in those days and we had a great time, today, in my opinion, the modern dealerships have lost their personal touch. In 1995 all but one dealership in Yorkshire was privately owned, now none are.

Since then our paths have crossed, though fleetingly, at different events, so I figured I needed to sit Russ down and get the full story.

In 1999 I left and set up ARD Specialists importing new Land Rovers back into the UK from Europe. By 2002 we had moved into a brand new purpose built garage in Howden, and in 2005 we won the Motor Trader award "Independent Garage of the Year”.

So Russ, how did it all begin?

“I was born in Heminbrough 2 miles from where I now live.

My parents had the local garage which was one of the first Volvo dealerships in the UK in 1964. We lived next door and my brothers and I had to start work very young, if someone came in for petrol and you were having your tea, you had to run out and serve the customer.

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We became the No1 SsangYong dealer in the UK, and 2007 saw us become Isuzu dealers as well with Polaris Quads & ATV’s.

Sadly, in 2009 it all came crashing down with the financial crash, and plus we banked with HBOS!

COMPANY PROFILE

We still owned the garage, and after 10 frantic years and a lifetime in the motor trade, my wife and I decided to reinvent ourselves.

Leonie became a very successful Pilates Clinical Instructor (bodymotion.co.uk), and I worked part time for Guy Salmon Land Rover from home as their Field Sales Manager - not sure what one of those is, and I am not sure they knew either!

In 2011, while I was working for Guy Salmon, I set up ‘Yorkshire 4x4 Treks' & ‘Yorkshire 4x4 Training’ with my daughter Libby, which we ran together until 2017. We started with green lane treks on the Yorkshire Wolds, then Moors & Dales,Wales/Peak District & Lakes, and by 2014 we were running treks to the Pyrenees, Morocco, Alps and Balkans.We also trained Mountain Rescue England & Wales, plus many other companies and 4x4 Response teams.

In 2016 we were very proud to run the UK press launch of the New Nissan Navara, and the UK 75th Celebrations for Jeep UK.

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COMPANY PROFILE In 2017 Libby wanted to branch out with a 4x4 experience centre, and it was at this time that two of our customers asked to become involved within the company. After negotiations we formed a new company - Ardent Off-Road, and with their help, this lead to the opening of Carlton Towers Off Road Experience Centre.

I was a director and 50% shareholder with Ardent but after 2 years it was not working for me, so I left and went back to Yorkshire 4x4 Treks, and rebranded it Ardventures, a play on my initials and adventures, also,Yorkshire is not a good name when you operate in Europe and North Africa!

I now operate on my own, and am very lucky to have an 80% rebook.The trips I provide are high end treks and mainly hotel based.

I provide the guide, lead vehicle, book all ferries and hotels, and lead from start to finish giving a personal service and experience.

My popular European overland tours include Galicia, the Pyrenees, the Balkans, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and the French and Italian Alps. Morocco and North Africa is one of our most popular destinations, including Tangier, the blue city of

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Chefchaouan, Marrakesh, the Western Sahara desert, Salamanca, Algeciras, the Atlantic coast, Essaouira, Agadir,Tarfaya and the Atlas Mountains.

I also run weekend 4×4 tours in the UK from the Lake District, North Yorkshire Moors,Yorkshire Dales,Yorkshire Wolds, north and mid-Wales. Then of course there’s the popular five-day coast to coast tour, which takes us from the east to the west coast of the north of England.”

Not only that, Russ knows that not everyone who wants to experience a 4×4 adventure holiday has their own 4×4, or has something that’s not quite up to the job. With this in mind you can hire Russ’s fully prepared Land Rover Discovery 4 or Jeep Wrangler JKU. Or maybe it’s the essential equipment you lack. If that’s the case, Russ also hires out wheels and tyres for the Land Rover D3, D4, D5, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover. The same goes for other essential items like his Oz RV3 ground tent, James Baroud Evo roof tent and a 52-litre fridge.

COMPANY PROFILE If that wasn’t enough, Russ also continues to provide training for MREW (Mountain Rescue England and Wales), with 30 days worth of work with them already booked; he’s a busy chap.

You’re in safe hands too, as Russ is RoSPA & BORDA trained and has his own training facility at Askham Byran College, near York.

So, whether you want a 1 hour introduction to 4x4 driving or a bespoke tour of the Atlas mountains of Morocco, you’re in safe and experienced hands with Russ.

more at » ardventures.co.uk mobile: 07974356516 main office: 01757 638479 email: russ@ardventures.co.uk

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< < < < BAC K T R AC K It’s great to look back at older articles that are just gagging to be read again…

It’s Rampant!

Going back to a cold and windy day back in October 2006, I was invited along to a Pay and Play site not far from Ashton-in-Makerfield near Wigan called ‘Rampant Off Road’ by a chap called Tony. The email explained that the course is small, but perfectly formed, with easy, difficult, and suicidal sections.

Sunday morning arrived a little bit too early for Muddy Madam; she’d had a late night out with the girls the night previous. As Muddy Madam slowly became sociable I went out and emptied the rubbish out of the back of the Smurf, only to refill it again recovery gear, flasks and butties, wellies, warm clothes and so on.

Following written directions I spotted an Alvis Stalwart parked up in a corner, so I figured that we’d arrived at the right place. We were soon greeted by the owner of the farm, and after signing the driver’s waiver and handing over a tenner, we had a short natter about where the boundaries were, and what to avoid in a standard vehicle such as the Smurf.

As Tony had already told me, it isn’t the biggest of sites, so we parked the Smurf, slipped into our wellies, grabbed our coats and a camera, and went for a quick wander.

It wasn’t long before we watched our first recovery of the day. A Discovery, owned by Graham Fowler who was with his daughter, Daniela, had become grounded in some deep ruts and was being towed out by a Series 3 109 fitted with a V8. A few good tugs and the Discovery was free.

This particular section was soon to have a second victim, this time it was Jon Watson’s late classic Rangie.

A few tugs from the Series III this time didn’t help as traction wasn’t there, so people power saved the day as everyone pushed it backwards down the slope and out of trouble.

Jon’s Range Rover, by the way, looked and sounded awesome with a 2” lift, BFG mud tyres, custom made front and rear bumpers and it’s straight through exhaust with cherry bomb! Though at 70mph on long motorway journeys, it was said to be a little bit too much!

‘Right then, time to play.’ I thought. Just then Tony appeared and offered to show me around the course in his Series III Land Rover to show me the deep bits, and the really deep bits. As we arrived back at the main area four Discoverys turned up, two Camel Trophys, one real beefcake on Grizzly Claws and an early V8 that I was told later had been bought for it’s tyres!

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As I was making my way to the Smurf I could hear the deep roar of a V8 that sounded in trouble, so I grabbed the camera and Karen Lee and went to investigate. It was Jon’s Range Rover again, this time slightly cross axled and grounded - did I mention the ruts were deep?

On this part of the course, the track follows the right hand boundary of the field, turns the corner then goes into deep water section, it was just before the water where Jon had become stuck. As we were trying to free him using both Graham’s Discovery and the 109, I heard the sound of a Tdi and gushing through water behind me. I looked behind and about 25 yards away was Bill in his ‘beefcake’ Disco which he'd launched into the waterlogged track and had gotten stuck; I had to have a nosey.

As I got closer, the water level inside the Disco began to rise, one of the Camel’s quickly came to the rescue and winched him out backwards to safety (it was soon discovered that this particular Discovery had lost drive to the rear wheels).

I then heard that another Discovery had gotten itself stuck in even deeper water, this I had to see.

Sure enough, the multi-coloured V8 Disco that had been bought purely for it’s tyres, had cut-out within about ten yards of entering a water filled run, and again, was letting in water.

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As the winch equipped Camel came again to the rescue, the occupants had to resort to standing on the seats, as that was where the water level was! The banter that was swapped between the driver and the owner was funny, especially when it came to deciding who was going to jump into the very cold waist high water to find the front recovery hitch!

I felt for the driver who then removed most of his clothes and jumped in to connect the winch cable.

As the cable was stretched a fair distance, and the dead V8 had a nice ‘bow wave’ of mud in front, it wasn’t long before we had both winch equipped Discoverys on the job, and the V8 was soon back on dry land. But with all the excitement, the ‘beefcake’ Discovery had now lost front wheel drive and the Camel Disco had a broken winch.

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By this stage I was becoming wary of driving our only working vehicle anywhere within the site. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the thought of getting stuck that worried me, I was confident that our Smurf would cope with pretty much anything, it was just not the right time to break anything, and I hate catching buses.

Throwing caution to the wind, I jumped in the Smurf and went for a little meander. The ground was very hard with plenty of deep ruts crisscrossing the main area, and, because it had rained quite a lot the few days prior, all it had managed to do was to make the surface very slippery indeed, but the Smurf behaved and drove wherever I pointed her

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Sadly, Rampant Off Road no longer exists, I assume the owner found a more profitable use for his land, which is a shame as there were bits for everyone, from standard 4x4s like the Smurf, to fully tricked out motors.

Even though there were many breakdowns, morale and spirits remained high, it proved to be a cracking day out with many new-found friends.

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BENTLEY

FAC TO RY TO U R & DRIVE

I'm a member of the Northern Group of Motoring Writers, and recently we were invited to Crewe, to the home of Bentley Motor Cars, not only for a factory tour, but a chance to drive a car or two.

Our guide for the morning was a former trim shop employee, and like everyone else we spoke to, both in the sales department and factory floor, was both incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic for the brand.

The day began at 9.30am, and after a quick company presentation we were led off in two groups, one would take a selection of cars out, the other, my group, would have a whistle-stop tour of the factory. I say a whistle-stop tour as we only had 2 hours as opposed to the normal full day.

Before we ventured onto the factory floor, he shared with us Bentleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to sustainable energy with the installation of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest ever solar car port. This means that all electricity used to manufacture every Bentley is solar or certified green.

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They’ve installed 10,000 solar panels, which have a capacity of 2.7MW, cover 1,378 car parking spaces and an area of 16,426m², enough to cover two football pitches. The system could reduce CO2 by 3,300 tonnes per year.

Everyone knows that a Bentley simply wouldn’t be complete without beautiful wood inlays, which is where we began our tour. I was aware that it must take a while to produce seamless and flawless veneers, but I was genuinely astounded, not only by the selection on offer, but the time, expertise and dedication it takes to produce them.

The veneer storage room alone has around £700,000 worth of the very finest burr walnut pieces in stock, and for every tree felled, another three are planted in its place.

Next was the the leather shop.

Did you know that most of the hides come from Scandinavia?

This is because they hardly use barbed wire so the chances of imperfections in the hides are limited, and each hide is traceable back to its farm of origin.

Our guide shared with us that a Continental will require 8 or 9 hides, whereas the Mulsanne will use between 15 to 17.

Insanely, Bentley will us over 2,000 hides each week, and after they’ve been precision cut by a row of machines and any usable offcuts are shipped to China where they’ll be made into fashion items and accessories.

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We stopped for a moment to watch employees create steering wheels by hand, from feeding on the leather to stitching by hand - amazing stuff.

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Up until now, pretty much everything had been made by skilled hands, and often by second or third generation employees, but our last stop was the main production line where we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allowed to take photos, sadly.

We were told that a normal production line would be one straight line from beginning to end, but because of the limited space at Crewe, the line not only doubled back on itself, but was raised in certain areas to allow for walkways.

Apparently, a Continental takes 2 days to make its way up and down the production line, whereas the Mulsanne requires 5 or 6. Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember how long a Bentayga takes, sorry.

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After lunch, and before we chose our cars for the afternoon drive, it was announced that after ten years or so, production of the Mulsanne was to end this spring. Taking over the mantle would be the third generation Flying Spur.

Starting at just over £163,000, the new Flying Spur in designed to be the ultimate continental cruiser, with a 0-60mph time of just 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 207mph makes it the fastest 4-door saloon in the world.

Like some weird party from the seventies (so I’m told), I was asked to reach into a bowl and pick a car fob, and as I fumbled around I eventually snatched the key for the Bentayga Speed, which happens to be the world's fastest SUV.

As I had the key, Steve, my driving partner for the afternoon, decided I should drive first.

The Bentayga is a big SUV, no doubt, an observation you only notice whilst you’re stood looking at it and trying to thread your way through small villages with cars parked on either side of the road, but everywhere else it felt, normal.

From town centres to motorways and fast country lanes, you’re always isolated from the hustle outside, yes there’s a faint growl from the muscular W12, but there’s a certain serenity about it. When you bury your right foot down into the carpet, the 626bhp, 6.0 litre W12 engine makes the world seems to blur past like the Millennium Falcon entering light speed, and gravity pushes you back into the armchair-like seats - it’s outrageously quick!

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Driving the Bentayga is like driving a saloon, there’s hardly any body roll and its driving position is similar too, with the dash in front of you and narrow windows, unlike a Range Rover in which you know you’re high up as you’re looking down on everything.

Swapping over midway through our drive it was my turn to be chauffeured, and it was equally comfortable, simply wafting along the Cheshire roads enjoying the views. After our jaunt I didn’t bother checking the fuel consumption, mainly ‘cos I couldn’t figure out how, but it’s a Bentley, so who cares?

A huge thanks goes out to our chairman, Andy Harris of the Yorkshire Times, for organising the day, and of course Bentley for accommodating us.

If you fancy a factory tour, they are available for only £30, and are well worth it.

There’s a minimum age of 16 and places are limited, so telephone 01270 507696 to book yours.

acebook Page of the Month Once, not so long ago, if you wanted to catch up with like minded enthusiasts, you’d join a forum.

It appears these days however that Facebook has taken over the mantle for the place to go for information. So, in the aptly titled ‘Facebook Page of the Month’ every month I will invest hours of time, effort and energy searching Facebook for interesting and relevant groups so you don’t have to. It’s serious work, or so I tell Muddy Madam!

www.facebook.com/adventure4x4.eu

WHO STARTED IT IT? Adventure 4x4 EU was started by Anthony Smith along with Neil Gantley, and recently in 2019 we now have Jack Turner on board as well.

WHEN? Originally it was started back in 2013, but after a few years we closed the page down. In 2018 the page was set back up again, and from there its been slow, but this year we are hoping to build and progress our future plans.

WHY / PURPOSE? We set the page up originally for like minded people to post their photos of their own of trips, and to follow ours; a go to page for like minded people.

However, we soon found we were leading most trips, so we began to run trips as well as tag along tours from beginner green laning days to full on 3 day trips around the UK and Wales.

We are looking this year to expand into Europe with our first guided trip in France.

We aim to bring something a little different to our trips, compared to fast pace of

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other guided tours out there. So far we've only had positive feedback.

HOW MANY MEMBERS SO FAR? We currently have 689 members and counting.

AREA? Midlands, but we have a base for trips in Llangollen too.

ARE THERE PUB MEETINGS? Not as such, but we do hold social weekends which are great for meeting like minded people.

Turn up for a day, weekend or just a few hours. We are currently planning our next summer weekend, one to look out for in our events listing.

CAN MEMBERS ORGANISE THEIR OWN TRIPS? Sadly we don't offer this, but we hold so many trips that members never need to worry. The next one is just around the corner. ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? At Adventure 4x4 EU our aim is to grow over the next year, and continue to show new 4x4 owners responsible and safe ways into green laning ,and offer a great experience for all the family.

We would recommend you join our facebook page and keep a eye out in our events section.

We're also on instagram - @adventure4x4.eu As ever, we value your continued support.

If you, or your group, would like to be featured as FB Page of the Month send us a quick email to:

POTM@themudlife.co.uk The Mud Life is on Facebook too:

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Prawn & asparagus stir fry Each month we give you an easy menu that any buffoon can make whilst out in the great outdoors.

When I say ‘any buffoon’, I obviously mean me.

Equipment needed Single burner (or double burner if you want rice) Frying pan Chopping board Sharp knife Wooden spoon

Up until I made this, I genuinely didn’t know the difference between shrimps and prawns, I thought they were the same - they’re not.

Anyhow, this little stir-fry is dead easy to make and incredibly tasty.

Having made this a few times now, I’d recommend adding some rice to the mix as it soaks up the tasty juice. My usual go-to rice is Uncle Bens 10 minute boil in the bag type.

Head to the next page for the instructions..

Ingredients (for 1) 1 tablespoon oil 150 g prawns 150 g asparagus, trimmed Chilli flakes, to taste 1/2 tsp crushed garlic paste 1/2 tsp crushed ginger paste 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or soy sauce 1/2 lemon 1/2 teaspoon salt (if you use normal soy sauce then I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bother adding salt)

Instructions 1. Trim the asparagus stalks.

2. Heat oil in a large frying pan, over mediumhigh heat 3. Add the asparagus, chilli flakes, ginger and garlic and stir frequently until the asparagus is almost done.

4. Add the prawns to the pan and add the soy sauce. Stir until the ingredients are well combined 5. Just before the dish is ready, add lemon juice, stir once more, then serve whilst hot.

Enjoy!

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es d i R s ' r e Read

Who are you and what do you do?

We are Lizanne and Jordan. I'm from New Caledonia (a French territory comprising of islands in the South Pacific, next to Australia) and Jordan is from France. We quit our job in July 2019 to be full time overlanders. I was working in the sales department for a French website, and Jordan is a former French Marine. Now our life is to explore the World and create awesome content to share with our community.

History of cars leading up your present 4x4 Jordan: My first car was a Honda Civic that I modified as a track day car, and another Civic which was fully stock as a daily drive. With travel in mind I got a Golf 3 Break, I tried to modify it as a soft roading vehicle, but it wasn’t good enough, and that’s why I ended up with a Subaru Forester.

Lizanne: My first (and only) car was a tiny little one you can drive without a driving licence, when I was 15.

Present 4x4(s) Our 1997 SF5 Subaru Forester (aka TACTIFOZ) Modifications done • Fully repainted in desert tan by Jordan • Two inches lifted installed • Skid plates front and rear

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• BFG KO2 • Aux battery system • Custom Roof Rack, Rooftop tent, Awning • Interior setup (storage, kitchen, fridge…)

• Spare Tyre Carrier and Jerry Can holder • Modified Mitsubishi Pajero Snorkel Most of the modifications were done by Jordan, because we needed to save money, but also because of the road trip we are doing. The better you know your car, the safer it is to take hard tracks.

Favourite Modifications Jordan: Dual cup holder on the dash (for my coffee) Lizanne: My personal beauty space, fully customed with all of my favorite makeup just behind me.

Modifications to do • Rearview camera • Solar panel • Tinted windows • New break caliper (because the current failed us many times on the road) • New lights for the kitchen setup (I usually cook in the dark when we setup the camp late) • Hot water system using the radiator • New wheels coming up soon!

Favourite off-road trip Lizanne: For me, the Dragontail track in Spain was one of the nicest offroad trips we did, we ended up sleeping on the mountain. The view was stunning and being alone at this moment was magical.

Jordan: The Monegros Desert, in Spain as well.

We didn’t leave the tracks for two days, and it was technical just enough to enjoy it without risking breaking something, and the climb to the Sierra de Alcubierre was fantastic.

In general we would definitely say Spain offered the best offroad trip so far!

Lottery win 4x4 Lizanne: Definitely a 6x6 G-Wagon from Mercedes, probably pink or yellow (might have some glitter as well) Jordan: I would love to build a fully outfitted 2020 Jeep Gladiator.

Favourite car related film Lizanne: I don’t really watch car movie but Jordan will for sure say Fast & Furious haha!

Jordan: Fast & Furious… The Gran Tour is also pretty nice to watch.

Favourite biscuits Lizanne: Cookies, white chocolate and macadamia (chewy inside, crispy outside) Jordan:The one Lizanne bakes for me!

Where can we find more details?

Lizanne: Instagram - lizanne_creugnet YouTube - Sparkles In The Wild Jordan: Instagram - alnsm_overland YouTube - ALNSM OVERLAND

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If you think that this vehicle looks familiar, you may recall that Chris' Disco was our cover star on November's issue, and featured in a couple of the pics in the Marquenterre article.

Who are you, where are you from and what do you do?

Hi, I’m Chris Beddard and I’m from Dudley West Midlands, and I’m a Cad/Cam Engineer for Eccles Tooling Systems in Halesowen.

History of cars leading up your present 4x4 -- First car was a MK4 Ford Fiesta -- Second car was a Vauxhall Corsa C -- Third car was a brand new VW Polo -- Fourth car was a VW transporter T5 -- Fifth car was a VW Amarok

Present 4x4(s) Land Rover Discovery 2 Modifications done • 2” Suspension Lift • Venom winch bumper • Rhino 13000 winch • Diff Guards • Fuel Tank Guard • Rock and tree sliders • Roof rack • Light bars all round • Cb radio • Pioneer door card speakers all round • Td5 Inside map • Camo Wrap

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Favourite Modifications It has to be the new sound system upgrade and the camo wrap.

Modifications to do Will soon be adding 33â&#x20AC;? wheels, supporting mods and diff locks.

Favourite green-laning trip Strata Florida and anything with loads of mud and water!

Lottery win 4x4 Ford Raptor F350 Mega Raptor.

Favourite car related film (s) The Fast and The Furious, and 2 Fast 2 Furious Favourite biscuits 100% Bourbons Where can we find more details?

Instagram - chrisbeddard Facebook - chris.beddard.5

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es d i R s ' r e Read

,

Who are you, where are you from and what do you do?

I'm Jason Turner and I'm from Los Angeles, CA. I'm a full time photographer at the moment.

• Icon 2.5 Coilovers in front

History of cars leading up your present 4x4 The truck I have is my first 4x4 and I've gone from being in love with speed on super sport bikes, to falling in love with offroading with my 1st truck, a 2WD 1st generation Tacoma.

I get to spend more time with my pup when I'm outdoors, so I ended up selling that 2WD and put that money towards a proper 4x4.

• Dakar Leaf + Add Leaf in rear with Bilstein 7100's Custom Mounted

Present 4x4(s) The current truck is a 2003 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Double Cab.

• Renogy Solar Panels x 2 100w

Modifications done The mod list is insanely long, so I'll keep it to some of the main ones.

• 315/75/16 Yokohama Geolandar G003 MT's • Go Fast Camper in Grey • ARB Front Bumper, Custom Rock Sliders, Custom Rear Swing Bumper

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• Dometic CFX50 Fridge

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• Manual Locking front Hubs • DC Engineering 180A Alternator • Odyssey Battery PC1500 x 2 • Kinsmen Hardware 270 Degree Quick Awning • Renogy 2000w Inverter • Pelican Storage Boxes and Gear • WeBoost - Signal Booster • Safe Jack - Recovery Equipment • 4.88 gears F/R and many many more.

Favourite Modifications My favourite modifications are: • My Yokohama Geolandar G003 MT's • The Dometic Fridge, • Go Fast Camper • Renogy Solar / Power Equipment • Kinsmen Hardware Awning.

Most of my mods listed are actually mostly my favourite equipment that's been perfect for the build.

Modifications to do Modifications I plan to still do might be upgrading suspension and possibly doing a SAS or Long Travel. I still haven't decided which route to go, but not in a huge rush.

I would like to upgrade to 5.29 gearing eventually as well and maybe a supercharger for kicks.

Favourite green-laning trip My favourite trip would have to be seeing the Sierra. I love it there and it's not too far from where I live. Best of everything is out there I think. A close second is Moab, Utah, just wish it was closer.

Lottery win 4x4 Lottery 4x4... hmmm... I'd say probably a 110 Defender, or some diesel truck with a 4-wheelcamper on it, or some ridiculous MAN 6x6 or an Earth Roamer...

Hard to decide.

Favourite biscuits Favourite biscuits are Snickerdoodles.

Where can we find more details?

Instagram - @kodastacoma, and I will be releasing a website soon as well.

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Reader's Furry Family Hi folks, Muddy Madam here. Inspired by Jason Turner's photos of his gorgeous dog I have decided that it's not good enough to just have Reader's Rides, no, now we will have a page or two to show off your furry family members. The only rule is that there must be a bit of your vehicle in there too. Send in your pics, and couple of sentences about them to me at:

klt@themudlife.co.uk

This is Jason Turner 's dorky fur ball (his words, not ou rs) Siberian Husky, Koda.

"Koda is very talkativ e, silly, and quite frankly, a punk, but on a positive note heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s als o very loyal, sweet, and growing up to be the best dog I could have ever asked for."

ad lth cat and he member, stea ily or). m ri fa ar fe W Li ow ud Past M .A. Shad .K (A lm co al M er, when he mouse munch rrect term, as co e th is er ch mun e heads. YUK! 'Head' mouse ever ate was th he l al em th caught 98

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s the most think Koda ha e w Q H dy er seen., Here at Mud eyes we've ev ic at m ro ch ro ppy kisses stunning hete to give big slo es lik he at th it too). and we love ink Isabel likes th I c pi e th (judging by

Past Mud Life unky years. family love ch his younger ch in as ub, and supre w he n He never stra me Land Rove ed here whe yed too far fr e rag top r lounger, Frizz, pictur om us when w his perch on th om fr gs in th e ork was being done, and like to overse

Sophie Devon's dog, Laddie helping her with a bit of tinkering.

"He’s a mixed breed, so mixed I couldn’t tell you exactly what he is!

He’s got very similar qualities to a Lurcher/white German Shepherd, as he has a lot of fur, and a big bushy tail.

He’s very loving, constantly follows me around and never leaves my side .

He’s now 13, but still has his puppy moments. He’s very sneaky, and likes to go through the bin."

has Russ Dykes from Ardventures.co.uk the g 3 floppy eared family members livin luxurious Land Rover life.

Green All 3 are rescue dogs from the Jerry .

Rescue Centre in Boston, Lincolnshire the baby of left - Tilley, a Show Cocker Blonde, the trio at only 18 months k and middle - Barnaby, the 4 year old blac white Springer Spaniel 3.5 years right - Pip, the Black Labrador aged

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PAST JALOPIES

Travelling Smurf Pt.5 On The Rack

It didn’t take long for our ’94 Toyota Surf to become an essential part of the family, as it excelled at pretty much everything we asked it to do.

• Tow a caravan - no problem.

• Take four people, plus enough luggage to give a bellboy a hernia to the airport - easy.

• Move twenty odd chairs from one youth club to another - a piece of cake.

• Then there was the eight feet long angle iron and shelves that I collected from my mate Dave - effortless!

With such a huge amount of space in the back, especially with the back seats folded down, the need to fit a roof rack was never an issue, there was enough room for multiple kitchen sinks, and a bath or two. However, the day eventually arrived when we had enough spare cash to go out and buy a canoe, so now we needed a roof rack.

Now lets get things straight before we go any further, a canoe, or open canoe is what Davey Crockett had, and if you don’t know who Davey Crockett is, surely it’s past your bedtime? A user of an open canoe has one long stick with one paddle at the end. A kayak on the other hand is different, these are usually used in slaloms, and have a similarly long stick, but with two paddles at either end.

My problem was that our Smurf has no gutters or roof rails, and I needed to find a roof rack that slotted into the door tops. The only problem was that would only give me about 4 feet between the rails; would that be sturdy enough to carry a 16 foot canoe? Members on www.SongOfThePaddle.co.uk forum seemed to think so, and my search began.

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PAST JALOPIES

It took about a month of searching, then one evening, just before I was about to go to work, I came across a roof bar for sale on eBay, with only 4 minutes left. It came with an aero deck basket and a bank of spot lamps. As Muddy Madam had abandoned me to go off to foreign climes with her friend Caroline and her two kids, I phoned Barny to bid on it for me as I didn’t have an account. Even though I’d interrupted his tea, he was the successful bidder, and I had a roof rack!

After a quick natter to Tim, the guy we’d just won the rack from, we arranged that I would collect it the following day from somewhere in Wales, just off the A55. First though, I had to collect the above mentioned women ‘n’ kids from the airport and give Muddy Madam the good news. Luckily for me, they'd had a great time, so she was in a good mood!

The following day we set off to North Wales. Finding Tim’s place proved a bit difficult, the AA route planner had let us down, you could say that it had led us down the wrong path! By the way, this was back in 2006, pre-GPS. We found Bagillt, parked up next to a pub and phoned Tim for assistance. Within a few minutes he arrived and we followed him home. Not only did he come to meet us, but he proceeded to help us fit the roof rack to the Smurf as well, cheers Tim! Driving home again I expected to hear a lot of wind noise, but as I’ve said before, the sound proofing on Surfs are excellent.

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A few weeks later Muddy Madam and I drove down to Aberdyfi to buy our first canoe, an We-No-Na Aurora, aka Winona. It was the end of the summer season and they had around a dozen to sell off, so I picked the least scratched, loaded it onto the Smurf and drove back ready for new adventures!

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PAST JALOPIES

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ARC NATIONAL -

RETRO SNAPS

Can you spot you or your motor in these photos from bygone mud adventures?

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- Lincoln, 1995

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Fancy an off-road challenge?

Want to get your 4x4 filthy?

Don’t ruin our ancient byways, try out your local P&P site instead.

A few pointers…It’s important that you check the site’s requirements before you visit, such as: Does your 4x4 need to be road legal?

Do you need to show proof of age, vehicle MOT and insurance documents? Are your recovery points secure? Do you even have any recovery points?

To avoid disappointment, always check with the individual site before you set off. Also remember that, as well as a good quality tow rope, it’s always useful to bring along some rags and a bottle of water to clean your lights and reg plates, so you can stay legal whilst driving home!

Pay & Play Directory NORTH

Avalanche Adventures

Hill ’n’ Ditch

Activities: Pay & Play http://www.hillnditch4x4.com 07974 398201

Explore Off Road

Activities: Pay & Play, Off Road Driver Training, 4x4 Experiences http://www.exploreoffroad.co.uk 07970 286881

Kirton Off Road

Activities: Pay & Play, 4x4 Experiences https://www.korc.co.uk 01652 245022

SOUTH Essex Rochford & District 4x4 Club Activities: Pay & Play http://www.4x4er.co.uk

Devils Pit

Activities: Pay & Play http://www.devilspit.co.uk 07764 159478

R 106

Activities: Pay & Play, 4x4 Experiences https://avalancheadventure.co.uk 01858 880613

4x4 Without A Club

Activities: Pay & Play http://www.4x4-withoutaclub.co.uk 07887533168

4x4 Driving

Activities: Pay & Play, Off Road Driver Training http://www.4x4driving.co.uk 07802 582826

Piccadilly Wood

Activities: Pay & Play http://www.piccadillywood4x4.co.uk 07984 543886

Ultra Adventure Driving

Activities: Pay & Play / 4x4 driver training http://www.ultraadventuredriving.co.uk 01978 358 444

John Morgan 4x4 Driving / Slindon Safari Activities: Pay & Play http://www.4x4driving.co.uk 01903 812195

emember, motorsport is dangerous, and it can also be a lot of fun, so be sensible out there.

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4x4 Tours D-Day Tours

Ardent Off Road

4x4 Adventure Tours

Highland All Terrain

One Life Adventure

Ardventures

Activities: 4x4 Tours https://www.dday1944.tours 07773 110101

Activities: 4x4 Tours https://www.highlandscenicsafari.co.uk 01528 544358

Activities: 4x4 Tours, 4x4 Experiences https://ardentoffroad.com 01405 947 001

Activities: 4x4 Tours & vehicle prep training https://www.onelifeadventure.co.uk 01347 830188

Activities: 4x4 Tours https://www.4x4adventuretours.co.uk Tel: 0776 933 6099

Activities: 4x4 Tours, 4x4 Experiences https://ardventures.co.uk Tel: 01757 638 479

Cambrian Way

Activities: 4x4 Tours https://www.cambrianway.com 01550 750274

Off Road Driver Training & Experiences NORTH

SOUTH

SCOTLAND

North Yorkshire Off Road Centre

Wild Tracks

Scottish Off Road

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

Tours http://www.nyoffroad.co.uk 07787 555060

Explore Off Road

Activities: Pay & Play

Off Road Driver Training

4x4 Experiences http://www.exploreoffroad.co.uk 07970 286881

UK WIDE All Terrain Services

Activities: 4x4 Driver Training

4x4 Experiences

Self Drive Tours https://www.allterrainservices.co.uk 01792 862669

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

4x4 Experiences https://www.wildtracksltd.co.uk 01638 751918

True Grip off Road

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

4x4 Experiences http://www.truegripoffroad.co.uk 01233 662251

Protrax

Activities: 4x4 Driver Training https://www.protrax.co.uk 01536 772238

Avalanche Adventures

Activities: Pay & Play

4x4 Experiences https://avalancheadventure.co.uk 01858 880613

Ash 4x4

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

4x4 Experiences http://www.ash4x4.com 07581 030331

Activities: Off Road Driver Training http://www.scotoffroad.co.uk 07711 217759

Far X Four

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

4x4 Experiences http://www.farxfour.com 01450 860275

4x4 Driving

Activities: Pay & Play

Off Road Driver Training http://www.4x4driving.co.uk 07802 582826

WALES Bala 4x4

Activities: 4x4 Driver Training https://www.bala4x4.co.uk 01536 772238

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