The Mud Life 4x4 Magazine - #42 - Sept/Oct 2022

Yaris CrossHonda Hr-V

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 © 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.

muddy madam's moment

Before Damian tells you about what's happening this month and in the future, I thought I'd address the question that we were asked quite a lot last month. Below is pretty much the letter that was sent out to subscribers, but I thought it was worth letting the not-yet-subscribed know too.

What happened to September's mag?

Damian and I have been making the mag for nearly 4 years now, and creating a magazine that has 100+ pages of original content every month, when there are only 2 of us, is a shed load of hard work.

We don't have a 'team'. Yes, we do have Lauren, whose Laning Life articles, and now her new Words From The Wild section are brilliant, and the occasional guest writer, but everything else you seearticles, photographs, the design of the mag, YouTube, stickers, t-shirts, the website, social media and all the background stuff - is done by the two of us, and us alone.

This means we both sit in front of a computer a lot, and on the rare occasions we aren't, we are usually travelling along a green lane or two so that reviews can be written, videos can be made and mooches detailed (when I say we, I mainly mean Damian as he is the one that usually goes off greenlaning). Basically, apart from the day a week when Damian works in a school counselling children, we are both living our lives around creating this magazine.

In those 4 years Damian and I haven't had a holiday, or any breaks that don't involve car launches or car events, and currently the magazine isn't providing the lifestyle - work/life balance, travel or money - that we were aiming for when we began.

Basically we were feeling a bit burnt out, and felt the focus of the magazine suffered because of it. Therefore we decided to take a short break to re-assess what we want The Mud Life to be, and to have a little time for ourselves. In that time we've been having long conversations about:

• What do we actually want out of life?

• What the mag should be/become?

• Should we even continue with the mag, or are there better options (like YouTube, blogs, etc.) out there?

We have a few ideas that we are mulling over, but have yet to reach a final decision. We'll let you know when our ideas have formed into something more solid, but in the meantime feel free to tell us what you think about the mag (good and the bad), and what YOU'd like us to do next.

No matter the decision about the future plans there will be another mag coming later this month (this is that mag), so bear with us.

Kind regards Karen Lee & Damian

turner's torque

“There is nothing permanent except change.” - Heraclitus

Now you know why there was no September issue, I thought I'd tell you about a few things that we pondered about. We reassessed a lot of things, and decided that there has to be changes to the mag that will be rolled out over the next few months.

We aim to take the magazine back to our original plan with a lot more core 4x4 stuff involving adventures, greenlaning, outdoor exploits and unusual and interesting vehicles, all hopefully with a good variety of new contributors. This may take us a while to implement, and as of today we are not sure if the mag will stay as a monthly enterprise, but one thing is for sure, things will definitely change.

Our website themudlife.co.uk is going to be totally updated, rejigged, and will become a great place to visit regularly. It will be the place to go to for 4x4 news and great articles, and will feature the magazine content (post-magazine publishing) in searchable and shareable web-friendly articles, which in turn we hope will bring us more readers.

Our YouTube channel, which we have only sporadically played around with in the past, will be getting a lot more love, and will focus on two areas:

1. more green laning and adventure vids

2. plenty of product videos to compliment written reviews

Videos do take a while to do, but they are coming so please subscribe now, so that we know you want to see it. https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMudLifeMagazine

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here

We hope you appreciate the fruits of our labour, because as you can tell Karen Lee and I do a lot of work (and have a lot more work to do) to keep this magazine going, and we would love your help getting the word out by sharing articles, videos and posts - and generally bigging up The Mud Life with your 4x4 loving friends.

In other news, I had the new Range Rover on test a few weeks ago, and what a machine it is. However, it came in for a lot of abuse when I put photos on social media with most people saying that it’s about as far away from the Range Rover heritage as it can get. I agree, to a point.

Yes it has some nods to the Classic, but as I’ve said many times, the past isn’t where the money and financial security is. JLR isn’t building cars for enthusiasts, it’s all about new blood, new money and future development, as well as keeping up with the best. I don’t believe that they’ve lost their way, they’re forging new paths, they have to.

become a mega Mud Life Supporter

All these lovely people chose to support us this month. Thank you all so much.

GADGET Lauren E. laf PAUL W.

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We would like to thank all our readers who sent lovely messages of support this month. It's nice to hear from you, and to find out you like what we do, and want us to keep doing it.

As we mentioned earlier in the mag it's takes a lot of effort, and a chunk of money to get it out into the world, but we really do want to keep the mag free to read, especially as some people are being squeezed financially, so if you like what we do, and can spare a few pennies, we'd love a little support whilst we put together the next mag.

Buy us a 'hot choc', and you'll get a name check in the mag. Buy us 2 hot chocs at one time, or become a regular monthly hot choc provider then you'll get a even bigger mention.

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Toyota wins 2022 Car Design Award for Compact Cruiser EVNews

The Car Design Award for Concept Vehicles was presented to Toyota at a ceremony held at the ADI Design Museum in Milan during this year’s Milan Design Week. The winner is selected by an international jury of eleven experts representing some of the world’s most prestigious automotive magazines.

Created by the team based at Toyota ED2 in Nice, the Compact Cruiser EV was unveiled last year at Toyota’s Mega Web centre in Tokyo, and builds on Toyota’s strong off-road vehicle heritage.

It is designed to enhance the lifestyles of its target customers - young, professional urban dwellers who enjoy active outdoor leisure pursuits - with an engaging, goanywhere, all-wheel drive EV experience.

Its rugged, tough exterior borrows a number of styling cues from the legendary first generation Land Cruiser, including its off-roader silhouette and simple, strong body sections.

Silva Baruffadi, President of the Award Jury and Editor of Auto&Design, said:

“Toyota Design was among the finalists in all the award categories: for Brand Design Language; for Production Cars, with Aygo Cross; and for Concept Cars, with Compact Cruiser EV. As the Car Design Award is not assigned to a car but to the design team author of the project, this year’s edition marks great recognition for Toyota global design.”

Works V8 Trophy II revealedNews

Limited edition Classic Defender

Land Rover Classic has launched 25 exclusive expedition inspired Classic Defender Works V8 Trophy II vehicles and experience to honour its global off-roading and exploration heritage.

Each vehicle has a unique camouflage representing 23 locations the legendary 4x4 has tackled over 70 years of adventuring history, including places from The Camel Trophy, The First Overland, and the G4 Challenge. The design also features a number of hidden Land Rovers and their iconic shape in silhouette for owners to identify!

As well as the opportunity to purchase a unique collectible vehicle, customers are invited to take part in the second exclusive 3 day Land Rover Trophy competition. Customers will receive guidance from experts to compete in a series of points-based off-road challenges, inspired by our famous global adventures. After the competition, one team will walk away with a grand prize.

The unique camouflaged Classic Defender Works V8 Trophy models will be created using Defender models from 2012-2016, stripped and rebuilt by hand to exacting standards and improved high specifications, developed exclusively by the dedicated team at Land Rover Classic.

Powered by Land Rover’s 5.0-litre V8 petrol powertrain, producing 405PS and 515Nm of torque, the limited-edition features an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. Each model undergoes a comprehensive rebuild with uprated suspension, steering enhancements and uprated brakes. It will be offered as a 90 and 110 Station Wagon bodies as well as a 110 Double Cab Pick-Up for the first time on a Trophy model. In the production run of 25, Land Rover Classic will create only 5 Double Cab Pick-ups, with the remaining 20 vehicles split between 90 and 110 Station Wagon body styles equally.

The exterior features a distinctive black and white theme, with a unique camouflage developed with the Design team at Land Rover Special Vehicles. The main body is finished in Fuji White with a contrasting Narvik Black roof and Gloss Black exterior elements, down to minute details including rivets, screws and vents. Gloss Black 18-inch Sawtooth alloy wheels complement the theme.

At the front, a protective A-frame houses a winch ahead of a bespoke front grille. The black bonnet features a satin finish to reduces glare in bright conditions, while a powerful full-width 1.27m LED light bar provides ultimate visibility in all-terrain conditions at night.

The Classic Defender Works V8 Trophy II has a 500mm wading depth, a rear recovery point and is finished with rock sliders and an external roll bar for added body protection. A rear ladder provides access to the expedition roof rack while subtle detailing includes Land Rover Trophy badging and white logo detail on the mudflaps.

Recaro sports seats are finished in high-quality black and white Windsor leather with contrast stitching, combining support and comfort. Leather trim extends to the dashboard, doors and headlining, ensuring a handcrafted finish throughout.

Land Rover Classic’s modern Infotainment System with integrated navigation and mobile device connectivity ensures the latest multimedia options are housed in the authentic dashboard. Land Rover’s ergonomic pistol shifter for the ZF automatic gearbox is also fitted for added control.

Finally, for those looking to enhance their own Defender with some of the Works V8 Trophy II aesthetic, Land Rover Classic will be offering Trophy influenced Genuine Accessories to be announced later this year.

The 90, 110 and 110 Double Cab Classic Defender Works V8 Trophy II derivatives are now available to purchase direct from Land Rover Classic, with prices starting from £225K for a 90 in the UK.

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All-New Nissan X-Trail breaks coverNews

Over two decades, almost 7 million units of X-Trail have been sold globally, making it one of the world’s most popular family adventure vehicles. The next stage of Nissan’s electrified product offensive takes shape with the regional premiere of the AllNew, 4th generation X-Trail.

Starting at £32,030, the AllNew X-Trail offers rugged eye-catching design, comfort, on-board convenience, and a great drive, and will be available in both 5 and 7 seats.

The All-New X-Trail will be equipped with the brand’s innovative e POWER drive system. Exclusive to Nissan, e-POWER is a unique approach to electrification, offering the EV-drive feeling without the need to recharge. The defining feature of e-POWER is that the 1.5 litre Variable Compression Ratio turbo petrol engine (150kW, 204PS) is used solely to generate electricity, whilst the wheels are completely driven by the electric motor. This means the engine can always run within its optimal range, leading to superior fuel efficiency in urban settings.

Mild Hybrid Version

It will also be offered with the turbocharged 1.5-litre variable compression ratio powering the wheels in the traditional fashion. Generating 120kW (163PS) and 300Nm of torque, it will be offered only in two-wheel drive configuration, with power to the wheels being transmitted via the Xtronic stepped continuously variable transmission.

e-4ORCE

A new all-wheel drive system designed to work with Nissan’s electrified powertrains is introduced on the All-New X-Trail in Europe. e-4ORCE will deliver reassuring traction and acceleration in all conditions thanks to Nissan's most advanced all-wheel control technology. It will also be arriving on ARIYA, early 2023. Deliveries of the AllNew Nissan X-Trail are set to begin in October. UK versions and pricing:

Visia - £32,030 / Acenta Premium - £33,705 / N-Connecta - £36,530

Tekna - £39,850 / Tekna+ - £42,520 e-POWER [cost in addition to MHEV] - £2,435 e-4ORCE [cost in addition to e-POWER] - £2,200

7 Seats - £1,000

Twisted uncover their One of One DefendersNews

Defender specialist, Twisted Automotive, has lifted the covers off 16 factory-fresh classic Land Rover Defender 110s that have been barn stored since coming off the production line six years ago e ach with less than 30 miles on the clock.

There is just one Utility Wagon and one Station Wagon available in each colour, all based on the original XS spec (the highest Land Rover Defender spec at the time).

By opening its barn doors, Twisted Automotive is inviting people to reserve the last of a generation, never to be replaced.

In 2015, Charles Fawcett, founder and Managing Director of Twisted Automotive explained,

“These sixteen 110s were handpicked for their chassis numbers and build dates. They were all registered in 2016 - after production ceased - identifying them among the last off the line and, arguably, more collectable. They’re special, and when Twisted, each one is the only one. Hence the limited run is called One of One. All of the 16 will be Twisted, but exactly how depends on the lifestyle and tastes of the customer. ”

Customers can choose their powertrain. The two options are the TVS 2.3L 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol (308BHP and 350Lb/Ft torque) or TTD 2.2 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel (174BHP and 310Lb/Ft torque).

Build slots are open for delivery in 2023, 40 years after the launch of the original One Ten.

prices:

• Utility Wagon (5-seater) - 2.2 TTD from £135K + VAT & TVS from £174.5K + VAT

• Station Wagon (7-seater) - 2.2 TTD from £145K + VAT & TVS from £184.5K + VAT more at » www.twisted.co.uk

50th Anniversary of Subaru's All-Wheel Drive SystemNews

Since the introduction of the Subaru Leone 4WD Estate Van, Japan's first mass-produced AWD passenger car, in September 1972, the company has produced about 21 million AWD vehicles to date.

AWD models currently account for 98% of Subaru’s global sales, and all of those AWD models feature the Subaru Symmetrical AWD system fitted with the horizontally-opposed 'Boxer' engine.

The most distinctive feature of Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD is a symmetrically-laid-out drivetrain paired with a longitudinallymounted Boxer engine positioned in line with it. The combination of the low centre of gravity provided by the Boxer engine and the superior weight balance of the symmetrical drivetrain maximises stability and traction intrinsic to all-wheel drive, offering superb driving performance in a variety of weather and road conditions. In addition to these hardware advantages,

Subaru has been continuously honing its AWD capability under the philosophy of 'human-oriented car making', to deliver a greater sense of unity with the vehicle which offers increased 'Enjoyment and Peace of Mind' to the driver and passengers.

Subaru’s AWD technology continues to evolve in electrified vehicles as well. In 'e-BOXER' equipped models a highlyresponsive motor allows more precise control of AWD, which offers a greater sense of security on a slippery road surface such as on snow or ice as well as an enhanced driving capability on rough roads.

The dual-motor AWD system adopted in the all-new Solterra electric SUV has been developed incorporating expertise gained from the company’s motor AWD R&D initiative launched in 2005, offering the driving capability and enjoyment characteristic of Subaru.

No Time To Die Defenders raise a whopping £352,800News

Christie's Auction House is currently holding a 2 part auction marking the 'Sixty Years of James Bond' annniversary.

The first part was a live auction recently held at Christie’s in London which featured 25 Bond lots from EON Productions (who donated 100% of their auction proceeds to over 45 nominated charitable causes), two of which were a unique, UK-spec Defender V8 Bond Edition, and a stunt Defender 110 with the unique VIN (vehicle identification number) 007, as seen in the film’s action scenes.

The specially modified Defender 110 stunt car was snapped up, famed for its all-terrain action scenes in No Time To Die. It sold for an impressive £189,000, which will be used by the British Red Cross to support their crucial humanitarian efforts.

The No Time To Die Defender sold for £163,800 and the funds will assist the charity, Tusk, to amplify the impact of progressive conservation initiatives across Africa, which protect endangered species, safeguard biodiversity and empower local communities. Just 300 Bond Editions were available worldwide and this UK-spec example has a unique ‘60 Years of Bond’ logo etched on the instrument panel end cap.

There is also an online auction which features 35 lots spanning the 25 films that is still open for bidding, so if you have deep pockets and want to get your hands on some great Bond memorabillia head to over to Christie's before it ends on October 5th the official James Bond Day which is the date of the World Premiere of the first James Bond film Dr. No in 1962.

Getoneyourself of these new MUD LIFE STICKERS!

We now we have these 2 fun new designs to pick from, and they are bigger than the last ones.

Stick 'em on your 4x4, caravan, toolbox, laptop or wherever else you just want to stick things.

• Size - approx. 10cm

Printed on high quality vinyl

Suitable for exterior use.

These glossy vinyl stickers are £1.75 each plus P&P (it's just a one-off P&P of 66p no matter how many stickers you buy).

DefenDer V8

What is it?

If you’ve been around green ovals for as long as me, you’ll know that this new model builds on decades of Land Rover V8 heritage, from Golden Rod (Land Rover’s US importer’s experiment back in 1966), to the Stage I V8 that began production in 1979. Then of course there was the NAS (North American Specification) models of the nineties, the Defender 50th, and more recently, the powerful Defender Works V8.

The new Defender V8 is, however, the quickest of the bunch. Available in both 90 and 110 body styles, it has Land Rover’s potent 5.0-litre V8 supercharged petrol engine, which produces 525bhp, 625Nm of torque and drives through an 8-speed automatic transmission.

On the rOaD

With the aforementioned 525bhp, the 90 it will catapult you from 0-60mph in just 5.1 seconds, but it feels much quicker, and will happily carry on to a top speed of 149mph - I’m told.

To cope with the extra oomph, Land Rover has toughened up the Defender’s chassis and suspension and given it larger diameter anti-roll bars, stiffer suspension bushes and bespoke spring and damper rates. There’s also a new electronic active rear diff and a ‘Dynamic’ mode for the terrain response system, this unlocks more performance on tarmac and loose surfaces. Yeah, like it needs more performance!

No matter where you’re going and what style of driving you have, the 8-speed automatic ‘box feels like a match made in heaven, and if you want an extra bit of control, or simply feeling playful, the flappy paddle software has been tweaked to enable slightly quicker changes.

The new Defender, no matter what’s under the bonnet, is still a large car, and throwing it around corners will induce body roll, and despite the extra suspension tweaks, the V8 is no different.

Having said that, it handles better than you imagine it would. With this in mind Land Rover is keen to point out that this is not one of its Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) products, so isn’t supposed to be stiff and hard riding, instead it’s been designed to be a comfortable cruiser first and everything else second. And that’s something I can definitely concur.

Although the speed and acceleration are addictive, simply burbling around is as equally satisfying, especially listening to the V8 symphony - it’s quite intoxicating.

Official figures state that it gulps fuel at a rate of up to 19.5mpg, but on a 300 mile round trip to Grimsthorpe Castle, the best mpg I got was 25.2, though I couldn’t document it as I was driving. The average for long motorway stretches was 24mpg, and tootling around the borough I’d get 18mpg. Seriously though, that’s not bad for a 5.0 litre supercharged V8 in the shape of a smoothed brick.

As a side note, the following week I had a long wheelbase Wrangler Rubicon with a roof top tent, and all it could muster on the motorway was 21mpg.

Off rOaD

It’s still a Defender, and what Land Rover don’t know about 4x4 tech isn’t really worth knowing.

Despite being a bit nervous and trying not to damage the huge 22” rims, I managed to take the V8 along a few gnarly lanes, and it walked them - as you would expect. A wheel high in the air? No problem. Two wheels in the air? Ha, easy peasy lemon squeezy!

As you will have read in previous issues, I’ve driven both the 90 and 110 Defender along many of the tracks around Eastnor Castle - but to take it along a few challenging green lanes is a different matter altogether.

Raise the air suspension and you have heaps of clearancewith no low hanging diffs to worry about either.

However, with air suspension on full lift there isn’t much in the way of articulation, but the Terrain Response system does a fantastic job of working things out in no time at all.

As I’ve mentioned in previous reports, I find the 3D Surround Cameras work incredibly well, especially the ones under the door mirrors that show the front tyres, they’re brilliantly effective at showing what’s in front, and at the side of the vehicle.

The Defender has heaps of other ‘off-road’ tech up its sleeve like the wade sensing feature that calculates the depth of water adjacent to the vehicle. The touchscreen displays the results along with the maximum wading depth.

interiOr

When it comes to the interior, the only sign you’ve just spent the best part of £100k are the V8 badges on the sills and flappy paddles, the rest is like every other model.

But this isn’t really a bad thing, as jumping into the new Defender still makes me smile, it’s totally unique and I love its up-to-date nod to Defenders of old.

Despite hard wearing and washable panels, its still a classy place to be, and the driving position is stately and typical of the brand.

When it comes to cubby space, I honestly can’t imagine anyone using up all the space that’s available, it’s such a practical design.

Like any three door vehicle, clambering into the back can be a bit of a fuss, which isn’t helped by having to wait for the motor to move the front seats forward - I timed them at around 15 seconds.

However, once in the back rear seat passengers not only have a huge amount of leg room and visibility, but with USB ports embedded in the front seats, it’s a surprisingly comfortable place to be.

In the boot you get just under 400 litres, which is enough to fit my rather cumbersome Peli 1640 Protector case. Unfortunately the rear seats don’t fold completely flat, which can be a bit of nuisance if you want to carry large items, like a fridge, and so on.

When it comes to spec you’re not sold short as all Defenders come with LED headlights, heated front seats and Land Rover’s 10” Pivi Pro infotainment set-up with apple CarPlay and Android. The adaptive cruise control helped take some of the strain out of interminable motorway journeys and certainly helps to achieve the best fuel economy.

Although a few people I know don’t get along with ClearSight digital rear-view mirror, I love it and used it all the time. ClearSight uses a camera in one f the roofmounted fins to show what’s behind, and gives a wide-angled view via the rear-view mirror.

COnClusiOn

Shoehorning V8s into Land Rovers is nothing new, as well as the aforementioned special editions from Solihull, owners have been doing it since Adam was a lad, from the earliest Series 1 to the most battered Lightweight. I remember quite fondly my old V8 hybrid, it was awesome off-road, and the standard 3.5 litre carb-fed V8 gave it real on-road ability, which was lacking in the ‘olden’ days!

Overall I enjoyed every second behind the wheel of the V8, except for the times I had to pull into petrol station forecourts to top it upagain! But with a starting price of £98,575, it’s clearly aimed at more affluent clientele. That said, it doesn’t matter which model of Defender you choose to go for, a full order book means that you will have to join a rather large queue.

MyTeenageObsession

They say never meet your heroes, but during a late evening rendezvous in Stoke-on-Trent, I did, and I haven’t stopped smiling!

You see, I can trace my 4x4 obsession back to the early 1980s when I was around 13 years old. Back then I would spend my Saturday afternoons watching a TV show called Fall Guy.

In case you’re too young to remember, Lee Majors played Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stunt man who moonlights as a bounty hunter using his physical skills and knowledge of stunt effects to capture fugitives and criminals. His steel steed? A 1980 GMC K25 pickup.

If memory serves correctly, it rode on a 6” lift kit, 35” Dick Cepek tyres, a winch and a chromed rollbar with Cibie spot lights. I’m pretty confident that similarly to the general Lee in the Dukes of hazard, the pickup spent most of its time in the air jumping over cars.

During the show they went through quite a number of pickups until they decided to have a fleet of special ‘jump-cars’. These had the engines moved to the middle of the vehicle for balance and the front axles were removed and replaced with a cardboard cut-outs.

Like many famous TV and film vehicles, there are a lot of enthusiasts who build replicas, and this particular K25 belongs to Ian Rowley.

At a number of shows recently I’ve found myself drooling over Ian’s K25, and after learning that it’s currently up for sale, I figured I’d better visit Ian sooner rather than later.

Arriving at Ian’s lock-up, the huge K25 was nestled between a Crown Vic police car and his genuine General Lee.

After a quick chat Ian reversed it out of his garage, it fired up with a mighty crack and gently settled into a rhythmic rumble, the sound you only get from huge American V8s.

Ian bought the K25 three years ago from a couple of lads in Hull. “It was tidy, rust free car and a good base to start the mods.” He told me.

The 18 month build started with a body off restoration, everything was undersealed and the final paint job, that Ian did himself, cost £4k - and you can tell, it’s immaculate.

When Ian began the process of putting it back together the challenge was finding correct parts that were used during filming.

Ian is quite proud of the fact that he managed to find not only an authentic side strip, but the identical wheels that are on original pickup from series 1 and 2 here in the UK.

The roll bar on the other hand was bought second hand from America and imported to blighty. Unable to find suitable brackets for the Cibie lights he fabricated his own.

He also managed to find the same winch, then he built the bull bar from scratch, which incidentally looks amazing.

When it came to the suspension Ian decided on a 4” lift and imported from America

Ian then commissioned a guy in Germany to create the ‘Fall Guy Association’ sticker, he actually took the design from a toy car and the result is, as you would expect from a build of this calibre, excellent.

Ian had the twin stainless steel exhausts manufactured, with each having a single silencer up front, 4½” tips, and they make the standard 6.6 litre V8 burble.

When Ian can’t obtain parts himself, like the new door mirrors, door handles and door seals, he’ll contact Oldcott Motors, they’ve been dealing with classic American vehicles since 1958, and know their stuff.

This isn’t Ian’s first replica, he told me he’s had an A-Team van and a couple of Pontiac Trans-Ams, aka Bandits. But he also has the real thing, as sitting alongside the K25 is a genuine General Lee that’s signed by the cast and crew of the Dukes of Hazzard.

Ian told me that the only reason his pickup is now up for sale is that he has another project in mind, so if you want a beautifully built K25 that’s as close as you can get to the original TV car, then contact Ian on 07779 138719, and be prepared to discuss a price around £32k.

Honda HR-V e:HEV

What is it?

Giving it its full title, the ‘HR-V 5D 1.5i-MMD Advance Style e-CVT’, which is quite a mouthful, is Honda’s third-generation HR-V and it marks a radical change in both design and technology.

Its new sleek body competes well with its competitors,

On the road

The first time Muddy Madam took it out, she asked, “Why is it so revvy?” “That’ll be the CVT.” I muttered.

CVT stands for ‘continuously variable transmission’ and operates in a similar fashion to a traditional automatic, but without the cogs. They’re especially popular in hybrids and SUVs because they offer excellent fuel efficiency and smooth, uninterrupted power delivery, but as Muddy Madam said, they have a tendency to send revs soaring to the roof if you plant you foot hard on the accelerator.

Driven sensibly, the HR-V is very smooth and hushed, helped obviously by the two electric motors that kick in whilst driving slowly around town and other built up areas, and of course when you start the car and move off. Combined with its 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine you get a total of 129bhp. This combination gave me an impressive 48.9mpg and included fast motorway and B road driving, town centre stop star and of course driving along the odd green lane.

As for the handling, I found the HR-V to be very grippy around corners, helped by accurate and naturally weighted steering. However, the combination of a tallish body and soft suspension meant that I got the impression it rather I didn’t drive as spirited as I often did. That said, it always felt is safe and predictable. Ultimately, the HR-V much prefers it if you drive at a more leisurely pace as this is where you’ll find the sweet spot between the CVT and its soft suspension.

Off road

Being only 2WD I didn’t venture too far off the beaten track, though with decent enough ground clearance and a Hill Decent button, I did enjoy a little foray. That said, I had the HR-V during the uncomfortable 40º dry spell, so there was nothing really to test it on.

Interior

Despite the lack of 4x4-ness, the sheer practicality of the HR-V could be a winner for those who still want to get away at the weekends. Up front the cabin is well designed, and with plenty of soft-touch finishes it feels both plush and well screwed together, as well as looking rather stylish. You even get proper dials for the heating controls - thankfully.

No matter which HR-V you choose, they all feature a 7” digital driver display behind the steering wheel and a 9” touchscreen for the infotainment, and of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring are standard.

Although you shouldn't have any trouble finding a comfortable driving position, as mentioned by Muddy Madam in the last issue, we did find that the seatbelt receiver and chunky belt catch protruded into the seat, thus making for a bit of uncomfortable time for those… let’s say, with larger hips!

Engine ’n’ transmission

As Henry ford is reportedly to have said; “You can have any colour you like, as long as it’s black.” The same goes for the power options in the HR-V as it’s offered solely with a 129bhp 1.5 i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive) full hybrid set-up, with frontwheel-drive and the aforementioned CVT.

There are three powertrain settings - 'Electric Drive', 'Hybrid Drive' and 'Engine Drive' which it automatically switches between as you drive to maximise efficiency.

Not only do the rear seats fold completely flat to make for a cavernous boot for camping gear or even to sleep on, but they have another party-trick up its sleeve.

Known as ‘magic seats’, when the rear seats are in the upright position, you are able to flip up the bases, like cinema seats.

Conclusion

As a self charging full-Hybrid with a clever powertrain, this new generation Honda HR-V is part of a new generation of far more efficient small SUVs, but with a starting price from around £29,000, it’s quite a bit more expensive to buy than its close rivals. However, there’s lots to like about the HR-V, and of course it’s a Honda, so there’s peace of mind ownership.

price: as tested - £34,460 more at - www.honda.co.uk

A DAY OUT AT

I haven’t had much dealings with Twisted Automotive over the years, in fact you can read that as none, not even when I wrote for the sadly missed Land Rover World magazine. So when I heard that after a two year hiatus due to the pandemic, they will once again be opening their gates for a customer open day, I figured it would a good opportunity for me to show up and acquaint myself with their wares.

The idea was for customers and fans alike to come along and discover what happens behind the scenes, to meet the team and explore their range of built and in-build Defenders.

Arriving at their premises in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, my timing couldn’t have been worse as I watched a large collection of Defenders driving off into the distance. Was that it? Had the open day concluded already?

It transpired that a group were departing on their annual Y300 trip - a customer drive spanning three days that takes in the best of Yorkshire. This year Sean Conway, the explorer, joined them in his Bahama Gold 110 named Colonel Mustard. There was also couple who had travelled all the way from the Netherlands to take part.

Once the dust had settled and some of the crowd had dispersed, I walked through their gates and was immediately confronted with a fine collection of late model

Defenders waiting to be ‘Twisted’, and further back some that already had Parked in the middle of the car park was Twisted’s own fully electric Defender.

Priced from £225,000, Twisted has designed its powertrain from the ground up, with the 90 EV equipped with a 61kWh battery offering up to 140 miles of range. The 110 and 130 are powered by a larger 81kWh pack that gives them 180 miles of range.

Wandering into their premises and there were more fully built Defenders, and others in varying states of build. Taking a closer look at the latter it was interesting to see the detailed work that goes into creating a Twisted Defender. I shouldn’t been surprised as Twisted Automotive have been practising their craft for over 20 years, and continue to produce some of the best Defenders available today.

With

GOODS & GEAR

NOCO BOOST

As regular readers may remember, a few months ago The Mud Life’s very own 4x4 got broken into, and although they didn’t cause any damage, the criminals did steal my trusty Britpart battery pack, so a replacement was required, quite urgently.

The thing is, because I’m out and about a lot and using Deux Smurf’s 12v socket to charge up camera batteries, phones and iPads, there’s always the danger of her battery running low - not good if you’re in the middle of nowhere. This is why I consider a battery pack just as important as a jack, or tyre inflator for us 4x4 owners - it’s a great ‘get out of jail card’.

With that in mind, I ordered a NOCO Boost Plus GB40 from Tayna.

But why a NOCO?

Being on quite a lot of 4x4 and camping type Facebook pages, I quickly learned that NOCO battery packs have an enviable reputation for… well, simply doing their job.

The GB40 is a portable lithium-ion battery jump starter pack that delivers 1,000-amps for jump starting a dead battery in seconds. It features a patented safety technology that provides spark-proof connections and reverse polarity protection making safe and easy for anyone to use.

It’s designed to jump start petrol engines up to 6 litres, and diesel lumps up to 3 litres up to 20 times on a single charge. I haven’t tested that claim, but despite fitting a new battery to Deux Smurf only a few months ago, I did manage to drain it completely the other day. I know, I have skills! Anyhow, after connecting the GB40 she fired up in an instant.

The GB40 also features a single USB socket for charging mobile phones and iPads, etc and a twin ultra-bright dual LED flashlight for visibility with 7 modes, including an SOS and emergency strobe.

With all the rubber ports closed. the GB40 has a waterproof rating of IP65, which is handy. Manual Override is a special feature designed for rare situations when a vehicle’s battery is below 2-volts. Simply press and hold the manual overide button for 3 seconds, until the Boost LED starts flashing, to enter into the mode. Press the button again (Or the power button) to exit Manual Override.

This mode should be used cautiously, as Manual Override disables safety protection while enabled.

If I have to moan about something it’s that it only comes with a rather flimsy bag instead of a case, other than that the GB40 is a sturdy unit and comes with powerful and wide-opening clamps.

price: £95.70 more at » www.tayna.co.uk

GOODR MACH G SUNGLASSES

With the triumphant release of Top Gun - Maverick this year, the classic aviator-style sunglasses made famous in the original are also back, though these Goodr Mach G ones are a tad more funky.

With the classic full lense shape, that keeps the sun well away from your eyes, these polarised glasses makes you look good whether you are riding high in the sky or tootling down a green lane.

Like their other glasses the Mach Gs use a special grip coating that is designed not to slip when sweaty, and have a snug and comfortable fit so they don’t bounce when being extra active either.

The mirrored reflective lenses offer UV400 protection, a polarising filter and an antiscratch coating, and come with a soft drawstring cloth bag inside a nice presentation box.

Damian picked the groovy mottled blue frame imaginatively name Poseidon's New Wave Movement (they all have rather 'different' names), and they have now become his new favourites.

There are 11 different colours in the Mach G range so I'm sure they'll have what you need if you 'feel the need for speed'. price: £40 more at » goodr.co.uk

100% Organic Cotton Clothing

Cool Attitude

GOODS & GEAR

SUPER SPARROW ULTRA-LIGHT BOTTLES

Let’s talk about water bottles. I know, not the most exciting of topics, but I’d guess that pretty much everyone has at least one, and if you’re like me, they get thrown into cars, bags and generally abused.

Here at Muddy Towers we’ve collected a vast amount over the years, but after taking delivery of a variety of bottles from Super Sparrow, the majority of the old ones have now been relocated to the nearest charity shop, as the Super Sparrows are so good.

The first one we'll review is the Ultra-Light range of stainless steel bottles, which are made from 18/10 medical-grade stainless steel, and have a double-walled vacuum insulation design to ensure the contents stay cold for up to 24 hours, or hot for up to 12 hours. They are 100% BPA/BPS free, and also have an insulated lightweight cap with a flexible perforated strap and aluminum pivots to cut weight.

Talking weight, at about 30% lighter than many standard steel bottles, they feel so light that I was convinced that they wouldn't keep my water as cool as some of our other more weighty insulated bottles, but after a temp. test done over 8 hours, on one of the most sweltering days of August, they proved totally up to the task, and even beat one of it's more famous rivals,. Super Sparrow are so sure of their products that if you are dissatisfied with the bottle they will issue you a full refund or an exchange, and there is also a limited lifetime warranty with proof of purchase against manufacturer’s defects for the life of the product.

Things that we really like are the variety of plain colours and the 10 funky patterned designs they come in, as well as the 2 sizes - 500ml/17oz and 750ml/25oz, and they are also damn good on price. compared to the big names. There are some well thought out accessories too (see the next page).

The only thing I can say against these bottles is that if you are a pineapple fan, the printing of the design doesn't work well on the black background, definitely go for the yellow version, that one looks amazing.

prices: 500ml - £18.02 750ml - £19.92 more at » www.supersparrow.com

What we really like about them, apart from obviously being reusable, leak-free, spill-proof, and keeping my Vimto at just the right temperature for pretty much a whole day, are the accessories that are available.

STANDARD MOUTH BOTTLE SLING

If you want to carry your bottle but don't want to actually have to carry it in your hands, whilst at the same time protect your bottle from being bashed about, this neoprene sling is perfect.

They are available in all the different sizes that Super Sparrow's bottles come in, but they only come in black, which is a shame as it would be nice to have them in some funky colours or designs. The strap is long enough to carry over your shoulder, but not long enough for cross body wearing, but as it is unclippable so you could always make a longer strap if that's what you want to do.

BRUSH SET

CAPS

If you like your bottle with a bit more of a stylish eco-look and prefer a metal carry loop then you can upgrade to this lovely Bamboo Lid, or if you prefer to swig on the go then the Standard Mouth Straw Lid is the one you want.

Featuring a flip spout this cap design lets you enjoy your drink while driving with no need to unscrew the lid.

It comes with two separate straws (that fit inside) that can be cut to fit your bottle so that you don't have to tip the bottle to suck up that last drop.

They don't recommend putting your bottle in a dishwasher, so hand washing it is, and they have a handy cleaning tool to make cleaning the inside and accessories really easy.

This 3 piece set includes: a 14.6" sports water bottle brush a 10.6" tube/straw brush a 4.3" spout cleaning brush.

As well as cleaning your steel water bottles, the set is great for cleaning hard-to-reach places in teapots, sports bottles, coffee pots, flower vases and kettles, and it has ring for hanging up for drying and storage.

prices: Sling - £9.48 Bamboo Lid - £9.48

Standard Mouth Straw Lid - £9.48 Brush Set - £12.33 more at » www.supersparrow.com/collections/accessories

GOODS

BOOTS

SOFT TOE BROWN UBOK

As I wrote a few months ago, after 8 years of (very) hard labour I had to say goodbye to my trusty and dependable pair Redback boots.

Twelve months ago they began to let a little bit of water in, and just when I thought I could put them into semi retirement they became my go-to Lilly walking boots, and since then I’ve walked a further 3,650,000 steps. You read that correctly, over 3½ million steps in 12 months and only now have they finally given up the ghost. And what do I replace them with? Another pair, of course.

Redback Boots are 100% authentic Australianmade, Outback-inspired work boots. Still proudly made in Australia by 4th generation bootmakers, they combine intelligent design with technological innovation and feature premium, full grain leathers, state of the art materials and an attention to detail that delivers unsurpassed comfort, slip-resistance and durability. Amazingly comfortable, they are pressure point free on the upper foot and the micro-bubble sole will absorb as much shock as you can throw at it. If you need to be on your feet all day, you can rely on these rugged boots to work just as hard as you do.

The hard wearing translucent sole is not just resistant to fuels, lubricants and high temperatures but it’s soft and grippy. This is helped with multi directional cleats, and a lighter air cushioned midsole with millions of tiny bubbles that give excellent shock absorption.

Over the years they’ve proven to be just as comfortable walking around the NEC all day (over 20k steps), than they are out in the countryside getting filthy. And when you arrive home, with elasticated sides, they are incredibly easy to get on an off.

Before I start to abuse this pair I’ll coat them in Redback Boot Wax that will help to preserve the leathers and maintain the protective waterproof layer, and if I do this regularly enough, maybe I can get at least 10 years out of this pair!

So if you’re looking for a pair of tough boots that are a cross between your favourite slippers and a pair of neoprene wellies, choose Redbacks.

at » www.bushgear.co.uk

GOODS & GEAR

I’m not what you’d call a knife connoisseur, though I do have a decent collection, some of which are used more than others, meaning of course that my favourite’s see a lot more action and become blunt quicker.

Scattered around the kitchen I have a couple of ‘traditional’ knife sharpeners that you run your knife along and through, and they work fine, but never seem to give the results I want.

I hadn’t realised until after speaking to a good friend of mine that sharpening a knife is a bit of art form and takes a fair bit of practise to get the perfect angle and sharpness, especially when using a stone, which I don’t have time for.

So after a Google search of well reviewed and respected sharpeners, I came across the Horl 2 sharpener, and suitably impressed with its reviews I ordered one.

The Horl 2 is nothing like any other sharpeners and is really quite innovative, as well as stylish, and takes the guess work out of finding the correct angle for your blade.

In the box you will find a wooden block that on one end is angled to 20° and the other at 15°, and next to it is the Horl 2 cylinder with built-in ball bearings that ensures a smooth roll. On one side of the cylinder there’s a Diamond Grinding Wheel, and on the other a Ceramic Honing Wheel that refines the grinding result.

SHARPENER

You start off by deciding which angle best suits your knife, and as both ends of the block are covered with a silicon S-Pad and magnetised, it’s designed to hold your knife in place as you roll the Horl 2 cylinder back and forth on your knife to sharpen the blade. Once you’re satisfied with the sharpness on one side of the blade using the Diamond Grinding Wheel, give it another minute with the Ceramic Honing Wheel, then simply turn the knife around and repeat.

Horl say that on average, the first sharpening of a dull blade takes five minutes, and thereafter, for keeping the blade perfectly sharp on a regular basis, you will only need a few grinding passes. Included in the box are easy to read instructions, but if you’re still unsure Horl also offers a number of video tutorials to help you when using the product for the first time, but it really is very easy, and actually quite therapeutic.

Overall then, when it comes to sharpening knives the Horl 2 not only looks great, but actually works, really, really well.

price: £139 more at » www.horl.com

DOMETICCFX325

The CFX3 25 is a powerful cool box, with a robust design that is built for harsh outdoor conditions, while its mobile app lets you control it wherever

With durable wing frames that protect the edges of the cool box, and strong, spring-loaded aluminium handles that make it easy to lift and carry, it’s built tough.

The CFX3 series features an easy to read high-resolution colour display panel which states the temperature and status of the cool box. Several protection systems are built into the display, including a scratch-resistant cover and IP64 rated housing to protect against dust and water splashes. The upgraded USB port is located in the display panel for you to charge your devices. The userinterface displays the voltage, Bluetooth/WiFi connection status and temperature in colourful graphics. The operating settings of your cool box can be adjusted at the press of a button with a simple menu. Also, if you happen to leave the lid of your CFX3 open, the app will send you a notification telling you to close it!

With a capacity of 25 litres you can store lots of food and drink (40 cans) thanks to the internal compartment design, and with a removable wire divider you can choose how you organise the space.

price: £785 more at » www.dometic.com

New Stuff we've discovered this month

SNOW PEAK

OFUTON DOUBLE 1600

If you prefer sleeping with your partner whilst camping, then Snow Peak has just what you need.

The Camp Futon Double offers you a new, improved sleep experience compared with a traditional sleeping bag. It comprises both a duvet and a 50mm thick mattress, so you can feel like you're sleeping in your bed at home. The opening can be set (via fastenings) to a variety of configurations that suit your every need.

The mattress measures 126×193cm whilst the washable down duvet measures 170×180cm (Duck down 80%, Duck feather 20%).

Included in the kit you’ll find the duvet, mattress, storage case and a pump storage case for the mattress, all weighing at 6.7kg.

more at » uk.snowpeak.com

New Stuff we've discovered this month

ARB 4X4 RECOVERY EQUIPMENT

Truckman, the UK’s leading manufacturer and distributor of 4x4 and vehicle accessories, is offering off-road adventurers and commercial recovery specialists access to a new range of tough and high-quality recovery accessories to keep them moving in the most extreme conditions.

Following its acquisition by Australiabased ARB, Truckman is enlarging its accessory range to include highly robust recovery equipment produced by ARB that has been tested to the extreme in some of the most challenging environments Down Under.

The ARB Recovery Range includes: Snatch straps, specially designed to stretch under load for the ultimate performance which provides an effective method of extracting a bogged or immobilised 4x4 when a second vehicle is present.

Winch extension straps, which is light-weight and non-stretch making it perfect for extending the length of a winch’s cable when the most suitable anchor point is out of reach.

Snatch blocks, which enable drivers to retrieve loads that are double a winch’s capacity by reducing the load on the winch by half, allowing winching from varying angles when straight ahead isn’t the best option. ARB’s snatches incorporate side plates that fit snugly against the pulley eliminating the possibility of the winch cable becoming trapped in between.

There are two models of block available – the standard 7,000 kg and the lightweight, but heavy duty, 9,000 kg.

more at » www.truckman.co.uk

New Stuff we've discovered this month

PEDDERS TRAKRYDER DUAL DIAPHRAGM BRAKE BOOSTER

To Suit Toyota 80 & 70 Series Landcruisers

Pedders Suspension & Brakes has just released an exciting product to enhance the braking performance of the venerable Toyota Land Cruiser 80 and 70 series.

After extensive Australian engineering development they can now offer their TrakRyder Brake Booster product to suit a range of LandCruiser 80’s Series made from 1990 to 1997 and 70 series ABS models from 2012 to current plus non-ABS models made from 2007 to 2012.

With a significant increase in braking performance by up to 30%, the TrakRyder brake booster kits are a must-have addition for those vehicles that tow and carry loads regularly.

As well as the confidence improved braking offers, the kits also reduced pedal effort and improved stopping power, plus they are a direct bolt on replacement and come with a 2 year, 40,000km warranty.

Welcome to the wild side

Welcome to the very first edition of my new column! Freshly returned from a recent foray in the more remote areas of Scotland, I’m full of new stories and experiences about the wonderful places our vehicles can make accessible to us.

I’m a solivagant - a lone wanderer, a hodophile - a lover of travel and roads, and a cartophile - a lover of maps.

I’m also a forager, wild swimmer, obsessed with Scotland, and the owner of a self-converted Range Rover L322 called Ralph.

He’s the base for me and Celyn the itinerant Kelpie. In Scots mythology a kelpie is a malevolent shape-shifting water spirit, and that pretty much sums her up! You’ll inevitably find us paddling in a watering hole far from the madding crowds.

We make a good band of three.

Ralph takes care of much of the moving around, and I take care of him. Celyn supplies the entertainment along the way, and the cuddles, and together, we find ourselves in some of the lesser known parts of the UK, and occasionally further afield.

I like to be on the move. My parents instilled this in me from a very early age. Destination doesn’t matter much to me, it’s the journey and experiences along the way that count! I also like to be as far off the beaten track as possible for as long as possible. Cities, crowds, and civilisation hold little interest to me, I much prefer to find myself in the middle of nowhere.

If you’re interested in wild camping, wild swimming, camp cooking, bushcraft, foraging, overlanding, laning, remote places, self-sufficient travel, vehicle conversions, kit and gear, books, routes, and info, or just the idea of getting away from it all, then you’ll find something to interest you here, eventually.

I believe travel should not be constrained to the rich. Overlanding tax on kit and gear can make people believe that adventure is financially out of their reach, but this does not have to be the case. Don’t get me wrong, I love perusing the myriad products available to us in the modern-day world, there’s some amazing gear out there, but when my parents first took me overlanding in old Land Rovers and Volvos, even Morris Minors and Talbot Ranchos, none of it was available and we did just fine.

Over the years, I’ve travelled in many bargain basement selfconversions, often for months at a time. Although now I have a happy medium of self-built and bought gear that will inevitably evolve as my use of Ralph continues.

I see gear as an investment. Choose wisely, consider your needs rather than what that person on Instagram makes look awesome, and buy the best you can afford, but first, go forth and wander.

Dip your toe in an adventure, and experience life on the road with nothing more than the basics, then decide what you really need.

Recycle, reuse, and upcycle. Sell, swap, and buy pre-loved. Fix and repair, but also save for some quality additions.

I’ve made beds from old chests of drawers and futons, upcycled old bits of wood from the shed, reused mattresses and upholstery, as well as buying some posh bits of kit to compliment the homemade creations. I’ll share more about both ends of the spectrum in future issues.

Ralph is relatively new to me, so I’m still exploring what will be his final(ish) set up. I bought him during Covid, and decided to upgrade from my previous spit and sawdust build. Although cheap and cheerful, Harry the £900 Freelander 1 , an unusual choice of vehicle but I like to be different, provided me with some awesome adventures including months on the road in Scotland, trips over the Pyrenees, as well as covering most of the UK, and a significant amount of Europe. It even slept two and a dog for some of those trips, and carried three and all our gear on one, proving it can be done on a shoestring even if you’re not going it alone. Also proving that I prefer the solo experience of travel. Well, at least that I’m now far choosier about who I share my adventures with!

Less is more

My method of travel is quite haphazard. I don’t plan much, I usually have no idea where I will be spending the night, or how long my trips will last. As something of a digital nomad, I am lucky that my location matters very little to my job.

I always wild camp. I carry everything I need in the vehicle, and sleep in it too. I rarely stay in one place for more than one night. This means I carry everything I need on board, but it also means I need space to rest my bones at the end of the day, all inside one vehicle.

This means packing wisely. Yes, I need everything to be selfsufficient, and I try to avoid heading into a town as much as possible on route - I don’t want to be carrying anything I don’t need.

The more you have the more it costs you in money, space, fuel and time. You have to buy, carry, pack/unpack, and maintain it all. It also takes up your headspace, and travel is all about clearing the mental clutter of the rat race. I’ll talk a lot more about how to downsize, but remain comfortable, in future issues.

Location, location, location

I might spend hours perusing maps, reading books, and other people’s stories, noting stuff that looks awesome to visit. Whilst I will stitch these into a trip if I find myself in the area, I don’t constrain myself with itineraries, and inevitably find myself in amazing places I’d not considered until I somehow, possibly through fate, mistake, or blind luck, ended up there.

When it comes to camping, if I find a spot that fits, I sits....or at least park. If it’s legal, beautiful, preferably has access to fresh water for a paddle and a wash, and few, to no, people, then it’s a

good spot in my opinion. This may mean a long day of driving to find one, or a day’s driving cut short to stay in a place that takes your breath away. Both suit me fine, the rest of the world will still be there to explore in the morning.

I do the same with visits. I may be on route to a fabulous beach, a deserted village, a stone circle, or just to drive a remote road that I’ve identified, but if I see a signpost, or any sign of something interesting along the way, I’ll take a detour. I’ve ended up making some amazing discoveries doing this.

The experience

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more nearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilization, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

Travel is amazing. It isn’t always easy though, and it shouldn’t be. What it should do is test us, teach us, and inspire us. We should come back better than we left, even if with a dozen midge bites, wild hair, and those bruises you can never work out where they came from.

Lone travelling can be quite intimidating to some. Long periods of solitude with no one to rely on (or to speak to) other than yourself is understandably a bit scary if you’ve never done it before, but, with time you’ll realise it is the best gift you can give yourself. You’re going to have some of the most amazing experiences of your life, but you’ll also encounter some pretty crap ones tooadverse weather, being unable to find a camping spot when you’re tired and just want to chill, clouds of bloody midges, mechanical issues and breakdowns, as well as more unexpected effects that being in the wild bring to the fore.

I’ve never felt lonely on a trip, but solitude will make you think, and it will bring some emotions, realisations and even epiphanies to the fore.

I’m not embarrassed to admit that I’ve had mechanical failures, but I have always got home. I’ve suffered some shocking weather, so bad that making food and sleeping was difficult, but I survived. Driven for miles tired and swearing because I just cannot find a spot to rest, but woken refreshed in a beautiful place with yesterday forgotten.

I’ve been caught with my pants down - why do walkers always appear as soon as you get your arse out? - but just laughed about it. I’ve been eaten alive by midges, clegs, and ticks. Found out I’m allergic to jellyfish the hard way, and even been called with a diagnosis of diabetes while in the arse-crack of nowhere. It was so remote I was more shocked that I had a phone signal than about the test results, but each crisis was safely averted.

I even had some very unexpected reactions to remote areas. I’ve honestly sat, or pulled over, and sobbed at the view of a mountain range, and not just once. Wild places, especially after considerable time away, will do that to you, but it’s a catharsis I firmly believe that we all need in our lives.

Even if you can only spare a weekend in the wild occasionally, do it.

My advice in all cases is to embrace it all. Own it and learn from it.

It’s part of the experience and it will make you richer in the long run.

Plus, it’s the challenges, mistakes, and difficult moments that you’ll inevitably recount on your return. People love a story, and it is those moments that aren’t 'Insta-perfect' that make the most memorable anecdotes. They’re also the stories that will make you realise just how capable and adaptable you really are.

If I’ve not bored you to tears, join me next month for a closer (and very honest) look at getting away from it all in your 4x4. In the meantime, I’ll be busy planning my next trip while avoiding midges and flashing passing walkers.

Drive safe, Lauren and Celyn x

Robens Leaf Meal Kits

Whether you’re out for the day or on a week-long adventure, there’s nothing more annoying than having plates and cutlery rattling around in the back of your 4x4 or backpack, so when Robens offered to send out a couple of their Leaf Meal Kits, I jumped at the opportunity.

Available in 3 colours, these multifunctional hexangular shaped kits are designed to easily fit into a backpack or stashed out of sight in your 4x4, and are a unique six-in-one solution for keeping things light and convenient.

Measuring 20 x 18.3 x 5.5 cm (LxWxH) and weighing just 426g, the kit includes; 1 spoon, 1 fork, 1 foldable cup, 1 connector, 1 mesh bag and 1 elastic band. This little lot fits nicely into the bowl and secured in place by the multifunction bamboo lid that acts as both a colander and cutting board.

A nice touch is that, whilst using the connector, the spoon and fork can be connected and used in three different lengths, which incidentally is designed so it also clips onto the side of the bowl, thus keeping both the spoon and fork off the ground.

Even with the cup and cutlery pack stored neatly in the bowl there’s still enough room for other bits and pieces, like sachets of your favourite sauces, salt, pepper and so on. price: £29.99 more at » www.robens.de/en-gb/shop/outdooraccessories/cooking/meal-kits

Outwell Pardelas L Camp Bed

Because a good sleep is so important when camping, we wanted to get away from sleeping pads on the ground, so we treated ourselves to something a tad more comfortable and further off the ground, as my knees aren’t what they once were! Say hello to Outwell’s Pardelas Camp Bed (large).

Measuring 76 x 105 x 12 cm when packed, 76 x 210 x 41 cm (WxLxH) when unfolded, and weighing in at 8.9 kg, the Pardelas camp bed isn’t what you would call small and packable. But that’s fine as we have a large 4x4 with plenty of internal space.

That said, just because it’s on the large side doesn’t mean it’s unwieldy and difficult to set up, quite the opposite in fact, it’s effortless. Simply unfold the bed and lock the three legs into place and you’re done.

Putting it away is equally as easy, and there’s a hook and loop strap that keeps the frame closed when folded.

With a padded bed, sturdy steel frame, wider and extra-long body, the Pardelas L is a comfortable place to spend the night. It also features a detachable cushion with soft mesh ventilation to keep you cool, though it’s a bit too thin for me.

The high strength durable steel frame has a maximum load rating of 125kg, that’s just under 20-stone if you’re old like me.

Unless I’m in a smaller tent, or small 4x4, then Pardelas L is my go-to camp bed, but if I have one problem, and it isn’t anything about the bed, it’s that it doesn’t come with a bag. This means you’ll need to make sure you have some way of keeping it clean when storing or taking it to the campsite. Other than that it’s an excellent platform to spend the night.

Outwell Conqueror Pillow

The amount of times my sleep has been ruined by the fact I’ve brought along a naff camping pillow are too many to mention, but not anymore, because I now have a Conqueror Pillow.

What I find is that camping pillows are either so high that a cricked neck is inevitable, or have almost no filling, so what's the point? What makes the Conqueror a 5-star pillow is that internally it has an air bladder made of high quality TPU for maximum strength and comfort, with an easy to get at valve opening for adjusting pillow height and firmness.

The cover is removable and machine washable, and has a smooth polynylon on one side and 100% cotton on the other, so you have two fabric options to suit your mood, and your hairstyle (that is if you have hair).

The highly siliconised and fine hollow-fibre insures an extra soft feeling and a great insulation value, plus it shaped with a curve so it fits snuggly around your neck and shoulders, ensuring a comfortable nights sleep.

Packed down the Conqueror measures just 38 x 11 cm, and 56 x 37 x 12 cm (WxLxH) when inflated and weighs only 320g and comes in it’s own carry / protective bag. price:

» www.outwell.com

Madog Carbon Steel Open Fire Set

You may not be surprised to learn that we get a lot of kit to review here at Muddy Towers, and all of it is used and well tested, then put to one side when newer, similar products arrive.

Then there are the rare products that are so good that from the moment they’re delivered they meld themselves into our daily life, to a point that often I forget to review them. A prime example is this carbon steel outdoor cookware set that Craig from Madog Outdoors sent me.

The Open Fire Set comprises of a 23cm (9”) skillet, a 3 litre Dutch oven, universal lid, 316 stainless steel detachable handle and a canvas stuff sack to keep them all together.

Constructed from 3mm carbon steel for an even heat distribution and excellent heat retention, both wares are designed for open flame cooking, as well on the BBQ, and at home on the hob.

On arrival both pots are unseasoned (grey), so your first job is to season them, and a step by step instruction booklet is included, there’s also a good video on Craig’s website detailing the process. Like any carbon steel, and cast iron cookwares, a natural seasoned layer will be built up over time to offer a non-stick surface without artificial PTFE or PFOA.

And don’t forget, carbon steel has similar cooking performance to cast iron but at half the weight, making it the perfect balance between portability and cooking performance.

Weighing in at 3.8kg and measuring 250mm diameter and 100mm tall, they’re not necessarily

the best for back-packing, but they’re perfect for throwing in the back of your 4x4 (or leaving at home), as Craig has designed them for the adventurous food lovers amongst us.

We’ve use them in campervans, over a campfire and even on Swedish Fire Logs in remote places, and I love the fact that both pots cook nice and evenly.

Since receiving the kit I haven’t requested any other pan sets to review as the Open Fire Set is super versatile, and the idea that it will last me a lifetime just amplifies my respect for them.

price: £109 for the kit individual prices: Skillet - £49 / Dutch Oven -£79 more at » www.madogoutdoors.com

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Mud Life mugs

themudlife.co.uk/mugs

"My latest coffee-mug. I got it from The Mud Life magazine - it's the best Range Rover Classic mug I have ever seen, and I paid for it by the way, no favour for a favour." - 4x4 writer Frank Elson

When we are out'n'about in our vehicles water is a great option for a bit of thirst quenching. Water isn't going to explode all over you when it's been jiggled about on a green laning trip, like fizzy pop will. Water is caffeine-free, so it's not going to keep you up all night if you have a late night swig or two, and your bank balance will be healthier, as you won't have to shell out 'loadsamoney' to your dentist for those sugar-induced cavities.

So water is good for you, but all water is not created equal, especially on an enviromental front, so here's a few Earth friendly water options for you to try...

Refill

The Refill campaign started life in the UK, and there are now more than 400 local schemes all across the UK, and over 274,000 water refill stations globally.

If you haven't heard of Refill before, basically it is mainly an ‘on-the-go’ app to help you find places to access free drinking water, zero-waste shopping options and hot drinks without the pointless packaging

There are lots of places where you can rock up and refill your bottle with fresh water for free, which in turn means a great way to help the pollution problem by using the same bottle multiple times rather than using it once and then throwing it away.

Once you've downloaded the free Refill app you have access to places that refill not just water, but other locations where you can get coffee and takeaway food without using pointless plastic packaging.

It may seem like a drop in the ocean (pun intended), but choosing to reuse bottles, over buying single use, means no plastic is discarded, and in turn new bottles do not have to be manufactured, shipped, discarded, sorted and incinerated or recycled, just for you to have a convenient drink.

There are big chains involved in the scheme like Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Pret and Morrisons, and lots of local businesses and day out destinations like National Trust properties are participating too.

If you travel out and about this app is an absolute must, download it today! more at » www.refill.org.uk

We know that water is good for us, but many of us still don't drink enough of the wet stuff.

OneIf you get caught without a reusable bottle, but you still want a better option than the standard bottle you could buy yourself a water in a lightweight refillable aluminium bottle, then you have the option to keep it and refill or know that aluminium is easily recyclable without many of the problems that come with plastics.

There are a couple of companies that are now starting to package in these aluminium bottles; we like this 'one' that gives you 500ml of lovely Herefordshire spring water in a bottle that looks stylish.

One also do a sparkling version that comes in an aluminium can more at » onewater.org.uk

ecolife

Although it looks and feels like plastic, Eco For Life bottles are made from plants.Yes that’s right, plants, a completely sustainable resource.

Made from PLA (Polylactic acid) a substance derived from certified GM free corn sugar starch, these bottles can be composted into a product that can be used as a valuable soil supplement, using a two-step degradation process.

They can also be sent to Waste for Energy sites where they produce a high temperature and burn without releasing pollutant, or can be returned back to a polymer. more at » ecoforlife.co.uk

evian

This year Evian started selling their famous sparkling water in a 330ml can, so if you like your water with a fizz, but in a plastic-free container, this could be the one for you.

more at » www.evian.com

nobl

NOBL has a grand mission - they want to build the UK's lowest carbon footprint drinks brand.

They provide Somerset spring water in 100% recyclable packaging which is made from over 94% plant based materials (including the lid), and they plant a tree for every 12 drinks sold.

For drivers the great thing about the NOBL cartons is that unlike bottles they won't roll around the car, so no trying to find them under the seat after a particularly bouncy trip. more at » noblthirst.com

Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid

What is it?

The Yaris Cross isn’t annoyed with you, it’s simply a cross between a small hybrid and SUV, both of which Toyota design and build very well.

Toyota call the Yaris Cross an ‘authentic urban adventurer’, and with that in mind it’s a tad larger in all directions than the standard Yaris, think of it being about the same as a Nissan Juke.

On the road

The Yaris Cross is actually quite a fun car to drive, not that that should be surprising to read - it’s a Toyota, after all.

Despite sitting on 18” tyres, around town it didn’t overly suffer any knocks or bangs from potholes, and on the open road, apart from a bit of road noise, it handled itself really quite well. Granted, it rolls a little bit around tight corners, but that’s just an observation not a moan. In fact, I liked that it felt softer than most of its rivals, it gave it a more relaxed driving experience.

With one engine option: a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol that works with an electric motor to improve performance and efficiency, it will reach 60mph in 11.2 seconds, but it feels much quicker than that, and when you do push it, it becomes a little bit raucous, though in my experience most 3-cylinder engines do. It also comes complete with a CVT auto gearbox that when forced can hold onto gears a little longer than I’d like, but when you haven’t got your foot planted to the floor it’s a very responsive unit.

Being a hybrid it’ll run nicely on electric whilst meandering through cities, towns and villages. Official fuel economy (WLTP), figures suggest that you can get between 54 and 56mpg, but on a very long motorway run I saw 75mpg. Then on another trip, a bit more realistic and real world, I got 62mpg. Impressive stuff.

Off road

There is actually a four-wheel drive version of the Yaris Cross, but it wasn't on the press fleet when I put my request in, sadly. Of course, I wouldn’t expect Land Cruiser performance from it, but with decent ground clearance and approach angles, I would imagine it would be quite handy in the rough. Hopefully I’ll get my hands on one soon.

Interior

Up front the seats are a good size and supportive. Visibility is also decent as you’re sat quite high, that said, the rear pillars are quite chunky, but every version comes with a rear-view camera.

Apart from the ugly stick-on iPad style touchscreen (I still don’t like them), everything is to hand and you even get physical controls for climate control! Going back to the touchscreen, and credit where credit’s due, both Muddy Madam and I found the 9” infotainment system very intuitive and one of the easiest to use. Also standard are Apple CarPlay and Android auto.

The cheaper Icon and Design models both come with an 8” touchscreen infotainment system, but they don’t have built-in sat-nav. Up front there are plenty of cubby areas, and the cup holders actually hold proper size mugs and bottles - take note Skoda!

If you’re a six-footer you will be able to fit in the back seats, though I wouldn’t count on stretching your legs much.

Boot space is pretty good and unlike most of its rivals, the Yaris Cross comes with 40/20/40 split folding rear seatbacks in all but entry-level trim.

With the seatbacks down I’m told that it’s large enough to swallow 7 carry-on suitcases. And to make loading larger items easier, higher-spec models (Excel and Dynamic) come with a handy 2 piece height-adjustable boot floor that creates virtually no lip at all.

Although this isn’t a new feature in cars these days, I always find them incredibly useful. For a day out at the beach with Lilly, I was able to store a camp table, 2 chairs, and portable gas burner and gas, as well as some of her mucky towels in the lower section, and everything we wanted to keep clean, as well as lightweight kit, was kept above.

Overall the layout, finish and fit is well above par and really quite practical.

Conclusion

The Yaris Cross is one of a select few vehicles that Muddy Madam really enjoyed living with, and as a result would be willing to spend money on. High praise indeed as she can find genuine faults in most cars that I get to borrow.

The cost of this Dynamic version is £28,015, and despite being packed with all sorts of creature comforts and safety spec, it’s a tidy sum. That said, from the time I borrowed the car to writing about it, the Dynamic has been removed from the range, which leaves Icon, Design and Excel.

Going for the entry-level Icon spec at just over £24k still gives you plenty of kit as standard, including 16” alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, a reversing camera, climate control, adaptive cruise control, auto headlights and the 8” infotainment touchscreen. Going to the other end of the scale, and £31,855 will get you the AWD Excel trim with luxuries such as a heated steering wheel and a kick-activated tailgate.

Whichever trim you opt for you will be getting a fun, yet practical car for your money, especially especially if your top priorities are low running costs and reliability.

more at » www.toyota.co.uk/new-cars/yaris-cross

Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional 2022

Having had such a blast at last year’s Festival of the Unexceptional, there was no way I was going to miss this years event, and if you’re scratching your head wondering why the word ‘unexceptional’ has anything to do with a festival, then let me explain.

The Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional is all about celebrating the marvellously mundane, maligned and unloved cars of the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Basically, anything with base specs, unloved trim levels and no-frills - not even radios, are revered as heroes. It sounds bizarre, and it is, but it works!

After a fairly relaxed 2-1/2 hour drive down to Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire in the V8 Defender, I arrived earlier enough to avoid the massively long queues, then swiftly ushered away to a secondary carpark with the rest of the modern cars. Out of sight, out of mind.

After signing in at the press office, I wandered back to the entrance and watched as visitors from all around the country, and abroad, arrived in their Rovers, Nissans, Colts, Volvos and so on. It was an impressive procession, and I was glad I arrived early as the queue was now reportedly 45 minutes.

There was a record number of visitors at this year’s show, and it wasn’t long before the manicured lawns on either side of Grimsthorpe Castle’s long drive began filling up with a fantastic collection of boring motors, there were quite a few interesting ones, too.

As with the previous year, what was notable was that amongst all the likeminded enthusiasts and owners was a large contingency of young people, which was delightful to see.

Whilst the majority of motors were directed away from the castle, a handful were guided to the lawn adjacent to it, these select few formed part of the official Concours de l’Ordinaire - the best of the best, so to speak.

After meeting up with pals Andy from the Yorkshire Times, and Phil from Professional Pickup.com, we casually meandered through the myriad of classics whilst reminiscing about our own questionable car history. The ones we regretfully sold on, and the others we couldn’t get rid of quickly enough.

There was an old Sierra Sapphire parked up that reminded me of a 1.6ltr L in beige that Muddy Madam and I once owned. It was a thirsty and rusty heap, but it was ultra reliable until the day it was scrapped.

This year’s event welcomed TV ‘Wheeler Dealer’ Mike Brewer as a special guest, who was around all day to meet fans, as well as Paul Cowland, Steve Cropley and Richard Hammond.

The main event was of course the Concours de l’Ordinaire, and judges checked originality (dealer stickers and number plates), whilst owners shared their stories, which was equally important as the car’s condition.

In the end the winner was Samuel Allan and his 1994 Vauxhall Astra Merit - a true base-level beauty with non-metallic red paint, 3-doors and not one single optional extra to speak of, unless the 2 Garfields stuck to the windows count? Its 1.4 litre engine produces 59bhp and boasts a top speed of 105mph. According to official records, 287,000 Astra Merits were made, but it’s believed only 4 survive in the UK today.

Runner up was Matthew Bareham’s 1986 Skoda Estelle 120L, and Junior Choice was Chris Joy’s 1982 Peugeot 104 GR. Other winners included; Repmobile Special Award: Chris James, 1991 Nissan Primera Honourable mention: Paul Anderson, 1972 Simca 1501 Special Honourable mention: Chris Williams, 1997 Renault Megane Scenic

Like last year, given the opportunity there were quite a number of cars that I’d have happily driven home - an Opal Monza, Manta, Citroen CX, Rover SD1 and plenty others. But my favourite had to be the green Alfa GTV6 that had been rebuild by Alex Jupe Motorsport. (http://www.alexjupemotorsport.co.uk/news/2014/ alfa-romeo-alfetta-gtv6-30-24v-special). Okay, not exactly unexceptional, I’ll give you that, but it looked stunning. Second place would have to go to the silver Mitsubishi Colt Sapporo.

The turnout at the 2022 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional proves that there’s still a huge love and appreciation, not just for rare exotica, but ‘normal’ cars from decades past. So if you own, drive and preserve one of these exceptional examples of unexceptional cars, I’ll hopefully see you at next year's event.

The Tales of Lilly, The Mud Life Dog

Tantrums, Trackers and a Twisted Wrist

Oh, and Teeny Tot Photos

Lets begin with Tantrums

Lilly like every other dog has nails, and nails that grow quite a bit. Lurcher nails are long anyway due to needing the grip when dashing around like a whirling dervish, but I started noticing that they may need attention when she was play fighting with Damian and his arm ended up looking like a road map of the Spaghetti Junction with the amount of red scratches.

Her dewclaws - the ones that are a bit further up the leg - had quite a demonly sharp end, mainly as they never make contact with the ground, so never wear away. I grabbed some pretty sturdy human nail clippers, and she happily let me chop off the point. All good.

Well this lulled me into a false sense of security thinking that she would be fine with me tackling the rest. After a quick call to Pam, my dog groomer friend, for recommendations of nail clippers and a quick internet order later, they arrived the next day. I waited until she was happily relaxing, picked up the clippers and positioned them at a toenail.

Oh no, she was having none of it. Gone was the calm dog who let me clipper her dewclaws, replaced by a grumpster who was utterly determined to avoid all contact. I hadn't even touched her toenail, not one cut was attempted, she was just being a mardy arse. A few days later, a second attempt, the same result. Third go, no deal, so I rang Pam and arranged for her, a professional, to have a go.

Damian and I rocked up to her grooming parlour - Best Friends in Gatley, and lifted her on the table. I was glad to see that Lilly played up for Pam too, to the point that she offered to muzzle her, but in the end a slight head lock from her Dad was what it took to let Pam swing into action.

by Karen Lee Turner

Approximately 2 minutes later, and all was done, and we left Pam's and headed to the car, but not before Lilly wandered into the hairdressers next door, which had the door open, and introduced herself to all the ladies in with a wiggly bum, happy smile, and absolutely no sign of the trauma that her evil parents had just put her through.

Such a drama queen!

Next up -Trackers

We have been sent a tracker by Tractive to review, and it has opened a gateway into the movements and scatterbrain of our sometimes elusive hound.

As mentioned previously in these Tales she occasionally goes off for a naughty wander through the woods. Most of the times she comes back, but there have been a few times when she hasn't responded to calls and freaked us the f**k out for a heart-palpitating half hour or so, therefore a tracker seemed like a good idea.

The Tractive will be fully reviewed in the next issue, so I won't go into the nitty gritty, but I will say the app and its mapping is great at showing where she is, and where she's been.

I say great, meaning for us, not so much for Lilly, as knowing what she gets up to has meant a bit more restrictions on when and where we let her off.

This is mainly due to a 5 minute wander that showed she not only had a great romp through the woods as usual, but also showed she ran across a road just outside the park. Luckily this is a very quiet road, off the beaten track, but it was enough to scare the excrement out of us.

We are now tracker evangelists. If you have a dog, get a tracker!

Where does a Twisted Wrist come into this?

Get a dog It's good for you. You'll get fitter - or so they say. HA!

Since getting Lilly both Damian and I have both been damaged by her. Well more like, damaged because of her. I've told you in the past about Damian going arse-over-tit when she decided to swerve in front of him whilst running on a beach. This ended up with a trip to the docs, and then to the specialist to have his rather swollen knee drained. This month it was my turn.

I will admit it wasn't truly her fault, buuuuut....... if we didn't have a dog I wouldn't be sat here trying to type this story, and put the magazine together, with a wrist in a metal brace. Let me tell you more...

We were out in the park, Lilly on her lead snuffling about in the undergrowth when 2 dogs, not on leads, came running over to her. Unbeknownst to me Lilly had had dealing with one of them before and didn't take too kindly to its rambunctiousness. She decided to take off running, but instead of running forwards she headed backwards and around my body. Unfortunately my hand, which was firmly attached to the lead, got yanked in the opposite direction to its normal movement, and, hey presto - a four hour wait in A&E with a suspected broken wrist!

The long wait in A&E meant Damian got to amuse himself by writing this Facebook post:

One x-ray, some very squished cartilage and a bit of ligament damage later, we headed home to be greeted with the waggiest of tails and big dopey smile. All is promptly forgiven.

Teeny Tiny Tot Pics

Lastly our lovely little Lilly turned 5 on September 4th, so she is now middle-aged, being 35 in human terms (oh how I remember being that young).

Like her owners the grey hairs are showing, but seeing as she already had a lot of them when she came to us, it got us pondering what she looked like as a puppy.

A quick message was sent off to Nicole, her previous mum, to see if she had puppy pictures of Lilly. We were not disappointed.

Look at those Puss in Boots eyes. Who could resist? Not us!

WeatherBeeta

Anti Pull/Travel Harness

As you read on the last page, because the hot weather we ordered Lilly a cooling jacket from WeatherBeeta, but whilst there we scoured their website for other goodies, and we included their Anti Pull/Travel Harness to the order.

Lilly wears a harness because being a Lurcher, her head is the same width as her neck, therefore with minimal effort she can wiggle herself out of a traditional collar, and she also like to pull rather than walk sedately.

The WeatherBeeta Anti Pull/ Travel Harness has a two in one harness design, making it versatile for use in the car or out on walks. It features soft and breathable padding for comfort, four adjustment points for the perfect fit, and quick release clips for safety.

For the times she catches the scent of a deer, spots a squirrel or a cat then decides to bolt off, the pulling pressure is evenly distributed to the body to prevent injury, and there are two attachment options that provide you with choice on where the lead attaches.

Additionally there are four small reflective strips, and the handle on the back makes it easier to get hold of her if needed.

The two adjustable straps on the front of the harness are the perfect width on which to secure her Tractive Tracker. of which the full review will be coming next month.

The Anti Pull/Travel Harness is available in either pink or yellow, and in sizes that range from small to extra large. price: £26.50 more at » www.weatherbeeta.co.uk

Sometimes beaches are scary, and you just need a reassuring Mummy cuddle.

Sparrow Stainless Steel Double Wall Bowl

Super Sparrow sent us this bright red bowl for Lilly to test out, and we tried it with both her water and food. I am not a fan of plastic dog bowls as they scuff up easily and can harbour nasty germs in the scratches, and as an extremely clumsy person the clay pot style ones aren't the best for me, so here at Muddy HQ we have pretty basic steel bowls for Lilly, so this fancy double wall bowl is a bit of extravagance.

Made of 18/8 stainless steel it claims to be anti-corrosion, heat resistant, durable, punctureresistant, and rust-resistant, and so far all this appears to be true. It also has a non-slip ring of rubber on the base which stops the bowl travelling across the room if you have smooth floors and a very speedy eater.

There are 6 powder coated colours, and a plain silver non-coated version, and it has a 1 litre capacity. At 1 7cm in diameter and 7.6cm in height it is a decent size for small to medium pets; there is a larger one for big breeds.

With it being doudle walled we thought it would be great for keeping her water cool in the warm weather, but after a few days we decided to use this bowl just for her food due to its interior. What we found was that when looking at the bowl from above, to see if we need to top up her water, the very pleasant matt finish creates a trick of the eye and it looked like it had water in when there was none. Lilly did have a couple of no water afternoons due to this, so we swapped her water to her old shiny bowl instead.

The other issue we had is the powder coating. It is dishwasher safe, but because we don't have a dishwasher we do the washing up in a sink, and therefore the bowl does get clanked around, and a couple of chips in the coating have appeared. I don't think there would be an issue if it was in a dishwasher, but if you are sink people I would recommend going for the plain steel one.

Even with these couple of niggles it wouldn't put us off buying one as it is almost half the price of the similar Yeti bowl that we featured in a previous issue.

Price: £20.87 more at » www.supersparrow.com

WeatherBeeta Therapy-Tec Cooling Coat

With the UK having actual record-breaking summer heatwaves this year, I don’t mind admitting that I suffered in the heat, and I don’t have a fur coat! (not true Damian has quite a lot of fur, just not on his head - Muddy Madam)

We avoided walking Lilly during the hottest times of the day, but we still found she was overheating on occasions, and that’s when she found a cool haven in Weatherbeeta's Therapy-Tec Cooling Dog Coat.

If you haven't come across Weatherbeeta before you mustn't be a horsey person, as they are a well-known leader in the horse rug world. After years of technical innovation in keeping horse both warm and cool they are now using their expertise in the dog world.

Designed to help keep your dog cool and comfortable in the warmer weather the cooling coat features a special super absorbent PVA lining that's activated by cold water, and an outer is mesh which allows for air to flow through the cooling material.

Once wet, the cooling coats is designed to cool your dog down when they are at risk of feeling hot, stressed and at risk of over heating.

To use you simply wet before useyou can either hold it under a cold tap, or as I prefer, dunk it in a bowl of cold water. Then give it a good wring to get

rid of excess water and fit like you would any other dog coat.

Although we followed the fitting guide on their website, the size we went for is a bit too big, however, the coat features large velcro-style straps and elasticated leg straps, so it stayed secure even when she was wandering around. Muddy Madam is handy with a sewing machine so she's going to do a few adjustments ready for next year as we can see us using this quite often.

The heatwaves are probably done for this year, but we highly recommend getting one of these ready for next year as we can see them selling out when the heat rises.

It’s a quality product that’s finished well and does exactly what's expected of it.

price: £34.99 more at »

Barbour Case Fair Isle Dog Jumper

As temperatures drop, it’s important to make sure our furry friends cosy and warm, so Barbour have introduced these snazzy Fairisle-knit style jumpers.

Available in small, medium and large, this design will see your dog win best-dressed on every walk, and in case you fancy being snazzy yourself there is also a men's Fairisle Pom beanie to match.

With an embossed Barbour branded badge to the neck, it’s finished with a roll neck and a ribbed knit throughout for comfort and warmth. Something to note is that,even though it is made from 100% acrylic yarn it’s hand wash only.

So if you want to have a toasty warm, and stylish dog grab one of these Barbour jumpers and your four-legged friend will be ready for fun chilly outdoor adventures.

price: £26.95 more at » www.barbourinternational.com

Barbour Reflective Tartan Range

Dog Collar

This Barbour dog collar is made from tartan webbing with a reflective piping outer. It's fully adjustable and fastens with a branded clasp. Made from 40% Cotton and 60% polypropylene it has a small branded leather badge. It’s available in taupe/pink tartan or classic tartan, and sizes - small, medium & large.

Price £26.95 more at » www.barbourinternational.com

Dog Lead

This tartan webbing dog lead features reflective binding at the edges to keep your dog safe when the days get shorter. It's got a loop handle and an aged brass clip to secure it to your dogs collar. Like the collar above, the lead is also available in taupe/pink tartan or classic tartan.

price: £29.95 more at » www.barbourinternational.com

Reader's Rides

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

We are Tony and Aneta. I grew up in the Black Country, and Aneta is originally from Poland, and we are both full time tattoo artists based in West Midlands. We run Modified Jeeps UK which is many things - primarily a YouTube channel, Instagram and Facebook group where we share our love for anything Jeep, adventure and camping related.

History of cars leading up your present 4x4 I have a long history of owning all sorts of cars and bikes. From a 1941 Chevy AK pickup truck, through classic Beetles, a Ford Thunderbird, Porsche 911 and even a Range Rover.

Our honeymoon was a European road trip in my dream car, a Porsche 911. Whilst we were driving all of the stunning alpine passes we kept noticing dirt tracks coming off of them all over Italy and Switzerland. This gave us an idea of doing the road trip again but this time exploring further into the wild.

What better vehicle to do so than a Jeep Wrangler?

Jeeps were always appealing to me, I think it all started with a Tonka toy I had as a little lad. Our first Jeep was a Wrangler JKU which we heavily modified and named Rubi-con. After that we were hooked, it’s all Jeeps now. We even sold our Harley which was sitting unused in the corner of the garage as Jeeps took over all of our spare time and space.

Present 4x4(s)

At the moment we are lucky to be owners of two Jeeps - a 2018 Wrangler JLU Rubicon, and a classic 1980 CJ-5. I guess Jeeps are addictive.

The Wrangler is our daily car, but we are not afraid to use it offroad. We attend off-road days as well as go green laning with our mates whenever time allows. We have an off-road trailer which we hook up to the Jeep when camping.

Modifications done

2018 Jeep Wrangler JLUR

Although the new Wrangler JLs are super capable straight out of the factory, most people modify them, including us (hence the name - Modified Jeeps UK). Stock Rubicons come with lockers front and rear, electric sway bar disconnect and they also sit slightly higher than the Overland and Sport models. This allows to fit 35” tyres to a stock JL Rubicon without any modifications.

When we first had our Jeep we wanted to prep it for an upcoming European road trip (this was before we build our camping trailer). We did all of the mods ourselves. The very first addition was a Rhino Rack Pioneer roof rack to carry the roof top tent and side awning. Then we’ve installed a 2.5” Terfalflex suspension lift kit which allowed for larger tyres (37”). We usually cook at the back of our Jeep when camping, so we’ve made a removable storage box with drawers and a 47L ARB compressor fridge on a slider, we have space on the side of the box for water storage. We made our own MJUK drop down tailgate table, and it’s the one piece of equipment in the Jeep we can’t imagine living

without. We also installed extra lighting on the inside of the rear window which helps massively after the sun goes down.

Since then we’ve changed a few more things. We added a second, short awning to the rear of the Jeep. Replaced the stock plastic bumpers with steel ones from Rugged Ridge, and also added a Terrafirma 1200 pound winch on the front bumper. We have some auxiliary lights on the Jeep, a couple of round 6” driving pattern spots on the front bumper and a pair of D-SS Pro side shooter fog pattern pods on the hood cowls, all Rigid Industries. The most prominent mod on the JL is the geometric camo wrap which we designed and installed ourselves. The graphics have been on the Jeep for a couple of years now and we’re planning on a change of design soon.

Unfortunately we don’t tend to travel light and the Teraflex suspension, designed more for rock crawling, wasn’t handling the load too well with a noticeable sag at the rear. We decided to change to AEV conversions with Bilstein shocks, fitted by Buzz Special Vehicles this time. The upgrade sorted out the saggy rear and also the ride of the Jeep has improved massively.

1980 CJ-5

We’ve had the CJ for a couple of years now, it’s a rolling project.

Modifications we’ve done so far include a 2.5” Rough Country suspension lift and steering damper, heavy duty Rugged Ridge track bar and drag link, new steel wheels and 33” BFG KM2 tyres. We’ve replaced a lot of basic parts that were aged and needed to be replaced, including Warn locking hubs, wheel bearings, steering ball joints, new brake discs, callipers and master cylinder, carb, door mirrors (another long list). We also added a Bestop Bikini top, we have some new seats waiting to be put in.

Favourite Modifications

Drop down tailgate table - simply can’t live without it, it’s the most practical addition for any Wrangler, easy to install too. The one we have in our Jeep is one we designed and made ourselves.

Modifications to do

JL - The mods wish list for the JL is ever growing. Seeing as we air down every single time we go off-road, we would like to hard mount the air compressor for ease of use. We’re planning on a solar set up to allow charging our camera gear etc. when travelling. We would like some new wheels eventually, although it seems every time we go to Wales we come back with new scratches on the stock wheels. Next mods on the list are skid plates and steering damper relocation for more clearance in the front. We also get a slight tyre rub on the rear fenders with our 37” tyres, we definitely need some US spec hi line fenders for some extra clearance.

CJ - As we mentioned our CJ is a rolling project, as with any classics it needs a lot of work. Not necessarily mods but more refurbing. We’re planning a colour change. As much as we love the current patina, there’s some rust patches that need fixing and so a paint job will follow.

Favourite off-roading / adventure trip

Our favourite adventures always include mountains and lakes. The alpine road trips are definitely at the top of our list. These road trips are pretty spontaneous, we always have a rough idea of the direction we want to head in, a few spots saved in google maps but we never keep a tight schedule. Most of the time weather is the deciding factor.

Lottery win 4x4

We’re pretty happy with the our current 4x4 situation. However a brand new Jeep Wrangler JL Rubicon with one of the Americas Most Wanted V8 engine upgrades would be a winner....and of course a few more classics.

Favourite car related film

Death Proof, which combines our love for cars and movies in a way that only Tarantino could do.

Favourite biscuits

Wow! So many amazing biscuits out there. Freshly made cookie are always good. We are both chocoholics, so Bahlsen Choc Leibniz are a win (the choc-to-buiscuit ratio is amazing). We are also partial to some of the classic such as custard creams and bourbons. Seriously, too many to list here haha!

Where can we find more details?

Website - www.modifiedjeeps.uk

YouTube - Modified Jeeps UK

Instagram - modified_jeeps_uk

Facebook - Modified Jeeps UK Facebook group - Modified Jeeps UK Group

Reader's Rides

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

I'm Sean, I've just celebrated my 40th birthday and I live in a small village just outside of Hitchin. I work as a Sales Director for a technology firm based in the UK.

History of cars leading up your present 4x4 Vauxhall Nova and Corsa, Mercedes C Class, Audi A1, A3 and A5, Range Rover Sport TDV6, Range Rover Autobiography TDV8 and a Tesla Model 3 long range.

I’ve also owned a Puma based 2007 Defender 110 for a week, but I took it back to the dealer after I'd had a chance to give it a proper look over. The engine ceased on route back to the dealer!

Present 4x4(s)

We have a 2002 TD5 Defender 110 CSW LE (it's the 9 seat model with electric windows, heated seats and aircon). It was previously owned by the NHS. We've named it UZO.

Modifications done

I've decided to keep it original in terms of running gear and suspension, so it's only had a few cosmetic and camping related upgrades. Starting at the front, I've added LED headlights with a DRL bumper, and changed the front grill to a heritage style.

Inside, I've swapped the original steering wheel for a Momo Jet 350, and I've covered all of the nine seats with the canvas covers from Exmoor Trim. In the rear I've added a draw system from Britpart. Up top we have the Tentbox Classic hardshell roof tent, and I've added the Gods and Rovers spare wheel cover camping table.

Favourite Modifications

It's has to be the LED headlights, it's nice to actually be able to see in the dark!

Modifications to do

I'm considering doing a complete camper conversion where I'll remove the rear seats and put in a bed, gas stove, a sink and some storage. It's quite a project so I'll wait until winter I think.

Favourite off-roading / adventure trip

I bought the Defender just before COVID hit, so there haven't been any really big trips just yet. I've planned a week touring Scotland in August though, mostly around Glencoe then onwards to Skye, so I'm really looking forward to that!

Lottery win 4x4

I keep looking at the INEOS Grenadier, I've gone as far as building one on the website but keep bulking at the price. A lottery win would remove that barrier and I'd go for it I think.

Favourite car related film

Probably Bullitt, great chase scene and it stars Steve McQueen so it's up there for sure.

Favourite biscuits

It has to be shortbread, which I think is a biscuit?

Where can we find more details?

I'm on Instagram - just_sean_wood

Reader's Rides

Who are you, where are you from and what do you do? Hi, I’m Mark Talbot, 36 years old from Barrow-in-Furness and I’m an Offshore Drilling Maintenance Supervisor.

of cars leading up your present 4x4 Daihatsu Fourtrack, Nissan Navara, Isuzu D-Max Blade, Toyota RAV4 and a Suzuki Jimny

4x4(s)

Modifications done

Full PPF (paint protection film), Powerful UK rear door table and a rear load area lighting from Defender3D. I also have a spare set of wheels & mud tyres, the wheels are standard 20” Land Rover wheels. I got a really good deal on set of 275/55/20 Accelera MT01 mud tyres. Although they weren’t my number 1 choice in tyre they are pretty strong with a deep tread, albeit heavy and slightly noisy too - fine for green lane days out.

There’s also a 1.5” suspension lift using lift rods are from Proud Rhino supplied in the U.K. by Flatdog. I may buy a 2” set too just for off-roading as they take seconds to fit especially if already changing wheels anyway. I’ve also added a pair of side steps from Venture Automotive in Bolton. They’ve taken a few scrapes already as they lower the side of the car. Quite handy for getting in and out, but do get in the way off-road. Finally there’s a set classic mudflaps.

Favourite Modifications

and

Modifications to do

Underfloor Protection, front tow eye, bash plate and a rear load area basket.

Favourite off-roading / adventure trip

Favourite so far is Lake District in the summer, but a wish list would be a trip across an Africa National Park of some sorts. Bucket list stuff.

Lottery / Lotto win 4x4

got

If I won the Lottery I would pay off the finance and modify it more.

Favourite car related film

Harrogate MG & Classic Car Club Rally

The last time I visited an MG car show, Muddy Madam and I bought an old 1955 Series 1 Land Rover that was in fantastic condition. This was back in 2005 and we paid the priceley sum of £1,500 - the going rate at the time. How times have (quickly), changed.

I mention this because I was recently invited to the Harrogate MG & Classic Car Club 36th rally that took place at Bewerley Park, Pateley Bridge last month, and I was secretly hoping to spot another bargain.

After Lilly and I met up with good friend Andy from the Yorkshire Post, we slowly made our way around park admiring the many classic MGs and non MGs on display. The standard of cars, and not just those entered into the Concourse D’ Elegance, were of a very high standard.

Amongst the many glorious oldies sat a lone MG SV Xpower. I’ll hold my hand up and admit that I didn’t know much about the SV Xpower, so I Googled it.

Apparently it was manufactured in Modena, Italy and finished at Longbridge, and was based on the platform of the Qvale Mangusta, formerly the De Tomaso Biguà. Initially powered by the 4.6ltr V8, the later SV R version released the following year had a 5.0ltr V8.

Like a lot of shows there were plenty of equally lovely vehicles in the car park, like a couple of very tidy Range Rover Classics that unfortunately left before I could snap them.

You can’t have a show like this without musical entertainment, and playing throughout the day was the brilliant Knaresborough Silver Band. There was also a fun dog show, of which I didn’t subject Lilly to! Amongst the classes were most handsome, most attractive cross breed and of course waggiest tail, I’m certain she would have won at least two of them.

Overall it was cracking day out with fine weather and company, and on this occasion I didn’t come home with another car! more at » www.harrogatemgclub.org.uk

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