The Mud Life - #49 - July 2023

the mud life is the good life

#49 - July, 2023

GET OUT'N'ABOUT Pack up the tent and hit the road

green laning

101 ambulance

Subaru solterra

For Vehicle Adventure Enthusiasts & Outdoor Lovers

Words From The Wild pages 20-27

To find out about advertising in the magazine, email : damian@themudlife.co.uk 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.

IN THIS ISSUE TURNER'S TORQUE

4-6

NEWS

7-18

WORDS FROM THE WILD

20-27

GOODS & GEAR

29-33

HARD SHOULDER, HARD LESSON!

35-40

IT'S GOOD TO GET OUT

44-45

CAMPING HACKS

46-47

CAMPING LIFE

48-54

SUBARU SOLTERRA TOURING

56-62

OUR GARAGE - A TYRE-SOME TALE

63

MOOCH - LANING IN THE DALES

64-71

DINE OUT WITH DAMIAN

72-73

SEAT ATECA SE TECHNOLOGY 74-80 THE TALES OF LILLY

81-83

LILLY'S WOOF STUFF

84-85

DIRECTORY

87

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

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

Creative Director, Editor, Reviewer

LILLY - THE MUD LIFE DOG Cuddle Monster, Model, Reviewer

F O L LOW U S

THE TEAM

BACK ISSUES 88-89

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

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3

DIFFICULT DECISIONS

TURNER'S TORQUE

A while back I was chatting to Russ from Ardventures, he regularly takes folk on off-road tours, both in the UK from coast to coast weekenders to longer trips to Croatia and Morocco. His current steed is a Land Rover Defender 90 - the new model, and at just under 12 months old he’s covered a staggering 39,000 trouble-free miles. My point here is that he has to be clever in what he takes with him on tours, not just to keep the weight down, but space, too.

With this in mind he gave me his unused 24-piece Front Runner Camp Utensil Kitchen set, and although a great set, it was simply over the top for his needs, as just a knife, fork and spoon is sufficient.

I’m in a fortunate position in that I get quite a bit of off road and camping kit sent to me to review. As a consequence it means that I have a lot of products here at Muddy Towers doing nothing mainly because newer, shinier kit arrives for me to review - it’s a vicious circle.

Amusingly, I can spend a good hour looking at all the different stoves, pots and pans trying to decide which to take with me on a trip.

Let me introduce myself in the style of an AA confession...

Do I really need 6 BBQs and 8 fire pits?

"Hi, I’m Damian Turner, and I have an unhealthy interest in all things '4x4' and being outdoors."

Probably not. Of course I’m not complaining, but it does mean that our modest 2-up-2 down terrace is bursting at the seams, so I reckon it’s time to be ruthless and sell some stuff. After all, they do say that a clear home creates a clear mind.

Over the years I’ve written for various 4x4 magazines such as LRM, LRW & 4x4 Mart, and also for getting out'n'about titles such as Practical Caravan, and Practical Motorhome magazines.

So I’ve made another list that reads ‘things I have that I haven’t used in a while’ and ‘things I need, but I don’t have.’ Essentially, if we haven’t used a product during 3 overnight camping trips or green-laning days then it has to go. Obviously that doesn’t mean recovery gear!

Seven or so years ago I broke out of the freelance world to start up The Mud Life - first as a website, then 4 years ago into this magazine you are reading.

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The other week Muddy Madam created a spreadsheet of all the products we have stored in the house, I went through it and ticked around 90% that I wanted to keep - “Not good enough.” she told me. She’s right, of course. (Can I have that in writing! - Muddy Madam)

Not only does this mean that we can plan quicker escapes, but we’ll also carry less kit, and consequently we should get better mpg from Deux Smurf!

I don't really want to get rid of any of it, but I just need to make space for all the new stuff, oh and stay married! Therefore at some point in the very near future we will be offering up loads of great stuff at brilliant prices, that have either been hardly used or have loads of life left to go. Our wonderful Ko-fi supporters (see page 19) will get first pick, after that we'll offer them up to anyone who subscribes to the mag (see page 28), and then I'll open up the page to the general public.

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I want a neW Car!

This need is nothing new, as I am driving around in twenty year old Škoda Fabia Diesel estate that has seen its good days come and go.

We have just spent a ridiculous amount to mend the passenger door window that decided to break in full down mode. Luckily it was during the heatwave so rain wasn't an issue, but not having a garage and our mechanic having a sudden illenss was, so we had to lock up the car in our back yard (which is no easy feat) as leaving a fully open car on the street is not a great idea where we live.

So not only did the passenger window break, but it already has a dodgy driver's window, that may or may not go back up if I make the mistake of wanting fresh air in the car (did I mention it doesn't have air-conditioning either!).

Oh and the door lock is broken and doesn't work with its key anymore, so if the battery in my actual key dies I can't get into my car - which it did whilst I was parked in ASDA. I can't get into my key to change the battery without a tiny srewdriver and a lot of swearing. I didn't have the screwdriver, but my mouth was in full expletive mode!

Then there is the leaking back door - which is actually a known fault with this age of Fabia which makes the back carpet soggy, which in turn makes the car a hot bed of dampness, which then causes my speakers to crackle and then ices up in winter!

Then there's the air blower that only works on No.2 setting, a squeak that comes from an air vent which is really annoying once it gets into my brain, leaky wheel rims and you can only open the boot as long as you open one of the back doors first.

There's probably more little quirks that I long since got used to, but you get the gist.

The thing is my little Fabia has a brilliant 1.9 engine that just keeps on going, and going, so even with all its issues I am loath to get rid.

But the headline of this article is 'I want a new car', so what am I on about.

TURNER'S TORQUE

As one of the two people who make this mag I also get to drive the press cars, some more than others. If it's more an on-road SUV, then I'll be scooting off here and there in it, if it's a giant 'it'll never fit in the supermarket parking spot' kind of vehicle I leave it to Damian. Recently there have been more of my kind at Muddy Towers, and this is the crux of my problem - new cars are so good.

They all have new fangled things (well new to me), such as: • adaptive cruise control • limiters • air-conditioning, • headlights that allow me to actually see in the dark • all the windows can be opened (and closed) by buttons • steering wheels that don't wiggle when you drive over 60mph • heaters that actually heat up in a minute or two (not the 10 minutes of my experience) • USB & USB-C sockets, • DAB radio & Apple Carplay • navigation systems, • hands-free phone set-up, • lane assist (though I'm not keen) And then there is the fancy colour-changing internal lighting that makes the little kid inside me make squeeee noises.

Basically I've been spoilt, and now, Like Oliver Twist, I want more, but current funds don't allow, so I will have to settle for getting to drive a 'nice' car every now and then, whilst praying that the battery in my key doesn't die again.

P.S. If anyone would like to help us with the making of this mag (and my dream to one day have a car with working windows), then please become a Mud Life Supporter (see page 19), there are options from only £1 per month..

I'm Karen Lee Turner, but here I'm mainly known as Muddy Madam.

Damian may be the 4x4 nut, sorry, authority, but without me, (the true power behind the man - as always in life ), there would be no magazine.

😉

I am the one who designs it, puts it all together and does all the techie stuff in the background to make it magically appear each month.

I also do the weirder articles (remember Which is the best vehicle for the zombie apocalypse?), some of product reviews and help Lilly write her tales.

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5

s ' t a e He

Th

Last week Muddy Madam and I went to Liverpool for the Outdoor Trade Show, and as we had no press car booked in, we took Deux Smurf.

When we set off the in the morning the weather was sunny but not oppressive, but later on our return journey the sun was blistering. It really wasn’t the best time for Deux Smurf’s air conditioning to go on strike, but it did, so a re-gas is another job that needs to be sorted, sooner rather than later.

I say ‘another job’, but that’s being a bit unfair as Deux Smurf is one of the most reliable vehicles I’ve ever owned, and at the time of writing she’s just about to hit 199,000 miles with no signs of slowing down ( !)

👉🪵

At the aforementioned trade show, one of the many exhibitors was Thule (pronounced Too-le), and amongst their usual bags, bike trailers and bike racks was a Defender that was fitted with their new roof rack, or platform as they call it.

For some reason (probably the heat), I neglected to take a picture on the day, but there’s an official photo of the platform in the new products section.

Like all Thule products, the platform looked the bees-knees, and my job now is to figure out how I can get one fitted to Deux Smurf!

On top of the platform they were showing off an impressive roof top tent, the Approach L. Muddy Madam was totally besotted with the Approach after spending a few minutes lozzing in it. That day in Liverpool could prove to be an expensive outing.

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g n i t get

e m to

GRENADIER QUARTERMASTER debuts at Goodwood The All-New Grenadier Quartermaster, a snazzy double cab pick-up variant of the award-winning Grenadier, is all set to make its global debut on Thursday 13th July. But that's not all!

It's going to have a special appearance on the famous hillclimb at Goodwood, and guess what? Some familiar faces will be there too.

We're talking about the Goodwood motorsports legends, who are joining in the celebration of two remarkable 75-year automotive anniversaries. One is the motorsports at Goodwood itself, and the other is the beloved Belstaff Trialmaster Jacket, which happens to lend its name to one of the Grenadier's trims.

But wait, there's more excitement coming your way! The Grenadier Hydrogen Fuel Cell (FCEV) Technology Demonstrator will also be making its very first public appearance. This beast will showcase just how well-suited zero emissions technology is for a future long-range 4X4 off-roader.

Both the Grenadier Quartermaster and the FCEV Demonstrator will be proudly showcased in the First Glance Paddock, and they won't just sit there looking pretty.

Nope! They'll be driven up the hillclimb route on each of the four days of the Festival.

Now, here's something truly exclusive for all you adventure junkies attending the Goodwood Festival of Speed...

You'll have the opportunity to hop behind the wheel of the Grenadier Station Wagon, and not just for a leisurely drive down the road. Oh no, no, no, you'll be taking it on a challenging offroad course at the Goodwood Halnaker Chalkpit, right next to the main event site.

There are hundreds of slots available throughout the four days of the Festival, so make sure you don't miss out on this opportunity to put the 4x4 through its paces.

So mark your calendars, gear up for an incredible experience, and get ready to witness the awe-inspiring Grenadier Quartermaster, the impressive FCEV Demonstrator, and the thrill of driving the Grenadier Station Wagon off-road.

It's going to be a wild ride at the Goodwood Festival of Sport THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

7

Isuzu partners with ARB Isuzu UK has recently given the green light to a wide range of 4x4 off-road and camping accessories for the New-Look Isuzu D-Max from ARB UK, the 4x4 division of leading pick-up accessories company Truckman.

This cool new partnership means that Isuzu D-Max owners now have access to a huge selection of top-quality accessories and a fantastic range of upgrades, including clever drawer systems with handy slide-out kitchens, premium rooftop tents, versatile awnings, and high-end camping gear. On top of that, they've got sturdy roof racks, reliable recovery gear, and practical canopies on offer, solidifying the Isuzu D-Max as the ultimate choice for versatile customisation.

Participating Isuzu dealerships will be stocking these accessories, giving customers the option to buy a vehicle that comes preloaded with accessories that suit their requirements.

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The Isuzu D-Max already boasts a tough and durable design, but with the addition of ARB accessories, it becomes even more adaptable. The accessories approved by Isuzu have gone through rigorous real-life testing to ensure they meet the high standards for quality, safety, and performance set by both Isuzu and ARB. ARB 4x4 is a well-known provider of premium off-road accessories and equipment, specialising in delivering top-notch quality and innovative solutions for 4x4 enthusiasts around the world.

Trusted by adventurers and off-road enthusiasts alike, ARB is synonymous with durability, reliability, and performance, ensuring that your vehicle is equipped to conquer any terrain and withstand the challenges of off-road exploration.

IVECO Daily 4x4 Tigrotto now in right-hand drive First revealed at IAA 2022 in Hannover, the IVECO Daily 4x4 Tigrotto proved to be a star of the show. Initially launched exclusively in left-hand drive, the positive reaction to this special edition vehicle means it will now be offered in right-hand drive.

Based upon the rugged IVECO Daily 4x4, this highly capable machine pays homage to its namesake of the 1950s. The original 1957 Tigrotto was designed for heavy-duty missions and spawned numerous variations over a 15 year period.

The Daily 4x4 is the perfect recreational vehicle, and the Tigrotto's enhanced design also appeals to the motorhome and

leisure buyer. The Tigrotto, meaning ‘tiger cub’ in Italian, boasts unique two-tone bodywork and a red elements that hark back to the 1950s original, as does the instantly recognisable badging.

Its retro-inspired wheels and rounded spotlights create a classic look that’s both stylish and functional.

This model’s enhancements extend to a cab that presents a ‘vintage’ inspired dashboard finished in contrasting shades and crowned with a Tigrotto logo. Specially branded floormats are also unique to this special edition model.

The Tigrotto can be ordered as a chassis cab, enabling body builders to unleash their creativity.

Offered in an on, or off-road specification, all variants are powered by a 3.0-litre 180 hp diesel engine coupled to an 8-speed HI-MATIC automatic gearbox. Thanks to the Daily’s truck-based chassis, the 7.2 tonne Tigrotto is available with a payload of up to 4,165 kg, and body lengths up to 4,450 metres.

The IVECO Daily 4x4 Tigrotto is available to order in right-hand drive from IVECO dealerships now.

Equipped to venture from the beaten track, this all-wheel drive vehicle features three locking differentials and low-speed gearbox ratios to maximise traction. Adding to mechanical strength is an advanced Electronic Stability Programme that helps prevent wheel-slip. A significantly increased ride height combined with excellent approach and departure angles further add to this Daily’s rugged credentials.

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Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional takes place on Saturday 29th July on the beautiful lawns of Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire. The Concours de l’Ordinaire - quite literally, a show dedicated to sharing some of the greatest everyday classic cars on our roads, Originally staged by Hagerty in 2014, the Festival of the Unexceptional has earned its place in the automotive calendar as an attainable concours event offering a mix of rare cars and a prestigious location in an informal and friendly approach.

Showcasing much maligned and long-forgotten ‘ordinary’ classic cars and commercial vehicles of the late 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s, Festival of the Unexceptional remains the only must-visit car show that celebrates the everyday cars we all know and love.

As ever, the star attraction of Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional is its Concours de l’Ordinaire. Set in the main courtyard at Grimsthorpe Castle, the Concours lawn sees 50 rare and prized everyday classic cars compete to be crowned the best of the best, judged by a highly experienced panel of motoring experts.

Highlights this year include an extremely rare Yugo Sana which has survived since 1990, a once common, now less so early

Vauxhall Corsa LS, a FOTU favourite Austin Princess from 1976 and a wonderful Ford Cortina Carousel from 1980. As if that wasn’t enough, 2023 sees the first ever Hagerty Battle of the Blands, a competition for FOTU-worthy car clubs.

A representative from 5 selected car clubs will take to the main stage in an effort to convince showgoers that their beloved car is simply the best when it comes to mundane motoring. The 2-minute pitches will be under the scrutiny of Hagerty FOTU compere Charlotte Vowden, who has the job of ensuring the speeches are more exciting than the cars.

Mark Roper, Managing Director of Hagerty International, said, “Festival of the Unexceptional is an event like no other, being the only concours event for cars many don’t give a second look. At Hagerty we applaud this, we respect their level of commitment, and we enjoy seeing hundreds of FOTU-worthy cars amass at Grimsthorpe Castle every year. If you want to join us now is the time, as just a few tickets remain for this unique event.”

Just 200 tickets remain for the 2023 Festival, priced at £25 per car (including all occupants) making it a great value day out for family and friends. Get your tickets click here.

Festival of the Unexceptional is almost here

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Want to get out of the house?

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11

Ford enters The Dakar Rally

Ford Performance is about to take on one of the toughest races ever – the legendary Dakar Rally! They've conquered races from Le Mans to Monaco, Daytona to Bathurst, and Finke to Ensenada, but the Dakar Rally has always been missing from their impressive resume.

Ford has revealed their plans to dive headfirst into global off-road racing, starting with the renowned Dakar Rally in 2024 and beyond, and they won't be doing it alone. They'll be teaming up with long-time partners M-Sport and Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) for vehicle development, servicing, and event management.

Mark Rushbrook, the Global Director of Ford Performance Motorsports, said: "To lead the charge at one of the ultimate global off-road events, the Dakar Rally, has been a goal of ours.We know it won't be easy, but we're up for the challenge.

He also emphasised that this venture isn't just about winning races. It's also about improving Ford's products for customers.

"Our first time in Dakar will be a learning adventure that will help inform how we compete in the future. But as with all racing, we're not just racing to win; we're also racing to help build better products for our customers."

The first step is to develop a purpose-built, high-performance Ford Ranger for the Rally Raid T1+ category. This beast of a vehicle will take on the 2024 Dakar Rally, set to take place in Saudi Arabia from January 5th to 19th. The team will be putting the Ranger T1+ through its paces, testing it in races like Spain's 12

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Baja España Aragón, and Morocco's Rally du Maroc in July and October respectively, before facing the ultimate challenge of the Dakar Rally next year.

Ford Performance and M-Sport have their eyes set on the 2025 Dakar Rally too. They're working on developing a brand-new, custom-built Ranger Raptor specifically designed for Dakar's T1+ class regulations. Imagine the ultimate performance derivative of Europe's best-selling pickup tearing through the dunes!

Malcolm Wilson, M-Sport's MD expressed his confidence in the partnership: "The Dakar Rally is truly among the pinnacle of global offroad racing events.We've achieved great success over the years with Ford in the FIA WRC rally racing, and we can't wait to apply this same level of focus, energy, and effort to competing with the Ranger in Dakar."

M-Sport has a solid reputation as a leading developer and campaigner of the M-Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 in the FIA World Rally Championship. They're also engine builders for the Mustang GT3 program. Meanwhile, NWM has been instrumental in the development of the Rally-Raid Ranger from the very beginning. They've built and prepared vehicles at their facility in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, meeting the full Dakar T1+ regulations for the South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) and beyond.

So the Dakar Rally awaits, and with Ford's commitment, experience, and fantastic partners, there's no doubt that they'll make a mark on the world of off-road racing.

Great New MX-30 Offers The Mazda MX-30 is an electric SUV that's got style, versatility, and a focus on the driver. It's got an electric motor that runs on AC power and a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 35.5kWh. You can go for a nice long drive, covering up to 124 miles on a single charge.

When the MX-30 was first released in 2021, there weren't too many available in the UK because of production limitations., but now, Mazda UK is planning to ramp up production, and they've come up with some great offers for customers.

If you order a car by the end of September, you can get up to 4 years of 0% APR on Mazda Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) with no need for a minimum deposit. Just make sure you register your car by March 31, 2024.

And here's another perk: you get 3 years of free servicing. Plus, if you're buying the MX-30 for personal use, you can get a PodPoint home charger for half the price, which means it's just £499.

The MX-30 comes in 3 different models: Prime-Line, ExclusiveLine, and Makoto. No matter which model you choose, you get some cool features as standard - LED headlights with daytime running lights, a reversing camera, Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Intelligent Speed Assist, navigation, and a head-up display are all included.

To make charging easier, each MX-30 comes with a Type 2 AC charging cable, and a socket for DC rapid charging. With the DC rapid charging, you can charge your battery from 20% to 80% in just 36 minutes (assuming the temperature is around 20°C).

Let's talk about the models. The MX-30 Prime-Line is the entrylevel option. It comes with 18" silver alloy wheels, black door mirrors, and a black grille. It's available in 5 color options: Arctic White, Polymetal Grey, Ceramic White, Jet Black & Machine Grey.

The MX-30 Exclusive-Line is expected to be a popular choice.

It adds some extra features, including 18" Bright alloy wheels, power seats, lumber support adjustment, and smart keyless entry.

You can even go for a 3-tone design with options like Zircon Sand or Soul Red Crystal exterior colors paired with a Brilliant Black roof and Black side panels. Or if you prefer, you can choose Jet Black with a Brilliant Black roof and Silver side panels.

Another option is Ceramic White with a Brilliant Black roof and Dark Grey side panels.

At the top of the range is the Makoto model. It offers 3 interior trim options: light grey cloth with Stone artificial leather, dark grey with brown artificial leather, or dark grey with black artificial leather. The Makoto MX-30 comes with some extra goodies like a front wiper de-icer, a power and tilt sunroof, a heated steering wheel, and a 12-speaker Bose surround sound system. There's no shortage of features with this one.

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

all-new BMW X1 M35i xDrive A new model with a strong M character is taking the top spot in the BMW X1 range. The BMW X1 M35i xDrive combines the compact Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) concept with the dynamism and precision of M models. Its fourcylinder engine, part of the new generation of BMW Group Efficient Dynamics engines, delivers impressive power: 300 hp in Europe and 317 hp in the USA and other markets.

The BMW X1 M35i xDrive accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.4 seconds and has a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). It features M-specific chassis technology, including the option of M Compound brakes. The exterior and interior of the car reflect its sharper character, with exclusive design elements and M Sport seats with illuminated M logo.

The new BMW X1 M35i xDrive is also at the forefront of digital technology, featuring the new BMW iDrive with QuickSelect and BMW Operating System 9. It will be available in the USA from October 2023 and in Europe from November 2023.

The powerful engine incorporates innovations such as the Miller cycle, redesigned intake ports and combustion chambers, and improvements in camshaft timing, injection, ignition, and exhaust gas routing.

The car is equipped with a seven-speed Steptronic transmission with double clutch and M Sport Boost for rapid bursts of speed.

It also features BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive and a mechanical limited-slip differential at the front axle for enhanced traction and agility.

The BMW X1 M35i xDrive comes with adaptive M suspension, sport steering, and an integrated braking system. It offers the option of M Compound brakes, which provide comfortable braking and stable stopping power. The car also features near-actuator wheel slip limitation technology for improved agility.

The design includes M-specific elements such as a distinctive front apron, side skirt extensions, a rear apron with diffuser inlay, and a unique M kidney grille. The interior features M-specific elements and can be enhanced with options like M Sport seats.

It is equipped with advanced technology and connectivity features, including BMW iDrive with QuickSelect and BMW Operating System 9. The updated system offers a redesigned home screen, QuickSelect functionality, and improved access to digital content and online services.

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MG unveils updated HS SUV

The new HS offers drivers a sharper, more aggressive appearance. At the front, new bifunction LED headlights, a bold grille design and a new front bumper create an enhanced look that confirms the HS as MG’s largest, most luxurious SUV. At the rear, a new bumper design, revised dual exhaust outlets and LED taillights complete the contemporary styling update, alongside a striking 18’’ diamond cut wheel.

The new MG HS will now be offered in SE or Trophy specification which have proved popular with UK customers when introduced on the multi award-winning MG4 EV. Both models are powered by a 1.5-litre, turbocharged petrol engine delivering up to 162PS. A manual gearbox is available as standard, with an optional dual-clutch DCT gearbox offered on both SE and Trophy specifications.

The SE specification, priced from £23,495, includes bi-function LED headlights with front 16

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and rear sequential indicators for the first time, alongside air conditioning, satellite navigation, rear parking camera with sensors, rain sensing wipers, keyless entry and a leather steering wheel as standard.

The Trophy, priced from £25,995, includes leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual zone climate control, ambient interior lighting, rear privacy glass and an upgraded 6-speaker audio system.

Both the SE and Trophy are equipped with MG Pilot, the company’s comprehensive package of safety equipment which includes Active Emergency Braking with Pedestrian and Bicycle Detection, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning System, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Intelligent High Beam Assist.

The company will continue to offer the current plug-in hybrid MG HS PHEV model alongside the new 2023 HS Petrol. more at » mg.co.uk

Škoda Kodiaq The 2nd Generation

The Kodiaq, launched in 2016, kickstarted Škoda's SUV campaign and became a huge hit. It offers ample space for up to seven passengers and comes with advanced technology, making it a popular choice worldwide. Over 792,000 Kodiaqs have been sold in 60 countries, with 47,200 sold in the UK. In 2018, the Kodiaq vRS became the first SUV in Škoda's sporty RS family.

The central touchscreen display measures 12.9", and customers can also opt for a head-up display and Virtual Cockpit. Clever features have been added, like a rear storage compartment with a cup holder, display cleaner for touchscreen displays, and a flexible element in the luggage compartment to keep things organised.

Now, with the second generation of the Kodiaq, Škoda has made it even better. The design is more distinctive, providing more space, especially for passengers in the third row. The interior has been revamped with a new touchscreen display up to 12.9" in size, a gearshift lever on the steering column, and a wellorganised center console. There are various engine options, including petrol, diesel, and a plug-in hybrid version, which can travel over 62 miles on electric power alone.

Regarding powertrains, the second-generation Kodiaq offers a wide range, including a plug-in hybrid version with a system output of 204 hp and an all-electric range of over 62 miles. There are also two diesel and two petrol engine options, ranging from 150 hp to 204 hp. The entry-level 1.5 TSI petrol version comes with mild-hybrid technology, and two versions have all-wheel drive, all equipped with DSG automatic transmission.

The exterior design has also been enhanced, with a longer body and increased wheelbase, offering more room for up to seven people and improved headroom in the optional third row. The Kodiaq now boasts a sculptural front end, squared-off wheel arches, and second-generation full LED Matrix headlights.

Safety features have been improved as well, with the addition of Emergency Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, and up to nine airbags for maximum protection.

Overall, the second-generation Škoda Kodiaq continues to impress with its design, space, technology, and safety features, maintaining its status as a successful SUV model for Škoda.

Inside the car, the second-generation Kodiaq has a completely redesigned interior with a neat and tidy center console, thanks to the gearshift lever being moved to the steering column.

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Bentley the Sheepdog Goodwoof saw dog lovers descend on the Duke of Richmond’s Goodwood estate for a canine celebration, where 8,000 pups of all sizes gathered, and one of the rare breeds in competition was a very special Bentayga S.

up to give dogs their moment in the limelight and looking their most fetching. Poking out of the window of a Bentayga, stage equipment made their ears and locks flutter in the breeze like a music video.

‘Bentley the sheepdog’ earned its treats - a wash, vacuum and charge of its hybrid motor - having rounded up lambs, ewes and rams during one of the festival’s most popular activities.

Bentley’s Wayne Bruce said “No bones about it, that was two Great Day-nes out and the fluffiest event of the social calendar.

Over 2,000 pictures were snapped in the Pup-arazzi Bentayga in aid of Pets As Therapy. Thank you to everyone who came, and to my team who worked like, erm, dogs in the Sussex sun.”

Bearing a ‘Bentley’ dog tag and fur in the form of a black and white body wrap, it growled and barked its way around Goodwood’s Kennels and spectator spots before setting to work getting its woolly friends into the right pen.

The matte coat, which took four days to complete, was designed

by Rich Morris, who is also responsible for the livery of the Unifying Spur, a Flying Spur art car which has travelled the world to promote Bentley’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Bentley the Sheepdog’s commitment, on the other hand, is to direct livestock, and transport pampered pooches and their human loved ones.

Bentley is a popular dog name, and at Goodwoof all dogs tagged ‘Bentley’ provided their owners entry to the Bentley Barking Paddock, alongside the drivers of B-badged cars. Four-legged furry poseurs were also given the red-carpet treatment, with flash-bulbs of the Pup-arazzi popping; a wind-machine was set 18

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W

o t e m o c l e

The best things come to those who wait, or so they say. It’s taken some time to find the right vehicle, and even then I had to fend off a room full of other bidders, but I got there in the end. Today I would like to introduce you to 'Archie', the 101 Forward Control One Tonne Ambulance. I also want to give you a heads up that this won’t be the only new addition to the family!

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y l i m a f the

But first, I must ask for forgiveness. The evening I planned to take it out for some external shots, I pulled the choke out…and snapped the cable! So you’ll have to wait until the next issue for the 'in its natural habitat' pics.

A (very brief) history of the 101 Being a history nerd, it has been very difficult to keep this brief, so I’ve included some references at the end for anyone who would like further information. Should you wish to chat at length about military Land Rovers, feel free to join me around a campfire sometime. Bring a good Scotch!

Archie was first registered as a civilian vehicle in 1998, and is recorded as being produced in 1982, the year of the first operational deployment of the 101 as part of the Falklands Task Force, but the 101 production run was only operational between 1972 and 1978.

Unsurprisingly, it was intended only for military use, and was not originally available for the civilian market. The 101 was developed to fulfil the British Army’s requirement for a light utility vehicle that could tow a 4000lb artillery weapon over rough terrain at speed, something the 109 GS, which had towed the soon to be decommissioned 105mm Pack Howitzer field guns, was not up to. The 105mm Light Guns were 340kg heavier, and so a new vehicle was required.

Only 2660 101s were ever made, most became gun tractors, and towed 105mm Light Guns and later, in Saudi Arabia, the Rapier Missile as British Troops prepared to support the recapture of Kuwait in Operation GRANBY in 1991.

Some served with NATO forces in West Germany until 1990, with the Royal Marines in Northern Iraq tasked with protecting

the Kurds, with UN Peacekeeping Forces in Cyprus, UN Protection forces in Yugoslavia, and in Croatia and Bosnia in the early to mid-1990s.

It is believed that 450 became ambulances with bodywork built

by Marshalls of Cambridge. The original plan was to convert 519. Of the 69 others, some became signals vehicles (often referred to as Radio Bodies), Challengers - sporting an hydraulic crane with a one-tonne capacity, some were used as recovery vehicles, repair workshops, and carrier vehicles for everything from field artillery survey equipment to live ammunition and troops. One was even armoured, but was returned to standard and no further examples followed. By the late 1990s, the MOD decommissioned the fleet, and most of the remaining vehicles that had survived their service, eventually ended up in civilian hands. This makes the 101 ambulance a very rare vehicle indeed.

Even at the beginning of their lives, they quickly became notable for their abilities in demanding terrain. In 1975 the 101 made history when four vehicles and eight men successfully completed the first lateral crossing of the Sahara from the Atlantic to the Red Sea through the Mauritania-Mali “Empty Quarter.” The epic Joint Services East Sahara Expedition of 7,494 miles took place between 25th January and 3rd May 1975 and has been well documented by Tom Shepard in The Geographical Journal, part 2, volume 142, July 1976, should anyone wish to read the full details.

I highly recommend that you do.

Further information on all things 101 can be found in James Taylor’s book, Land Rover Military One-Tonne, Crowood Press, 2015.

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The Technical Stuff Are they as big as most people think? Well yes, but also no. The wheelbase of 101in is similar to a Discovery 2 (100in), closer to a Freelander 1 actually (100.79in). It’s shorter than my Range Rover L322 by over half a meter, and the General Service model weighs half a ton less, but the ambulance just out-weighs the L322 at 2.8 tonnes. It may be shorter, but at 2.5m tall, and 2.35m wide, it dwarfs Ralph when sat next to it on the drive.

While it is “compact” considering its capabilities, its size carefully planned to fit inside the belly of a cargo plane, interior space is maximised and overhangs are minimised by the severe brick-like shape and over cab design. Even in the ambulance version, there is nothing extraneous, bare essentials are all you’re going to get, and don’t expect much space in the driver’s seat, even at 5’10” it’s a squeeze!

Boasting the 3.5l Rover V8 which returns 128bhp and 185 lb ft of torque, and the LT95 4-speed gearbox with synchromesh on all forward and reverse gears, it sounds fantastic, but isn’t going to win any awards for speed or economy.

What it will do is what it is designed to do, which is to get you and your gear pretty much anywhere you want to go.

While the 101 was being developed, the ex-Buick 3.5 V8 had recently entered production for the Land Rover 100-inch Station Wagon, which later became the Range Rover, and this application called for the development of a new gearbox and transfer box.

In 1968 the developed setup was used in 101 prototypes without success. Steep prop shaft angles caused failures, and even with corrections to this day cause them to eat UJs, but with some fettling which included shortening the bellhousing and first motion shaft, the new powertrain was eventually designed and a small production run began in 1972; the majority were built between 1975 and 1977. All models were permanent four wheel drive, with a two speed transfer box, and locking centre diff.

The name One Tonne was coined due to its original load capacity. Originally designed to carry one tonne loads. Towing capacity is two tonnes.

Dimensions Overall length, fully equipped Overall length, basic stripped Overall height, to top of windscreen Overall height, over hood (GS model) Overall height, Ambulance Wheelbase Track (distance between wheels), front Track (distance between wheels), rear Length of body (load bed) Width of body (load bed) Overall width, GS Overall width, Ambulance Turning circle Minimum ground clearance under axles Unladen weight GS Unladen weight ambulance Fuel Consumption target (cross country, unpaved) Fuel consumption target (road) Range of action (road) Range of action (cross country) Tyre size 22

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4330 mm 4217 mm 2138 mm 2283 mm 2500 mm 2565 mm 1524 mm 1549 mm 2491 mm 1720 mm 1842 mm 2350 mm 11.3 m 254 mm 1924 kg 2800 kg 35 litres/100kn 20 litres/100km 545 km 320 km 900 x 16

170.5 in 166 in 84 in 90 in 98.5 in 101 in 60 in 61 in 98 in 67.75 in 72.5 in 92.5 in 37 ft 10 in

8 mpg 14.2 mpg 340 miles 200 miles 315/75R16

The choke!

Obviously I don't know my own strength.

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Archie's History MOD registration

72GJ35

Date of manufacture

15/11/1977

Original construction

Gloss Bronze Green 12v chassis cab. Although, interestingly Land Rover production records state that it was built as a 12v General Service vehicle, “as they only admitted to building G/S type Forward Controls. However, the military history card shows that it was originally built as a Gloss Bronze Green 12 volt RHD Chassis Cab vehicle.” – Source, 101 Forward Control Club and Register. 519 were originally delivered as chassis cabs and stored at Ashchurch Vehicle Depot until December 1979 awaiting conversion under contract FVE21A/156, work finally began in 1980. Only 450 became ambulances, the other 69 ‘pattern’ GS bodies were built under an amendment to the original contract – source, James Taylor.

Marshalls of Cambridge, contract number FVE21A/156. Converted from Gloss Bronze Green Chassis Cab to Matt NATO Green (Infra-Red Reflective) IRR (A6 colour code) 12v RHD FV 19009 4 stretcher ambulance

Conversion

Entered on ADPCON (Administrative Data Processing Conversion) Merlin Computer System

18/06/1982

Served with

Military service ended

HQ 154 Regiment (V) 27/08/1982 – 07/12/1982 244 Field Ambulance (V) 07/10/1983 – 24/10/1983 222 Field Ambulance (V) 04/07/1984 – 18/10/1984 223 Field Ambulance (V) 25/06/1987 – 05/08/1987 222 Field Ambulance (V) 01/09/1988 – 04/06/1998 Between these dates the vehicle was stored at Hilton Vehicle Depot 23/06/1998

Date of first civilian registration

09/10/1998

Number of civilian owners

3 – including me

Condition

Excellent original condition throughout with the original 3.5l Rover V8

My plans Archie is a completely unmolested and very well looked after example of a 101. Being a huge fan of classic and ex-military vehicles, I am somewhat loathed to change this! But, if it wasn’t for vehicles being given an afterlife through practical modern day conversions, many would have inevitably fallen into disrepair through lack of use. Sometimes we have to compromise to keep history alive.

The body has fantastic camper potential. The walls are 3in thick and fully insulated, it already has an Eberspacher heater installed, there are various internal lights, and even a dimmer switch! The windows in the body are double glazed, heavily tinted, and all fitted with sliding covers, including those between the body and the cab, and there’s a roof hatch which is great for looking at the stars on a warm dry night, it is crying out for a roof window.

While access to the back is through the considerable rear doors, which give a fantastic view from the inside, and up two very sturdy (and heavy!) fold down steps, neither are the most practical solution when it comes to camping. This is something I will need to address. Outwardly, I’d like to change as little as possible, but practicalities are just as important to a camper as they were when the vehicle was first designed for a very different purpose.

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Other external changes planned include a solar panel on the roof and a custom pop top roof. Internally, there will be considerable change, but any original features will be removed with care and stored just in case anyone is overly concerned!

One major change will be an LPG conversion, both for fuel and to run an internal and external cooker. MPG is appalling as you would expect, and I could do what many have done and swap the original V8 for a Tdi, but I really don’t want to do that.

The very first thing I’m going to do is throw a temporary bed setup and some camping gear in the back and head for Scotland.

During my trip of unknown length, I will think more about the design ideas I have concocted in my head. This is something I suggest anyone thinking about any sort of camper conversion does before they install anything permanent.You will inevitably need less than you imagine, and also often require several things you hadn’t thought about. I may have converted several Land Rovers over the years and lived in them comfortably for considerable periods of time, but this is rather different to the internal space of a typical Landy. In fact, there is very little that is typical about it. The last thing I want to do is something that I wish I’d done differently!

My general idea is a sympathetic conversion, something in keeping with its age and military ambulance heritage, but with all the mods cons hidden away discreetly.

When you step inside, I want it to look respectful of its time and original function rather than like someone has spewed Ikea into the back of a classic vehicle with an important heritage.

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I feel very privileged to own this vehicle, not many survive, and therefore I want to do it justice.

Of course it needs to be practical and functional too, and this will require some custom fabrication, upcycling of period finds, and a considerable amount of thought, but that is all part of the fun! Just don’t expect a quick build, but I can promise you that the end result will be unique.

That’s all from me this month folks! Join me next time when I will have more news, and hope to have bought Archie a little green friend.

Drive safe.

Lauren, Celyn, and Archie x

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MUD LIFE STICKERS! Stick 'em on your car, caravan, toolbox, laptop or wherever else you just happen to want to stick things.

Get them here: ko-fi.com/mudlifemag/shop

R A E G & GOODS

RI N G RP P L4 0 0 HI GH P OW E R J UM P STARTER & POWER BANK Before I get started on the unit itself, I first want to give a shoutout to its storage case. Some of you might think this is a bit trivial, but it isn’t, especially if you use equipment like this on a regularly basis.

I’ve had a few different starters in the past and putting them away has always been a bit of a faff, they’ve either had a flimsy cloth bag with no way of securing it closed, or a hard case that barely shuts. The Ring RPPL400 on the other hand has the best carry case of them all, so far. It's a high quality, and slightly oversized case that swallows up everything, with room to spare, and fastens using a strong velcro strip. There’s also a mesh pocket on the back that’s ideal for a couple of pairs of latex gloves, breakdown cards and extra cables.

Opening up the storage case, you have two sections, one for the jump starter and another for the battery clamps, a 12v DC socket, 12v charging cable and a micro USB cable.

The unit itself is quite sleek, yet with a sturdiness about it. At one end it has a torch along with a USB-C and two USB slots of varying power. On one side there’s a 12v DC socket for supplying power to other auto accessories, and the other side is where you connect the clamps. On top is where you’ll find the on/off button along with four LED power indicator bars with percentage markings next to each light showing the charge level.

When it comes to jump starting vehicles, the RPPL400 is quite a monster. It is able to start 12V petrol engined vehicles up to 8.0L and 4.0L diesels. Although I haven’t had to use it on either Deux

Smurf or Muddy Madam’s Škoda yet, and good friend of mine has one and told me that she’s used it to start her 3.0l diesel Surf 5 times, her husband’s petrol sit-on lawnmower 4 times and a smaller diesel car once - all done on a single full charge and it still had 4 bars left. In fact, it went on to charge their mobile phones from completely dead not once, but four times! If you ever manage to fully deplete it, the RPPL400 has a fast 4 hour recharge time.

It’s a clever thing, too. The safe connect system protects the user, vehicle and jump starter when in use. Not only does it safely manage power between the jump starter and vehicle, it also features reverse polarity, short circuit and anti-spike protection.

All that means is that if you connected the clamps to the wrong terminals on the battery, nothing is going to go bang and start smouldering. What actually happens is that the control box on the intelligent clamps starts bleeping at you with a red light indicator flashing saying the clamps were on the reverse.

Overall the RPPL400 is a mighty powerhouse, and with dimensions of 90mm x 120mm x 250mm (HxWxL), in its storage case with accessories, it can easily be stashed away in your glovebox or other cubbyholes. If you want to use it just as a power bank, the unit itself measure 30mm x 90mm x 215mm (HxWxL), and will easily fit into a briefcase or handbag.

RRP £169.99 (varied pricing on the internet) more at » ringautomotive.com/en/product/RPPL400

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R A E G & GOODS

GP C3 4 TORCH

A few years ago we were given a couple of GP's C33 torches, one I kept and the other we gave away in the mag as part of a competition, and the one we kept remains a powerful and reliable torch that’s used around Muddy Towers.

Recently I managed to get my hands on GP’s new C34, and wow, what an upgrade.

The C34 incorporates a 350 lumens front LED light, and a powerful 550 lumens side COB LED light that’s designed and built to be compact and easy-to-carry. Although it’s physically larger that the C33, it still fits nicely in your hand.

Constructed from anodised tough aircraft-grade aluminium it includes a handy pocket clip and slip-resistant knurling to ensure a secure and comfortable grip, even in the wet.

Speaking of wet, it also offers an IPX4 water resistant rating, handy if it’s bucketing down!

If that isn’t enough, it has a magnetic tail cap meaning it can be attached to the underside of a bonnet or to the side of your vehicle if you are changing a wheel - assuming you don’t drive a Land Rover with aluminium panels, of course!

The single button allows you to switch between the side COB LED light and front LED light with both lighting options offering different lumen settings - so you can have bright or even brighter!

The C34 uses either 3 x AA Alkaline, or rechargeable NiMH batteries that are included.

GP reckon the C34 work light is 'your goto rugged work light for use in a range of different workplace and domestic settings.’

I agree, if it’s anything like its smaller sibling it’ll get dropped, drowned and even driven over, and it’ll keep coming back for more! price: around £30 more at » international.gpbatteries.com

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R A E G & GOODS

RIN G RTC6 0 0 0 CORD L E S S DI GI TA L TYR E I N FLAT O R & A I R P U MP

Last month I reviewed Ring’s Professional RAC900 that now has a permanent home in Deux Smurf. However, this left Muddy Madam compressor-less and she began making some not-so-subtle hints that she wanted something that’s a little more user friendly than the Pro. After a quick chat with Ring the RTC6000 was heading our way.

Being a cordless tyre inflator, there’s no need to plug it into your 12v socket or battery terminals, but if it’s low on power, included with the many extras is a 12v plug that can be used for both powering it to inflate tyres and charging up the unit in the car.

The RTC6000 has plenty tricks up its sleeve, it comes with a large backlit screen that is easy to read, an auto-stop function helps you inflate accurately and a bright LED light that makes night time inflation easier and safer. There’s also an integrated power bank with USB socket, which is perfect for charging phones and more in an emergency.

It also comes with 10 piece adaptor set for use with bicycle tyres, motorcycle tyres, and a separate setting for inflating and deflating balls, airbeds and other small inflatables - I’m looking forward to trying it out on our Robens inflatable Vista 400 tent.

Although it only took a few minutes to inflate all the tyres on Muddy Madam’s Škoda Fabia, when I tried it on one of Deux Smurf’s 265-75-16 Mud Terrains that has a slow puncture it took just over 6 minutes to get from 10 to 30psi. Although it did the job, and was eager to carry on with plenty of battery life left, I reckon it’s better suited for more normal size tyres.

It’s incredibly easy to use, simply select what you want to inflate; tyre or airbed, rotate the dial to the pressure you desire, attach the durable brass air nozzle to the tyre, or adaptor, then press the large start button. The inflator will automatically stop at the set pressure. Incidentally, units can be shown in PSI, kPA or bar. Once inflated, the long air hose winds up easily and neatly back into the side of the compressor.

It also comes with 4x spare valve caps, a spare fuse and a pair of rubber gloves! There’s also a space next to the controls to put a valve cap so not to lose it. It comes with its own carry bag for protection, too.

With the slow puncture on Deux Smurf, and old leaky rims on the Škoda (yes I know I need to get them all fixed), the Ring RTC6000 has, for over a month, made light work of topping up the pressures, without needing a recharge, and it has been given the highest honour in the Turner household - Muddy Madam's seal of approval!

RRP: £79.99 (currently on Amazon for £62.89) more at » ringautomotive.com/en/product/RTC6000

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Storm Jeeps have a number of modified Jeep Wrangler JL Rubicons for sale.

More details on available stock via our website or call 01482 666491

THULE CAPROCK ROOF PLATFORMS The new roof platform from Thule, is designed and built for heavy-duty use and allows drivers to transport bulky cargo with ease.

With its modular design and endless possibilities, this sleek roof platform is designed to support all your gear, from roof top tents, bike carriers, kayak racks and fits to a host of vehicle types.

The Caprock comes in multiple sizes to accommodate varying roof dimensions, it also offers several mounting options with integrated T-slots so you can attach other Thule rack products as needed.

There are two ways of fitting the Thule Caprock, one is using a foot pack, this keeps it closer to the roof. The second way is to attached it to existing roof bars. Both the foot pack and roof bars need to be purchased separately.

Not only do you have a choice of 5 sizes, but Thule offer an array of accessories and bundles that include railing kits, locking clamps and even a set of their GoPack duffel bags that are secured either open to the elements, or in a cargo box. price: from £799.99 more at » thule.com

New Stuff we've discovered this month TOYO TYRES OPEN COUNTRY A/T III The new Toyo A/T III comes with 7 options with different sizes and specifications for users to choose from. Notably fitments for Land Rover and Range Rover as well as various offerings from Audi Q7 to Volvo XC90. The standard, and lightest version, is the 215/75R15, which is suitable for light and regular vehicles going up to 285/50 R20.

Toyo say "The superb versatility of this tyre is where it comes into its own, even in the boggiest conditions, the Toyo A/T III will keep you moving when the going gets really tough."

Equally important, on the road, Toyo A/T III is said to deliver a smooth performance on summer surfaces, but equally will still perform whether it’s wet or slippery and producing more traction than the older AT Plus. For further peace of mind, it also meets the severe snow service requirements, and all sizes are branded with the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol.

Toyo uses the latest tread compound in production of the A/T III that helps increase the braking performance and handling on wet surfaces with extra grip and traction. In addition, this material is less vulnerable to cuts and chips, or damage caused on the road, perhaps by potholes.

There are some other eye-catching features like the 3D multi-wave sipes, stoneejecting blocks, and large shoulder lugs, all of which make this tyre more robust for longevity and performance. more at » toyo.co.uk

Hard Shoulder, Hard Lesson!

By Anon

Even Inspector Clouseau would have been dismayed at the lack of deduction, despite the vast number of apparently obvious clues, before the real culprit was brought to book. For the defence it should be pointed out that there was at least one ‘red herring’ scattered about to confuse those searching for the cause, including electronic code readers….. let me explain.

But first, to those not of a mechanical bent do not despair. Treat this as an insight into the strange neural processes of those afflicted with said mechanical bent, and the troubles and travails that can ensue. It may, if nothing else, get you to treat your chosen repairer a little kindlier when they seem perplexed. To those mechanically minded, do not judge too harshly. To quote some good book, ‘Let those who are innocent cast the first stone’.

We, that is, aged father-in-law and young (ish) son in law, names definitely withheld to protect the guilty, innocent and the financially invested, had, in early 2022, crawled all around the Keswick Green, 2006 TD5 110 SW, with a view to purchase. It was well set up, full length ‘Flat Dog’ roof rack, ladder and Flat Dog LED spotlights. Snorkel, NAS rear step, Land Rover bump bar and Titanic proportioned towing plate.

We did a 25 mile test drive round the local lanes testing everything we could think of. It behaved exactly like an 80,000 mile example should, and neither of us, both experienced users of Land Rover products, could find any more than a niggle, and it obviously had never done any serious off roading.

The price was right - no belay that remark - it was ridiculously expensive, but then all Defenders are ridiculously over-priced these days... unless, of course, I was selling mine, then I’d be a happy little bunny, and speak sagely of the timeless pedigree and all that conkers!

The deal was struck, (there’s always a bit to come off if you try politely) money was electronically transferred thanks to this brave new world, no carrier bags of cash here, and off home we headed, 120 miles back North.

All was well with the world, I was driving the new owner's works truck, a Nissan Navara pickup, in the mirror was the 110’s new owner, happily experiencing his first drive of what was intended to be their ‘forever’ 4x4, after their previous TD5 110 double cab having gone off to a new home across the seas.

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We hit the M1 and the gentle rain started to get heavier. Then heavier still, until Derbyshire was experiencing something akin to a tropical monsoon; the HGV ruts in the inside lane looked like quadruple canals and spray was near opaque.

We were on the four lane section just below Trowell services when there was a flashing of headlights in the rear view and a 110 making a rapid exit stage left into a fortuitously sited emergency bay. Conkers!

I continued to the services a mile hence and the mobile was trilling (actually it’s so old it plays the Nokia tune - da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da, daaah. Bet you heard that in your head, didn’t you?) as I parked up.

In the interests of decency, I will gloss over the first part of the tirade, but it contained the words Land Rover quite a lot, expletives quite a lot, and some questioning of the parentage of many at Lode Lane.

The gist of the real matter at hand was that the TD5 diesel, normally a paragon of reliability, had started to misfire, then rapidly lost power. Seeing an emergency bay, he took the eminently sensible decision of pulling in rather than have the awful predicament of coming to a standstill on a live, spray filled, water logged inside lane, the engine dying as the 110 came to a standstill, refusing to restart.

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It was a simple decision for me to head North, do a Huey, South, another Huey (spell check really doesn’t like that word), and join my chum, attach rope and tow offending 110 to the services a mile further North. Had it been any further we probably wouldn’t have done it, towing a power steering motor with a dead engine isn’t overly sensible. It was a Saturday, so traffic wasn’t quite as heavy as normal, and the monsoon had scarpered back off to tropical climes, leaving a more typical English ‘mizzle’ in its stead.

As a retired truck driver, I knew who would be looking far enough ahead to see the Navara’s indicator illuminating the emergency bay, and sure enough a DAF truck flashed me from a good distance, and then started to pull out into lane 2 to give me chance to get a move on.

Up to then the Navara had done nothing to charm me. Indeed, I had mentally put it way behind the Isuzu and the Ranger in terms of comfort, equipment and especially vision; competent but no stars. I forgave it somewhat for the excellent way it dragged the 110 off on a flying start, the auto making easy work of the changes, and the valiant driver at the other end of the rope gripping the wheel in a white-knuckle grip. By the time the DAF drew level and acknowledged my wave of thanks, I made sure he got past at his 56mph speed limit, and into the services we went.

After that little interlude of excitement we decided a coffee was called for, and then a calm discussion as to what might be ailing this new and expensive purchase. It had already done well over 100 miles no problem. We were both convinced that the seller and the car was genuine and this was just pure bad luck, not some dodgy motor. Still the beast wouldn’t start, and, with no jump leads to hand we didn’t overdo it to add a flat battery to our woes.

It was very heavy rain, but it’s a diesel, and it has a snorkel so that’s not going to be an issue. Plenty of fuel, no leaks on the fuel side or indeed smell of fuel. We had a recent service history, nevertheless the fuel filter guard was removed, Leatherman to the rescue as always, but the filter looked new enough. Draining a little diesel through the tap into a coffee cup ensured there was no water or crud lurking in there, but definitely spoiled the coffee. Still the beast wouldn’t start.

It is a Land Rover so, due to the monsoon, there was, obviously, a leak of water into both footwells. We mused that may be causing a problem behind the dash. The dash panel was duly removed and A, we knew where the water was coming in, the vent seals, and B, we knew it wasn’t causing electrical problems as Land Rover, in their infinite wisdom, had ensured there was a clear water run down the bulkhead missing all the vital little bits of electrickery.

Less so was the fuse box where there was a minor runnel of H20, but WD40 (that cost a whole leg in the services, but I suppose it was a lucky find in amongst all the croissants, cigs, wine, fresh bread, etc. . Who shops in the services??) sorted that.

Fuel pump was next on the agenda. The pump purred into life at the turn of the key, was allowed to pump until it cut off, so cranking was tried and…… she fired up cleanly as if to say, ‘What’s the problem boys?’

Blow me down with a wet feather? Wet Saturday afternoons on Trowell services aren’t high on anyone’s list of places to be. I know to my cost that the two-hour time limit for a stay in the services is camera enforced, and we’re already 90 minutes into that. The TD was revved copiously, ticked over endlessly and smoothly so eventually we decided to carry on, this time with me behind, rope in the pickup bed ready should it be needed.

A steady pace was maintained, and a collective sigh of relief was given once back off the four lane sections. The hard shoulder is a great comfort when your nerves are jangling. Home was reached, and some difficult discussions were had with the daughter/wife half of the purchasing duo. I chose to sit that one out, diplomacy never being my strong point, and, let’s be honest, it was fun not being on the receiving end for a change!

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From that side of the table, it did seem like us two boys had bought, not just a pup, but a soggy pup. So, what to do? This was a private sale, no come back, Caveat Emptor and all that Latin stuff. A gentle call to the seller, emphasising the preceding and merely wanting to know if this had been a problem for him elicited, as we thought, a puzzled no, but he had only had it 6 months and put only just over a thousand, towing, miles on it, with no problems.

With fingers crossed, over the next few days we started to do the various jobs that needed doing to make it into the slightly more off road orientated 110 that was envisaged. This entailed a trip over the M62 to Lancashire’s finest 4x4 emporium, but one that insists on anonymity, so anonymous it is.

The rain got heavier in direct proportion to the altitude gained whilst crossing the Pennines, logical really - the drops haven’t as far to travel. Sixty mph in lane two, and the engine started to misfire. I know this scenario, said a little voice on my shoulder, so a smooth move into lane one, then the hard shoulder and it stuttered and coughed its way to the off slip at Windy Hill, and expired. This is the highest point of the M62, and called Windy Hill for a damn good reason.

With just a Leatherman for a toolbox (I know, I know believe me I said it all to myself, and vehemently too) a call was made to the owner to relay the bad news, and ask for a tow. Shortly after the Navara was there.

If a pickup can look scornful, then the Navara was doing it beautifully. We towed the bedraggled lump of Land Rover off the slip and on to a layby. No coffee was to hand, just gallons, true, soggy, Imperial gallons of water, and soon a half dozen soggy sheep as spectators, I swear they wore scornful expressions too.

I was CONVINCED it was the fuel pump, it just felt like fuel starvation, yet the pump was busy doing its thing, and still no signs of life were forthcoming. Removing the air filter, for no other reason than it was easy to do, found some water in the bottom of the air filter housing, though the filter felt dry, well as dry as it was possible to determine when we were sodden ourselves. Dried the water out, checked the ECU plug connections from the injectors, prone as they are to oil migration from the engine - a known problem that LR don’t acknowledge, now there’s a novelty…….. poked and prodded a bit, and once again the beast fired back up as if it had just been having a short nap.

The sheep learned some language their mothers would have preferred they didn’t, and the show was back on the road. Later investigation discovered the rubber drain valve (Americans call it a fanny valve - as they say, go figure,) in the intake hose was half gone. Nibbled by rodents is what the diagnosis came

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to, and that was blamed for the water in the air box. Indeed said rodent, very deceased, was discovered under the second row of seats a few days later. I did have to question what the point of the snorkel was if there is actually a factory fitted hole in the lowest part of the air intake hose, but then snorkels have never figured in my accessory list for a 4x4.

Let us now fast forward several uneventful weeks. Once more the beast, which had crossed the Pennines successfully this time, had new injector seal washers fitted and a thorough medical exam via the computer version of a real mechanic. All was pronounced good.

On its return journey it died once more, on the M62, this time suddenly and with no hint of resurrection, the fuel pump having gone to meet its maker and the beast returning home on a truck.

At last, a proper, honest fault that can be fixed, smiles all round.

New fuel pump fitted, quite a bit of debris about and a goodly splodge of snot, caused by diesel bug, so tank cleaned and another new filter installed, intake drain valve long since replaced, we’re good to go.

It had been a couple of months of drama, tempers had occasionally got frayed, and several false dawns had been and gone, but the process had continued, and much had been both added and removed from the beast to make it ‘their’ truck and put longevity into its many attributes.

All was now well. A trip away to Ullswater was planned for their family. This, at least for the first two days, involved myself taking the beast, my wife and daughter, granddaughter, caravan and all the toys that could be assembled. The latter list makes interesting reading - Canadian canoe, 4 metre Honwave inflatable, 20 hp Honda engine, bikes and bike trailer, to name but a few. What else is a 110 SW and full-length roof rack good for if not for loading to the gunnels on, in and behind? Actually, the answer to that is - it’s also a great platform for doing a very high privet hedge at the back of my house, and for that I am definitely a fan!

Duly loaded, we set off over the M62. A slightly nervous twitch as we passed Windy Hill was the worst that happened as we motored serenely past the scene of the previous debacle. I intended giving the sheep a sneer as we motored past, but they were being sheepish, serves them right.

Manchester was living up to its rainy city reputation, and got heavier as we headed North on the M61, becoming even harder as we joined the M6. Crossed the river Ribble and, just where a 2-lane slip road comes in, making a grand total of 6 lanes, no hard shoulder and us in lane four, the engine starts misfiring and dying.

Both my lovely ladies are good drivers, and realise just how 'not a good thing' this is, and, apart from a blissfully unaware fouryear-old, a strained silence falls upon the interior. A strange calm descends in time with the nearside indicator, and me dropping a gear to try keep the revs as high as the stuttering fool of an engine will allow, but we’re still slowing as all three inside lanes are successfully negotiated to reach the relative sanctuary of the hard shoulder. We are now in second gear and I’m still willing the damn TD5 to stutter a little longer. Now there isn’t as much power being demanded the engine continues to run but coughing like someone with a ninety a day habit.

Over the years I’ve had far too many experiences seeing to recalcitrant trucks on hard shoulders, none of them pleasant, so the main focus was to reach the next exit a mile hence. We coughed, spluttered and hiccupped our way off the motorway and, in an almost divine Monty Python moment arrived outside the Jaguar Land Rover specialist centre, Preston.

Outside the fence the engine was turned off and a collective sigh of relief ensued. The four-year-old asked if we were having a new Land Rover, the rest of us decided that was an excellent idea, with only about fifty thousand drawbacks, all of them pounds.

Once again heavy rain had brought this mighty off roader to its knees. Cutting straight to the chase, removing the air box revealed a sodden air filter and water in the bottom of the air box.

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39

That, in reality, is the end of the tale. From this you should be able to piece together the saga. I still hadn’t completely at this point, but by the time we got to the campsite near Ullswater the penny had, as they say, finally dropped.

I had removed the air filter, dried the air flow meter and continued on my way, slightly noisier (induction noise), slightly down on power, but otherwise running OK. A new air filter cured the noise, new air flow meter cured the power, though a later Pete Bell software remap did away with any complaints of lack of power, and the final piece of the jigsaw to finally, and completely, cure the rain = breakdown scenario was enacted once it returned home from their holidays.

We got to bring the Navara home when our son-in-law came to join us. It still doesn’t do it for me at all, but it never deposited me on the hard shoulder either, and that I do like.

Our answer to this mystery was as follows...

The diesel pump was on its way out, not helped by globules of diesel bug, probably caused by old diesel and not doing more than a thousand miles in six months. But the first breakdown was, I believe, the water down the air intake did cause the engine misfire. As it dried out, the air flow meter more than the filter, it restarted, the fuel pump probably did possibly put the boot in too.

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The second time on Windy Hill was the fuel pump I’m convinced, BUT it coincided with a heavy downpour, so obviously that was leading us astray, the sheep didn’t help either. The fuel pump then went completely (good riddance), so that was OBVIOUSLY the whole problem, and that was that, until of course it wasn’t.

This is my complete belief. Both the Flat Dog roof rack and the snorkel are fine bits of equipment in their own right. Sadly, in this instance, the two together actually create a problem. The windscreen of the Defender is as near upright as makes no difference. The inverted intake of the snorkel sits at the top of the screen just below the roof rack, the first eight inches or so of which are a flat plate. Add in a TD5 being worked hard and sucking in copious quantities of air right where the rain and spray are roiling about under the rack and voilá, as my French sleuth would say in a determinedly Gallic fashion, you have the perpetrator of the heinous crime!

If you would like an example of ‘roiling’ spray just look at the back of a box van truck or a coach on the Motorway next time it is raining hard. One of them had to go to ensure the problem ceased.

My privets won. The hedge cutting roof rack stayed and the snorkel went on to a TD5 Ninety, which has no roof rack and therefore no incontinence problem. The beast has been out since, in similar conditions, and has been faultless. I rest my case!

BOND® At a mere 5.8 oz, the Bond is a lightweight multi-tool that provides 14 hard-working tools, including a non-locking 2.9” 420HC knife blade, wood/metal file, pliers and more - making it everyday UK legal carry.

The Bond comes with a nylon sheath and and is backed by a 25-year warranty.

Available online from: www.whitbyandco.co.uk

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43

It's Good To Get Out

Do you have ever look outside from your office, place of work, or even home and think to yourself, ‘I need to be out there!’ It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, snowing or blowing a gale, you just want to get out and feel alive.

It had been a torrid few weeks both with magazine deadlines and school matters, and my inner outdoorsman was screaming, so I cashed in a few brownie points with Muddy

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Madam to bugger off for an evening. It was almost 3pm, so I figured I’d better get my skates on.

Fortunately a lot of my camping gear is packed into one huge Peli 1650 Protector case so there wasn’t any rummaging around the house searching for lost kit. The only extra bits I needed to find was the RidgeMonkey Grilla BBQ, a sleeping bag, my Lifesaver Jerry Can and some food.

I heaved the Peli case in the back of the SEAT Tarraco, along with the new 3-second tent from Reactive Outdoors, and headed to a secret location in Yorkshire for a night under the stars.

The spot I had in mind was beside a babbling brook, and after I’d cleared a few of the nettles away the tent was up in a jiffy, well 3 seconds, as advertised.

Then I set out my old Helinox Savannah chair and red Helinox Table One, the Grilla and Madog Outdoors Kitchen Pan set. All was left to do was start a fire and grab my preprepared homemade chilli and heat it up, oh, and grab the tripod to take a few photos to show you lot.

I want to say that the refreshing breeze carried with it the fragrance of wildflowers and pine, but there were quite a few cows in the next field, and it smelt like they had had curry for dinner, so not so pleasant.

As the sun began its descent, the neatly contained fire in the Grilla kept the chills, and the bugs away, and I spent the rest of the evening lost in my own thoughts. With the constant, yet gentle sounds of the water passing by, I’d like to say that my inner ramblings were constructive and meaningful, but they weren’t.

I know a lot of people, including Muddy Madam, can’t simply switch off, but I can. I can literally sit there and think about absolutely nothing (is that an oxymoron?), and that’s just what I did until the coals died down and I felt the chill in the air. It was bedtime.

I’d like to say I had a lovely nights sleep, but I didn’t. It wasn’t that my sleeping bag, or mat were uncomfortable, it was just the thought of being disturbed and having to pack everything up in a rush was on my mind.

I’ve slept in cars and camper vans before now, and the ability to simply jump in the driver's seat and drive off has always been appealing, but I want this to be something I do more often, so I guess the old adage needs to come true - the more you do something the better you become at it.

Anyway, any chance of a lie in was scuppered by the 4.30am morning chorus - jeez those birds were loud! Being early June the sun was already up and casting long shadows, the grass was damp and there was a coolness in the air.

Packing up the tent took a matter of minutes, quicker in fact than rolling up my sleeping bag and forcing it into its stuff bag. Instead of starting a fire to make my first coffee of the day, I figured it would be quicker to use my Jetboil, and within 60 seconds the water had boiled, and that’s when I realised I’d left my coffee at home - why is it that I always forget something? If I was more of a naturalist I would have wandered around foraging for nettles to make nettle tea, but nah.

Disappointed with myself I packed everything back into the Tarraco and moved it a tad to check that I hadn’t left anything lying around, and, as it should be, the only evidence that I had been there was the flattened grass.

Apart from coffee, the next time I spend the night away, especially next to a brook, I’ll pack the Wolf Mozzi-Zapper and some bug repellent as they were quite relentless after the fire had died down. I must be tastier than those cows next door!

Overall, despite the lack of sleep, I had a nice, refreshing evening away that recharged my batteries, and Muddy Madam was more than happy to get rid of me for a bit, so it was win-win!

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Camping Hacks This is going to be a regular feature where we share and test out a variety of camping hacks, to see if they really work.

As a good outdoors-person you should acquaint yourself with a good fire striker, and fire making skills, but for the average camper feathering your kindling and doing all the palaver to get your fire going can be a bit of a faff, so if you can do something to help things move along more swiftly why wouldn't you?

Making DIY fire starters is a great way to ensure you have a reliable source of ignition for your outdoor adventures or emergency situations. Here is one simple method (there are others) to create your own fire starters:

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If you didn't already know, a camping hack refers to a clever or innovative technique, tip, or trick that can enhance your camping experience, and help you make the most of your outdoor adventures.

DIY Fire Starters Materials you'll need: • Empty cardboard egg box or paper towel/toilet paper tubes • Dryer lint or shredded paper (we used a variety of things including hair) • Candle wax or paraffin wax (available at craft stores) • Double boiler, or a makeshift double boiler - a heatproof container placed in a pan with water (we used a baked bean can) • Old spoon or stick for stirring • Scissors or a knife Instructions: 1. Prepare the egg cartons or paper tubes: If using egg cartons, cut them into individual sections. For paper tubes, cut them into 2-3 inch lengths.

2. Stuff the sections of the egg carton or paper tubes with dryer lint or shredded paper. Fill them loosely but make sure they're tightly packed enough to hold their shape.

3. Melt the wax in the double boiler - Heat the water to a gentle simmer. Place the wax in the container and allow it to melt slowly. If using candle wax, remove the wicks if present.

4. Carefully pour the melted wax over the lint or shredded paper in each section or tube. Ensure the wax saturates the material completely, making it waterproof and highly flammable.

5. Let the fire starters cool: Allow the wax to cool and solidify. This process can take several hours, so be patient.

6. Once the wax has hardened, you can separate the sections from the egg carton or remove the paper tubes if you want to, but we never do as the cardboard burns anyway. Cut them into individual units if needed.

Your DIY fire starters are now ready to use. To ignite a fire, place one or more of these fire starters underneath your firewood or kindling, and light them using a match or lighter. The wax will help sustain a flame, making it easier to start a fire.

THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK 47

Robens Yukon Shelter With a square-ish design the Yukon Shelter is not what you would call a conventional tent and it will certainly stand out from crowd on any campsite. Despite resembling a goalpost it offers a unique spacious interior that can sleep up to four adults, or in my case two adults, a dog and associated paraphernalia.

The decent-sized porch can be fully opened up and will still offer protection from the elements. There’s also an option to use front door as an extended canopy, like an awning, but sadly those poles aren’t included.

As for pitching, after an initial struggle due to some of the instructions being lost in translation and the drawings not being very clear, I had it up singlehandedly in around 17 minutes.

Official pitching time is 11 minutes, and I reckon now I know what I’m doing that time is achievable as it’s simply a case of using 7 poles, the majority of which use external sleeves for easy pitching. If you’re still struggling there’s an excellent video on Robens’ website showing how to set it up.

To erect you simply spread the tent on the ground and peg it down. You then thread the two smallest poles into each of the rear

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corners and secure them upright using the guy ropes. Then do the same with the slightly longer poles in the two front corners and secure them with guy ropes.

Once you have assembled the inside pole frame (which resembles a goalpost), you them shimmy it into position and secure it. There’s a bit more to it, but that’s pretty it, you then go ‘round securing the reflective guy ropes.

This is my fourth Robens tent, and what I appreciate about them is their great attention to detail, you certainly get what you pay for, you also get the sense that they will last for many years to come.

Overall I really like its unusual design as it offers lots of room and head height. Due to the one huge ‘bedroom’ I don’t think it’ll make a great family tent, but then the clue is in its name shelter. I reckon it’s ideal for two people who want a base and in the evening can relax under the porch whilst watching the world go by. price: £899.99 more at » robens.co.uk

The Yukon Shelter has a sewn-in groundsheet, a full width onepiece mesh door, vents and guy rope retainers that hold them securely when packing away to avoid the nightmare of tangles and knots later. There’s also internal pockets and a lantern hanging point.

It’s quite a hefty tent and weighs in at 17.2 kg and packs up into it’s over-sized bag to 91 x 25 cm. The reason for its weight is that it’s made from polycotton (Flysheet: HydroTex Polycotton, 65% polyester / 35% cotton). The beauty of polycotton tents is that in wet and cold conditions the fibres swell up to become waterresistant whilst retaining heat, and in hot weather the fabric opens up to breathe and will remain cool.

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Wolf Mozzi-Zappa Nothing spoils an evening’s camp as much as being inundated with mozzies. I can handle warm weather, cold weather and even rain, but being buzzed and bitten is the worst.

Fortunately I recently got to try out the rechargeable Mozzi-Zappa by Wolf International, and I have to say it’s indispensable.

The Mozzi-Zappa is actually a 2-in-1 device that not only kills mosquitos, but is also a handy torch.

Designed for Wolf’s main customer base, anglers, the Mozzi-Zappa has a special blue light with special wavelength to attract insects to the high voltage grid leading them to their death via an electrifying 8OOv shock.

The torch is designed to ensure that the light distribution curve of the LED is comparable to that of a filament bulb, and it’s very bright.

The body is made from a hard, yet lightweight plastic with slots in which the insect fly through, get electrocuted, then bodies will fall through the inner space of the lamp to be brushed away at a later time.

With a Lithium 18650, 1200mAh battery it takes 3.5 hours to fully charge, and will last 4.5 hours using both in lighting & killing mode, 10 hours lighting only and 14 hours for killing mode only. It worked well on killing mode alone, but utilising both the lighting and killing mode produced more bodies - as it would as more insects were tempted by the light.

It’s also really easy to clean, simply switch off, let it cool down and use the brush provided to clean the lamp. Alternatively you can use water, and you don’t need me to tell you that it’s important to make sure that it has been turned off with no electrical current coming through it before you do that!

You can obviously place it on a table, but it also has a foldable hook so it can be dangled from a branch, or a tent pole.

It weighs in at just 260g and measures 13cm x 7cm (H x D), and comes with a cleaning brush and USB cable, and is available in plain black, camo green and camo black. price: £22.50 more at » www.wolfint.co.uk/mozzi-zappa 50

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Darn Tough Micro Crew Hiking Socks

I will sit here in front of the computer and happily admit that I’m a hugefan of Darn Tough socks. I have numerous pairs stashed in my sock drawer, and believe it or not, a pair that I keep for special occasions!

Anyhow, at a recent show I was fortunate to be given another pair, this time their new Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Socks.

Made with a combination of soft merino wool, nylon and Lycra Spandex for stretch, they’re constructed to provide a natural performance that are perfect for hiking, trail running and woodland walking, with a little more fashion than your average outdoor sock, so the blurb says. They’re great for wearing around a draft ridden old house.

Merino wool is known for its natural odour resistance and moisture wicking properties, so no matter what shoes or boots you wear or what season you're exploring in, you won't have to put up with clammy, sweaty feet throughout the day. It's highly breathable to promote temperature regulation and low in weight and bulk for improved comfort. In fact the only shoes I haven’t worn them with are my ‘posh’ dress shoes that I wear for school.

These socks come in a crew style that sits around 6" above a low hiking shoe or slightly above a standard boot. They run around 8.5” from the heel to the cuff in total and are made with a performance fit that helps prevent them from slipping down your feet, bunching up and blisters from developing on longer routes.

They are cushioned, too, with versatile terry loop cushioning that provides extra padding underneath the foot for longer days when you never seem to have the opportunity to sit down.

What I’ve learnt over the years is that we really need to look after our feet, and wearing a proper, well thought and engineered sock can make a world of difference.

RRP - £26 (we found them for £21 with a quick search) Available from various websites THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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ECOFLOW 100W FLEXIBLE SOLAR PANEL Weighing in at just 2.31 kg, the Ecoflow flexible solar panel is 70% lighter than traditional solar panels, easily flexes up to 258º, and is able to fit the unique shape of a camper van, or van, without affecting solar input.

Each of the 182 monocrystalline silicon cells is made using an advanced glass fibre and lamination process, protecting the panel and enhancing performance.

The 100W flexible solar panel has an excellent efficiency rating of 23%, allowing you to charge even faster. The panel’s integrated bypass diodes prevent overheating while maintaining cell performance even in shaded environments. Combine it with your Power Kits setup or EcoFlow portable power station, and the integrated MPPT algorithm optimises your solar input.

It can capture solar energy through even the heaviest rain. With a protective ETFE film, the panel’s solar cells can withstand many environments, from humid to dry.

With an all-inclusive solar connector, the 100W flexible solar panel can be used with your existing 48v power system or portable power station. This panel includes a 3.3ft solar cable that gives you plenty of space to mount multiple panels. price: currently on offer £109 more at » uk.ecoflow.com/products/100w-flexible-solar-panel

New Stuff we've discovered this month If you’re looking for a sturdy duffle that will hold a good amount of clothing and accessories for short trips, is carry-on ready and made from recycled materials, check out this F.A.R. 40 litre duffle from Away Travel.

Whether you’re heading into the woods camping or a hotel stay, this F.A.R. (For All Routes) duffle looks to be your ideal companion.

Made from lightweight, recycled, water and abrasion resistant high strength polyester materials, the bag features a detachable strap so you can carry in-hand or on the shoulder. There’s also a hidden, easyaccess pocket on the top panel for a passport or mobile and a trolley strap that secures to any Away suitcase.

Inside there’s a recycled mesh pocket for your phone or other valuables, drawcord closure with a traditional diamond knot stopper and interior webbing loop for attaching keys and other small essentials.

Measuring 31.5cm x 55cm x 25cm, and weighing just 1 kg, it folds completely flat when not in use. colours available - Green & Black price: £140 more at » awaytravel.com

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F.A.R. DUFFLE 40L

B U ILT T O L A S T P R O T E C T I V E C A S E S W I T H A L IF E T IME G U A R A N T EE

014 57 8 6 9 9 9 9

P E L I P R O D U C T S .C O.U K

PITS & BITS TOWEL OFF BODY WASH If you are out and about 'laning, camping, walking, canoeing or cycling, then you’re almost guaranteed to end up sweaty, sticky and with a bit of an aroma, especially during the hot weather we’ve been experiencing recently.

If you have access to water, great, you can have a shower or a quick wash, if you don’t, I’ve found a solution.

Pits & Bits Body Wash is unique as it doesn’t require water or rinsing, therefore it’s a more eco-friendly alternative to using wet wipes as all you need is a towel.

Using their 'Towel Off' technology, you simply apply the liquid to the body, massage to lift dirt, and then, whilst still wet and soapy, remove by towel drying.

According to the blurb you are then left with soft and clean skin, and actually it’s true. I’ve tried it a few times now, and it does manage to lift dirt rather well, and better still there’s no sticky residue, just a rather pleasant aroma. price - £8.99 (500ml) more at » pitsandbits.co.uk THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

53

How To Care For Your

Canvas Tent

Taking care of a canvas tent is essential to ensure its longevity and keep it in tip-top shape for your outdoor adventures. On the next page you'll find some simple tips for looking after your canvas tent

1

Set it up properly. When pitching your canvas tent, make sure to follow the instructions provided. Pay attention to proper stake placement, tensioning the fabric evenly, and securing guy lines. A well-pitched tent will not only provide better protection but also reduce stress on the canvas material.

2

Season it before use. Before your first camping trip, it's a good idea to "season" your canvas tent. Simply set it up in your backyard or any open area and spray it with water to allow the canvas fibers to swell and close up any potential gaps. This process enhances the tent's water resistance.

3

Keep it clean. Regular cleaning is crucial for maintaining your canvas tent. Brush off any loose dirt or debris using a soft brush or broom. Avoid using harsh detergents or bleach as they can damage the fabric. Instead, opt for mild soap and water solution to gently clean any stains.

4

Dry it thoroughly. Moisture is the enemy of canvas tents, as it can lead to mould and mildew growth. Always make sure your tent is completely dry before packing it away. If possible, air it out in the sun after each camping trip to ensure it is thoroughly dried.

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5

Store it properly. When not in use, store your canvas tent in a dry, well-ventilated area. Avoid keeping it in a damp or humid environment, as this can promote mould growth. Folding your tent loosely and storing it in a breathable storage bag or a cotton sheet can help prevent condensation buildup.

6

Avoid prolonged exposure to the elements. While canvas tents are designed to withstand the outdoors, prolonged exposure to harsh weather conditions can still take a toll on them. Whenever possible, try to set up your tent in a sheltered area or use additional protective measures like a rainfly or tarp to minimize direct exposure to rain, UV rays, or strong winds.

7

Check and maintain the tent's components. Periodically inspect the tent's zippers, seams, and guy lines for any signs of wear and tear. Repair or replace damaged components promptly to prevent further damage. Applying a waterproofing treatment on the tent periodically can also help maintain its water resistance.

8

Be mindful of campfire proximity. Canvas tents are more susceptible to sparks and heat damage compared to synthetic materials. When setting up your tent, ensure a safe distance from campfires or any open flames to prevent accidental burns or damage to the fabric.

By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to keeping your canvas tent in excellent condition and enjoying many more camping adventures. Happy camping!

Subaru Solterra Touring

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What is it?

It’s no secret that the Solterra is the almost identical sibling to Toyota’s bZ4X, but before you have disparaging thoughts of a simple badge swap, it has to be noted that Subaru helped to develop the platform used by both cars, as well as the off-road settings.

On the road Despite being a heavy car, around two-tonne-plus, it handles incredibly well. On the motorway it glides along nicely, and around town it handles speed bumps and potholes with ease.

Get it on fast B roads though and it comes alive. That isn’t really surprising as the Solterra features permanent all-wheel drive as standard, courtesy of two electric motors (one on each axle).

Throw it around tight corners and there’s barely any roll, and the grip is amazing - it’ll certainly put a smile on your face.

Like all large electric cars it can get a move on when you press the loud… er, quiet pedal, and although it may not be the quickest in its class, the 6.9 seconds it takes to propel you from 0-62mph is, in reality, more than adequate.

Overall the Solterra remained composed wherever and however I drove it, and the cabin is well isolated from road noise, no matter how broken the surface.

Real life range The Solterra is offered with just one powertrain: a 71.4kWh

battery, and according to Subaru, this combination is good for 289 miles on a charge in base trim cars, while Touring-spec models like the one we drove have a shorter 257-mile range. I’m going hazard a guess that that’s due to their larger 20” wheels.

However, after an afternoon at a friend’s house with the Solterra plugged into his home charger, it was showing 100% fully charged with a 210 mile range. The temperature was around 15-18º, so I switched the AC on and set off for home.

On fast country B roads at speeds between 40-60mph, which included some swift overtaking and a fair bit of braking, I reached the M65 after 21 miles. At this point the Solterra was showing 91% charge and 191 miles left.

From here it was 70mph blast on the M65 and M61 to Horwich for 35 miles, and that reduced the charge to 77% with 166 miles left.

The next part of the journey was 10 miles of mainly 30mph roads with some town centre stop/start traffic thrown in for good measure, and I arrived home with 60% battery life left and an indicated range of 140 miles.

So far not too bad, and if you add the miles up it comes to 66 miles driven, minus that from 210 and you end up with 144 miles, so it was only 4 miles out. However, I momentarily switched the Eco button on the heating controls and immediately lost 33 miles from the readout!

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Off road On my short but steep test hill with deep opposing holes and loose stones, the Solterra struggled to climb at slow speeds, but then there was a slight glitch with X-Mode as it wouldn’t switch on. Giving it a little more momentum and the Solterra managed it, just.

That said, elsewhere the Solterra found traction without any bother and felt quite capable with limited wheel spin. Sadly it hadn’t rained for a few weeks so there was no wet grass or muddy slopes to try it on.

Over rocky and undulating terrain, despite its length, the Solterra’s ground clearance and approach and departure angles didn’t give me cause of concern, and of course, don’t expect much in the form of articulation, but that’s the same with all SUVs these days.

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Interior If you’ve driven certain Peugeots in the past then the driving position will feel familiar, in that the steering wheel appears to sit quite low whilst the main binnacle sits above it. As for switchgear the Solterra receives full marks for bucking the trend of relying on touch-sensitive panels and sliders for heating control, and instead utilises buttons and physical controls for the most part. No more taking your eyes off the road searching a menu on a touchscreen to change the fan speed.

Visibility is really good with large windows and door mirrors, but the lack of a rear wiper spoils that. Amusingly, before I had realised the lack of wiper, I pushed the windscreen wiper stalk forward that would normally set the rear wiper in motion.

On doing so you still activate a washer pump, you can hear it whirring away, but there’s no washer fluid, nor wiper! Weird that.

The rest of the dash is quite funky and covered in cloth, it worked for me, but Muddy Madam wasn’t keen.

I found the seats to be comfy for my 6” 2’, 18 stone frame and there’s plenty of room so you wont feel cramped. I particularly appreciated the high centre console on which to rest your left arm, this makes cruising very comfortable.

Rear seat passengers have enough room to swing multiple cats and aren’t short of both head and legroom.

The boot has between 452 (Limited)and 441 litres of apace with the seat upright.

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Conclusion Although I enjoyed my week with the Solterra it had a few annoyances. I mentioned the lack of a rear wiper, and when you’re reversing it has an annoyingly loud continuing bong. There are lots of other warning bings and bongs, too, which I understand are supposed to aid safety, but in reality can be quite a distraction.

Physically it’s much bigger than you think, and with excellent rear legroom and plenty of boot space this would be an ideal vehicle for our annual pilgrimage to Great Yarmouth, but with no charging points available it’s sadly out of the running.

Despite being fully electric I really quite enjoyed my week with the Solterra, it’s certainly much more practical in terms of range and space than the Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin. price: from £49,995

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THE MUD LIFE MAGAZINE

IN OUR GARAGE

A Tyre-some Tale

Although I always have the best intentions in mind, I can also be a bit on the lazy side. A good example is a few years ago when I bought five original Toyota Land Cruiser Colorado wheels and tyres off a seller not far from me. I was aware that the tyres were beyond their best, but I wanted the wheels so I could get them cleaned up, painted bronze and used for a selection of tyres that a few companies wanted to send me to test.

Too many years later, and they’re still sat in the back yard gathering spiders webs and moss, and it was only when Muddy Madam got fed up of the sight of them that she decided to do something about it. A quick phone call to our local National Tyres service centre just down the road, and a chat with the nicest lady in the world later, and she’d organised that they would remove the tyres from the rims - for free!

Straight after putting the phone down she ordered me downstairs to empty the crap from the back of Deux Smurf, load the wheels/tyres and drive to said National Tyres before they changed their mind.

The lady that Muddy Madam had spoken to told us that we'd rung just at the perfect time, as they had an unusually quiet afternoon, and that if we'd have rung the day before we may not have got the same response. Result!.

So a big shout out goes to National Tyres in Bolton, who not only spent a while getting all five stubborn tyres off the rims, but they also disposed of them for free.

Guess who I will be going back to for balancing and tracking?

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h c o o M

Laning in the Dales

When your job is to write about cars, every so often you can end up with a couple, or even three, press cars outside our houses. Sometimes this is planned, other times, well, we really need to sort our diaries out better.

On this occasion it was good friend Andy Harris of the Yorkshire Times who ended up with both the new Toyota Hilux GR and a new Ford Ranger Wildtrak outside his home.

Challenge him about it though and he’ll convince you it was on purpose. Of course it was, Andy.

With two formidable pickups outside Harris Towers, it would have been remiss of us not to arrange a day out ‘laning around the Yorkshire Dales. So a plan was hatched and maps were drawn to put them through their paces both on a network of fast roads and a selection of green lanes. Oh, and lunch would be at our favourite haunt.

It takes me roughly an hour to get to Harris Towers, and on arrival, after plugging in the electric Subaru Solterra, I grabbed the key to the Wildtrak and off we ventured from Settle along the B6479, B6255, A684, then the B6259 towards Aisgill and our first green-lane.

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Lane 1

TW2 - SD7895-02 and SD7896-02 ATUK - 20.93/2 and 343-004 Also known as Watercut lane and Mallerstang Moor, both of us have only driven this lane once before, which I wrote about in our 4th issue. Today we began at the southern end by the farm, and after negotiating two lots of gates, the lane gently climbs.

The weather recently had been glorious, and as a consequence the surface of the lane was both dry and dusty, this in turn meant that the once muddy ruts were now baked solid and a bit on the bumpy side. This wasn’t an issue for myself as the Ranger’s suspension soaked them up with ease. However Andy, in the Hilux GR, found the going quite tough, the GR has a more road biased suspension set up.

Apart from bumpy ruts, our first challenge came in the guise of Hell Gill Bridge, which is a grade II listed structure. It’s an odd bridge as it’s curved and quite narrow with gates on either end. It was at this point in our journey when we realised just how much wider the Ranger is in comparison to the Hilux, which can make all the difference when inching your way through narrow Yorkshire gateposts.

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Once over the bridge the lane continues as a single track with stunning views all ‘round and it wasn’t long until we reached the Water Cut. This impressive stone sculpture was created by Mary Bourne and sits high up on the eastern side of the Mallerstang valley. It’s one of ten stone sculptures that are located at intervals along the length of the river Eden, and if you look through it at a certain angle the cut mirrors that of the river in the distance, which is very clever.

By all accounts it’s against the law not to stop and take a photo here, so we did just that.

From the Water Cut, still heading north, the lane take us gently downwards towards the B6259.

There are a couple of waterfalls to drive through, but due to the aforementioned dry spell, they were a mere dribble. Still worthy of a photo though.

From here I had planned on driving towards Nateby, taking a right onto the B6270 for the 21.7 mile (52 minutes) drive towards the infamous Fremington Edge and a further two adjoining lanes. However, time wasn’t on our side so we decided to explore a nearby green lane instead then head back to Hawes for West Cam Road.

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Lane 2

TW2 - NY7702-01 ATUK - 343-023 Our next lane skirts along the River Edan and is a single track lane that enjoys pleasant views of the moors and stunning views of the towering Great Shunner Fell to our right.

The last time I drove this lane I was in a Toyota Highlander, and mid way along there was a steep and muddy step to negotiate that tested its approach and departure angles. Today that step had been removed, and other parts of the lane appeared to have been graded, so I kept the Ranger in 2WD. Not far from the end, heading north, there’s a narrow concrete bridge with a low parapet, and as I edged the Ranger up to it I noticed that the track was just a tad too wide to cross - I would have scuffed all four rims on the concrete sides, so we turned around and made our way back towards the B6259.

Despite cracking views it’s not a lane I would go out of my way to drive again, if I’m being honest.

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Lane 3

TW2 - SD8486-01 and SD8283-03 ATUK - U7028 Over the years Cam Road, which turns into West Cam Road has had varying reputations, and for good reasons as it’s quite difficult in places.

Turning off the B6255, I followed Andy in the Hilux, and as the road climbs gently the surface gets quite bumpy, and as I watched

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the Toyota lurch from side to side it was at this point Andy was wishing for a more standard Hilux!

As we passed through the fourth gate (I think), the road climbs steeply. I believe that this was where the first rocky section was that caused many a problem, but that was graded long before I first drove it. Along with a large step there are a couple holes that have appeared before and after the step that can cause a crossaxle situation, but both pickups managed them without a fuss.

A little further along was a section of limestone steps that had become more treacherous over time, especially in the wet.

The steps were fine to a point, it was just that if you got them wrong, or it was icy, you found yourself sliding inches away from a very steep, and very long drop!

I once had to drive an injured dirt bike rider all the way back to Kettlewell as he slipped off a step and injured his leg.

However, to my dismay I noticed that the limestone steps had vanished, or to put it another way, flattened, or graded.

I’m in two minds about this.

First I agree that all lanes should be accessible to everyone, and that if you want to be challenged, go visit a Pay and Play site. On the other hand, I don’t want to live in a nanny state in which everything is watered down for the few who moan.

Stormy seas and deep waters make for a good captain.

Anyhow, West Cam continues, often between a tall stone brick wall and a high bank and can be narrow in places, but not too narrow to damage the new Ranger’s girth, you just wouldn’t want to meet another vehicle heading in the opposite direction.

As we reached the end it was time to head down to the Buck Inn at Buckden, one of our favourite haunts this side of the Pennines for a late dinner - a fish and mushy pea butty with chips, salad and a cheeky pint delish!

Suitably refreshed and with two lanes left to drive, both relatively easy, we made our way down to Kettlewell then took a right and headed towards a small village called Litton, and a left onto our penultimate lane, Dawsons Close.

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Lane 4

TW2 - SD8169-02 ATUK - 4716-Dawson Close Onwards and upwards.

There isn’t much to say about Dawsons Close except that for the majority of it it’s a compacted gravel lane with some tight gates with awkward approach angles.

That said, when heading east to west there’s a rocky ’S’ bend to negotiate then quite a steep climb. Because of the solid surface it’s easily managed, though I’m not certain I’d want to attempt it if it was icy or covered in snow.

As usual there are quite a number of gates to squeeze through, but there’s one in particular mid-way along that I had to ask Andy to guide me through. With an inch either side his facial expression was a picture.

This was mainly because there was a rock by the gatepost that tilted the Ranger slightly. The Hilux made it through with plenty of room to spare.

Next is a ford that I’ve never seen more than a foot deep, despite rainfall, and the rest of the lane is wide open with more spectacular views - and a few more gates for good measure!

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Lane 5

TW2 - SD8169-04 Pen-y-ghent Our final lane was the one that skirts alongside Pen-y-ghent, which again isn’t necessarily challenging, but the views are epic. Pen-y-Ghent is one of the iconic Three Peaks of Yorkshire, its majestic presence dominates the horizon, adding a sense of grandeur to the already captivating scenery. That said, unless you stop for a while to take in the natural beauty of your surroundings, which I recommend you do, you will be too busy focussing on the lane and opening and shutting the many gates to notice the peak!

Heading north to south, there are a couple of gates to negotiate before heading upwards towards Pen-y-ghent, then the lanes takes a left through a narrow section in which you can’t even open your doors as the banking is window height.

As you are travelling along the only flat section you will come across a puddle - do not drive in with a gungho attitude as it’s very deep.

As we descended we came across the tightest gate so far, the look on Andy’s face said it all. In fact, there was a point in which I thought I would have to turn the Ranger around and head back. I made it through with just millimetres to spare, apparently.

To be fair, it wasn’t just that the new Ranger is over inflated, it was the mirrors that was the cause for concern, even when folded in they were still protruding.

As with our first lane, the dry weather had caused quite a few deep, solid ruts that scraped the nether regions of the Ranger, but that’s fine, it’s made of stern stuff.

With the windows wound down we trundled downwards, the peacefulness of the countryside, the chirping of birds, and the scent of wildflowers created a soothing ambiance, that was until we came upon another gate… and another until we reached the B6479 and headed back towards Harris Towers in Settle.

And that was it, what an absolute epic day we had.

Granted, we spent more time on tarmac than we did green-laning, and found ourselves totally fed up with opening and closing gates, but what lanes we drove were fantastic.

As for the vehicles, despite the Ranger’s girth I was glad it was mine for the day as the Hilux GR’s suspension was just a little too harsh to be enjoyable.

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Dine Out With Damian I try to come up with easy food that any buffoon can make whilst out in the great outdoors.

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

Today I am going to share with you my current favourite, throw together, snack food -

Chilli Beef Wraps.

I've found these go well with all alcoholic beverages, and with coffee or tea as it makes a cracking breakfast!

I make these at home as well as when out'n'about as they are ridiculously cheap, simple to make, and of course full of taste. It's a recipe that allows plenty of variations - you can make them with lamb, beef or ‘meatfree’ substitutes if you wish (though I haven't tried making a no meat version, I like meat too much!).

You can use large wraps or the smaller mini ones. If you’re going large you could also add lettuce, sliced tomatoes and more, and make more of a full meal of it, but because my personal preference is to use the the smaller wraps I like to keep ingredients to minimal. I find too many ingredients means that the wrap is harder to pick up, and a lot of the insides just end up falling out.

Equipment we used: - Robens Cookey King Stove - Madog Skillet - Almazan Kitchen Knife - COBB Chopping Board - Robens AdventureTable

QUICK'n'easy

Basic Eequipment needed

chilli beef wrap

• Stove or burner • Skillet • Knife • Spatula • Chopping Board

Ingredients (for 1) • Enough beef meat to cover the area of your chosen wrap, roughly 10mm thick • Splash or spray of oil • 1 x wrap • Onion - sliced or chopped to preference • Salt & pepper • Chilli flakes (or whatever spices you prefer) • Sliced cheese (I used the plastic wrapped type for that 'authentic taste') • Sauce (to preference) - sweet chilli, burger sauce, mayo

1. Place the skillet on the stove with a dash/spray of oil.

2. Place the wrap on a flat surface and squash the meat down leaving about an inch gap around the outside. Sprinkle the salt, pepper & chilli flakes/ spices on.

3. Place the wrap, meat down, on the hot pan, and depending on the amount of meat you’ve used, fry it for between 2-3 minutes.

4. I give the skillet a quick shake every so often so the meat doesn’t stick.

5. Whilst it’s cooking slice/chop your onion.

6. Once the meat has cooked through, remove and place on a flat, clean surface meat side up.

7. Add the onions, cheese and the sauce of your choice. I’m currently using sweet chilli sauce.

8. Once you’re happy with it, fold in half and place back into the skillet for around a minute each side to allow the cheese to melt and crisp the wrap.

Keep a watchful eye as it can burn quickly.

9. Enjoy!

SEAT ATECA

SE Technology

What is it?

Back in 2016 the Ateca was SEAT’s first foray into the crowded SUV market and it soon began to collect awards, which wasn’t surprising as it was built on the same platform as the VW Golf and Audi A3. Fully designed and developed by SEAT, the Ateca continued with its success and in 2020 was subjected to a very light update. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

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On the road

I booked the Ateca 1.5 EcoTSI SE Technology 150PS 7-speed DSG knowing I had a six hour round trip to Bedfordshire, which I usually save for larger and more luxurious motors, but in my experience the Ateca always punches above its weight for long drives.

In truth, the reason for the Ateca's continuing appeal is its driving experience, and 7 years after its initial launch it’s still up there as one, if not the best handling SUVs in its class.

It doesn’t matter which model you go for, the Ateca always feels taught and sure-footed around corners, it doesn’t feel top heaving either, unlike other SUVs I’ve driven of late.

But you don’t have to drive it like a hot-hatch to get the best experience out of it, as it will happily tootle along at normal speeds. That said it can feel a little firm along rough roads, but that’s a trade-off I’m willing to accept.

Visibility is very good, as is the overall ambience, and even though its 150ps will take you from 0-62mph in 9 seconds, it’s the ease with which you can build speed from low revs in any given gear that really impresses.

Official WLTP figures suggest the plucky 1.5ltr engine will achieve between 39-42mpg, but on the 6-hour round trip to Millbrook in Bedfordshire the computer read just over 47mpg at normal motorway speeds, I was more than happy with that.

Off road

Unfortunately this version was 2WD, an error on my part when booking in. However, opt the 4Drive Ateca and it’s packed with the usual electronic wizardry that will take you wherever its tyres and clearance will allow.

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Interior

If I had to pick one fault with the Ateca, it’s the interior. I remember writing the same around four years ago when I last borrowed one.

Don’t get me wrong, the interior is functional and everything about it feels solid, and both well laid out and screwed together, but it isn’t really inspiring. I may go as far to say that it’s a little bit dated.

Having said that, it may have a simple dashboard design, but everything is easy to use, including heating controls.

Despite my little moan you still get a spacious and practical interior that will easily stand up well to the rigours of family life.

When it comes to tech I don’t know where to begin, but opt for the SE Technology and you get a few more features on top of what you get on SE models, including 18” alloys, sat-nav, voice control and a larger 9.2” infotainment system.

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The boot is plenty big enough but it also has a deep step that can be a little awkward if you’re lifting something heavy in and out.

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Conclusion

I know I’ve whinged a bit about the interior, but I would be more than happy to have one on the Mud Life fleet.

The Ateca is simply one of the cars that just works really well - it’s stylish, affordable, well put together and great to drive. It’s also a bit of a looker that’s also impressively spacious, well equipped, competitively priced and comes with a range of economical and swift engines.

To conclude, if you’re looking for a family SUV that’s also capable of putting a smile on your face, the Ateca needs to be very high on your shopping list. price: from £27,330 (as tested, £32,895) more at » seat.co.uk

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The Tales of Lilly, The Mud Life Dog

I See Dead People H

by Karen Lee Turner

ere at Turner Towers we are fans of crime thrillers, detective shows and coroner based shows like Silent Witness, so we are quite familiar with the common, and rather overused trope of early morning joggers and dog walkers finding dead bodies in the woods, so when we got Lilly we both joked about how that will be us.

With that in mind, I figured out a way to never experience that gory finding - wait, and go out for Lilly's first walk around 9am so that early risers get the chance to find the bodies. In the 2 years of having Lilly I have basically trained her with my 'stay up late, get up late' lifestyle, to not need a wee first thing.

Clever I know, so we should remain body-finding free.

As I mentioned before, Lilly is spoilt; she gets a walk in the morning, another bigger one before lunchtime, another biggish one in the late afternoon, and a nightime pee wander.

So a week or two back were out wandering in the very large woodland park close to us in the afternoon, on a beautiful warm day, and she'd had a good run about, play in the stream to cool off and we were on our way back. I think she must have done one of her vanishing tricks for a few minutes, so when she returned I'd put her back on lead to head off home.

Next thing, she headed sharply into an off-track area that runs alongside a slightly stagnant river overflow area. As she never really goes in this bit I figured she'd spotted a squirrel in the long undergrowth, but the lead didn't keep going like it does if she is chasing, it suddenly stopped as rapidly as it started.

I was curious and headed quickly to the spot to find out what she'd found.

Yes, you've guessed it, there was a motionless body of a man lying amongst the nettles.

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My mind went straight into "Shit! Oh my god, it's happened.", then immediately switched into detective mode "Is he alive?"

There was one thing that was keeping me from getting really het up, the man was wearing a hi-vis waistcoat which looked like he may have pulled it over his head to shield from the sun, but Lilly was wandering around the body sniffing and probing, and there was no movement. Shit!

Time really did stand still, or it was more like, went into ultra-slow mode, and in those few moments Lilly had managed to make her way to his head, and had rootled her snout under the aforementioned hi-vis, and I could see her wet nose was on his face.

Still no movement. Shit!

With this unveiling I saw that his skin was pink, a good sign, so I stood over him and began loudly asking "Hello. Are you OK? You need to wake up." In those protracted few seconds I hadn't managed to get Lilly away, and she was still at his face, and her 'wet nose on mouth' movement must have finally got through and he moved!

After more talking to him to try to make him move again, he rolled off his side, onto his back, and opened his eyes. What a relief!

I got him to sit up, and he said something, and I realised two things - he seemed like he was three sheets to the wind, and that he was foreign and didn't have the best grip on English.

One of these would have proved tricky with communication, but both together proved almost an impossibility for me to find out what had happened.

Was he actually drunk, or had he hit his head and this was concussion?

Had he been attacked and left for dead?

I decided he needed to stand so that I could assess his state, so I was doing my best to encourage him up, whilst also trying to ask him what had gone on.

I got a name which started with a J and was tricky to say, but before I attempted it he said "I am Jack", so that's what I went with, and the next thing he said was along the lines of "My friend died yesterday." and then said "I'm OK" and waved me away, and went to lie back down.

Damian and Lilly re-enacting the touching nose moment.

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At this point I could see he had no injuries, but that he was very inebriated, obviously drowning his sorrows about his friend, and there was no way I was leaving him in nettlefilled undergrowth, next to water, in a remote part of the biggest park in Bolton, during a heatwave.

If I did there was a real possibility that the following day Lilly would've actually found a real dead body!

At this exact moment a couple came round the corner, saw what was happening, and came over to help. Between us we got him slowly up, and got him aclimatised to being vertical. He started to become a lot more with it, and after a few minutes he headed off down the path.

Through all this, Lilly, who usually can't keep still for more than ten seconds without a whinge or two, was the best dog in the world. She was so patient, and gentle with him, giving him cuddles everytime he sat down.

Jack was only a few steps away from water when he passed out, so he was incredibly lucky, and I have no doubt if Lilly hadn't found him, Jack would probably have ended up in hospital with heatstroke, or worse. Lilly got extra treats that night, just like every heroine should.

Once he looked better, the couple carried on with their walk in the opposite direction, and I followed the man, still concerned that he would just lie back down and go back to sleep in the middle of the field.

My concerns were confirmed when only a few paces later the chap started to wander off-piste, heading across the field towards the flowing river. I was having none of it, and headed straight over, and linked his arm and steered him back to the track and escorted him to a bench. He sat for a while, and I was talking to him trying to find out where he lived, but with his limited English I wasn't getting anywhere.

I realised that there was no way I would be able to get him out of the park by myself, and that it probably wasn't wise as a lone woman with a dog in tow to even try, as whichever direction I went it would involve being in dark, lonely parts of the forest with a stranger.

Luckily around the next corner of the track there is an area that people go Who wouldn't want to have cuddles from this cutie! to when it's hot to enjoy dips in the shallows of the river, and when I looked, there were a That's all for this month, let's hope that next month's walks few men sat around, so I got Jack back up and we headed with Lilly are much less dramatic, and if you were thinking towards them. of getting a dog, hopefully the potential to find things you don't want to find hasn't put you off, just remember these Jack seemed a little more cognisant by now, so I sat him wise words: down near the guys and explained the situation to a Make sure you're never the first dog sensible looking chap, and he agreed to keep an eye on him walker in the morning! and make sure he didn't wander off until he seemed alright.

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Lilly's Lilly is always on the lookout for cool, fun and useful new products.

Percuro Insect Protein Snappies Decades ago Damian used to work as a doorman with an ex-Marine, Keith, who used to gross everyone out by snatching bugs out of the air and eating them. “Protein!” he would exclaim, whilst picking an errant wing from his teeth. I mention this because we’ve just received a few bags of these insect protein treats for Lilly to try, and just like Keith, she can’t get enough of them.

Made from insect protein from the amazing Black Soldier Fly along with plant-based ingredients like naked oats, green peas and olive oil, they are just as nutritious as other animal protein, and are at minimal cost to the environment. They also use chamomile and hemp seed oil, both shown to have a calming and positive effect on dog’s mental wellbeing. Chamomile is also a natural anti-inflammatory, which makes it perfect if your dog has a sensitive tummy. price: £3.99 more at » percuro.earth

Charley Chau Anti-Microbial Memory Foam Dog Bed Designed to deliver orthopaedic levels of comfort and support throughout a dog's lifetime, with an internal anti-microbial mattress protector to help keep your dog's bed hygienically clean for years to come.

Finished in Faroe, a beautiful yet tough upholstery fabric. The fibres in Faroe are also treated with a stain-guard, so it’s a dream to spot clean in between washes It comes with fully removable, machine washable covers, and the Mini Bolster Pad is available to add extra comfort Made in England Available in 4 sizes (S to XL) and suitable dogs from tiny to dogs up to 80kg. price: from £135 more at » charleychau.com 84

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Cox & Cox Rattan Pet House Introducing a charming pet bed designed with rustic round rattan, shaped like a simple and delightful house. This spacious bed is tailor-made to be the ultimate sanctuary for your beloved furry companion.

Every house-shaped bed is accompanied by a cozy cushion, complete with a removable cover that can be conveniently washed. This feature ensures that your pet can enjoy blissful post-walk naps and restful daytime snoozes in absolute comfort.

Also available in Small. price: £250 - £375 more at » coxandcox.co.uk

Holly & Lil Bow Tie Collar Introducing Holly & Lil's Bow Tie, an exceptional departure from ordinary bow tie collars. Meticulously handcrafted using exquisitely supple calf leather, this accessory stands out with its attention to detail. Every small cream polka dot is painstakingly cut and skillfully affixed into position, showcasing the epitome of craftsmanship that sets it apart as truly extraordinary. Matching leads are also available. price: from £97 more at » charleychau.com

Dogritos Toy Although Lilly goes mad for anything that she can throw at our feet, down the stairs, and in the air, she was confused when we presented her with this Dogritos toy as it is not an animal shape, and has a canvas feel instead of her usual fabric toys. After we squeezed the fake crisp packet a bit (it has a crinkle sound inside), and hit the squeaker she got the idea that it is actually a toy she can play with.

It measures 21 x 12 x 7cm so it is only really suitable for larger dogs; it was just about OK for Lilly to grab. Lilly isn't a big destroyer of toys, so I can't tell you how long it would last if you have a rough, toy ripper dog. price - £3.99 buy in UK - hemandboo.co.uk/dogritos-dog-toy

We may receive a small commission as an affiliate if you choose to purchase any of these products.

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THE MUD LIFE MAGAZINE

Directory

Off Road Driver Training & Experiences UK WIDE All Terrain Services 4x4 Driver Training & Exp., Self Drive Tours https://www.allterrainservices.co.uk 01792 862669 NORTH Graythwaite Adventure Off-Road Driving & Training, Clay Pigeon Shooting, Watersports, Archery, Bushcraft, Axe Throwing, Glamping

https://www.graythwaiteadventure.co.uk 07498 574659 & 07779 162710 North Yorkshire Off Road Centre Off Road Driver Training & Tours http://www.nyoffroad.co.uk 07787 555060 Explore Off Road Off Road Driver Training, 4x4 Experiences http://www.exploreoffroad.co.uk 07970 286881 SOUTH John Morgan 4x4 Driving Pay & Play, Off Road Driver Training http://www.4x4driving.co.uk 01903 812195 Wild Tracks Off Road Driver Training, 4x4 Experiences https://www.wildtracksltd.co.uk 01638 751918 True Grip off Road Off Road Driver Training, 4x4 Experiences http://www.truegripoffroad.co.uk 01233 662251 Protrax 4x4 Driver Training https://www.protrax.co.uk 01536 772238 Avalanche Adventures Pay & Play, 4x4 Experiences https://avalancheadventure.co.uk 01858 880613 Ash 4x4 Off Road Driver Training, 4x4 Experiences http://www.ash4x4.com 07581 030331

WALES Bala 4x4 4x4 Driver Training https://www.bala4x4.co.uk 01536 772238 SCOTLAND Scottish Off Road Off Road Driver Training http://www.scotoffroad.co.uk 07711 217759

Pay & Play Hill ’n’ Ditch - Cheshire http://www.hillnditch4x4.com 07974 398201 Explore Off Road - Cheshire http://www.exploreoffroad.co.uk 07970 286881 Kirton Off Road - Gainsborough https://www.korc.co.uk 01652 245022 Frickley 4x4 Off Road Centre - West Yorks. https://www.frickley4x4.co.uk 07881 590593 Cowm Leisure - Rochdale https://cowmleisure.com 07970 101 879 Ultra Adventure Driving - Wales http://www.ultraadventuredriving.co.uk 01978 358 444 Essex Rochford & District 4x4 Club - Rochford http://www.4x4er.co.uk Devils Pit - Bedfordshire http://www.devilspit.co.uk 07764 159478 Avalanche Adventures - Leicestershire https://avalancheadventure.co.uk 01858 880613 4x4 Without A Club - Berkshire http://www.4x4-withoutaclub.co.uk 07887533168 John Morgan 4x4 Driving - West Sussex http://www.4x4driving.co.uk 01903 812195 Piccadilly Wood - West Sussex http://www.piccadillywood4x4.co.uk 07984 543886

4x4 TOURS Ardent Off Road 4x4 Tours, 4x4 Experiences https://ardentoffroad.com Tel: 01405 947 001 Highland All Terrain 4x4 Tours with wild camping, ATV https://www.highlandscenicsafari.co.uk Tel: 01528 544 358 One Life Adventure 4x4 Tours & vehicle prep training https://www.onelifeadventure.co.uk Tel: 01347 830188 Ardventures 4x4 Tours, 4x4 Experiences https://ardventures.co.uk Tel: 01757 638 479 4x4 Adventure Tours 4x4 Tours https://www.4x4adventuretours.co.uk Tel: 07769 336 099 Trails and Tracks 4x4 Adventures 4x4 Tours https://trailsandtracks.co.uk Tel: 07976 393 838 Cambrian Way 4x4 Tours https://www.cambrianway.com Tel: 01550 750274 Roam Free Adventures 4x4 Tours https://www.roamfreeadventures.co.uk Contact via website Timeless Overland 4x4 Tours https://www.facebook.com/tloverland Tel: 07508 833 899 Land Tracks and Trails Green Lane Adventures 4x4 Tours https://www.lanestracksandtrails.co.uk Tel: 07855 213355 Compass Adventures 4x4 Tours https://www.compassadventures.co.uk Tel: 07508 708 588 Battlefields by 4x4 4x4 Tours https://www.battlefieldsby4x4.com Tel: 07014 241 418

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