4x4 Magazine - December 2020

4x4

NEWS • TECH • DEBATE • TRAVEL • MODIFIED VEHICLES • GREEN LANING DRIVEN Jeep’s plug-in hybrid Renegade 4xe

THE UK’S ONLY 4X4 AND PICK-UP MAGAZINE

OPEN FOR BUSINESS Don’t let lockdown spoil your plans – Britain’s green lanes will soon be good to go again. And our Roadbooks are still here to help you make the most of them!

PLUS The greatest overland adventures in Australia and the Americas

Exploring the untouched interior of Portugal on a 4x4 expedition

£4.99

How to get the best from a Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited

DEC 2020

An all-time great Class 1 trialler that’s still a winner today 4x4 Cover Dec.indd 1

02/11/2020 22:46

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21/08/2020 10:43

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Find out more and buy online at www.4x4ni.com 30 | AUGUST 2020 Ad spreads.indd 30

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4x4 30/06/2020 17:05

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AUGUST 2020 | 13

30/06/2020 17:05

December 2020

CONTENTS

26

“Jeep’s first foray into the hybrid world is going to successful one”

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64 | JANUARY 2020

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4x4 02/11/2020 22:51

52 12 MAGAZINES FOR THE PRICE OF 3!

Subscribe to Britain’s only 4x4 magazine and save a massive 75% by getting it delivered to your door every month. What’s not to love?

4x4 Scene: News, Products and More…

8 9 9 10 12 12 13 14 15 16 20 22 23 24 24 23

Mitsubishi Shogun Sport New-look range starts at less money Audi Q8 Range-topping SUV becomes a plug-in hybrid Suzuki Across Rebadged RAV4 priced at £45,599 Range Rover Goodwood parade marks 50th anniversary VW Tiguan Facelift brings new engines and revised range structure Peugeot Updated model line-ups for 3008 and 5008 SUVs Cupra Formentor SUV is first solus model for SEAT’s performance brand Lake District High Court judgement puts anti-4x4 fanatics in their place Poorton Drove GLASS moves to protect Dorset lane from irresponsible use Bamford Clough Saga of neglect on Derbyshire byway finally set to end 4x4 Overlander New importer for Autohome range of roof tents Lazer Lamps LED giant launches mounting kit for new Defender Britpart Accessory range gains two new portable air compressors Nightsearcher i-Spector Pocket mini torch proves its worth Milner Off-Road New applications for own-brand range of raised air intakes Autoglym Sanitary spray for squeaky-clean air-con

Driven 26 28 29

Jeep Renegade 4xe First impressions of Jeep’s first ever hybrid Lexus UX Sylish midsize SUV turns out to be more than just a pretty face Ford Tourneo Custom Trail Transit-based 8-seater becomes a sort-of SUV

Every Month 6 13 18 68 52 80

Alan Kidd A tale of ghosts, green lanes and our shameful mainstream media Coming Soon Trucks and SUVs set to be launched in the near future Calendar Off-road events to plan for once lockdown is over Roadbook Long trails buried deep within the woods of Thetford Subscribe Stay at home and get 4x4 delivered – and save a huge 75%!

Next Month It’s time for our annual Double-Cab of the Year awards

Features 30 34 38 42 54

Long-Range Rubicon Jeep’s finest gets enhanced for overland travel Class 1 Legend Quite simply one of the best triallers ever built Cool Cruiser Late 40-Series reborn as a glorious street machine Disco 4 Traveller British overlanders are turning to more modern Landies Dream Destinations Part 3: Australasia and The Americas

Our 4x4s

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It’s a steep, sharp climb up and over a bigger track – you can’t see ahead over your bonnet to start with

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You may find yourself driving a river bed along for a while…

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track Drop off the main the gate and immediately before trough water into yet another

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Portugal Exploring the untouched lands far from the tourist hot-spots

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4x4

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2020 | 89

JUNE 2020 | 3

02/11/2020 22:51

4x4 Alan Kidd Editor

I

’m a very open-minded sort of person. Live and let live, see it from the other guy’s point of view, all that kind of stuff. I believe that if someone makes something and says it’s art, then by definition it is art. That’s the kind of annoyingly liberal person I am.

Likewise with the media. I think every story deserves to be told. Even when it’s some apparently vapid self-important celebrity, there’s still a real human being behind all the bluster. There’s not a lot I like about Kanye West’s music, for example, but go beyond his public persona and read the whole story and you’ll find the tale of a man who deserves to be understood rather than just automatically condemned.

Nonetheless, I struggled when I put on the radio the other day and here, on BBC Radio 5, was a group of broadcasters discussing the story of a woman who claimed to be having sex with a ghost.

Actually, she was engaged to the ghost.

She met him on holiday in Australia and he flew home with her, then popped the question on a day trip to Wookey Hole.

But the story had a sad ending, because the happy couple had split up. The ghost had fallen in with a bad crowd and started getting into drink, drugs and partying, so his fiancee decided to end it. As you would.

Now, I don’t have any problem with it if you want to live in a world that exists entirely in your own mind. So long as you’re not hurting anyone, as I said above, live and let live. I should imagine the woman’s relatives might worry about her but if she’s happy then, well, that’s all any of us ever really want for our loved ones, isn’t it?

And she surely is happy, especially with the amount of media attention she’s received since she first started tweeting about her relationships with ghosts. She’s been on TV, she’s been in the papers, and the BBC has given her way more attention than it gives to a lot of stories.

Which is the point where I start getting the hump about all this. You can decide for yourself whether she’s charmingly batty, tragically delusional or a professional con artist, but one way or the other she’s a onewoman freakshow with a media following that puts you in mind of the days when

6 | DECEMBER 2020

AWAITING FLANNEL 4 or 6 Edline DEC.indd 4

I’m going to make up a story about how my truck has a ghost living in it people used to pay tuppence to leer at disabled children chained up in a tent.

That in itself is troubling. But what annoys me, and what makes this story relevant to 4x4s, is the way the media gets in a froth over these look-at-this-twit stories when it refuses to cover stuff that’s so much more important. We’re talking about the BBC here, don’t forget, spending time on a story that’s pure Sunday Sport.

Obviously, intelligent and unbiased coverage of the green laning debate is too much to hope for. It’s been a long, long time since the last of us gave up hoping for that.

But you’d like to think that with a nation of 4x4 Response groups helping out left, right and centre, a bit of positive coverage might come out of it now and again.

We are of course talking about the BBC, and it’s hard to image there being a news agenda there in which cars of any kind are seen as anything other than a smelly inconvenience to the residents of Islington.

But there’s plenty of other media out there too, all of which seems desperate to cover trivia rather than proper stories like ours.

So I’ve got an idea. There’s this trick I like to play when I take people off-roading for the first time. I find a nice long set of ruts that’ll do the steering for me, then I flob it into low second, jump out and walk along next to the truck while it drives itself. It’s irresponsible, but hell, so am I so that’s fine.

Using the sight of a driverless 4x4 to my advantage, what I’m going to do is make up some cock and bull story about how my truck has a ghost living in it, and when I’m out off-roading he enjoys having a go behind the wheel. I’ll make some videos and put them up on YouTube or whatever, and before long the BBC will have my number on speed dial.

Sounds mad, but hey, at least my ghost and I won’t be having sex afterwards. I’m just giving the customer what they want, after all. If a spurious load of lies is what will finally get off-roaders to be taken seriously, who am I to argue?

Tel: 01283 553243 Email: enquiries@assignment-media.co.uk Web: www.totaloffroad.co.uk www.4x4i.com Online Shop: www.toronline.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/totaloffroad www.facebook.com/4x4Mag Editor Alan Kidd Art Editor Samantha D’Souza Contributors Mike Trott, Dan Fenn, Paul Looe, Olly Sack, Gary Noskill, Kaziyoshi Sasazaki, Barrie Dunbar Photographers Harry Hamm, Steve Taylor, Richard Hair, Vic Peel Group Advertising Manager Ian Argent Tel: 01283 553242 Advertising Manager Colin Ashworth Tel: 01283 553244 Advertising Production Sarah Moss Tel: 01283 553242 Subscriptions Sarah Moss Tel: 01283 553242 Publisher and Head of Marketing Sarah Moss Email: sarah.moss@assignment-media.co.uk To subscribe to 4x4, or renew a subscription, call 01283 742970. Prices for 12 issues: UK £42 (24 issues £76); Europe Airmail/ROW Surface £54; ROW Airmail £78 Distributed by Marketforce; www.marketforce.co.uk Every effort is made to ensure the contents of 4x4 are accurate, but Assignment Media accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions nor the consequences of actions made as a result of these.

When responding to any advert in 4x4, you should make appropriate enquiries before sending money or entering into a contract. The publishers take reasonable care to ensure advertisers’ probity, but will not be liable for loss or damage incurred from responding to adverts Where a photo credit includes the note ‘CC BY 2.0’ or similar, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence: details at www.creativecommons.org 4x4 is published by Assignment Media Ltd, Repton House 1.08, Bretby Business Park, Ashby Road, Bretby, Derbyshire DE15 0YZ

© Assignment Media Ltd, 2020

4x4 31/10/2020 14:31

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NEW 4X4S

MITSUBISHI CUTS PRICES FOR NEW LOOK SHOGUN SPORT RANGE

Two seven-seaters and one Commercial in range • All high-spec • From £29,975 OTR

M

itsubishi has realigned the Shogun Sport range, bringing the vehicle’s entry price down below the £30,000 barrier. The L200-based SUV, which Mitsubishi describes as its ‘most capable full-size off roader ever,’ now starts at £29,975 on the road – a price which also includes three years’ free servicing.

The new range includes two models, each with a 2.4-litre diesel engine developing 181bhp and 317lbf.ft. An eight-speed auto gearbox is standard on both, as is a dual-range transfer case providing the option of two or four-wheel drive on the road along with the usual high and low-ratio positions for off-tarmac use.

With this hardware, as well as a coil-sprung beam axle at the rear, the Shogun Sport shouldn’t need any help to excel off-road. Nonetheless, Mitsubishi has loaded it with a variety of driver aids including Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Uphill Control, Downhill Control, Throttle Release Control and Rapid Kick-down Control. Control very much the theme, then; in the hands of a competent driver, none of them

8 | DECEMBER 2020

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should ever be necessary, especially as the 265/60R18 tyres that are standard across the range can be replaced by the same size in a mud-terrain pattern, but it’s always nice to know you’ve got backup.

The two models in the Shogun Sport line up are called the 3 and 4 (go figure), and both have seven

seats as standard. There’s also a Commercial model, which is based on the 4 spec but loses its second and third rows in favour of a flat cargo floor stretching from the tailgate to the B-posts.

All models have cruise, leather, dual-zone climate, electric front seats, LED headlamps, a rear-view

camera and a touch-screen media system with DAB and smartphone connectivity. You need to go to the top for the full safety rigout, though, as Adaptive Cruise, Forward Collision Mitigation, Blind Spot Warning, Ultrasonic mis-acceleration Mitigation System (UMS) and a 360° camera are reserved for the 4. This model gets an upgraded stereo, too.

Depending on your point of view, £31,975 may sound like a lot more, or indeed just a little, to spend for all this. The Commercial, meanwhile, is priced at £27,519 – though that’s before the VAT is added, so it’s actually the priciest model in the range, though that might not matter if you’re the guy taking advantage of the tax breaks its status brings.

Another reason for buying the Shogun Sport is that as well as being cheaper, it’s currently available on HP at 0% over three years. If you prefer to buy on a PCP, the APR is a scarcely less generous 2.9%. The Shogun Sport has always been a lot of 4x4 for your money – and now it’s less money, that makes it more of a 4x4 than ever.

4x4 02/11/2020 23:25

NEW 4X4S

Plug-in power for Audi’s range-topping SUV AUDI HAS INTRODUCED a NEW plug-in hybrid version of the Q8. Combining the familiar V6 TFSI petrol engine with a 100kW electric motor, the Q8 55 TFSI e quattro and Competition 60 TFSI e quattro produce 381 and 462bhp respectively and offer an all-electric range of up to 28 miles.

The seventh Audi to be given the plug-in treatment, the Q8 can return up to 100mpg and 65g/km. An empty battery can be recharged in as little as two and a half hours using the appropriate charger, and there’s an app to let owners monitor the vehicle’s condition and find nearby charging stations.

While the Q8 is less than an off-roader, a range of seven drive modes includes an Allroad programme for unmade tracks and moderate terrain. The vehicle comes with air suspension as standard.

Prices for the new model are £73,860 for the 55 and £85,760 for the Competition 60; in each case, buyers will be able to upgrade their already very well equipped vehicles using the exclusive Vorsprung pack. Orders are being taken now.

PRICE ANNOUNCED FOR SUZUKI’S TAKE ON THE RAV4

Toyota-built Across on the way • Plug-in hybrid • Limited supply in first year • £45,599

S

uzuki’s forthcoming Across will cost £45,599 when it goes on sale in the UK. A badge-engineered version of the Toyota RAV4, the vehicle is a plug-in hybrid with an official combined fuel consumption figure of 282mpg and CO2 emissions of 22g/km.

The first vehicle supplied to Suzuki under its collaborative agreement with Toyota, the Across will only be sold here with one spec option – a very high one including leather, dual-zone climate, a power tailgate, all-round heated seats, bi-LED headlamps and a 9” media screen. The price will also include your choice of mica or metallic paint, from a palette of six colours.

The vehicle’s hybrid power train has a combined system output of 306bhp, giving it a 0-62 time of 6.0 seconds. It also boasts a strong EV-only range of 46 miles, allowing it to deliver zero-emissions driving on a well above average daily commute. As a result of its green credentials, it has a low BIK rating for company car drivers of just 6%.

The Across has four-wheel drive as standard, with a rear motor working in conjunction with the front

hybrid system to send up to 80% of the vehicle’s total output to the back wheels should the conditions demand this. The vehicle features Trail Mode as standard; this engages a brake-actuated automatic limited slip differential control function to send torque where it will be most effective, as well as adjusting the throttle and gearbox shift points to help maintain traction.

With a comprehensive set of safety features also included as standard, the Across promises to

be… well, just like a RAV4, but with a Suzuki badge on it. The company says it will be available in ‘very limited’ numbers during its first year

on sale – which starts in November, so if you like the sound of it you might want to get your order in pretty quick.

4x4 Scene Dec.indd 9

02/11/2020 23:25

NEW 4X4S

GOODWOOD PARADE CELEBRATES RANGE ROVER’S 50TH BIRTHDAY

L

and Rover celebrated the Range Rover’s half-century at this year’s Goodwood Speed Week, with a parade of 50 vehicles – one from each year of production.

The group included a variety of special Rangeys including fire engines and ambulances, as well as expedition vehicles and

record-breakers. It was led by a drivable chassis from 1969, used

by Solihull’s engineers working on the then-new full-time four-wheel drive system and coil-sprung suspension that featured in the original 1970 Range Rover, and the first example of the current Fifty limited-edition model, of which exactly 1970 are currently being

sold around the world at a starting price of £111,195.

As well as the ambulance and 6x6 fire engine models in the parade, the emergency services were further represented by a 2004 police vehicle. Equally recognisable was one of the Darien Gap Rangeys which took part in the 1971 Trans-Americas Expedition – and the group also included the Beaver Bullet, which in 1985 broke no less than 27 different speed records.

‘As we continue to celebrate Range Rover’s 50th Anniversary throughout 2020,’ said Land Rover UK boss Rawdon Glover, ‘it has been a pleasure to remind ourselves not only of some of

the extraordinary forms that the Range Rover has taken over the years, but also the people and stories behind them.

‘Of course, the gathering was aptly marked by the debut of the new Range Rover Fifty limited edition which epitomises the design, luxury and capability Range Rover stands for today.

‘I would personally like to express my thanks to the owners and collectors who contributed to the event, helping us celebrate this significant milestone in Range Rover’s heritage.’

4x4 Scene Dec.indd 10

02/11/2020 23:25

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38 | FEBRUARY 2020

TOR Folios and classifieds.indd 48

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4x4 02/06/2020 15:38

NEW 4X4S

VOLKSWAGEN LIFTS THE LID ON FACELIFTED TIGUAN

Range of new engines • Revised model line-up with twin range-toppers • From £24,915

V

olkswagen has opened the order books on its facelifted Tiguan – bringing new looks and equipment, and better than ever fuel efficiency, to its global best-seller.

With more than six million units sold since launch in 2007, including more than 900,000 in 2019 alone, the Tiguan has been arguably the biggest winner of all in the SUV boom to date. This new set of revisions, which marks a mid-life refresh for the second-generation model, brings a lower entry-level price in the UK, as well as a new Y-shaped model line-up with twin range-top-

pers offering a choice of sports or luxury themes.

There’s also a range of new engines, including petrol units with

cylinder deactivation allowing them to run on just two and diesels with twin-dosing technology for lower NOx emissions. In total, six engine

and gearbox configurations are available across the range, along with four trim levels, with prices ranging from £24,915 to £39,010.

Peugeot revises line-ups for 3008 and 5008 SUVs PEUGEOT HAS ANNOUNCED details of its realigned its 3008 and 5008 ranges.

Featuring facelifted styling, these are available to order now, with deliveries scheduled to commence in January.

The 3008 offers a range of petrol, diesel and hybrid engines, with prices starting at £27,160. However the range-topping Hybrid 300 is the only powertrain with fourwheel drive; this costs from £42,310 to £47,210 depending on trim. You can expect a strong kit list whichever you go for, as well as a slick high-tech cabin with a 12.3” digital dash and, on all but the entry-level version, a 10” infotainment screen. Topspec GT and GT Premium models are also available with a new Black Pack with various darkened styling enhancements.

The 5008, meanwhile, is priced from £29,585. This time there’s no hybrid model, and therefore no all-wheel drive, however the vehicle is available with Peugeot’s familiar Grip Control mode, giving added tractability to the front wheels. There are 1.2 and 1.6-litre petrol engines and 1.5 and 2.0-litre diesels, with manual transmission available on each of the smaller units.

As with the 3008, there are five trim levels. The equipment list is pretty strong from the ground up, and it keeps on getting stronger – the range-topping GT Premium,which costs from £37,485 depending on the model, includes features like automated parking assist and massage seats. Possibly more importantly, all models have seven seats in a cabin which can also be configured to provide 1940 litres of cargo space.

12 | DECEMBER 2020

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4x4 02/11/2020 23:25

NEW 4X4S

COMING SOON Forthcoming 4x4s due later this year and beyond

Cupra opens order book for Formentor performance SUV CUPRA HAS OPENED the order book for its first dedicated vehicle – the Formentor SUV. This will cost between £27,300 and £43,840 – a price range which covers six different trim levels and a choice of engines putting out from 150 to 310bhp.

The full engine range includes three petrol engines – a 1.5-litre unit with 150 and a 2.0-litre tuned for either 190 or 310bhp – as well as a plug-in hybrid with 204 or 245bhp. All models are well equipped, with DAB, sat-nav, 18” alloys, ambient lighting, digital dash, adaptive cruise, smartphone pairing and a wide range of safety kit standard on even the entry-level model.

BMW HAS LIFTED THE WRAPS on First Edition versions of the BMW X5 and X6 M Competition models. Powered by a 625bhp V8 engine, these promise ‘an imposing thirst for forward progress and extravagant styling.’ UK prices are yet to be announced, however production is limited to 250 examples of each model.

The SEAT Tarraco has been upgraded to offer a range of RDE2-compliant engines. This means lower NOx emissions, which in turn means you pay less tax when buying and running one.

4x4 Scene Dec.indd 13

Aiways U5 Alfa Romeo Tonale Alpina XB7 Audi Q2 Audi Q4 e-tron Audi Q5 facelift BMW iX3 Bollinger B1 Bollinger B2 Cupra Formentor Ford Mustang Mach-E Ford Ranger Hyundai Tucson Hyundai Tucson PHEV INEOS Grenadier Jaguar F-Pace PHEV Jeep Jeep Cherokee Desert Hawk Jeep Grand Commander Jeep Compass 4xe Jeep Grand Wagoneer Kia Kia Sorento PHEV Land Rover Defender 130 Land Rover Defender EV Maserati Mercedes-Benz EQB Mitsubishi Outlander Nissan Ariya Peugeot 3008 facelift Peugeot 5008 facelift Pininfarina Pininfarina Porsche Cayenne GTS Renault Arkana Rivian R1T Rivian R1s Skoda Enyaq iV SsangYong Korando EV Suzuki Across Tesla Cybertruck Tesla Model X Tri-Motor Tesla Model Y Torsus Terrastorm Toyota Highlander Toyota Hilux facelift Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid Toyota Yaris Cross Vauxhall Mokka Volkswagen Amarok Volkswagen Golf Alltrack Volkswagen ID.4 Volvo XC40 PHEV Volvo XC40 P8 EV

Electric SUV Small SUV Performance SUV Small SUV Electric SUV Medium SUV Electric SUV Electric off-roader Electric pick-up Performance SUV Electric SUV Pick-up Medium SUV Hybrid SUV Off-roader Hybrid SUV Small SUV Performance Off-Roader Large SUV Hybrid SUV Luxury SUV Crossover EV Hybrid SUV Off-roader Electric off-roader Medium SUV Electric SUV Medium SUV Electric SUV Small SUV Medium SUV Electric sports SUV Electric luxury SUV Performance SUV Coupe-SUV Electric pick-up Electric large SUV Electric SUV Electric SUV Medium SUV Electric Pick-Up Electric SUV Medium SUV Off-road van Large SUV Pick-up Medium SUV Small SUV Small SUV Pick-up Crossover Electric SUV Hybrid SUV Electric SUV

Late 2020 November December October 2020 2021 Autumn June 2021 2020 2021 Late 2020 October 2022 Late 2020 Early 2021 Late 2021 Spring 2021 2021 Summer 2021 2021 2022 2021 Early 2021 March 2021 2023 2021 Early 2021 October Spring 2021 January 2021 January 2021 2022 2023 Late Summer July 2021 Spring 2022 Summer 2022 Spring 2021 2021 Late 2020 Late 2022 Early 2021 October Autumn 2020 Early 2021 November October Early 2021 April 2021 2022 Early 2021 Late 2020 October Early 2021

DECEMBER 2020 | 13

02/11/2020 23:25

RIGHTS OF WAY

High Court dismisses anti-4x4 fanatics’ attempt to overturn Lake District National Park Authority’s decision not to close sustainable rights of way

T

wo precious rights of way in the Lake District will remain open to 4x4s – after a prominent anti-vehicle group failed in its attempt to overturn the National Park Authority’s decision not to close them.

The Green Lanes Environmental Action Movement (GLEAM) brought a judicial review challenging the LDNPA’s decision not to impose Traffic

Regulation Orders on Tilberthwaite Lane and High Oxen Fell. This was heard in the High Court in June.

A fanatical organisation whose lobbying was behind the anti-democratic manoeuvrings at the heart of the 2006 NERC Act, which wreaked inestimable damage on the countryside, GLEAM sought to overturn the LDNPA’s decision on three grounds.

Broadly, these were that it had made

errors in the TRO process and had failed to properly apply the Sandford Principle – which says that where irreconcilable conflict exists between conservation and public enjoyment, conservation should take priority.

Approaching three months after the hearing, Mr Justice Dove published his judgement dismissing

GLEAM’s claim on all grounds. Thus the park’s decision stands, and the lanes remain open to all legal users.

Commenting on the judgement, the Green Lane Association said: ‘This is a very important case as it has implications in regards to how National Parks make decisions on matters where there is alleged conflict between recreational activities and environmental interests.’

Quoting the support of various self-interest groups and other anti-vehicle organisations, GLEAM endeavoured to shrug off the failure of its court action by saying: ’This does not affect the validity of GLEAM’s central claim, that off-roading on two fell tracks near Little Langdale is environmentally and socially unacceptable.’

The organisation’s Chairman, Mike Bartholemew, said: ‘Off-roading in Little Langdale is damaging the natural beauty of this part of the National Par. The LDNPA is refusing to stop the damage, even though it has ample powers to do so.’

Save the Lake District, another anti-vehicle organisation, added: ‘The current Coronavirus crisis has made it clear beyond doubt just how precious the landscapes of all the national parks are and how questionable is the unrestricted use of motor vehicles on fell tracks.’ The organisation did not expand on what it believes the disease has to do with rights of way.

Tilberthwaite Lane was closed in the second half of 2018 for a major resurfacing project. It has since reopened and is now passable by almost any vehicle. High Oxen Fell (right) is a superb, moderately technical trail. In each case, responsible 4x4 use creates no conflict at all with other users – except those with an agenda or who refuse to share the countryside

4x4 Scene Dec.indd 14

02/11/2020 23:26

RIGHTS OF WAY

Green Lane Association calls for voluntary code of conduct to save Poorton Drove from destruction by irresponsible drivers

POORTON DROVE IS A sunken lane near the hamlet of Loscombe in Dorset. Its character comes from centuries of use, which have seen it become eroded into a gully – a process which started hundreds of years before the invention of the motor vehicle.

That’s no excuse for anti-social behaviour by 4x4 drivers, however – and, as is so often the case, the actions of the selfish few are threatening to ruin things for everybody else.

‘I first drove this unsurfaced road about 14 years ago,’ says Rob Elliott, Dorset Rep for the Green Lane Association. ‘From day one, I have always advocated dry use and driven it in a northeast to southwest direction to preserve the surface. The only time I would drive in the opposite (uphill) direction is when it’s bone dry, usually in the middle of summer.’

The lane’s surface is particularly delicate, and vulnerable to damage by the sort of reckless abuse which, we might as well recognise, does go on. ’It must be preserved through conscientious use,’ explains Rob. ’To this end, I have intentionally avoided publicising its whereabouts or allowed it to be known outside a very small circle of trusted friends and colleagues.

‘Except in recent years it has become more widely known via social media and through its inclusion within a publicised green lane route made available by another group unconnected to GLASS.’ In general, wider knowledge about lanes’ location and status is a good thing, because under-use is a much more common problem than overuse. But reckless and selfish use is the biggest problem of all – and sure enough, Poorton Drove has started to suffer.

‘After receiving complaints from local residents about the condition of the lane and antisocial behaviour by recreational motorists after dark, I decided to look on foot,’ continues Rob. ‘It was certainly a long, steep walk to the top, made difficult by some of the rutting to the lane surface.’

It was worth the effort, though, allowing Rob to ‘empathise and see the situation from another user group’s perspective.’ Visiting the site also confirmed that the erosion is not solely down to 4x4 use, as it’s centre line of the lane which has become most heavily eroded by water runoff.

‘The steep gradient means water will always run fast and erode the soft sandstone,’ says Rob. ’There has always been a bit of a V-gully in the middle which was likely caused initially by hoof erosion from the equine community.’

Rob notes that horses can no longer use the lane as this gully has become too deep.

‘The rate of erosion has certainly accelerated in recent years,’ he continues. ‘It may also be attributed to an increase in trail bike usage, as there is plenty of evidence of a disturbed surface in the central V-gulley of the lane from spinning Enduro tyres.

4x4 Scene Dec.indd 15

‘This loosens the top few millimetres of the soft surface. Then it rains and the dirt washes away in what has now become a self-perpetuating cycle of erosion.’

In addition, rabbit activity is severely undermining the banks and exposing the root structures of large trees above the lane. ‘It is only a matter of time before there is a big landslip into the lane and it will probably become permanently blocked as has happened to the neighbouring UCR to the south, comments Rob. ‘I feel that there is an ever-present risk to personal safety from this and would urge users to be mindful and exercise caution when driving the lane, especially as the soil structure in the area is very similar to that of the nearby Beaminster Tunnel – where two people were killed in July 2012 when their car was buried by a landslip.’

It might sound as if Rob is proposing an end to all motor vehicle use, but he doesn’t believe that’s necessary. However the lane clearly does need to be treated better than it has been by some (ab)users recently.

‘The lane still retains its immense character,’ he goes on, ‘and we should all do our best to preserve it as best we can by adopting a conscientious attitude of due diligence and demonstrating a duty of care to the lane and respect to the local residents.

‘The inhabitants of Loscombe are getting understandably agitated about what is becoming regular night-time use. Their houses are right on the edge of the lane, so an unsilenced engine really reverberates through the walls after 11pm. As much as we have a right to drive this unsurfaced road, the residents also have a right to a quality of life undisturbed by antisocial use.’

Rob is therefore proposing the following code of conduct on the lane, with immediate effect: • Adopt a one-way system, driving only in a northeast to southwest (downhill) direction to minimise erosion • Keep to a 5mph speed limit, or 10mph for motorcycles.

• Comply with a reasonable request from local residents to use this lane during daylight hours only • Only drive the lane when the surface conditions are dry or slightly damp, never when wet ‘We (GLASS) are making massive progress in Dorset by becoming widely known as the “better green laners”, says Rob. ‘We simply cannot allow our good reputation to be lost!

‘I am extremely concerned that this lane will suffer the same fate as Hell Lane at Chideock by becoming another victim of overuse – with a resultant hate campaign against recreational vehicle use by local residents. Please can we all do our bit to save Poorton Drove by changing how we use it… or risk losing it altogether.’

DECEMBER 2020 | 15

02/11/2020 23:30

RIGHTS OF WAY

Repairs finally underway on Bamford Clough after legal pressure from Green Lane Association prompts Derbyshire County Council to end seven years of neglect

T

he long-running saga of neglect on a popular Derbyshire right of way appears finally to be coming to an end. Bamford Clough, a steep but well surfaced lane between Hathersage and Castleton in the Peak District, was closed temporarily in 2013 – but hasn’t been open again since.

At the time of the closure, Derbyshire County Council said the closure was required for safety reasons because of a dangerous cable beneath the road surface which had become exposed by erosion.

Few people would argue against an emergency closure being necessary in such circumstances – however since then, the temporary closure orders have been routinely renewed on a rolling basis, suggesting that nothing has actually been done to repair the right of way.

During this time, the Peak District National Park has continued to wage a war against vehicular rights of way in Derbyshire. The county was already notoriously anti-4x4 prior to the PDNPA’s guerrilla campaign against freedom, which

has so far vandalised public access to Washgate Lane, Stanage Edge, Roych Clough, Brushfield, Chapel Gate and more.

This piecemeal attack on rights of way has come alongside a total refusal to engage with vehicle users’ organisations – something which is also apparent in the way the Green Lane Association’s attempts to find a solution to the Bamford Clough stalemate have been relentlessly ignored by the local authority.

‘Earlier this year, after many polite enquiries had failed to elicit any progress, GLASS formally objected to the Secretary of State about the proposed further extension of the TTRO in July this year,’ explains Derbyshire Rep Chris Mitchell. ‘GLASS also served a Section 56 notice and solicitor’s letter to Derbyshire County Council stating that Bamford Clough was out of repair, and requiring DCC to confirm that they are responsible for its maintenance.’

Why it took a legal approach to force the authority’s hand is anyone’s guess. But with its back now against the wall, DCC responded with confirmation that it is indeed

responsible. Not that this was in any doubt, however the formal consequence of this is that unless repairs are carried out within six months, GLASS can apply to the Magistrates’ Court to enforce the notice.

‘I am pleased to advise that DCC agreed to commence work in August on the repairs to Bamford Clough,’ reports Chris. Cue the sound of celestial fanfares and choirs of angels.

The work will be carried out in two phases, with a pause in between to

get the worst of winter out of the way and allow consultation with affected parties. The first part of the programme, to the lower part of the route, is scheduled to be completed by the time you read this, while the second will be completed in the spring of 2021.

While this is promising, given the climate of official hostility towards motor vehicle users in this area nothing can be taken for granted.

‘GLASS local foot-soldiers will continue to monitor DCC’s repair activities on the route,’ noted Chris.

‘And if it appears that work is not progressing satisfactorily, we will escalate the Section 56 notice to the Magistrates’ Court.’

Bamford Clough runs close to houses at its southern end, and the potential for disturbance by irresponsible use does have to be acknowledged. For supposedly safety-critical repairs to be so wilfully neglected is clearly a nonsense, however – especially when seen in the light of a strategic, long-term campaign of aggression and abuse towards responsible motor vehicle users which has blighted the Peak District over a period of many years.

Thanks to the diligence of the Green Lane Association, it appears that 4x4 drivers will soon be able to once again enjoy the beautiful vistas across the Hope Valley from the top of Bamford Clough. But in spite of this success, the overall view in the Peak District as a whole will remain as ugly as ever.

16 | DECEMBER 2020

Scene Dec.indd 16

02/11/2020 23:26

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23/11/2017 11:15

CALENDAR KEY

P Off-Road Playday

G Green Lane Convoy Tour

A Overseas Adventure Travel

S 4x4 Show

Important: In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, most green laning and adventure travel companies have redrawn their calendars from scratch. As a result, some of the information on these pages will inevitably be out of date. In addition, some dates are for rearranged tours which had to be cancelled this year and which may already be full. Most operators are still prioritising existing clients over new business; some are yet to start accepting new bookings. While we do go to great lengths to ensure that our 4x4 Calendar is accurate and up to date, it is essential to check with the site, operator and/or organiser that events are still going ahead. Even without a pandemic to deal with, events are always prone to being rearranged, sometimes at very short notice, so this advice will always apply – we accept no liability for the consequences of any inaccuracies in this information.

31 October

9-13 November

29 November

13 December

Adventure Tours G Green Shrophsire / Welsh Borders UK Landrover Events G North York Moors (night run)

G Ardventures Coast to Coast

Off Roaders P Burnham Tring, Hertfordshire Leisure P Cowm Whitworth, Lancashire P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs P Protrax Tixover, Northamptonshire Valley 4x4 P Thames Oxley Shaw, Berkshire Landrover Events G UKNorthumberland

Without a Club P 4x4 Aldermaston, Berkshire Rochford and District 4x4 P Essex, Rayleigh, Essex P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire P Protrax Tixover, Northamptonshire Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex

31 October –1 November Road Adventure Travel G Off Wales and Tracks G Trails York Moors and Dales

1 November Adventure P Avalanche Sibbertoft, Northamptonshire P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire Wood P Picadilly Bolney, West Sussex P Protrax Tixover, Northamptonshire

15 November Off Road P Explore Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire Landrover Events G UKYorkshire Dales

20 December

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

3-17 December

21 November

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

Off Road P Explore Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire

5 December

24 December

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Salisbury Plain

Events G UKLakeLandrover District

15-29 November

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Dartmoor Green Adventure Tours G Shrophsire / Welsh Borders

7 November

21-22 November

5-6 December

26 December

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Mid-Wales

G Protrax Wiltshire

G Protrax Wales

7-8 November

22 November

6 December

Overland G Atlas Wessex Protrax G Wales and Tracks G Trails Cumbria, Eden and Yorks Dales

4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex Landrover Events G UKDurham Dales

8 November

27 November

Without a Club P 4x4 Aldermaston, Berkshire Pit P Devil’s Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire Rochford and District 4x4 P Essex, Rayleigh, Essex 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire 4x4 P Parkwood Tong, Bradford Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex

Adventure Tours G 4x4 East Devon

Pit P Devil’s Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire 4x4 P Parkwood Tong, Bradford Wood P Picadilly Bolney, West Sussex Events G UKLakeLandrover District

Without a Club P 4x4 Aldermaston, Berkshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs Landrover Events G UKTynedale

18 | DECEMBER 2020

Scene Dec.indd 18

28 November Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

28-29 November Adventure Tours G 4x4 South Devon

12-13 December Adventure Tours G 4x4 Wye Valley G Trailmasters Wales

27 December Adventure Tours G 4x4 Bath Leisure P Cowm Whitworth, Lancashire Hill’n’Ditch P Mouldsworth, Cheshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs Protrax P Tixover, Northamptonshire Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex Valley 4x4 P Thames Slab Common, Hampshire

4x4 02/11/2020 23:26

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13-24 February 2021

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A Ardventures Galicia

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6-25 March 2021

7-16 June 2021

A Protrax Morocco

4x4 Adventures A Active Pyrenees

26 March – 11 April 2021

9-23 June 2021

A

A

Ardventures Morocco

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A Ardventures Pyrenees

3-20 April 2021

19 June – 4 July 2021

A

A

21-27 June 2021

A Morocco

A Landtreks French Pyrenees

18 April 2021

21 June – 1 July

S

A

Great British Land Rover Show Newark, Nottinghamshire

9-24 July 2021

A Trailmasters Morocco Marrakesh

A Ardventures Balkans

22 April – 6 May 2021

10-24 July 2021

A

A

12-18 July 2021

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A Landtreks Pyrenees

3-12 May 2021

19-28 July 2021

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02/11/2020 23:26

Ardve Galici

PRODUCTS

4x4 Overlander brings Autohome range of roof tents back to UK

I

talian roof tent specialist Autohome has a new importer in the UK. The company, whose tents are offered as OEM accessories by a variety of manufacturers including Mini and Land Rover, is now working with Halifax-based 4x4 Overlander – which offers its products both for sale and for hire.

4x4 Overlander is already a stockist for Maggiolina, so the company knows its tents. It says it receives regular shipments from its suppliers, so any out-of-stock items can be sourced promptly.

Adding Autohome to its repertoire was a no-brainer as this is a roof tent brand whose heritage goes all the way back to 1958. In that time, it has spread into new markets such as the United States, Australia, Japan and South Africa and, it says, become ‘the most famous Italian brand in the world of design and production of roof tents.’

Today, Autohome offers no less than seven different models of

tent, as well; as well as 60 kinds of equipment and a wide range of accessories, allowing you ‘to turn adventure and vacation in freedom into a real lifestyle.’ The company is proud of the fact that its entire range continues to be made 100% in Italy, with no commercial business or production based outside the country. To translate, it hasn’t been lured into saving money by moving its production eastwards to that well known land of factories making rubbish knock-offs.

‘We have always been number one,’ says Autohome. ‘Not by

chance. Because of our combination of imagination and “Made in Italy” quality. The result is our roof tent – the first, the original and still the biggest seller.

‘Each Autohome tent is the product of our experience and the recommendations of adventure travellers. These two skills together have created the largest range of tents available. A catalogue that is constantly kept up to date to provide you with a tent that is perfect for your needs.’

The company promises that its tents are made using the best ma-

terials, with attention to every detail and under a strict quality control regime. To prove the point, they come with a five-year guarantee to back up their quality certification.

The aforementioned land of factories making rubbish knock-offs ensures that there are cheaper roof tents in the world. But if you ask absolutely anyone who knows about expedition prep, they’ll tell you that if you’re going to buy one, it’s a classic case of spend it once, spend it right.

And they don’t come much more right than this. To find out more, pay a visit to www.4x4overlander.com.

20 | DECEMBER 2020

Scene Dec.indd 20

02/11/2020 23:31

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DECEMBER 2020 | 21

03/11/2020 13:24:45

JUNE 2019 | 51

PRODUCTS

Lazer Lamps introduces fitting kits for new Defender hope, but it’s certainly good to know that they’ve got your back when it comes to not disfiguring the front of your very expensive new Defender with an ugly bodge job.

Appearance wise, the kits are designed to blend in with the vehicle’s styling, and as you’d expect they’re fully road-legal. They’re made in Britain, too, which is more than you can say about the Defender itself, and they come with a five-year warranty. You’ll find them at www. lazerlamps.com.

which Lazer says have been ’precision-engineered to engage perfectly with the standard lower grille on the vehicle, with added strength and security provided by the supplied self-tapping, anti-theft screws.’

The brackets are made from ASA material, chosen for its strength and UV stability. Lazer promises that they are fully weather and chemical resistant and will remain that way well into the future.

The kits also come with a set of cutting guides ‘designed to facilitate the installation and ensure a perfect fit every time.’

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The Defender kit, which is designed for MY20 vehicles onwards, comes complete with either a pair of Triple-R 750s or a single Triple-R 1250. That’s in addition to the necessary wiring and four brackets

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distances are reduced by 21%. This kit is suited for 18” wheels or larger. Further details available in store and on our website. Suits Ford Ranger PX & PXII Models.

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31/07/2020 11:17

4x4 02/11/2020 23:31

PRODUCTS

BRITPART ADDS NEW PORTABLE AIR COMPRESSORS TO EVER-GROWING ACCESSORY RANGE IF YOU’RE ON THE LOOKOUT for a portable air compressor, the new XS range from Britpart might fit the bill. Powered from your vehicle’s battery via a pair of heavy-duty clamps, these 12-volt units deliver up to 150psi, making them ideal for general everyday use.

There are two compressors in the range. The DA2354XS has a single pump and 40-amp output, with an air flow of 72 litres per minute. The DA2392XS, meanwhile, which is pictured right, has dual pumps and puts out 50 amps, giving it an air flow of 150 litres per minute.

In each case, the compressors have a 10-metre air hose, integrated sand tray and anti-vibration rubber feet, and the gauge and brass fittings are all heavy-duty. The single-pump unit has longer battery cables, at three metres compared to just the two, however the bigger double-pump job has an automatic cut-off function to prevent overheating.

In each case, the maximum duty cycle is 30 minutes at 22°C and 40psi.

Supplied in a moulded carry case, these compressors start at about £70 for the single-pump unit. They’re available from Britpart dealers; head to www.britpart.com to find the nearest to you.

4x4 Scene Dec.indd 23

DECEMBER 2020 | 23

03/11/2020 09:54

PRODUCTS

RLG Tyres

Tyres cheap. Not cheap tyres!!

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Main supplier of and all major 4x4 tyres

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Workshop: 01435 830664 Mobile: 07710 372672 Email: chris@rlgtyres.co.uk

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FILTERS • DISCS • PADS • BELTS • CLUTCHES • TYRES • SNORKELS

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24 | DECEMBER 2020

Scene Dec.indd 24

Nightsearcher’s i-Spector Pocket LED torch proves small is beautiful WE FEATURED NIGHTSEARCHER’S Tri-Spector workshop lighting kit in a previous issue, and in case you missed it we were highly impressed. But much as we’re suckers for big stuff, we like the company’s much smaller i-Spector Pocket unit too.

This is smaller because, surprise surprise, it’s designed to go in your pocket. Measuring about 7.5” in length, it contains two LED lights – a narrowbeam torch on its end and a wide-beam strip light in its face.

These give it remarkable flexibility, with the narrow torch beam delivering 120 lumens. In wide-beam mode, meanwhile, you get a choice of two outputs – 110 or 350 lumens, with the latter capable of being seen from space.

A 1100mAh li-ion battery, which charges to full from empty in three hours using the supplied USB cable, provides up to five and a half hours’ running time. Even with the 350-lumen monster blazing away continuously, it’s still good for 90 minutes, and if you need that much light for that long you really need to be investing in a more permanent source. Nightsearcher will be happy to help, obv…

As it is, the i-Spector Pocket is a sturdy little unit whose body is resistant to the sort of solvents and chemicals typically found in a workshop. It comes with a belt clip and is also magnetic, allowing you to pop it on to the underside of your truck while you’re working on it – assuming you can find metal through all the mud, of course.

The i-Spector Pocket is available through a wide variety of retailers at a wide variety of prices. There’s no need to spend more than £30 to put one in your own pocket, and we think that’s cracking value for money.

MILNER OFF-ROAD EXPANDS OWN-BRAND RANGE OF RAISED AIR INTAKES MILNER OFF-ROAD has added various new fitments to its popular ownbrand range of snorkels. These are now available for the 3.2-litre Mitsubishi Shogun as well as KDJ (120-Series) and 80-Series Toyota Landcruiser.

The company calls its snorkels ‘an excellent addition to the wading kit for your off road vehicle, or to just enhance its looks.’ The top of the unit can be rotated for a forward or rearfacing air intake, and snorkels are supplied with all fittings and step-by-step instructions.

To find out more, just pay a visit to www. milneroffroad.com.

4x4 02/11/2020 23:31

PRODUCTS

A sanitary experience for your air-con

S

anitiser’ is one of THOSE words. It’s like ‘broadband,’ or ‘brexit,’ or ‘Daenerys Targaryen’ – nobody used it last year, but now it’s practically become something people call their babies.

The good news is that unlike Daenerys Targaryen, or indeed broadband (we’ll leave you to decide for yourself on brexit), sanitiser almost certainly won’t start by promising to liberate us then turn out to be the worst thing that ever happened to the world after all. In this, it’s like air-conditioning.

So Autoglym’s new Air-Con Sanitiser is pretty much win-win stuff, then. The company describes it as ‘a deadly new weapon against micro-organisms lurking in the inaccessible areas of your vehicle’s air conditioning system,’ which sounds good.

Unless you’re a micro-organism, of course, but if you are and you’re able to read this we’ve got a far bigger problem coming up.

Delivered via an aerosol spray that gets it into every corner of the vehicle’s air-con system, the product conforms to EN 1276 bactericidal standards and EN 14476 virucidal standards, it sez ‘ere. This means it will kill 99.999% of harmful micro-organisms, including enveloped viruses such as flu and coronavirus (you knew that was coming, didn’t you?), leaving ‘nothing but a clean and fresh citrus scent.’

SPECIALIST 4X4 VEHICLE DISMANTERS JEEP - LAND ROVER SPECIALIST 4X4 VEHICLE DISMANTERS AND MOST MAKES AND MODELS JEEP LAND ROVER QUALITY GUARANTEED USED PARTS AND MOST MAKES AND MODELS QUALITY GUARANTEED PARTS SOME OF THE VEHICLESUSED WE HAVE RECENTLY DISMANTLED: SOME OF THE VEHICLES WE HAVE RECENTLY DISMANTLED:

20012015 JEEPJEEP WRANGLER JK CHEROKEE XJ 2.8CRD

2015 JEEP WRANGLER JK 2.8CRD

You knew that was coming, too.

It’s always citrus. Someone really should tell these people how much everyone loves the smell of bacon.

Autoglym Air-Con Sanitiser costs £16 for a bottle and takes only 20 minutes to do its thing on board your vehicle. Leaving you free to explore the lanes free of the worry that your truck’s vents might be pumping coronavirus straight at you… while also perhaps wondering how on earth it would get there in the first place. For that lemony fresh scent, and a healthier in-car environment all round (but no bacon, sorry), head on over to www.autoglym.com.

THE DASHBOARD BUDDY is part of the Navigator range of camping gear now available through Britpart. Measuring 240 x 170mm, it attaches to your dashboard using Velcro and provides a place to store sunglasses, tissues, pans, receipts and mobile phones.

Particularly handy if your vehicle is the kind that’s painfully short of places to stash such things, you’d tend to think. You’ll find it at www. britpart.com.

4x4 Scene Dec.indd 25

2007 DODGE 2018 JEEP NITRO 2.8CRD RENEGADE 2007 DODGE NITRO 2.8CRD

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DECEMBER 2020 | 25

02/11/2020 23:31

DRIVEN

JEEP RENEGADE 4XE LIMITED Jeep’s first hybrid is a very well considered take on its most successful European model of all time.

And the Renegade 4xe is more than just a cheaper model to run, too…

JEEP MIGHT BE DEFINED for many by the Wrangler, and therefore by the fact that it’s one of the few companies left still making ‘real’ 4x4s. But the Renegade is the most successful vehicle it has ever sold in the UK – and while it may be a soft-roader by comparison, it’s still available in forms which wipe the floor with the competition off-road.

For this reason alone, the Renegade is an SUV worthy of note. Especially now – because with the arrival of the new 4xe model it has become Jeep’s first hybrid.

The 4xe is powered by a 1.3-litre petrol engine mated to a 60bhp electric motor located just ahead of the rear axle. The latter can be charged regeneratively while driving or by plugging it into the mains when parked – meaning genuine zero-emissions capacity when used correctly for short journeys.

By ‘short’ we mean 26 miles, which is the vehicle’s range in full EV mode. This covers the typical commute or school run – and you can also set the vehicle to conserve its battery for the urban roads that often come at the end of a long motorway journey, allowing you to make the most of its charge.

On top of the power available from the electric motor, the 4xe’s petrol engine is available with a choice of two power outputs. Longitude and Limited models have a combined

The Renegade’s cabin has a snug, well made feel to it, with lots of light and a layout that’s pleasing to look at. The addition of hybrid propulsion does nothing to diminish this; the buttons controlling it are located rather inconveniently, but that doesn’t detract from an excellent all-round layout

26 | DECEMBER 2020

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4x4 31/10/2020 14:37

All models get an 8.4” infotainment screen which, as well as myriad other functions, acts as a monitor for the hybrid system. It’s clear and easy to understand, much like the rest of the vehicle

system output of 190bhp, while the range-topping Trailhawk, which comes with extra off-road hardware, pushes this to 240bhp.

Torque outputs, meanwhile, are 199lbf.ft at 1850rpm for the petrol engine and 184lbf.ft from 0rpm for the electric motor. However you look at it, that’s a quick car – and one which, when taken off-road, should have more than enough to keep it moving forward wherever the power’s coming from.

This does come at a price, which is approximately £5000. That’s the difference between a 4xe Renegade and the conventionally engined equivalent. As always, you would have to do a fair few miles to claw back the extra – however with Jeep anticipating a major increase in business use as a result of the new model, the vast majority of drivers are likely to be interested only in how much less tax they’re paying.

We’ll be testing the Trailhawk in a subsequent issue, but with precious little opportunity to go off-road on a saturated UK launch event we chose to try the mid-range Limited – which is likely to attract the highest volume of sales. Its on the road price is £34,500; ours had a few options bumping it up to £37,100.

Standard equipment on all 4xe Renegades includes a low-range gearbox, which is particularly pleasing to see. You get a wide range of safety kit, too, which is equally pleasing, as well as plenty of toys – dual-zone climate, heated seats and an 8.4” infotainment screen running DAB, sat-nav and phone mirroring are all standard on this model. The 4xe also gets a 7” instrument cluster monitoring the condition of the hybrid system, which is standard across the range.

Beyond this, it’s not unlike being in any other current Renegade. Which is to say that it’s comfortable and spacious, with plenty of light (aided here by an optional panoramic sunroof) and a sound feeling of quality that represents a step forward from Jeeps of a generation or two back. Its design is slick and very likeable, with generally good, usable ergonomics; the switchgear for the hybrid system and transmission is buried at the bottom of the central facia, however, right in front of the gear selector, which isn’t great for either seeing or operating it.

There’s adequate space in the rear seats for children of most ages and, at a pinch, adults, and these drop down to create a decent load space that’s accessed through an impressively big, square tailgate aperture. We’d like to see the seats dropping closer to flat, but at least there’s no lip to battle with when you’re sliding stuff into place.

On the road, the Renegade rides quite firmly but without any harshness through its suspension.

We never found it wanting for grip on what were some very, very wet corners; on the contrary, it felt sharp and lively at the front, with responsive steering and good, taut body control.

A feature of the 4xe is that in EV mode, only the rear wheels are being driven. This sounds like a recipe for entertainment, and that’s how it works out – it almost feels like you’ve got rear-wheel steering on the go at times, but with more zest. Even in hybrid mode, you can feel the back end pushing you through corners, which adds a level of enjoyment to the vehicle’s dynamics over and above what was already there.

4x4 Road Tests Dec.indd 27

It’s quick, too. With the heft of the electric motor’s torque at your back, not to mention 190bhp, it pulls very willingly – and extremely quietly, even when the petrol engine is engaged. Having said that,you can push it a remarkably long way before the engine cuts in.

We did find that at times, the engine would come in with a harsh sounding gale of revs. That seemed to be in response to us pushing the E-Save button at the wrong time, though, so it’s not something for which we’d mark the vehicle down. And the engine is impressively quiet on the motorway, even when it’s doing all the work – though it would have to raise its voice to be heard above the road noise you get at speeds like this.

Despite the awful conditions, we did manage to do a little very limited off-roading in our 4xe. What we found was that with the transmission in low range, the level of traction available on wet grass was better than we dared hope – even on steep ground capable of raising a wheel into the air. The 235/50R18 tyres on our Limited model are clearly, well, limited in what they can do off-road, but even then our Renegade showed an admirable level of ability – certainly, more than enough to suggest that the Trailhawk, which carries Jeep’s Trail-Rated badge of authenticity, will be a genuine contender in the rough.

That’s something we’ll be able to investigate in the near future. For now, the Renegade 4xe Limited has done enough to suggest that Jeep’s first foray into the hybrid world is going to turn out to be a very successful one. If you’re after a plug-in SUV with real ability over a wide range of areas, Jeep’s latest has got to be on your list.

DECEMBER 2020 | 27

31/10/2020 14:37

DRIVEN

LEXUS UX 250H F SPORT You might question the styling of Lexus’ smallest-yet SUV, but it’s every bit as elegant and well appointed as it is eye-catching

LEXUS CONTENTED ITSELF with just the one SUV for a very long time.

But having added the NX to the long-running RX in 2014, it obviously decided it liked the idea of having a range – and so here we have the latest, and smallest, vehicle of its kind from the Japanese masters of keeping the customer satisfied.

That’s exactly what you can expect the UX to do. As is the norm with SUVs of this size, four-wheel drive is not standard, and as is the norm with Lexus it’s petrol-electric hybrid power all-round. The petrol part is a 2.0-litre unit with 150bhp; it’s boosted to 181bhp by the electric side, and it won’t surprise you to learn that the results are very refined indeed.

Seasoned Lexus-watchers will know it’s business as usual when we say the cabin is exceptionally well put together, too. There’s no creaking or excess movement from anything, anywhere in the cabin, and the materials give it a feeling of quality that runs deep. If there’s a criticism, it’s that the layout and styling are kind of conservative, but this doesn’t detract from the air of class.

There driving position is excellent, with plenty of room to stretch out in all directions, and the seat itself is nice and comfortable. The F Sport model tested here had part-leather upholstery with suede-effect backs and bases, which works as a combination as there’s no danger of sliding around in corners.

There’s not much chance of that in the back, either, though in this case that’s because you’re more likely to be wedged in. We found that you can fit one six-footer behind another if the driver moves his seat as far forward as he can tolerate, but in all honesty you’re better leaving the back to kids.

Headroom here is better than expected, nonetheless, so for occasional four-up duties the UX is, if hardly a first choice, certainly usable enough.

It’s decent at carrying luggage, too, thanks to rear seats which fold completely flat. The resulting loadspace floor has a step DOWN in it, which is something we’ve never seen before – presumably it’s a consequence of the boot floor being unusually high thanks to the batteries for the hybrid system being housed below it.

There’s also a hidden luggage compartment under there, which is handy.

You can get SUVs that are better at turning into pretend vans, and others that are better at housing people, but the UX is a very tidy all-rounder

28 | DECEMBER 2020

Road Tests Dec.indd 28

whose general family-car abilities illustrate that it’s more than just a premium style wagon.

You just need to drive it to know that, too. There’s loads of pull throughout the hybrid system’s rev range, and it switches between petrol and electric power absolutely seamlessly. You get a little road noise at low speeds, but that apart it’s very, well, Lexus.

Ride quality is good, too. Again, very Lexus. It’s a touch nervous on the worst roads, even with the drive dial in Eco mode, but by the same token it doesn’t become harsh even with Sport Plus engaged. Body control is good at all times, as is grip – the majority of these vehicles will be frontwheel drive only, but from what we’ve seen they’re just as good as a 4x4 at holding what was, during our test drive, not so much a road as a river.

If you think that’s going to be our cue to tell you about the UX’s off-road ability, think again. That’s not what it’s about at all. Rather, it’s a very agile SUV which feels brisk, light and easy to control. The 4x4 model will have all the sure-footedness you need for loose track work, but ground clearance and articulation are not what it’s about.

Prices for the UX start at £29,905 on the road, which sounds pretty appealing for a Lexus – especially as entry level models are hardly short of kit, in particular getting almost all the same safety equipment as the rest of the range. The F Sport model here lists at £33,905, all-wheel drive (which is available with every trim level) comes in at £36,105 and by the time you’ve hit the ceiling you’ve reached £41,155.

That’s good money for a small SUV, but pretty attractive for a premium car of almost any kind these days. The UX might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but if you’re in the market for a vehicle like this you shouldn’t forget about it – because if you want a modestly sized family wagon with real premium quality, there’s more than enough about it to ensure the usual suspects don’t have it all their own way.

4x4 31/10/2020 14:37

FORD TOURNEO CUSTOM ACTIVE Ford’s Transit-based people carrier gains a raft of SUV-inspired styling cues – plus the option of a sticky front diff to give it the ability to go with its looks

OFF-ROADERS TEND TO LIKE big stuff. We admire huge military 8x8s, we want to put bigger tyres on everything we own and we strive to be the guy with the most enormous winch in the club. If we have to have something sensible as a daily drive, we want it to be a big estate rather than a dinky hatchback.

People carriers are a different matter, though. If what you really want is to be driving a big old Disco or Land Cruiser, the thought of putting your family in a Galaxy or Alhambra instead is apt to make you feel queasy. But an MPV based on a full-sized van… that’s a bit different. Because, when all’s said and done, they’re not just big. They’re REALLY big.

They’re also available, in some cases, with four-wheel drive. The VW Caravelle 4Motion even has a locking rear diff, and we all love a bit of that.

The new Tourneo Custom Active is Ford’s response. It’s a Transit-sized people carrier with SUV-inspired styling, and it comes with the option of a limited-slip front diff (a proper mechanical one) to give it enough traction for mild off-road work. No, that’s not four-wheel drive – but it could certainly be argued that for the level of terrain you can honestly expect to be tackling in a vehicle with the Tourneo’s proportions and ground clearance, two driven wheels and a sticky diff is all you really need.

If you’re not familiar with the Tourneo Custom, it’s basically a Transit with a highly specced and extremely flexible interior. There are two seats

4x4 Road Tests Dec.indd 29

up front (and the driving position they provide is beyond belief, so good is the view ahead) and six in the back, each of which can be adjusted individually, folded, tumbled or removed altogether. The trim throughout is entirely car-like, but the space in the cabin is on a different level to, well, more or less anything.

What the Active model does with this is add a shake of SUV spice. The lower body is clad in grey panelling for that urban-tough look manufacturers like to go for, and it’s augmented by side steps that do a decent job of looking like nerf bars. The grille has a matt black finish to go with all this, and the package is topped off with a set of 17” dark alloys that are unique to the Active model.

If next-level off-road ability matters to you, all the looks, kit and interior space in the world won’t make a blind bit of difference. For typical family SUV buyers who like the image, this has the image in abundance. We’re off-roaders and we like big stuff, remember? And if you live a life with an above-average amount of unmade tracks and off-tarmac parking spaces in it, the extra traction you’ll get by specifying the Quaife front diff should be just enough to make the difference.

With a 2.0-litre mild-hybrid diesel engine putting down 185bhp and 306lbf.ft through a six-speed manual box, the Tourneo Custom Active has more than enough get up and go. You’re not going to get your hands on this much space without making compromises somewhere, obviously – but while it can’t disguise the fact that deep down, yes, it is indeed a van, so long as you don’t bring unreasonable expectations to the table it’s more than acceptable to drive. Changing gear is smoothness itself, and you can settle into a steady, wafty, long-armed steering technique and just enjoy being sat about six feet above everybody else.

The Tourneo Custom Active is priced from £45,540 plus VAT, with the Quaife diff adding another £660. There was a time when that would have sounded outrageous, but in today’s market it actually seems like decent value – especially when you consider that vehicles of this nature tend to hold their value much better than more conventional SUVs and people carriers. It’s a lot of car for your money – and a huge amount of space.

DECEMBER 2020 | 29

31/10/2020 14:37

DUAL PURPOSES

Words: Dan Fenn Pictures: Storm Jeeps

T

here’s always a debate in the Jeep Wrangler world about whether it’s better to start with a standard Sport or Sahara model and build it up yourself, or go with Jeep’s own hardcore spec with the Rubicon. You’ve got gold-standard off-road design and engineering either way, but here’s an example of the latter – a Rubicon that’s been modified to make the most of its already legendary terrain-taming skills.

30 | DECEMBER 2020

3pp Storm Rubicon.indd 30

It’s based on a 2017 four-door with the later 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine. Being a Rubicon, it came out of the factory on Dana 44 axles with 4.10:1 diffs and electronic lockers front and rear, as well as a 4.1:1 transfer case and electronic front anti-roll bar disconnects to free up as much as 25% extra articulation.

That’s a pretty outstanding start. The Rubicon is probably the world’s most capable off-the-shelf off-roader – and the less mods you’ve got to

make the better, so the theory goes, so it’s also an outstanding basis for a build.

And this is an outstanding build. It was done

by Storm Jeeps, and these are guys whose work doesn’t tend to be anything else.

Underneath, the Wrangler now rides on a 2.5” DualSport suspension set-up from AEV. There are much bigger lifts in the world, but this one was created and tuned to deliver impeccable road manners as well as enhanced behaviour in

4x4 31/10/2020 14:10

There are extreme off-road vehicles, and there are pavement princesses, and there’s everything in between. Built by Storm Jeeps, this Wrangler JKU Rubicon is the best of both worlds – thanks to a suspension system that promises impeccable road manners while also allowing the vehicle to run 35” tyres and take on the sort of the terrain in which Jeep’s most hardcore model was designed to excel extreme off-road situation. No small part of this is that it was fitted using geometry-correction brackets to maintain the axles’ original caster and camber angles.

Storm Jeeps points out an important aspect of the kit, too, which is that it promises to stay in trim in situations you didn’t mean to get yourself into – if you’ve ever experienced uncontrollable bump-steer or brake fade, or had a truck go rogue on you after a component failed without warning

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or stopped doing what it was meant to, you’ll know how important this is.

Equally important, let’s be real, is that this much lift allows a Wrangler to be shod with 35” tyres (35x12.50R17 Falken MTs in this case, on 17x8.5 ATX Ravine Wheels with a +10 offset). These look cool, give it yet more ability off-road and, most of all, look cool.

Keeping the big tyres in check is a heavy-duty steering damper from Old Man Emu. This was

mounted using a relocation bracket, positioning it higher up than standard to keep it further out of harm’s way.

And even with all this lift, all those tyres and all of Jeep’s engineering know-how by your side, protecting your investment is still a big deal with a build like this. Hence a set of heavy-duty steel bumpers from AEV, whose textured black powder-coated finish means they look just as cool as those big Falkens.

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The front bumper flows down into a steel skid plate, also from AEV, which helps prevent rock strikes on the steering and anti-roll bar. It has dedicated high-lift jacking points, too; this particular Wrangler doesn’t have a winch installed, but the bumper is set up to mount one.

At the rear, meanwhile, the AEV unit is paired up with a chassis-mounted swing-away spare wheel carrier. You wouldn’t believe the number of people who modify a vehicle to run bigger tyres but never give any thought as to where the spare’s going to go; this solution is rock-solid and free of vibration, which are two things you definitely want your mount to be when you’ve got 35” of premium rubberwear to look after.

That’s not it for the protection, either. Storm Jeeps fitted a set of AEV Dana 44 diffs covers to protect those valuable but vulnerable e-lockers, as well as automatically deployable heavy-duty side steps from Rock Slide engineering. These protect the sills and doors when the vehicle is being driven, then drop down to be used as running boards when the doors are opened.

You can already see the catch, right? What if you want to get out to check the terrain when

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you’re balanced on a set of rocks, and the steps mash themselves into one of them the moment you open your door?

They’ve thought of that. There’s a rocker switch on the dash to disable the system when you head off-road, so you can fire it up only when you need it to operate and carry on safe and sound the rest of the time.

Another kind of protection, and one that’s even more necessary, is a raised air intake from Safari Snorkel. You’d expect a petrol engine to have coughed out by the time the water gets this deep, but in a real-world expedition situation you can sink very fast – and if you’ve got your foot on the gas when it sucks in water, it’s curtains.

Also in the real world, a raised air intake helps prevent the engine from sucking in sand and dust kicked up by the vehicle ahead of you. If nothing else, this means you don’t have to clean out the filter housing as often, but we’re also taking about particles fine enough to make it through into the engine itself and over time this becomes an issue for its long-term health. In addition to the Safari Snorkel, the Wrangler is also fitted with raised diff and transfer case breathers, because being able to keep driving is all very well but if your moving parts are being lubricated (sic) by a solution of emulsified grease cut with mud and the occasional tadpole, you won’t keep driving for long.

Another popular accessory from ARB is an on-board air compressor. The Australian company sells these for use with its locking diffs – not necessary on this particular Jeep, of course, but a compressor is incredibly useful for airing your tyres back up when the off-roading is done for the day and you’re ready to hit the tarmac for the journey home.

Further additions in the Storm workshop included a set of Vision X Vortex LED headlights, finished in black chrome, which are road-legal and combine an extremely powerful main beam with a wide dip and 7” halo-style DRLs. Like those tyres, and indeed like the vehicle itself, they do their job very well while also looking supremely cool.

Vision X also supplied the fog lights, while the tail lights are from JW Speaker, and once again they’re both thoroughly fit for purpose and funky to look at. The same can be said of Rugged Ridge’s grille mesh and headlight guards, though it’s probably fair to say that the 2” receiver hitch Storm fitted at the back is just functional. There’s a bit of extra eye candy inside, though, in the shape of a Kenwood DAB headset with sat nav and a rear-view camera.

Considering the Rubicon already boasts an Alpine stereo system, it’s fair to say that this vehicle is quite well wired for sound. Add in the leather seats that come as standard, as well as cruise and climate control, and you’ve got a very civilised truck – and one which, will all these enhancements, is more than ready to glide across Europe, take on an overland adventure in Romania, Morocco or the Pyrenees, then whisk you home again to tell the tale.

There are more extreme Wranglers out there, both in terms of looks and hardcore ability. And it’s when you get into the realms of really serious rock crawling that the debate over whether or not to start with a Rubicon really kicks off. With this level of modifications, you’ve got a Wrangler that’s overwhelmingly fit for the job it was built to do – and which will stand out in any crowd. A fine example of what Storm Jeeps can do – and of what the Wrangler Rubicon can become.

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JeepChryslerParts.co.uk is an independent distributor and is not affiliated with FCA USLLC. Jeep® and Chrysler® are registered trademarks of FCA USLLC.

IN A CLASS 1 OF ITS

T

he phrase ‘grass-roots motorsport’ is one of the most over-used you’ll ever hear. Not only is it over-used, too, it’s normally thrown around with a truly ridiculous level of inaccuracy.

Kids in karts that cost more to buy and run than the family spends on its mortgage every year? That’s grass-roots, apparently. Banger racing in cars whose engines alone owe their drivers £20,000? Grass roots. Winching your way to Ultra4 glory with five grand’s worth of twintops at each end and a crate LS3 spinning 42” Trepador stickies at £450 a pop? We’re all for it, obviously, but it’s about as grass-roots as Lewis Hamilton’s motorhome.

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Likewise trialling can, towards the top of the sport, be very competitive and very, very expensive. But in its purest form, there can be few kinds of motorsport which more richly deserved to be called grass-roots.

First and foremost, trialling is the art of reading the ground. It’s what farmers used to do on Sunday mornings in their Austin Gypsies and Champs, Willys Jeeps and Series I Land Rovers.

There’s a classic image of a country gent, all tweed, britches and cloth cap, piloting his vehicle between canes while other identically clad country gents look on.

As with all motorsport, of course, the seasons roll by and people start tweaking their cars to

give them an edge. A softer set of springs here, a clapped-out set of shocks there, a twist of the fuel pump, a hairier set of tyres… it’s inevitable, and it starts a war.

The winner of that war is the person who holds his nerve. Not at the start line, or between the two and one gates at the end of a section, but in the workshop. The best car won’t win you squat if you’re a duffer, but get a set of reasonably well matched drivers and the finest margins of vehicle prep will make the world of a difference.

The vehicle you’re looking at here was, in its time, at the very top of the trials game. It was built

by Tony Parrott – a man who for many years was Technical Editor of this very magazine, and who

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OWN

There was a time when the pinnacle of off-road competition didn’t involve being able to winch yourself up a cliff face faster than most people drive on the way to work. Back in the heyday of Modified Vehicle Trialling, Class 1 motors were the most advanced extreme off-roaders around. And for many years, this was the one they were all trying to beat Words and Pictures: Mike Trott

Above: It doesn’t look spacious in here, and there’s a reason for that. When Tony built the trialler, he made the bulkhead 4” narrower than that of a regular Series I Land Rover – a massive undertaking, but something that helped give it a massive competitive advantage Below: The original fiddle brakes were based on a Hillman Imp pedal box. This has since been replaced by something more modern, but it was an early example of components from everyday cars being put to stunning use in dedicated off-road builds

had already by that time made the title of British Trials Champion his own.

Tony was the proprietor of No Problem 4x4, and his right-hand man in the workshop was Andy Walker – now part of the Alex Engineering family and still a keen competitor today. His trialling steed? Tony’s old motor.

The story goes back just over thirty years.

‘Back in 1989, I was already competing in a heavily modified V8 Series I 80” for the All Wheel Drive Club Trials Championship and doing quite well,’ recalls Tony. ‘I started building the new trialler whilst driving the old one and finished it in 1989.

‘It was very different to most vehicles out there, with the chassis and space frame designed

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The trialler had exactly the same 80” wheelbase as the Series I based hybrids that were all the rage back in the day. But that was as far as the resemblance went. Its chassis was made entirely from scratch using 100 x 50mm steel box; topped off by a six-point tubular cage, it’s bracketed down below for a Range Rover style suspension set-up using radius arms up front and an A-frame at the back. There have been various engines turning the wheels, all of them V8s (first from a Rover SD1, then a 3.9 EFi, and now there’s an SD1 unit in it again); they do so via a Series IIA gearbox, and the rear axle you’re looking at here is from a Series III. Noting that despite the chassis being 4” narrower than that of a standard Land Rover, and yet that the wheels don’t stick out like Charlie Chaplin’s boots, see if you can imagine the amount of work that went into the vehicle… and built by me and no Land Rover parts in the platform as such.’

No off-road machine of that era would be complete without some sort of Solihull-sourced mechanical pedigree thrown in, however. And more to the point, the AWDC’s technical regulations and competitive class structure were created around typical Land Rover engineering design.

Thus the wheelbase remained the same as Tony’s Series I, at 80” – however it was 4” narrower across the bulkhead.

The engine was a Rover V8 from an SD1, the gearbox from a Series IIA and the axles were units sourced from a Series III – then narrowed to suit the width of the bulkhead. Meanwhile, the suspension consisted of a heavily modified Range Rover system and the power steering was adopted from the same vehicle.

Tony elaborates further: ‘The trialler was built from 100mm x 50mm box section steel and was completely watertight. It was also designed with tabs welded in place, so that body panels could

be easily changed rather than having to risk major surgery.’

Of course, few inventions are perfect first time round and Tony’s trialler did encounter the odd teething problem. Besides having modified Range Rover propshafts and springs made separately, it ended up using the front shocks from a Range Rover on the rear and utilising Range Rover steering dampers for the shocks on the front.

‘Some more irregular components consisted of the pedal box from a Hillman Imp, a second

Above left: You’re not going to get very far in top-level trialling without having locking diffs in both axles. That’s because of motors like this which, back in the early days of the sport, showed the world how much of a difference they can make. There are various ways of achieving this, from simply welding your diffs up (good luck with the fiddle brakes in this case) to going the whole and installing a set of ARB Air-Lockers. As the compressor seen here suggests, that’s the route Tony took – and thousands of top-level instals later, the world continues to prove him right Above right: The trialler was built more than a decade before the Bronco Grizzly-Claw was invented, and here it is still going very strong indeed decades after it was disinvented again. Make of that what you will…

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one of which provided the components for the fiddle brakes, and the steering column was from a Morris Marina,’ smiles Tony. Perhaps more significantly, however, Tony’s trialler also had twin ARB Air-Lockers. And back in 1989, when Tony first rolled it out of the garage, it was finished in red and black.

So how did the new trialler fare against the Series I? ‘Before it even reached its first trial, I had it on its side,’ laughs Tony. ‘But when it came to competing, it was brilliant right out of the box.

A few things needed changing, but it was competitive right from the get-go and was really very, very good.

‘It was better all-round than the thing I had before – just as competitive, but easier to drive. The power steering and things like that really helped, but it was also much easier to maintain as well.

‘At that time, the AWDC was properly active – we were out twice a month. I don’t think anyone had spent that much money on something like that before.’

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Many victories and trophies fell Tony’s way. But in some ways, the trialler’s ability to win and the proficiency of Tony’s engineering only became apparent after it had moved on to new owners.

Joe Harrison was the next in line and he carried out a few modifications of his own. Along with installing an EFI engine and Salisbury axle, the vehicle was also given air-assisted suspension, while a second seat was added.

‘He won countless trophies with it, and numerous AWDC championships,’ says Tony. ‘No-one has owned it and not done very well.

‘Joe had it for about five years, before I had the opportunity to buy it back – and I did. It was not necessarily to go trialling with it, but I had a few engineering ideas I wanted to try out.’

Tony reverted to the original back axle and removed the air suspension Joe had fitted, then installed Range Rover swivels on the front axle and painted it all white. At the rear, another ARB Air-Locker was brought in to work alongside heavy-duty shafts, while the front used Ashcroft halfshafts with a Quaife LSD.

In reality, Tony did very few trials over the years that were to follow, with spare time simply being channelled into other commitments. Which is why, in around 2005, Andy Todd became the vehicle’s new owner.

‘He went on to win the All Wheel Drive Championship at least once,’ says Tony. ‘It carried on winning until Andy wasn’t using it as frequently, to the point where it hadn’t turned a wheel in over a year. That’s what encouraged Andy to sell it.’

That’s the point at which Andy Walker stepped in and purchased the trialler. Tony is a good friend to both of them, even being Godfather to Andy Walker’s daughter – who occasionally now competes herself in the trialler Tony built three decades ago.

‘It’s had four engines over the years, but the body panels are believed to be the originals, bar the bonnet, and all the arms are the same as the day I fitted them,’ smiles Tony. ‘It may be into its fourth decade now, but in Land Rover terms it’s still a teenager!’

Over the years, Tony has kept tabs on his trialler and now at Alex Engineering he runs into his old friend from time to time – along with Andy.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen it driven in anger,’ says Tony, ‘but when I saw it at Andy’s, it must have been the first time in five or six years.

“Emotional” might be going a bit far, because I didn’t have it for that long really, but it still makes me smile.

‘After I got rid of it – the first time around – I didn’t need to be vindicated, but the success it had confirmed I’d got the design right. I’ve met some of my very best friends off-roading, it really was the best of times. And that vehicle will continue to run as long as someone is there to use it.

‘It deserves to be driven and needs to be driven.’

At its simplest, trialling might still be a form of grass-roots motorsport. This trialler is well beyond grass-roots standard, however – it’s a masterpiece created by one of the best vehicle builders at the height of the trialling generation.

And here it is, thirty years on, still winning trophies. Form is temporary, they say, but class is permanent. And having helped turn such a wide variety of drivers into champions over the years, this is the classiest Class 1 around.

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MEAN MACH I

T

here are certain rules in the off-road world that will never be broken. Shut the gate behind you is one of them.

Take a rope with you is another. Don’t go wheeling on rubbish tyres. You know the kind of thing.

One of the biggest rules of the lot, though, is that old Landcruisers are always cool. The sort of retro-bling build that can look hideous on a Wran-

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gler or 90 comes over beautifully on a 40-Series – and so do rugged off-road restifications.

This here 1985 Cruiser is a bit of both. Created for a customer by American 4x4 restoration specialist Legacy Overland, it was designed to look aggressive – but come with a load of comforts and luxuries inside.

These luxuries include a four-speaker Bluetooth stereo from Sony and a full set of leather-trimmed

seats – six of them, including two high-back buckets up front and a pair of inward-facing benches in the back. The door cards are trimmed to match, too, and the classic 40-Series dash panel combines all the right retro features with some modern-looking brushed alloy details.

As you can see, the Cruiser’s ‘aggressive’ look isn’t hot-rod style aggressive. Nor is it death-andhell off-road brutal – there’s way more subtlety

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H INE There are many kinds of resto-modded 4x4, from pavement princesses to hardcore trail-riding legends. But there’s only one kind of vintage Toyota Landcruiser: the cool kind. This glorious 40-Series from Legacy Overland manages to be both kinds of build – and all kinds of cool Words: Kaziyoshi Sasazaki Pictures: Legacy Overland

to it than that, even though the overall image is definitely one of brooding purpose. Following a complete body-off restoration, the vehicle was built back up with a matt black paint scheme highlighted by a few well chosen gloss highlights, and it definitely looks stealthy.

The Cruiser is powered by a 3.0-litre straightfour B-Type diesel engine, which drives through a four-speed manual gearbox. Both were fully

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stripped and rebuilt, to the point where their life expectancy is like new; this is a typical mark of a Legacy resto, which follows the company’s ethos of supplying ‘new vintage motors.’

Fully rebuilt axles follow the same trend; these are home to a set of 16x8” steel wheels shod with outsize BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains, for which the vehicle gained +1.5” Old Man Emu leaf springs and shocks. You could argue all day long

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Above, right: The 40-Series can be crafted into a hardcore off-roader, but this particular one is about pavement appeal as much as trail smarts. The combination of +1.5” Old Man Emu suspension and 33” BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains is a winning one in all sorts of terrain, especially when you put it on something as capable as a Landcruiser – but it also makes the truck look very cool, which in this case is probably just as important Above: No resto like this would be complete without leather for the seats. There’s leather and there’s leather, of course… and what we have here is the sort you might expect to see on a Bentley. The eyelets look like they might have been inspired by Converse baseball boots, a fact that further enhances the Landcruiser’s effortless coolness Right: Toyota’s 3.0-litre B-Series diesel engine slugged out 80bhp and 141lbf.ft when first fitted. Having been comprehensively refurbished as part of the rebuild process, it’s as good as new, so we wouldn’t mind betting that a rolling road would show it putting out those same numbers even now about whether this is the stuff of fully fledged off-roadworthiness – Legacy Overland says the vehicle was ‘designed as an open-top cruiser,’ but they certainly help add an edge to a truck which, famously, already had one.

In keeping with the off-road theme, Legacy has added a custom roll structure with greater strength than the original bar. This is body-mounted, but it picks up on six separate points to provide extensive protection against typical non-motorsport rollovers. An external high-lift jack mount next to the passenger’s-side A-post adds another level of off-road image to the vehicle, too.

Whether it lives on the trails or by the beach, the newly rebuilt Landcruiser stands an above-average change of living a long life thanks to the work Legacy has put in to protecting it from the elements.

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Following the initial strip-down, all its components were media-blasted and the chassis was given a metalised treatment, while the body was corrosion-proofed to keep it from going the way so many 40-Series bodies have gone.

With a bikini top and jaunty half-doors emphasising the Cruiser’s open-air character, we’re

guessing the customer who commissioned the build doesn’t intend to use the vehicle on his farm in Alaska. Not wanting to deal in cliches, it’s got California beach cruiser written all over it.

But of course, wherever life takes this 40-Series, it will always be cool. That, after all, is one of the rules…

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OVERLOADING IS COMMON

YOUR INSURANCE COULD BE INVALID IF YOU’RE OVERLOADED

4x4 Overloading – a problem easily solved What would your thoughts be if you were told your vehicle, trailer and everything carried on it and in it were not insured?

Scary thought isn’t it, but of all the vehicles stopped and checked by DVSA (2015-2016), over 80% were found to be overloaded and/or exceeding the driver’s licence entitlement.

When was the last time you checked your vehicle weights?

If you knew there was an inexpensive option to avoid your overloading problems, would you be interested?

For over 20 years, SvTech have covered GVW rerating on vehicles, from small sub 3.5t vehicles all the way up to 150t Special Types vehicles.

SvTech can uprate the GVW of most 4x4’s and in some cases also increase the towing allowances. e.g. Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max – GVW increase to 3500kg + GTW of 3500kg (7000kg combined) A GVW uprate can increase your payload allowance thus reducing the size and number of vehicles involved for transporting your goods.

Try using SvTech’s free Load Distribution Analysis program to check your weights. www.svtech.co.uk/lda

GVW AND TOWING ALLOWANCES AFFECTED

HAVE YOU WEIGHED YOUR VEHICLE? DO IT NOW BEFORE THE DVSA DO!

WE CAN HELP. WE ARE THE UK’S LEADING RE-RATING SPECIALIST SVTECH LTD Chandler House, Talbot Road, Leyland Lancs. PR25 2ZF www.svtech.co.uk webenquiries@svtech.co.uk

01772 621800

Untitled-13 1

29/08/2017 14:11

F

or many years, indeed many decades, the global overlanding scene has been dominated by a select few makes and models of vehicle. In most countries, it’s just a case of which Toyota Landcruiser – though this being Britain, if you hear someone

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say they’re off to travel the world on four wheels there’s a strong chance they are going to be doing it aboard a Land Rover Defender.

But the original Defenders – that is, all those built up until the beginning of 2016 – are growing ever older. And people are looking to preserve and restore these once adventure-seeking relics, because of their potential worth as investments for years still to come.

It’s a shame, if you ask me. But the Defender’s elevated prices, not to mention it’s ‘traditional’ way of doing things, have given rise to a new generation of overlanding vehicles.

4x4 02/11/2020 23:04

ADVENTURER OF THE FUTURE As the Land Rover Defender fades further and further into the past as a go-to off-roader, Britain’s adventure-seekers are increasingly turning towards the alternatives. If you want to stick with Solihull, that’s likely to mean the Discovery 3 or 4. With comfort, kit and power to go with its prodigious ability, the Disco is a family car that can take you on the sort of holidays that make other families jealous. For adventures your kids will never forget, this is a truck whose time has come…

Words and pictures: Mike Trott And it is something the 4x4 tour operators are aware of. Chances are, if you’ve been on an organised overland excursion or even looked into booking one of these tempting treks, you will have come across Russ Dykes, one of the veteran overlanding specialists in the 4x4 community.

His company, Ardventures, is set up to offer tours right on our doorstep, with treks to some of the UK’s most scenic and challenging destinations and also to foreign shores across Europe and even realms beyond the continent.

Russ has also encountered, driven and owned most 4x4 vehicles you can possibly name. But

4x4 AWAITING AD 4.5pp Ardventures D4.indd 43

one look at the current Ardventures fleet and you’ll notice a very fresh-faced member.

‘I wanted a vehicle that bridges the gap between old and new Land Rover products, which the Discovery 4 Commercial does perfectly,’ explains Russ. ‘It’s probably the last true Land Rover designed vehicle from the old school. It is also very capable and only really struggles with its weight and a system that does not cope with soft sand and marshland.’

While some people can be dispiritingly quick to belittle the capabilities of newer Land Rovers, those of us who have used them – and used them

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In-your-face winch installations are so last year… The integrated hawse fairlead in the Discovery’s original front bumper is the soul of discretion, and totally the opposite of the colossal structures you see on some vehicles. There’s a heavy-duty steering guard protecting the underbody elements beyond it, too, with further solid metal doing the same job further back below the rear diff properly – will know that with a bit of patience, these machines can make off-roading look like a luxury pastime.

A further testament to their abilities is just how little Russ has changed on his Discovery 4 in preparation for it leading the line. The chief reason for this is that sometimes people can perceive overlanding and off-roading as requiring vast numbers of modifications and the huge expenditure that comes with them. But Russ likes to stress to customers that by simply owning a Land Rover and having a decent set of tyres fitted, you’re more than halfway there already.

Even so, to make sure the Disco 4 is prepared for all eventualities, one company was called upon for assistance.

‘ProSpeed are just down the road from us and I have known Ollie for many years as we both come from the world of rallying,’ says Russ. ‘But the main reason for using them is that we are getting more and more Disco 4s on our treks, and the product of choice is ProSpeed.

‘On my way through Germany the other week, the tree sliders saved the vehicle when I was pushed into the concrete barrier on the autobahn.’

Besides the tree sliders, the Ardventures D4 has got the usual roof rack and ladder installed, while the front has a very neat A-bar and winch setup, along with Lazer Lamps spotlights and protection lining the underside of the car.

‘In the Balkans I came across seven Discovery 3s and 4s touring around, all kitted out for the job,

and you also see quite a few in Morocco,’ continues Russ. ‘I think in the UK we have this Defender thing in our heads, whereas the Europeans just want a vehicle to do the job well, with comfort, speed, room, refinement… all of it!

‘We are seeing increasing amounts of D4 and 5s, but also Range Rovers and Range Rover Sports coming out on treks – which I think is helped by us having 19” and 20” wheels available to hire out with all-terrain tyres fitted.’

As a Commercial, the Ardventures D4 is perfect for Russ, offering vast space for equipment both in the cargo area but also under the floor.

Russ adds, ‘Being a tour company lead vehicle, we carry tools, spare fuel, water, mechanical spares, an ARB hydraulic jack, sometimes extra

“I think in the UK we have this Defender thing in our heads, whereas the Europeans want a vehicle to do the job well with comfort, speed, room, refinement… all of it!”

The A-bar provides a mount for a pair of Lazer spotlights, and these days you can’t imagine anyone venturing very far from home without at least some sort of LED lighting to help them find their way. Yet more protection for the delicate low-slung bits comes from a set of ProSpeed tree sliders – which, apart from anything else, have turned out to be useful when combatting pushy drivers on the autobahn

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4x4 02/11/2020 23:04

Astwood 4x4 Ltd LAND ROVER SPECIALISTS

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We specialise in restoring, rebuilding Land Rover Defenders, galvanized chassis changes, engine upgrade and all types of mechanical & body work.

We export Land Rovers worldwide supplying not only refurbished but also used Land Rovers.

The Disco 4 may not (yet) be the most common choice among Britain’s overlanding community. But it has plenty in common with the more familiar models in the off-road game – such as BFGoodrich All-Terrains and Safari Snorkels being about as close to universal as an accessory can be. Further mods, on a vehicle that’s nearer to standard than you might expect, include a rear access ladder and low-level roof rack from ProSpeed – a company Russ knows well as they’re near neighbours

Refurbishment/Restoration Specialist, Land Rover Servicing, MOTs, Mechanical, Diagnostics, SKYTAG Agent, Galvanized Chassis, Body Repair/Paint Shop Works Astwood Bank, Astwood Business Park, Astwood Lane, Redditch. B96 6HH Tel : +44(0)1527 892 377 Mobile : +44(0)7974075932 Email: info@astwood4x4.co.uk www.facebook.com/Astwood4x4 www.twitter.com/Astwood4x4

www.astwood4x4.co.uk DECEMBER 2020 | 45

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02/11/2020 23:05

ardventures.co.uk

wheels and tyres, and it swallows it all up. And the air suspension keeps it all level, even with a James Baroud EVO tent up top and the Warn winch out front.’

Just in the year leading up to the first lockdown, the Ardventures Discovery 4 completed treks to Galicia, Morocco, the Balkans, Portugal, Pyrenees and two coastto-coast tours of the UK. And don’t worry, if any of these destinations seems like old ground to you, Russ is always looking at new places to offer professionally run tours.

‘We’ve been looking at the Scottish North Coast 500, which I know is a road trek, but we have had lots of customers expressing that they want to take everything in and leave the lunch stops, hotels and points of interest to us – which is very much what the Balkans trek is and that remains extremely popular.’

Wherever you decide to travel with Ardventures, just remember that it’s the 21st Century and overlanding doesn’t mean you have to forego comfort and refinement. Anything an old Defender can do, the new generation can do just as well. If not even better…

Being a Commercial model is about more than just saving you a packet on your tax bills. We’ve often described the Discovery 3 and 4 as having a van-like interior when their back seats are down – and with no back seats but a solid floor and cargo bulkhead instead, this one is more than just van-like. It works for its living, too, regularly carrying tools and spares for Russ and his clients alike

RUSS DYKES 4x4 Adventures Morocco Balkans Galicia Pyrenees Alps UK

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NATURE AT ITS FINEST Few parts of Europe are as untouched as the interior of Portugal. It’s an overlanding gem –

Words and pictures: Barrie Dunbar

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and a treasure trove of natural landscapes

T

he white, sandy beaches of the Algarve. The turquoise blue seas of the Atlantic. The myriad pastel shades of Porto. And of course the imposing, occasionally ostentatious architecture of Lisbon. These are some of the images typically conjured up when contemplating the fabulous attractions of Portugal.

For the intrepid overland adventurer however, there is more.

Very much more, in fact. For hidden away in Portugal’s seldom explored interior lies a vast and unspoiled natural wilderness, teeming with flora and fauna.

Unusually for a western European country, Portugal’s interior has spent almost half a century untouched and undisturbed by the destructive effects of humanity. Following the Carnation Revolution of the mid-seventies, the farming estates of the gentry were usurped for the benefit of the masses, with the inevitable outcome: once-grand old farmhouses, derelict and collapsed in on themselves, presiding over formerly productive farmlands which now lie idle. It’s a sad story in some ways, but nature wastes no time in reclaiming what’s hers – and the result is that much of Portugal has returned to the unspoilt state you’d typically associate with parts of Africa.

From the delightful south-western coastal regions to the ancient forests of the north east, you’re treated to the splendours of majestic mountains and plunging valleys, raging rivers and sprawling wetlands, as well as

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Portugal is a thriving western European nation, but one whose rural landscape has been shaped by the tumultuous events of just a few decades ago. In the wake of the Carnation Revolution of the 1970s, its old agricultural estates were broken up – supposedly for the benefit of the masses, but the result was that much of its interior quickly reverted to its natural state. Thus you find yourself travelling in a landscape which often resembles sub-Saharan Africa – yet it’s all just a day or two from home flatlands reminiscent of the African savanna. The views stretch as far as the eye can see, usually framed by thickets of Valencian Oak or the

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remnants of hardy Mediterranean Olive plantations. In May, following the spring rains, carpets of wild flowers abound.

I always particularly enjoy leading tours through these wonderful landscapes. Our route takes us through the Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, deep down in the south west, then north easterly over the mountains of Monchique and the farmlands of Alentejo. We cross the two major rivers of Tejo and Douro as we head all the way up the to the north-eastern corner of the country, through diverse natural terrain which includes the occasional driving challenge.

While the campsites we use are of the best quality, the emptiness of the countryside means there is ample opportunity for undisturbed wild camping in beautiful wilderness locations, usually under spectacular stars with zero light pollution.

Exploring and enjoying the beauty of the natural environment is the primary objective of this trip.

Highlights include the most stunning scenery of the pristine unspoiled Portuguese countryside, and to this end we traverse the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina; the Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede; the Parque Natural do Tejo Internacional; the Reserva Natural da Serra da Malcata; the Parque Natural Douro Internacional; and the Parque Natural Serra de Montesinho. All

are areas of outstanding natural beauty – and the whole time we are travelling almost exclusively off-road.

It would be remiss of me though not to mention the man-made features of the trip. Those with an interest in the built environment will be fascinated by the plethora of medieval castles and forts en route (we are skirting the Spanish border after all), which often make for interesting lunch stops.

Extremely well-preserved Roman architecture abounds, too, most notably in the historic centres of Evora and Elvas. Here we can pass a few hours out of out vehicles, roaming around among the splendours of ancient history.

It’s often said that Portugal is the best destination in Western Europe for unhindered 4x4 adventure travel. And this tour certainly backs that up. Breathtaking coastline, beautiful countryside, wide open spaces and the freedom to explore the plentiful tracks, together with a warm-hearted and most welcoming population (albeit a rather sparse one), make this a must for all offroad enthusiasts who value the natural environment and appreciate the unspoiled beauty of the wilderness. If you love nature, you will adore Rural Portugal.

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ON THE ROAD 75 OVERLAND DESTINATIONS TO DREAM OF

Fraser Island This huge sand island off the east coast of Australia might be crawling with tourists, but that doesn’t stop it being a wonder of the off-road world. You need a 4x4 simply to get about – indeed, no other kind of vehicle is allowed.

For an island, Fraser has more variety than some continents – the landscapes range from coastal cliffs and golden beaches to actual rainforest, and you might spot wild dingoes – though you’re probably more likely to come face to face with a huntsman spider.

Most of all, though, you’ll spot one Landcruiser after another.

The real treat, in a place that’s full of them, is 75 Mile Beach – a long, wide strip of smooth sand which you can drive on to your heart’s content. Hire a vehicle at Hervey Bay and take the beach all the way to Champagne Pools – where the tide creates a natural jacuzzi accessible only by 4x4. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Pic: Sarah Maia

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PART 3: AUSTRALASIA AND THE AMERICAS This wonderful world of ours is packed full of beautiful, historical, fascinating, scary and just downright weird places to visit. Every one of them offers the sort of experience that makes expedition travel so very special – and together, they make an overwhelming case for leaving life behind and getting out there in your 4x4 to explore the planet.

This three-part article highlights 75 of the best and most precious destinations, from specific features and legendary trails to entire regions and nations – all of them adventures to make you look forward to a time after the madness of the pandemic is over and the world is again your oyster Shotgun Creek In Britain, publicly owned forests and national parks tend to try their best to keep 4x4s out. In America, on the other hand, here’s what the Bureau of Land Management does.

In Shotgun Creek, Oregon, the BLM has created a recreational area for 4x4s, with rock-crawls and other obstacles alongside the main tracks. It advertises the forest as an attraction, knowing that the drivers who come to visit will bring valuable trade to local businesses.

If you’re driving an expedition vehicle, that might not be the most appealing of opportunities. But we’ve never heard of anyone who took their truck to America without making friends with the local 4x4 community, and that’s sure to yield an invitation to come and play.

Pic: Shotgun_Creek_OHV_Trails, by Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

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Salar de Uyuni The world’s largest salt pan, the Salar de Uyuni is half the size of Wales. Part of the Altiplano in southwest Bolivia, it was formed over tens of thousands of years as a series of lakes dried to form a crust of salt whose thickness ranges from a few inches to several metres.

To make this landscape even more extraordinary, it’s completely surrounded by mountains. And here and there, ancient volcanic peaks poke up like islands through the salt; some even have old buildings on them. Wildlife is predictably scarce, though every November flamingos descend on the area for the breeding season.

In addition to the salt flat itself, Uyuni is also home to a remarkable ‘cemetery’ of abandoned trains which served local mineral mines between 1892 and the mid-1940s. Dozens of hulks lie abandoned on the old lines south-west of the town, which itself lies south-east of the Salar; it’s a haunting and fascinating place to visit, and a strange contrast to the vastness nearby.

Normally, the surface of the Salar is parched. During wet periods, however, flood waters from Lake Titicaca to the north can spill through to cover it to a depth of an inch or two. Because the surface of the salt is so very flat, this doesn’t actually stop you from driving on it – though it does turn it into a mirror for the sky, with no horizon to be seen. As if this astonishing natural wonder wasn’t surreal enough already….

Pic (above): Bolivia 2017, by Kyle Taylor @ fickr.com, CC BY 2.0 Pic (left): Jen Bright and Gav Lowrie

Alaska Alaska is the biggest state in America, and it’s the wildest too. Stick to the main roads and getting from A to B is no great issue – though once you’re striking north towards the Arctic Circle and beyond, even these are more like big dirt tracks than what we’d call roads.

Thus there’s no shortage of opportunities to go off-road in Alaska – in fact, outside the cities, off-road is the norm. All the same, recreational trail riding is definitely a thing, and an extremely serious one it is too. Tracks like the Stampede Trail, north-east of Denali National Park*, offer a real challenge to adventure seekers in modified Jeeps who travel to Alaska to battle an unbelievably hostile, not to mention dangerous, combination of terrain, climate and wildlife.

The Stampede Trail was once a road, but nature doesn’t take long to claim back what belongs to it – and the days when it carried regular traffic are long gone. One celebrated relic to be found along the way, until it was removed by Chinook earlier this year, was Bus 142, abandoned in the wilderness next to the trail, which gained fame in 1992 when Christopher McCandless took up residence in it in a bid to live off the land… and promptly starved to death. His story was made into a film, whereupon the bus took on cult status and hopelessly unprepared hikers started trying to reach it - resulting in at least two more deaths and countless rescues.

That’s the sort of landscape you’re talking about in Alaska. It’s remote, and it’s hostile. And there are lots of bears

Pic: Jeep Expedition, by Nolan Williamson @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

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Champion Mill This is quite a specific destination, but even if an abandoned lead mine in the Colorado mountains doesn’t float your boat, driving to it on the Halfmoon Creek Trail could be the greatest off-road experience you ever have. The nearby town of Leadville has previously hosted the US Land Rover National, and a place doesn’t get to do that without having plenty to offer.

The trail is only graded as moderate in difficulty, but climbing to more than 12,800 feet the views it provides are sensational – as is the amount of water you have to wade through before the climbing starts, especially during the spring thaws. At the top, the abandoned mill building still contains the machinery that was shut down for the last time a century ago.

Pic: Nick Taylor @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Curdimurka Large portions of the remote Oodnadatta Track run next to the route of the Old Ghan railway, which used to connect northern Australia with the rest of the world. About 70 miles out is Curdimurka, an old siding where a tiny settlement was once home to the railway maintenance team.

Curdimurka will forever be associated with a biennial black tie charity ball, which in its heyday attracted several thousand revellers. It’ll be a lot quieter when you visit… but listen carefully and you might hear the whispers of history on the desert air.

Pic: Curdimurka, by Hal Jacob @ flickr.com, CC BY-ND 2.0

Angel Falls

Davies Plain Track In Victoria, the regional government has created a 4WD Recreational Track Classification System covering its State Forest and National Parks as well as its network of Iconic 4WD Adventures. This rates the trails according to their suitability for vehicles and drivers alike, from Easy up to Very Difficult.

The latter is only for 4x4s with low range, high ground clearance and winches, piloted by experienced drivers and travelling in a recommended convoy of at least four vehicles. The Davies Plain Track is a classic example, covering around 100 miles through forests and woodland in a landscape of rolling hills and mountains.

Its official classification says the trail will have ‘frequent very steep and/or rocky/slippery/sandy track sections’ as well as difficult river crossings. Sounds good, as so does the landscape of the Victorian Alps through which it travels. Add in the opportunity to fish for trout in mountain streams, explore offshoot tracks leading to soaring peaks and camp wild on the land adjacent to the track, and you have the sort of 4x4 adventure dreams are made of. Taking three days or more to cover a hundred miles never felt so good.

Pic: Davies Plain Track, by Bryce Walker @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

The Angel Falls plunge more than half a mile off the side of Auyan Tepui mountain – a sheer-sided monolith amid extensive dense jungle which makes it very hard to get to.

For the tourists who visit the falls on organised tours, you need to fly to Canaima then travel by boat to the falls themselves. But if you’re feeling brave, overlanders have been known to drive to Canaima on a supply track that runs through the jungle.

This is a hardcore off-road challenge, and the jungle is home to some gnarly spiders.

It’s not to be taken lightly – but a successful conquest would make an A1 campfire tale!

Salto del Angel, by Erik Cleves Kristensen @ flickr.com. CC BY 2.0

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Moab With a population of just over 5000, Moab, Utah is much like any other small town in the arid Midwest. It grew up on agriculture and later became rich on mining – but in more recent times, it has been comprehensively reinvented as a world-famous centre for outdoor activities. These include hiking, climbing and mountain biking – but, whereas in Britain that would be enough for off-roaders to be shot on sight, the local tourist authority positively welcomes 4x4 drivers to visit the town and enjoy the magnificent network of trails in the towering red sandstone mountains surrounding the town.

Some of these are easy, giving everyday 4x4 drivers an opportunity to enjoy their vehicles amid the sensational landscape of the Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. The annual Easter Safari attracts Jeep enthusiasts from throughout the USA and beyond, but Moab is an A1 trail riding destination all year round, with various local companies offering services including vehicle hire and guided tours.

The iconic Lion’s Back is no longer usable, as it was accessed via private land which has now been developed. By and large, however, the Moab trails are classed as public land and can be driven

by anyone with a suitable 4x4.

Enthusiasts come from far and wide to pit their 4x4s against this mighty spread of terrain, some of which is technical to an eye-opening degree. Whatever your level, this is off-road paradise.

Pic (above): Powhusku @ flickr. com, CC BY-SA 2.0 Pic (right): Nick Taylor @ flickr. com, CC BY 2.0

Ruta Maya There have been many Ruta Maya expeditions, no two of which have followed the same route. That’s because the trail through the history of Mayan civilisation in southern Mexico, Guatemala and beyond is a semi-abstract concept dreamt up to try and encourage tourism, rather than a specific route of trade or pilgrimage once followed by ancient civilisations.

The good news is that this means you can go looking for the best trails – and with muddy hillsides, treacherous river crossings and swampy jungles, the choice is limitless. Do build in time to appreciate the Mayan culture though, as well as the awesome scenery of an area where volcanoes and rainforests exist side by side.

Pic: Uxmal, by mzagerp @ flickr.com CC BY-ND 2.0

Kakadu National Park An area the size of Wales, Kakadu National Park combines an extraordinary diversity of wildlife and one of the richest concentrations of Aboriginal culture with four major river systems, six landform regions and a tropical monsoon climate.

The park, which was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992, is known for the rocky plateau and escarpments of Arnhem Land and the lowland floodplains of the Mamukala wetlands. Each is a unique habitat in its own right. As an indication of how sparsely populated it is, half of its land by area is owned by Aboriginal people – of whom about 500 live within the park.

Tarmac roads do exist, mainly serving Jabiru – a town which, with a population of about 1100, is the bustling hub of the park. While those roads may be sealed, however, deep flooding is extremely common during the rainy season – you’re definitely still in the Outback here, but with a climate which illustrates how diverse the vast continent of Australia really is. .

Pic: 4WD and termite mound, by Steve @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

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Trans-America Trail Envy time. In America, it’s still possible to do something without everyone else trying to ban it. That’s why Sam Correro has been able to map out a 5000-mile route across the USA which, using a mixture of farm and forestry tracks and high mountain passes, takes you from coast to coast with the minimum possible amount of tarmac.

Using only routes with legal public access, the trail visits Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Oregon, with alternative start points adding North Carolina and New York to the list. The entire trail took some 12 years to fully research; it won’t take quite as long to complete in your 4x4, but seldom was there more of a journey to savour.

Pic: Land Rover MENA CC BY 2.0

Uspallata An unremarkable village in the Andes, Uspallata is nonetheless a fantastic destination for overlanders. That’s because of the glorious mountain scenery surrounding it – and, in particular, the road you take to get there.

Travelling from the Argentinian city of Mendoza, you follow Ruta 13 – an unsurfaced mountain road which in places narrows to a single ribbon of stone and rock and is definitely only suitable for 4x4s. Mendoza is the fourth largest city in Argentina, yet the tarmac has run out long before you’ve left its built-up area – and as you get ever further into the mountains, the gravel surface gradually becomes rougher and rougher.

From the end of the tarmac, it’s just over 50 miles until you reach Uspallata. By then, you’ll have climbed and climbed and climbed – the track goes through so many sharp hairpins, you’ll lose count – and been spellbound by the parched splendour of the mountain landscape.

Carry on past Uspallata towards the Chilean frontier and you’ll encounter the Andes at their mightiest. And if you visit Las Bovedas, a cluster of old copper kilns near the town, you might spot that the bricks they were built with are stamped with a maker’s mark from, of all places, Stourbridge. Small world.

Pic (above): Uspallata, by Hannah Walker @ flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0 Pic (below): Moriz Mdz @ flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0

New Zealand When your next door neighbour is famous for being the spiritual home of all things off-road, you tend not to get a look in. That’s how it is for New Zealand – but given the number of people who ship their vehicles to the other side of the world for expeditions in the deserts of Australia, it’s a surprise that more don’t augment the adventure by exploring the glorious mountain trails just a little further on.

New Zealand is very different from Oz in terms of its terrain, with more technical driving and landscapes which, rather than going on forever without changing, could be described as being like Wales on steroids. Something else it has in its favour are its animals, far fewer of which want to kill you.

Best of all, one similarity to Oz is that in New Zealand, the existence of off-tarmac tracks is not seen as a bad thing.

They’re waymarked properly, and you can buy maps and guidebooks showing you where they are. Yet another country that does it better than Britain, then – and one which deserves to be on the radar for far more overlanders.

Pic: Wairarapa, by fiverlocker @ flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0

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Route 66

Old Telegraph Track Australia is best known among the world’s off-roaders for its epic desert trails through the vast Red Centre, which can take a week or more to complete. But the Old Telegraph Track probably trumps them all in terms of the number of vehicles that take it on every year.

The track, which was built in 1885 to let maintenance crews access the old telegraph line running north from Cairns to the top of the Cape York Peninsula, is more than 200 miles long and includes sections of gravel, mud, sand and rock – as well as some epic river crossings. Several of these have campsites next to them, meaning they become a focal point for entertainment as crowds gather to watch vehicles tackling big beasts like Palm Creek, Gunshot Creek and Nolan’s Brook – where it’s not uncommon for floating 4x4s to be manhandled across the water by eager volunteers.

Talking of big beasts, though, a number of these rivers are infested with crocodiles. Another reason to think twice, you might think – yet there are recovery companies in the nearby towns who make a living out of the gung-ho overlanders who turn their trucks into non-runners on an almost daily basis.

There are bypass routes for drivers who don’t want to risk their trucks – and outside of the dry season, these are the only practicable way through. They’re a lot less technical than the Old Telegraph Track itself – but a lot less fun, too, thanks to ever-present corrugations which make for a savage ride.

At any rate, if ever there was a reason for prepping your motor, this would be it. If you’ve come this far, you’ve not come to miss out on the main event, have you?

Pic: NeilsPhotography @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

The Andes The mountain range running up the spine of South America is not as high as the Himalayas, but that’s unlikely to matter to you if your expedition takes you there. With no end of drivable high-level tracks, indeed, the Andes is probably the best place in the world for 4x4 mountaineering.

That’ll be why the Ojos de Salado, on the border between Chile and Argentina, has become the go-to location for teams looking to break the world vehicular altitude record. In the last 20 years, the bar has been raised by megabuck expeditions using Jeep Wranglers, Volkswagen Touaregs, Mercedes-Benz Unimogs – and, memorably, a local off-road enthusiast in a Suzuki Samurai he built himself to take on the mountain.

You don’t need to go to those sort of lengths to get the best from the Andes. Instead, go looking for the rocky mountain tracks that exist in Chile, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia and Venezuela – and be ready to immerse yourself in a history that goes back far beyond the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores to the days of the mighty Inca civilisation.

The Andes is also home to the giant Altiplano, a plateau among the peaks which is the second highest in the world after the Tibetan plateau, and this too is richly worth exploring. Ultimately, the whole range stretches to some 4300 miles long and around 300 wide – you could spend the rest of your life exploring the Andes behind the wheel of a 4x4 and never get bored..

The ‘Mother Road’, which once ran from Chicago to Los Angeles, has perhaps the most iconic name of any highway in the world. Yet Route 66 is long since defunct, having been decommissioned as a national highway in 1985 following the completion of the interstate system.

What does this have to do with 4x4 expeditions? Well, there are many remnants of Route 66. Parts of it have been upgraded to form parts of the interstate, but mainly it remains usable as a series of quiet rural roads – and, here and there, unmade tracks whose gravel surface harks back to the establishment of US 66 in November 1926.

That was when the evocative ’66’ road signs went up, and these have remained part of its charm ever since. So too have the many ad hoc attractions which sprang up along the roadside during the highway’s golden age, such as a line of Cadillacs half-buried in the ground near Amarillo, Texas or a house in Foyil, Oklahoma whose former owner built a world-renowned collection of totem poles in his garden.

You can of course explore all this and much more in an everyday car, and people do Route 66 on everything from Harleys to Winnebagos. But the rugged, often remote terrain you’re passing through, and the immensely varied nature of the surface beneath your wheels, means a 4x4 is the perfect way to make the most of it. And when the tarmac runs out, you’ll be exploring America’s history the way no-one else can.

Pic: Jen Bright and Gav Lowrie

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Inuvik A town of some 3000 inhabitants, Inuvik is not the sort of place you’d normally drive for days to visit, unless perhaps you were on the way to the arts festival it hosts every July. But It’s the getting there that counts.

That’s because Inuvik is at the end of the 450mile Dempster Highway, which has the distinction of being Canada’s only all-weather road across the Arctic Circle. In the summer, it’s a ribbon of gravel crossing endless tracts of hilly tundra: in the winter, it’s a path cleared through a vast blanket of snow.

Winter is the time when crossing the Yukon really turns into an adventure. By summer, for example, you cross the Mackenzie River by ferry: by winter, you drive over it on an ice bridge.

As this suggests, it’s cold up here. Temperatures of -50°C and below are not unknown, and by the end of winter the snow cover has typically built up to a couple of feet. Time it right, though, and you’ll arrive in town in time for the Sunrise Festival, when the sun, er, rises – after an entire month of darkness.

At present, the Dempster Highway is being extended to create an all-weather route to Tuktoyaktuk, a village where it gets even colder than Inuvik. This is the place to come if weird landforms fascinate you, as it’s home to the world’s biggest concentration of pingos – strange conical hills created by ground pressure in areas of permafrost.

Carrying on to Tuktoyaktuk also extends the adventure to a return journey of more than 1000 miles. It might be on a highway, but seldom can a road trip have felt more like an off-road expedition.

Pic: Dowbtown Inuvik, by Mack Male CC BY-SA 2.0

Anne Beadell Highway Don’t let the name fool you. This ‘highway’ is a sandy desert trail stretching some 820 miles from Coober Pedy in South Australia to Laverton in Western Australia – and it’s one of the most hostile roads in the world.

Constructed between 1953 and 1962 to provide access to teams surveying what was at the time a completely unexplored part of the world, the Anne Beadell traverses an environment in which summer temperatures regularly hit 50 degrees. It’s incredibly hard going on man and machine alike – and there are few places in the world where you can be as far away from civilisation.

Despite this, there are attractions along the way. One is the site of the 1953 British atomic bomb tests at Emu Field, where you can still see scorch marks on the ground – as well as signs warning you of residual background radiation. Another is the wreckage of a light aircraft which came down a little way from the track and has been there ever since, and yet another is the Mamungari Conservation Reserve, through which which the trails passes.

These welcome distractions from the unrelenting emptiness of the landscape are ‘reasons’ to do the Anne Beadell – but for any red-blooded adventurer, the highway itself is reason enough. It’s only suitable for well equipped 4x4s with experienced drivers and emergency comms kit that works in the middle of nowhere, and even then you’ll do well to complete it in less than a week.

Anne Beadell, by the way, was the wife of Len Beadell, the celebrated surveyor and all-Aussie hero who created the track as part of a nine-year programme to open up this part of the Red Centre. Noted for his warmth and humour, he added the ‘Highway’ as an ironic joke. These days, it would probably have ended up being called Roady McRoadface.

Pics: Betty van Breukelen and Gerard van Vliet

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Mount Roraima This extraordinary mountain rises up out of the jungle at the border point between Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. A tepui plateau, it’s bounded by sheer cliffs on all four sides, with only one way up that doesn’t require specialised rock climbing equipment. This means its summit, which covers about 12 square miles, is cut off from the rest of the world – with the result that it’s home to many completely unique species of plants and animals.

If you’ve seen the animated movie Up, you’ll know that you can fly to the summit of Roraima by tying lots of balloons to your house. Should that sound a little too permanent, 4x4 access close to the base is feasible from the Venezuelan side, where organised tours provide exactly that to paying punters..

Pic: Tadashi Okoshi @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Silverton Silverton has got to be one of the most random places in the world. For a place with a population of precisely 88, it has what must be a record-beating proportion of art galleries per head. It’s also home to the world-famous Silverton Hotel, which has appeared in countless movies and adverts – as well as a weird and wonderful collection of art cars dotted around the place.

The theme continues a couple of hundred yards down the road from the hotel (by ‘road’ we mean a ribbon of red sand), where you’ll find the Mad Max 2 museum. This is the life’s work of one Adrian Bennett, who loved the movies so much he moved from Bradford to Australia to live the dream.

Silverton is definitely worth a stop-off en route to the desert trails further north, or if your itinerary takes you through Broken Hill.

It’s well worth visiting in its own right, too – whether it’s to see the exhibits, browse the art… or just revel in the madness of it all.

Pic: Mad Max Museum, by Chris Fithall @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

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Rubicon Trail Is the Rubicon Trail the most famous off-road route in the world? Well, good luck finding one that beats it…

The Rubicon is a 22-mile ‘road’ west of Lake Tahoe in Northern California, surrounded by the absolutely sensational scenery of the Desolation Wilderness, part of the Eldorado National Forest. This alone is reason not to rush things – not that you can, really.

Still, start early and you could do the whole thing in a day. All 22 miles of it, don’t forget. And 10 of those are smooth gravel that takes no more than about half an hour.

The rest is more or less non-stop rocks. There are vast axle-twisters, deep V-gullies, sharp sideslopes, rough climbs and drops that have you hanging in your harness… much of the time, you’ll be travelling at hours per mile, not the other way round.

The hills really are that steep, the rocks that severe. Few would venture here without big tyres, lifted suspension and at least one diff-lock; there are more extreme trails in America, but not a lot can touch the Rubicon for the blend it offers of adventure, natural landscapes and tricky, technical driving.

The classic image of Rubicon driving would show a Jeep scaling a jagged rock face with sun-dappled mountains in the background, and much of it is indeed like that. But of course you can tackle it in (or on) any make of off-road vehicle. Americans love their ATVs, but we’d sooner be surrounded by metal aboard a proper 4x4, thanks. If nothing else, that way you’re less likely to get done over by a bear…

Inset pic: Toyota-Truck-Rubicon, by Paul Wasneski

Animas Forks Ghost Town Perched in the San Juan Mountains of south-western Colorado, Animas Forks stands at a dizzying 11,000 feet above sea level. A ghost town left over when the gold mines closed, it was established in 1873 and at the height of the gold rush, it had 450 homes and 30 cabins, a hotel, a saloon, a general store, a post office and its own newspaper.

Fast forward 35 years, and Animal Forks was on a one-way trip to extinction. Most of the mining had ceased by 1910, and by the end of WWI the last of its residents had left.

Today, nine of those original buildings still stand, thanks in no small amount to various restoration societies which work with San Juan County to conserve what’s left of the town. Their efforts seem to be appreciated, too, because each year more than 100,000 people make the journey to visit Animas Forks.

They do this by negotiating the wonderfully named Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway, most of which is unpaved. The route is recommended for 4x4s only, especially outside of summer – when the surface of the trails becomes muddy and slippery and, as winter approaches, is apt to become buried under a blanket of snow. Now, that’s what driving an off-roader is all about…

Pic: #mypubliclandsroadtrip 2016: Step Back in Time, Animas Forks Ghost Town, by Bureau of Land Management @ flickr.com, CC BT 2.0

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Trilha de Placa Just north of the metropolitan sprawl that is Sao Paolo, the Trilha da Placa is a 35-mile off-road trail linking the towns of Cajamar and Jundiai. It travels through the empty landscape of Serra do Japy, a magnificent mountain range populated by sloths, monkeys, toucans and many other species – as well as lots of lots of trees.

The track can be wet and muddy at certain times of the year, and whenever you go there there’ll be serious hills to tackle. Your reward, if the driving isn’t reward enough in itself, will be the sort of views you normally only get from in an aircraft.

Talking of aircraft, the trail gets it name from a huge orange and white sign erected in the middle of Serra do Japy to help direct pilots crossing the region on the way to Sao Paolo. That’s how remote it is when you’re exploring these jungles and mountains – it might be a while before any of us go back to Brazil, but when the pandemic is over and you’re planning your next expedition it’s trails like these that make the difference between tourism and true exploration.

Main pic: Offroad, by Rafael Vianna Croffi @ flockr.com, CC BY 2.0 Pic (above): Na Placa, by Rafael Vianna Croffi @ flockr.com, CC BY 2.0

Canning Stock Route More than 1100 miles of rocks, dunes and corrugations in the Great Sandy Desert. That’s the Canning, a cattle route established more than a century ago which today makes a strong claim to being the world’s greatest off-road adventure.

To make it in any way practicable as a drove road, the Canning is basically a track linking a series of wells. These were created with scant regard for the Aboriginal people who lived in the area for aeons before Alfred Canning turned up to survey the route, whose water supply was gobbled up by the 48 wells his team created.

To make the story even more sordid, having treated their Aboriginal hosts so shabbily the modern Australians hardly used the Canning Stock Route at all. It had fallen into disrepair within a couple of decades – and though it was reopened in 1928, it saw less than one droving run a year prior to its abandonment as a commercial route in 1959.

That would have been that, but then along came four-wheel drive. Today, the Canning is widely considered to be one of the world’s greatest off-road adventures, and people travel to Australia specifically to experience it.

However well equipped your 4x4 might be, those original wells (at least the ones still in good repair) are still crucial to keeping you supplied with water on what will typically be a two to three week mission to conquer the Canning. With a sum total of two communities along the route where fuel is available, it takes a lot of planning – and even more grit.

It’s a place to lose yourself and find yourself, and to experience a whole new oneness with nature. Whether for this reason, or for your first shower and hotel bed after finally reaching civilisation, the Canning is heaven on earth. .

Pics: Betty van Breukelen and Gerard van Vliet

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OUR 4X4S Vehicle: Land Rover Defender 90 Td5 XS Year: 2006 Run by: Alan Kidd Last update: November 2020 On the fleet since: December 2017

cross purposes Part 2: the crossmember is dead; long live the crossmember IN LAST MONTH’S ISSUE, we looked at the prep you need to do in advance of changing a Defender’s rear crossmember. Not the kind of prep that involves yeats of abuse and neglect (that’s a given), but the stripdown that comes before the sparks start to fly.

The Defender in question is our project 90, which we checked in to the workshop at Britpart for a variety of jobs. The company’s catalogue includes a wide variety

of different replacement options, from a half-chassis down, but with a sound pair of main rails our Landy just needed the crossmember itself.

Up to here, the job has mainly required patience, brute strength and the ability to use a spanner. Now is when you need a proper skill, as the new crossmember has to be welded on, but first there’s more patience required. Patience and a grinder.

Before you make sparks fly, however, the absolutely critical thing is

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to measure up. Then to check the measurements you’ve just taken.

Then you want to check them again, go away and have a cup of tea and when you come back, check them again. ‘Measure twice, cut once,’ is a favourite old woodworkers’ saying, and all they’re going to wreck if they get it wrong is a piece of wood.

You’re dealing with your chassis.

Even once you’re sure of this, you still want to let care be your watchword. There’s going to be a lot

of sparks flying about, and no end of heat once the welding begins, so look around for anything vulnerable and take time to move it out of the way. The conduit for the wires to the rear lights works a lot better in its non-melted state, for example.

As these pictures show, so long as you can weld competently there’s nothing in the job to be scared of.

Apart possibly from when the old crossmember comes off and you see what’s inside your chassis…

4x4 02/11/2020 22:48

1

2

4

5

3

1-4: Above: ‘Measure twice, cut once’ is every woodworker’s motto. Your Land Rover is not made of wood (hopefully), but it definitely applies when you’re sizing up where to cut the chassis rails, too – get this one wrong and your only consolation is going to be that after all the poverty, self-hate and endless hours of work you’ve got coming up, your Landy will finally have that galvanised chassis you knew you’d have to spring for one day 5-6: With the conduit for the wires to the rear lights held out of the way by an arrangement of cable ties that would do Wallace and Gromit proud, it’s time to break out first the grinder and then the power hacksaw to cut through the chassis rails. Did you read that previous caption about the ‘measure once, cut twice’ thing? And how many times have you measured by this stage? It’s still not enough, check again…

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4x4 AWAITING AD 3.5 Our 4x4s 90 Crossmember Pt2.indd 65

LIS.A.4x4.HP

www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk / 01480 220 147

28/09/2020 15:53

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OUR 4X4S 7

8

9

10

11

7-9: Potential source of rusted-out rear crossmember? No we can’t think of anything either… The old and new units are seen here, plus what came out of the chassis when the former was lopped off. The word ‘ahem’ comes to mind…

10-11: The crossmember is lifted into position then clamped in place and supported in preparation for welding

12

13

12-13: The corners on the new crossmember are ground off and its tabs are hammered flush to the existing main rails 14-15: After this, it’s ready to be welded to the back of the main chassis rails

14

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15

4x4 02/11/2020 22:49

16

17

18

19

16: With the new crossmember in place, the welds are easy to identify…

17: …though that soon becomes less of the case with the application of a thick coat of Dinitrol on to the exposed metal

20

18-21: Now it’s time for everything that was removed to be refitted. First, the fuel tank is lifted back into place, then the guard is wrestled into position underneath it and bolted up 22: Next, the seat belt brackets are refitted 23: The fuel hose is reassembled back on to the vehicle and the jubilee clips tightened to secure it. After this, some more wrestling gets the exhaust back into place 24: You know you’re getting close to the end when the roadwheels go back on. The final piece in the jigsaw is for the fuel that was pumped out into a collection of jerry cans to be pumped back in to the vehicle’s tank

22

21

23

26

24

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ROADBOOK

THETFORD FOREST

Wild woods and sweeping farmland on the Norfolk-Suffolk border

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ROADBOOK This route combines a series of ancient roads through even more ancient forestry in the heart of East Anglia with wide open byways across lush arable farmland. The trails here are typified by their sandy nature – which, while it’s not the Sahara, is almost unique within the UK. You’ll come across plenty of other vehicles on these rights of way, as well as lots of walkers, yet you’ll also feel a tremendous sense of isolation as you explore a route which, while it’s not extreme, is a real off-tarmac adventure and no mistake

USING OUR ROADBOOKS Our roadbooks guide you through the countryside on a mixture of surfaced and unsurfaced roads.

The tracks we use are public rights of way, either Byways Open to All Traffic or Unclassified County Roads, all commonly referred to as green lanes.

NAVIGATION

We’ve deliberately made it as easy as possible to follow the route, using a mixture of instructions, tulip diagrams and grid references. We normally only include junctions at which you have to make a turning or don’t have right of way, so stay on the main road or continue straight ahead unless we tell you otherwise.

You’ll find a guide to using grid references on the legend of any OS map. Our aim is for you to be able to do the route without maps, whether paper or online, but you should certainly take a set with you.

SAFETY

The notes on thee pages advise you of how suitable the route is for your vehicle. These are just guidelines, however. We’ll warn you of any hazards or difficult sections, but the nature of any green lane can change quickly. Wet weather can make a huge difference to the conditions underfoot, and what’s wide open in winter can be tightly enclosed and scratchy in summer.

The responsibility is yours!

Our roadbooks are designed to be safe to drive in a solo vehicle. We do recommend travelling in tandem wherever possible, however. The risk of getting stuck can be greater than it appears – and even the most capable of vehicles can break down miles from anywhere.

RESPONSIBILITY

Irresponsible driving is a big issue on green lanes. In particular, you must always stay on the right of way. Never drive off it to ‘play’ on the verges or surrounding land, even if you can see that someone else has; doing so is illegal and can be tremendously damaging.

This kind of illegal off-roading is a key reason why green lanes get closed. If you see others doing this, they are NOT your friends. They’re criminals, and you are their victim.

If it’s safe to do so, film them in the act and pass it to the police.

4x4 10pp Dec 20 Thetford Roadbook.indd 69

Elsewhere, let common sense and courtesy prevail. Keep your speed down, be ready to pull over for others and show the world that we are decent people just like them.

ANTIS

Anti-4x4 bigotry does exist, but it’s less common than you’d think. By and large, it’s limited to organisations who just want to get the countryside all to themselves.

These organisations are beyond being reasoned with, but it’s rare to encounter real hostility even from their rank-and-file members. If you’re friendly towards the people with whom you share the countryside, the vast majority will respond in kind. There are always bad apples, but no more so than anywhere else.

Likewise, most local residents will accept your presence if you’re driving sensibly. What suspicion you do encounter is likely to be from farmers worried that you’re there to steal from them, so be ready to offer a word of reassurance. Once satisfied that you’re not after their quad bikes, their mood will lighten.

DO…

• Keep your speed right down • Pull over to let walkers, bikers and horse riders pass

• Leave gates as you found them • Scrupulously obey all closure and voluntary restraint notices

• Ensure you have a right to be

there. We research the routes on our roadbooks very carefully, but the status of any route can change without notice Be prepared to turn back if the route is blocked, even illegally If you find an illegal obstruction, notify the local authority Stick absolutely scrupulously to the right of way Always remember that you are an ambassador for all 4x4 drivers

• • • •

DON’T…

• Go in large convoys: instead, split into smaller groups

• Drop litter. Why not carry a bin bag pick up other people’s instead?

• Go back to drive the fun bits, such as mud or fords, again

• Cause a noise nuisance, particularly after dark

• Get riled up if someone challenges you. Be firm but polite, stay calm and don’t let them turn it into a fight

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ROUTE GUIDE

is it suitable?

START FINISH HOW LONG? TERRAIN HAZARDS

TYRES

OS MAPS

Eriswell (TL 723 781) Elveden (TL 813 797) 56.4 miles / 5-6 hours Low-lying forestry and farmland Occasional moderate ruts; surface water; farm traffic; loads of other users; many dangerous road junctions Landranger 143 (Ely & Wisbech) Landranger 144 (Thetford & Diss)

Step

1

0.0

TL 723 781

Start outside The Chequers in Eriswell (it’s just along from the village sign and looks a lot like a house, so it’s easy to miss). Zero your trip with the pub, or indeed the sign, to your right, and set off heading more or less north

WEATHER LOW BOX SOFT-ROADERS SCRATCHING DRIVING DAMAGE

Step

3

There are lots of shops to stock up in as you pass through Lakenheath

3.15

Step

Step

1.15

4.5

2

Suitable for road treads, but very low profiles may struggle in places Take care when very wet Not necessary Largely suitable for most models A little here and there One or two tight and uneven bits.

Lots of junctions with fast roads No reason why it should happen

4

Wangford Brandon

Step 1: The route starts opposite the Chequers in Eriswell. Blink and you’ll miss it…

Step 9 (right): Here’s where you finally discover why we’ve taken you through a housing estate

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Step

5

Turn left at the traffic lights

6

This is shortly after you’ve come in to Brandon

8.1 Step

7

CROWN STREET

This is taking you into a housing estate, so keep your speed down and your eyes open

8.4 Step

8

POND LANE

The road gets narrower and becomes tree-lined

8.6 Step

9

10

Step

12 10.4 Step

13

The track becomes surfaced for a few car lengths as you cross the bridge

11.3 Step

14

Caution – this is a busy road

ZERO TRIP

11.8 TL 768 859

Step

15 0.7

8.6 Step

11 9.3

6.65 Step

Step

The track has been wide open up to now, but it becomes enclosed and a little scratchy for a spell. It looks like singetrack as you approach, though it’s not that bad once you’re into it

9.25

Step

16

COWLES DROVE

What’s left of the white lines is about as much use as a concrete parachute, but you don’t have right of way here

0.75 Step

17

TL 717 173

1.15 Step

18 Step 18: It’s not hard to spot this junction. You’ll see the sign to Cross Drove Fishery pointing your way, too

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Look out for the sign towards Cross Drove Fishery

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Step 22: The track on the right is unmarked, and not very easy to spot in advance. This is a busy road, too, so take great care Step 26 (right): This one’s easier to spot – it’s just as you reach the end of the village Step

Step

2.1

4.35

Step

Step

3.1

4.65

23

19 20 Step

21

24 Caution – this is a fast, busy road

3.4 Step

22 3.8

Feltwell Methwold B1112

TL 722 888

134 6

This one is quite hard to spot in advance, and it’s not signed.

You’re on a busy road, too, so keep your speed down and be ready to indicate as far as possible in advance

Keep it slow along here – there are houses on the left

You’re straight in to a residential area as you enter the village

Step

25 4.9 Step

26

TL 739 881

This is immediately after the end of the village

5.35 Step 33: Watch out for a series of quite severe crests – you shouldn’t be going fast anyway, but if you are the consequences will serve you right…

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Step

Step

6.7

0.95

27 Step

28

31 After crossing the heath, the track gets rougher and more enclosed

8.25 Step

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32

TL 787 880

Caution – this is a major A-road

1.35 Extreme caution – this is a fast, busy road

ZERO TRIP

8.75 Step

Step

Mundford 4 (A1065)

Step

33

As the track gets a little more enclosed, you’re into a series of quite intense crests and troughs.

Hit this too fast and you’ll be launched…

2.2 There’s a fuel station on the left here

Step

34

Caution – this road is very hard to spot as you approach, and there’s nothing in the way of warning signs

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Step 38: The right of way goes across the lay-by then climbs up and over a main road. Needless to say, it’s a big fat caution all the way through this junction

Step

35

Caution – this is a very fast, busy A-road

4.65 Step

36 37

TL 882 890

38

Step

42

The track splits in two for a short spell and is apt to be flooded in the middle. You can take either route, but don’t use it as a play area

Step

43

Caution here. The right of way heads straight across the layby then up and over the road.

Assume that absolutely no-one will understand what you’re doing

ZERO TRIP

Step

44 2.9

Step

Step

0.25

5.95

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Keep it slow past the house

2.5

9.65

Step

The track becomes a little enclosed and stratchy

2.25

8.75 Step

41 1.4

7.45 Step

Step

Caution – it’s blind as you emerge, and traffic approaching from the left will be coming over a blind crest

45 Stay on the main track all the way along here

London Thetford (A11)

94 7

Step

46 6.05

Garboldisham East Harling B1111 Roudham industrial areas Station

6 212 1 3

4

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Step

Step

47 6.95 Step

48

51 Roudham Ind Estate

TL 963 871

The turning is opposite Grange Farm. It’s shortly after the road has swung right at the end of a seemingly endless straight

9.2 Step

52

8.05

11.5

Step

Step

49

53

8.55

12.1

Step

Step

9.0

1.0

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Brettenham

Thetford Garboldisham

Caution – this is a fast, busy road

ZERO TRIP

54 Rushford

1

2

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Step 55: Yes, that’s a no vehicles sign you see. The good news is that it actually relates to another right of way which leaves the road at the same junction and doesn’t apply to yours Step 58 (right): The trail is easy to spot as you approach, but this is a busy road junction and other drivers will have no idea what you’re doing

Step

55 3.0 Step

56

TL 988 794

You’ll see an official ‘no vehicles’ sign at the junction – this relates to another byway which goes out at about one o’clock. The one you’re taking, back over your shoulder (it’s actually 90 right, then right again very soon after), is not affected

Step

59 2.55 Step

ZERO TRIP

60

4.7

3.7

Step

Step

61

57 1.3 Step

58 1.7

Here’s a sight to put you in the mood for a bacon sandwich…

Ixworth A1088

TL 895 788

Immediately after the 90 degree left-hander, fork out to the right on a sandy track. It’s good and visible, and signed as a byway, but other traffic on the road will have no idea what you’re doing

Continue straight ahead past the silos, keeping them to your left. The track gets narrower after this

3.95 Step

62

Caution – this is a main road

ZERO TRIP

4.35

Step 59: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs…

Step 64 (right): This crossroads comes a little way after another similar junction. Look out for the tree ahead, and the byway signs

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Step

63

TL 886 761

0.1 Step

64 65

Don’t turn too early – there’s a similar junction a little way beforehand, however it has ‘no access’ signs so you won’t struggle to get the right one! Yours has wooden byway signs pointing to right and left

66

Step

68

Swing right then turn left on the main track. There’s an outside chance that it might be a bit wet here…

3.2 What has been a very smooth lane becomes very bumpy just before the junction

Step

69 3.4

2.05 Step

67

The track heads into a narrow band of trees then kinks right and left again to keep you on more or less the same heading as before

2.85

1.45 Step

Step

Note the deep ditches to either side of the byway as it crosses the open field

2.6

Step

70 3.55 Step

71

Arrive at the Elveden Inn on your left for the end of the route

5.05 Step 67: Wind left into the trees then immediately right again to follow a very well defined track across a field Step 68 (right): This junction was well flooded, and that was after a fairly dry period of weather…

4x4 10pp Dec 20 Thetford Roadbook.indd 77

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From an in-depth test on the new Defender 110 to the classiest restorations and the most intriguing modified Landies. With a buyers’ guide covering the whole of Land Rover’s history and a round-up of the year’s hottest new products for anyone who owns or works on the world’s favourite 4x4, it’s a treasure trove of must-read tales from the wonderful world of Landies!

Published 13th November Available in WHSmith RRP £7.99

Available for £5 from our online shop either in print or in digital format: www.4x4magazineshop.co.uk

C L A S S I F I E D S

West Sussex West Sussex West Sussex Sussex Slindon open second and fourth Sunday of every H

month from Sept 2015 onwards - BN18 0NB open second and fourth Sunday of every ndon ndSlindon fourth openSunday second ofand every fourth Sunday of every month onwards - BN18 15 month onwards from-from Sept BN18Sept 2015 0NB2015 onwards - BN18 0NB 0NB

H or tel: 07802 826 Slindon Safari -582 West Sussex

er (all riders 14 or over) tel: 07802 582 826 802 r or tel: 582 07802 826 582 826

open second and fourth Sunday of every 4x4 PLAYDAYS EVERY MONTH Slindon month from Sept 2015 onwards - BN18 0NB Slindon open second and fourth Sunday of every month from Sep 2020 onwards - BN18 0NB

see: www.4x4driving.co.uk or tel: 07802 582 826

nmorgan@4x4driving.co.uk email: er (all riders 14over) or over) all over) riders 14 or email:johnmorgan@4x4driving.co.uk johnmorgan@4x4driving.co.uk Quad bikes - entry £15 £20 per per rider rider (all (all riders riders 14 14or orover) over) 4x4 4x4entry entry£32 £30per pervehicle vehicle

nmorgan@4x4driving.co.uk organ@4x4driving.co.uk driving.co.uk To advertise in 4x4 Magazine, call Ian Argent on 01283 553242 or email ian.argent@assignment-media.co.uk to discuss your marketing needs.

4x4 Folios Classifieds 2020.indd 49

NOVEMBER 2020 | 79

03/11/2020 14:06:50

DOUBLE-CAB OF THE YEAR

4x4

NEXT MONTH IN…

Our annual review of the pick-up market names Britain’s best truck for 2021

PLUS Sensational Defender 110 soft-top in profile • Overlanding in aid of injured veterans • 3dr Wrangler Rubicon on test

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88 | JAN UARY 2020

46

than it looks here

4x4

14.9 4x4 JA NUARY

Newsagent This magazine is available to your wholesaler through Comag Magazine Marketing, Tavistock Rd, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE. Tel: 01895 444055 Fax: 01895 433602

80 | DECEMBER 2020

Next Month Nov.indd 80

202 0 | 89

4x4 31/10/2020 13:13

RIL3900HP / REIL3900HP

MAGflex Pivot FLEX APPEAL RIL3700HP / REIL3700HP

MAGflex Utility READY FOR ANYTHING

RIL3600HP / REIL3600HP

MAGflex Twist THE GO TO

RIL4000 / REIL4000

MAGflex

MULTI ANGLE

RIL3400HP / REIL3400HP

MAGflex Arc

COMPACT & TOUGH

A Light For Every Job The Ring MAGflex range of Inspection Lamps As one of the first companies to pioneer LED inspection lamps for garages and workshops, Ring has a rich heritage and a strong reputation in workshop lighting. Bright, portable, rechargeable and resistant to oil, dirt and tough enough to withstand the knocks in a workshop, whatever the job.

Visit www.ringautomotive.com and find the right light for your job.

RUBL1000 / REUBL1000

MAGflex Under Bonnet EXTEND AND ADJUST

/ringautomotive

12295 Advert A4.indd 1

01/10/2019 13:55

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