Overlander 4x4 July 2024

LATEST: NEW ENGINE FOR DEFENDER | DRIVEN: INEOS QUARTERMASTER | LANING: TROUBLE AFOOT ON LOWER CLAERWEN

BRITAIN AT ITS BEST Why green laners keep going back to Wales

July 2024 £5.99

BEDFORD MJ

Exploring Africa in an off-road legend

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COOLEST 110

A Defender that really grabs people’s attention

FENIX RALLY

An actual desert storm in the Sahara

24/05/2024 12:35

SUBARU FORESTER. THE NO-NONSENSE SUV. EVOLVED TO EXPLORE.

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We typically receive commission or other benefits for introducing you to International Motors Finance Ltd. This may be a flat fee or percentage of the amount you borrow.

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Model shown price includes optional special paint finish at £595.

Tough, practical and virtually indestructible, the Subaru Forester e-BOXER will never let you down. Whatever the weather, wherever you want to go, this reliable workhorse will get you there. It’s calm, understated and up for any challenge.

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SUBARU FORESTER fuel economy and CO2 results (WLTP): Combined 34.7mpg, CO2 emissions 185g/km. MPG figures are official EU test figures for comparative purposes & may not reflect real driving results. Fuel consumption achieved in real life conditions & CO2 produced depends on a number of factors including accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles & vehicle load.

Offers available until 30.06.2024. Stock subject to availability. Subaru reserves the right to amend or withdraw offers at any time without prior notice. Private customers only, not available in conjunction with any other offers. Excludes Personal Contract Hire and Business Contract Hire. Available at participating dealers only. *£2,000 Subaru Deposit Contribution (incl. VAT) on a Forester e-BOXER XE, Sport or XE Premium. †Credit is subject to status. Must be 18+. This credit offer is only available through Subaru Finance provided by International Motors Finance Limited, St William House, Tresillian Terrace, Cardiff, CF10 5BH. **3 services for **£299.00 (incl. VAT) offer applicable when you purchase a brand-new Subaru Forester. All services should be taken at the relevant service intervals - either 12,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes sooner. All services must be completed by an authorised Subaru Retailer. The customer's failure to redeem the services within the designated mileage or time will void the manufacturer's warranty. Available to retail customer only. Does not cover any non-service related parts or repairs or general wear and tear. Servicing is transferable with the vehicle. #A comprehensive 3-Year Recovery and Assistance Programme is included, valid in the UK and Europe. ^Forester e-BOXER battery is covered by a 8 Year Warranty.

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Editor

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t’s always surprised me that more people don’t use 4x4 trucks for overland travel. By ‘trucks,’ I’m not talking about pick-ups or old-school Defenders and so on – I mean the likes of the Bedford MJ, Leyland Daf T244 and so on.

One of the first rules I was given when I started out in this game was that if you’re doing playdays and so on, you can modify to your heart’s content. If you’re doing overland travel, though, everything you do that takes your vehicle away from standard is something else waiting to go wrong.

When you look at what the Aussies do to their Land Cruisers before hitting the Outback, I guess I must be wrong.

Or at least only partly right. It seems to make sense, though. The combined might of Toyota’s engineers take a decade to make it work that well, then you come along and in a weekend you think you’re going to make it work better. Good luck with that.

The good news is that a Defender, Land Cruiser, Patrol or whatever is

mechanically ready to take on Africa in standard form. People will still insist on lifting them when they really don’t need to, though.

If you start with something like an MJ, on the other hand, the way the chap in this issue did, lifting it will be the last thing on your mind. It’s already over-engineered and over-specced for what you’re doing, it’s incredibly simple to work on, there’s little to go wrong – and so you can spend your budget on making it reliable instead.

That and building the camper body you’re going to live in while you’re on your travels. And it’s bigger, so that camper body is going to have more space in it.

Sounds like a no-brainer to me. Oh, and you’re sitting higher up, so you get a better view of the world. My instinct would be to look for a Defender 110 or Land Cruiser, too – but the more you think about it, the more a Big Toy starts to sound like an investment in an even bigger adventure.

Alan Kidd, Editor

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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.

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4x4 Contents July.indd 2

24/05/2024 17:27

LATEST: NEW ENGINE FOR DEFENDER | DRIVEN: INEOS QUARTERMASTER | LANING: TROUBLE AFOOT ON LOWER CLAERWEN

BRITAIN AT ITS BEST Why green laners keep going back to Wales

75% OFF

July 2024 £5.99

BEDFORD MJ

Exploring Africa in an off-road legend

1p Cover Jul 24.indd 1

COOLEST 110

A Defender that really grabs people’s attention

FENIX RALLY

An actual desert storm in the Sahara

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Six issues for the price of 12 sounds like half-price – but when you subscribe to Overlander 4x4 for a year, you actually end up getting 75% off the price on the cover

24/05/2024 12:35

CONTENTS JULY 2024 4x4 Scene 4

News

Special editions all round –from Defender, Isuzu and even the Ineos Grenadier

16 Rights of Way

Urgent calls for common sense on of of Wales’ most popular rights of way

14 Products

Kit for puting your Defender to work, and Isuzu wants you to take your D-Max out to play

Every Month 22 Subscribe

Get Overlander 4x4 delivered for a fraction of the cover price

64 Next Month

Around Kenya in a classic Range Rover, and around the world in a classic Volkswagen camper

Driven 16 Lexus UX300e

All-electric small SUV turns out to be a proper little hot hatch of a thing

18 Ineos Quartermaster

Grenadier based double-cab proves every bit as good as the station wagon on its first outing

Vehicles 28 Cool Defender camper

Who needs bling when you can build a 110 that’s fit for purpose and draws the crowds?

Travel 34 From Bedford to Africa

An overland motorhome based on a classic army truck takes the enormous way down

44 Wales Trails

22 36

A brace of new Isuzu D-Maxes take a laning trip led by the guys from Llanerchindda Farm

54 Fenix Rally

They came to the desert to race… and fled it to avoid the rain

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NEWS

ISUZU PUTS MORE STEELINTO D-MAX

eing a proper pick-up truck with a ladder frame chassis and all, the Isuzu D-Max already has a lot of steel in it. But 300 of them are going to have even more – or at least, they’re going to make even more of a big deal about it.

The new D-Max Steel is a special edition based on the range-topping V-Cross and available with manual and automatic gearboxes. It’s painted in an exclusive Steel Grey mica colour and comes with a wide range of dress-up items to enhance its ‘rugged charm and urban sophistication.’

These include dark grey roof rails, grille badging, wheelarch flares and rear arch extensions, plus power fold mirrors and a tailgate damper for soft opening and closing. In addition, a ‘Steel’ logo is embossed into the headrests and luxury carpet mats, as well as being projected

ONE-OFFS AND SHOW SPECIALS FROM ISUZU

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our years ago, we got together with Isuzu to build the GO2 – a modified off-roader that took the D-Max to new heights of ruggedness and capability. It was meant to be the star of the company’s stand at that year’s CV Show, but then someone in China fancied bat for lunch (other explanations are available).

The GO2 has been seeing service on our own fleet ever since, but Isuzu must have liked the spec we drew up for it because

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now they’ve done one of their own. Called the Mudmaster, it’s based on the current V-Cross range-topper and features a snorkel, winch, LED grille and roof lamps, lifted suspension, custom rock sliders, larger all-terrain tyres, heavy-duty seat covers, vinyl mats, door handle protectors and more.

Is it named after an obscure new wave album from the 1970s, though? Thought not. Ours can still GO2 places other 4x4s

cannot reach – but the competition is getting stiffer.

Talking of that, if big trucks turn you on there’s another new Isuzu in town. You’ll know all about the AT35, which is modded

by Arctic Trucks and driven by people who like to make a statement. Well, the recent CV Show saw the arrival of the AT37 – which makes a bigger statement still.

Arctic Trucks has been making AT37s for years (the number relates to the height

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by a set of puddle lamps, and the same branding appears on the tailgate badge, bespoke side graphics and LED scuff plates. Dealers in Scotland should really think about putting some tins of Irn Bru in the cup holders for the full effect (if you know, you know…)

Being based on the V-Cross, the Steel edition is highly equipped from the word go. You get 18” alloys, dual-zone climate, stylish looking leather seats and a 9” screen running CarPlay and Android phone pairing, DAB, a reversing camera and so on. And of course it’s a capable off-roader, with the locking rear diff that’s been standard on most D-Maxes since the new model arrived in 2021.

What’s it going to cost you? The manual model is £38,495 and the auto £39,995, in each case on the road but without the VAT. It’s on sale now.

of the tyres) but none of the manufacturers who’ve got into bed with the company have ever dared to go beyond the AT35 for their showroom line-ups. This is a one-off show special, so Isuzu still hasn’t – but with a positive enough reaction from Percy Punter, which you’d think is more or less a give, who knows what they might be persuaded to drop in the future?

The D-Max AT37 is equipped with 37” BFGoodrich KM3 Mud-Terrains, with a 10-position adjustable Bilstein suspension system helping make the space required to fit them under its arches. In total it stands around 140mm taller than the standard V-Cross on which its based – that’s just under six inches in words we know.

With upgraded diffs, a strengthened chassis and all the usual Arctic Trucks bits, the AT37 takes a good idea and makes it even better. Which, depending on your point of view, may also describe a newcomer unveiled by the Isuzu factory at the recent Bangkok motor show.

This is the D-Max BEV. Huge shudder from all corners of the room. Don’t fret, it still has a one-tonne payload and 3500kg towing capacity.

But, but, it’s electric and they all catch fire and the minerals are worse than carbon and they depreciate faster than a house in eastern Ukraine and they’re the reason why I’m having to pay two grand to insure my old Land Rover, I know because someone said it on Facebook FACT, bah, fume, conniption… Actual scientists (no, not Greta, she just says to listen to them) will gently suggest otherwise and, however sceptical we all are about the motives of every government there is, hiding behind a conspiracy theory because you don’t like the idea of change is not going to fix anything. And that change is coming whether we like it or not – Isuzu describes the D-Max BEV as ‘a major milestone in the journey towards a carbon-neutral world,’ which is quite a heroic thing to say but when you’ve got people claiming that EVs

are pointless because a volcano went off somewhere and look at all the CO2 that came out of it, just getting them to climb on board and open their minds to giving it a try will be a bigger milestone than most of us can imagine.

What they’ll be opening their minds to, if they can, is a pick-up with a 66.9kWh battery and a maximum output of 130kW (174bhp). It’ll do more than 80mph up top and has a full-time four-wheel drive system using newly developed e-diffs front and rear, promising better performance than ever over the most uneven ground. Yes, angry men of Facebook, there are areas where electric propulsion can actually be better than petrol or diesel. Just pretend you don’t have someone foisting it on you for your grandkids’ sake and you never know what you might find.

Isuzu doesn’t quote a range for the D-Max BEV, which is concerning as it’s the first thing most people want to know. But it does say it plans to launch the vehicle next year in ‘select mainland European markets’, and that it will go on to expand into the UK and elsewhere ‘based on market demand and the development of EV charging infrastructure.’

So that’s an off-roader, a show-stopper and a planet-saver, all in the space of a few weeks. Which one do you most fancy having parked up outside your house?

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NEWS VAT-RECLAIMABLE MODEL JOINS GRENADIER RANGE

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neos Automotive has acted to address an issue in the Grenadier range which saw customers being unable to claim their VAT back on Utility models. The Grenadier Commercial, which starts at a basic £51,931 in the UK, has been modified to comply with regulations on its tax status, also allowing customers to run one as a company vehicle while enjoying the lower income tax rate on benefits in kind.

Built in the same factory as the rest of the Grenadier range, the Commercial is converted ex-works by EDC of Pontypool.

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The result is a vehicle with aluminium inserts in place of the rear passenger windows, blacked out glazing on the rear doors and permanently disabled chassis mounting points to prevent a second row of seats from being added afterwards.

The truck has a full-length flat floor with a full-height bulkhead behind its two front seats, and can carry a standard 1200mm x 800mm Euro pallet. Its cargo area has a total capacity of more than 2000 litres; as with the rest of the range, you can depend upon a 3500kg towing capacity. Ineos also

says that the Commercial has ‘5.5 tonnes of winching power for recovering itself or other vehicles’ when so equipped.

‘Customers in the UK have been asking for this addition to our model line-up since we launched in 2022, so we’re pleased to make this available so quickly,’ says Ineos Automotive Commercial Director George Ratcliffe. ‘The versatility of the Grenadier platform allows this level of modification without any compromise to the driving dynamics or off-road capabilities.’ The order book is open now.

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FIRST SPECIAL EDITION FOR GRENADIER

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ou might be aware that there’s a band called The 1975. Well, for Ineos customers there’s now a Grenadier called the 1924.

In 1924, the musical equivalent of The 1975’s singer Matty Healy was people like Al Jolson, Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, Noël Coward and Oscar Hammerstein.

None of whom ever got off with the 1924 equivalent of Taylor Swift, though it’s hard to believe that there was a 1924 equivalent of Taylor Swift.

Anyway, something else that happened in 1924 was that Eli Belovitch and Harry Grosberg of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent (a place where Taylor Swift has almost certainly never been), founded a clothing company called Belstaff. They had the idea of using wax cotton to make waterproof jackets and so on, particularly with

motorcyclists in mind, and they must have done quite well because 80 years later the company was shelling out a million quid for Kate Moss to appear in its adverts.

Scroll forward to 2017 and Belstaff was being bought by a new owner. A new owner called Ineos. A new owner that was in the early stages of developing a new off-road vehicle to take the place of the old Land Rover Defender… and which is now available in Trialmaster and Fieldmaster trims, both of them named after classic Belstaff jackets of old.

And now there’s the Grenadier 1924, a special edition created to celebrate Belstaff’s 100-year anniversary. Based on the range-topping Fieldmaster model, it adds exclusive gloss black diamond-cut 17” alloys, a dechromed black grille trim and dark grey front and rear skid plates and

comes in a special Magic Mushroom and Inky Black paint scheme.

Inside, there’s a dark green finish on the dashboard, centre stack, overhead console, switchgear and door cards, as well as dark grey headlining and a black saddle leather trim on the steering wheel, handbrake grip and passenger grab handle.

The 1924 will be available to order from 26 June, with a total of 1924 examples being available. Each will come with its own unique edition number to go with its Belstaff centenary badging. No prices yet, so instead we’ll tell you that the name Belstaff comes from ‘Belovitch’ and, cos Stoke-on-Trent, ‘Staffordshire.’ And that 1975 is as good as halfway back in time to 1924. If you’re anything like us, you’re now feeling phenomenally old; best get one of these on order to cheer yourself up.

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COLOUR BY NUMBERS

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e know colour is important to all of us, and not just those obsessed with black, white and brown. The slightly uneasy fact is, though, that we don’t really see much of it. We are in fact colour-blind, since humans can only see 0.0035% of the entire colour spectrum. To put that in perspective, we see light in three channels, whereas the lowly mantis shrimp sees it in 12 channels.

Automotive manufacturers worked out decades ago that what colours we see we react to emotionally (like Ferrari red

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and that ‘diarrhoea mushroom beige’ of old Nissan Micras). Which leads us (yes, yes, eventually) to a trio of the new-model Lexus off-roaders that they’re showcasing the other side of the Atlantic.

They’re from the AAP range, which stands for Associated Accessory Product, if you’re interested. In other words, they’re full of extra stuff on top of the substantial amount of stuff that comes as standard with any Lexus SUV. First off is the Lexus GX 460 Premium, which you can’t help but notice comes in a rather eye-catching Matte Yellow Saffron

body wrap. What does that tell us? Perhaps we’re meant to think that this is a tie-up with the Dalai Lama, or perhaps it’s meant for Asian chefs everywhere, or it’s a vehicle for tackling the sands at Blackpool.

Actually it’s probably that last one, as it has CBI Offroad rock sliders as well as a full skid plate and 34in all-terrain tyres so you can safely get over the donkeys on the beach. Having done so – and got over the distressing noise of doing so – you can pitch your 10ft double hammock on its mounting stand and get some tinnies out of the fridge/freezer. Luxury.

www.overlander4x4.co.uk

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The GX 550 Overtrail + comes in Earth brown and black (no white trash here).

We’re guessing this is meant to make us think of the 30% of the planet that juts out above the water. You’re probably reading this on one of those small bits. Make us think of off-roading in jungle or savannah or stinking, muddy swamp (yes, we’re back to Blackpool again).

Once again there are rock rails and skid plate underneath but they’re joined by a roof rack and ladder up the top. The rack holds recovery boards as well as a couple of cargo cases – in this case Pelican

cases, which I’ve seen floating in the Amazon, full of expensive equipment, and not a drop of water or dust got in. Off the rear windows we see more kit, like liquid containers and a shovel – all you’d need for your day on the beach at Blackpool.

Last up is the LX 600 Premium, and that’s a colour-shifter if not a shape-shifter.

It’s apparently for wealthy paddleboarders – possibly a market worth focusing on – so it’s covered in an Aquamarine wrap that is meant to make you think of how the sea changes colour depending on the light.

Obviously to fit in at Blackpool it would

have to be a dull grey wrap with murky brown overtones.

This is the one for the beach though, with a Yakima camp kitchen complete with cooker, fridge and sink, all accessed via an expanding set-up on the trailer hitch. There’s an awning to keep off the sun (or Blackpool heavy rain) and of course there’s a rack on the roof with mounts for paddleboard and surfboard.

Which means you can paddle out into the sewage to escape the aggrieved donkeys getting their teeth into your burned burgers on the cooker.

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NEWS

TESTING BEGINS FOR ALL-ELECTRIC RANGE ROVER

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ith the Range Rover Electric on the way, JLR has confirmed that initial prototype vehicles have begun testing in extreme climates around the world. The programme kicked off last month in northern Sweden, where vehicles underwent cold temperature

calibration assessment on frozen lakes in the Arctic Circle.

This initial test phase concentrated on the battery and Electric Drive Unit, which includes the transmission, electric motor and power electronics. The first electric propulsion systems to be assembled in house by JLR itself, these were required to

prove themselves at temperatures as low as –40°C. JLR says this reduces the reaction time at each wheel from around 100 milliseconds to as little as 1 millisecond, and that the new system ‘will allow Range Rover to exceed its already renowned performance on low-grip surfaces,

£8250 RANGE ROVER MINI-BREAK IS ONE KIND OF OVERLANDING

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www.overlander4x4.co.uk

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HAS YOUR

FREELANDER GOT AN ISSUE WITH THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HALDEX POWER TRANSFER UNIT Here at FreelanderSpecialist.com, not only will we fix the problem but we will look to determine why the problem occurred and discuss with you how you can avoid it happening again in the future. ensuring the all-terrain, all-weather and all-surface capability of the Range Rover remains unparalleled.’

The Range Rover Electric promises to be the quietest and most refined example of the breed ever created. In the words of engineering boss Thomas Mueller, owners can expect ‘customary Range Rover luxury, refinement and capability plus near-silent fully electric propulsion, with effortlessly smooth and relaxed journeys.’

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ancy a serene luxury escape? Of course you do. And starting in September, thanks to the Ranger Rover Catalonia experience you’ll be able to have exactly that.

A three-day self-drive mini-break, this combines unique accommodation, Michelin-starred fine dining experiences, wine tasting and a ‘highly curated itinerary of luxury wellness treatments and activities’ (not just curated but ‘highly curated,’ so expect the essential oils to be poured by the reincarnated soul of Dali or Picasso). The behind-the-wheel part includes ‘scenic routes traversing all terrains to deliver the ultimate driving experience while embracing precious moments of wellness and relaxation.’ So just like a Sunday morning at Drumclog, then.

‘Range Rover steps into a spotlight of its own to deliver this carefully curated travel experience’ says David Griffiths, who must be from JLR because he said curated. Also typical of JLR is a tremendously realistic price, which in this case is £8250 per person based on two people sharing. In all fairness, that includes insurance so they’ll probably be hoping to break even.

Our differential units are uprated, making them stronger than the originals.

DON’T JUST FIX IT....

FIX IT FOR GOOD!

WE SHIP PARTS WORLDWIDE Tel: +44 (0)780 9575 421 theteam@freelanderspecialist.com www.freelanderspecialist.com July 2024 I Overlander 4x4

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Rights of Way GLASS calls for common sense to protect Lower Claerwen

LOWER CLAERWEN IS ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE GREEN LANES ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. Running alongside the Afon Claerwen river, between the head of Caban-coch Reservoir and the Claerwen Dam, it’s around two and a half miles long and packs in a variety of rocks, potentially deep water and supreme scenery. Towards its western end, this is dominated by the looming presence of the dam – beneath which, the trail begins or ends with a lengthy ford over the confluence of the Claerwen and Afon Arban.

The lane has always been challenging in places; the rocks are tricky, particularly when travelling from the east, and when water in Claerwen Reservoir is overtopping the dam it’s a sure sign that it’ll be over your hubs, too. All this, and the wonderful isolation of the landscape as you pick your way along the valley floor, make it a highlight of any lane run in an area which is not short of classic rights of way.

Over the last year or so, however, the condition of the rock sections has slowly changed and they have become more extreme. This has led to drivers of less well equipped vehicles looking for alternative routes around the obstacles – causing off-piste damage to the adjacent land. As a result, the Green Lane Association has called for restraint in its use, specifically asking drivers not to attempt it in standard vehicles.

‘This route has become pretty technical now with some tricky rocky climbs, which

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have been caused by a lack of attention to drainage along with the persistent wet weather,’ explains the Association’s Powys rep Tristan Craddock in a recent bulletin. ‘Unfortunately, people have been avoiding the rocky section by cutting across private land, which is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest.’

It’s common practice on rights of way to take the shortest practicable detour around a blockage – such as a locked gate or other deliberate obstruction. Even then, however, if no reasonable route exists it’s not acceptable to stray wildly from the correct line – and going off-piste simply

because your vehicle isn’t up to coping with the terrain on the right of way is never an excuse.

‘I am in discussions with the council and police on how to remedy the situation without the need for any closure on the route,’ continues Tristan. ‘Note that although abating an obstruction is considered acceptable, that does not include causing damage to protected sites – which is a police matter.

‘Cameras may well be placed in the area to catch offenders. If you can’t get up the climb, turn around. Do not be tempted to cause further damage.’

www.overlander4x4.co.uk

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New Accessory Catalogue

21st

Edition Is Out Now!

The new Britpart Accessory Catalogue is now available.

This is the catalogue to have! Whatever model you drive, whichever year it is, we have the accessories to suit your requirements.

View it online www.britpart.com/cat

Scan this to order your copy

Order your copy today

Simply pop to -

www.britpart.com/request

- fill in your details and we’ll send you a copy!*

Note - Sorry but catalogues can only be posted to UK addresses. Catalogue can be viewed online at www.britpart.com/cat *Alternatively write to the Marketing Department, Britpart, The Grove, Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 8DA.

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PRODUCTS

Isuzu selects dealers to become ARB specialists Isuzu’s relationship with ARB has yielded a wide range of accessories and a few very cool special builds, the latest of which you may already have read about a few pages back. Now, the latest chapter in the story sees the introduction of ARB HUB, a dealer programme which ‘marks a significant milestone in Isuzu’s expansion into the lifestyle sector.’

The scheme will see a selection of Isuzu dealers becoming dedicated hubs for ARB 4x4 accessories. Staff will undergo specialised training and the dealerships themselves will be transformed into an environment offering a range of ARB products and services for off-road and vehicle-dependent camping enthusiasts.

Dating back to 1975, when company founder Tony Brown started selling roof racks and bull bars he made in his garage in Melbourne, ARB has become probably the world’s most widely recognised off-road brand. Brown was inspired to start in the 4x4 trade after experiencing the poor quality of what was available at the time for his own vehicle, a Series I Land Rover, and built ARB on a philosophy of delivering quality and reliability above all else. The company is not known for cheapness – in any sense of the word – which is why its products are so well trusted by off-roaders who understand the importance of using parts that won’t break.

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Thus it’s a perfect fit for a manufacturer like Isuzu which also trades on the dependability of what it makes. The D-Max has long been seen as a go-to choice by agricultural and utility users, and since the launch of the current model in 2021 it has made strides into the lifestyle sector – driven by its trucks’ reputation for strength, something it is now leveraging to move into the outdoor lifestyle sector. ARB doesn’t just make heavy-duty bumpers, performance suspension and so on – its range of tents, fridges, cargo stowage systems and more have made it a leader in the field of vehicledependant travel, too.

Isuzu says the new ARB HUB programme will allow it to ‘further engage in the market of adventurers, providing them with premium

accessories, whether taking on the most difficult terrains or camping in remote locations.’ Dealers will be able to help customers choose the right accessories for their vehicles and purpose, be it family expeditions or hardcore off-road travel, allowing them to have their new D-Max delivered as a turn-key adventure wagon with everything in place and ready to use.

‘We are thrilled to introduce the ARB HUB dealer programme, developed together with ARB UK,’ says Isuzu’s Darren James.

‘This initiative underscores our commitment to providing our customers with the best-in-class products and services while expanding our presence in the lifestyle market.’ Find your nearest participating dealer by visiting www.isuzu.co.uk.

www.overlander4x4.co.uk

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Then came LED bars and the fashion changed. But KC never went away – and its new Gravity Titan line-up includes a range of light bars that combine the old-school look with absolutely cutting edge performance.

‘We took the nostalgia for classic round lights and the demand for LED light bars, and infused all of that together with cutting-edge GRD optic technology,’ says KC. ‘This move didn’t just light up trails; it sparked a revolution in off-road lighting. Titan stands as a testament to our commitment to push boundaries and fuel off-road adventures.’

The Gravity Titan range includes single and twin round light, and a variety of bars measuring from 20” to 57”. These aren’t just long, straight LED bars in the traditional sense, though – they’re made up of up to eight round arrays to recreate the old-school look. They cost a bomb, even before you get them over here from America, but this is fabulous looking and unbelievably powerful stuff.

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LEXUS UX300E TAKUMI

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ou might not choose a Lexus for an off-road expedition, but for daily duties few manufacturers are as consistently excellent.

Toyota’s luxury brand was the first to bring hybrid power to the SUV segment, too – and now it’s ramping up its all-electric offering with an increasing range of stylish vehicles.

We were impressed by the big RZ450h when we drove it last year, and now here we are aboard the smaller UX300e. This is the entry-level model, which means prices from £47,495 up to £57,095 for the Takumi model tested here. Plus another £920 for special paint. Almost everyone gets them on lease now, though, where you’re likely to be paying from around £400 a month (very roughly) as a private punter.

What you’ll get is an SUV that looks sharp and drives like a proper hot hatch of a thing.

Its motor is rated to 204bhp and 221lbf.ft, but it makes an absolute mockery of those figures with slingshot acceleration both from standstill and at overtaking speeds.

The figures sound well out again with a 0-62 time of 7.5 seconds – it feels far, far faster than that.

Happily, it has the dynamics to match.

It’s only front-wheel drive (another reason to stick with a Land Cruiser if you’re heading for Tombouctou) but on the road you can push it as hard as you want and it just grips and grips. This was in dry conditions, but we came away from our brief test drive more than satisfied that you could ask similar questions of it on whatever state of a surface you want.

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It’s one of those vehicles that wants to go round corners. Turning in, you’re placing it exactly where you want it to go, with a sharpness and precision that puts a smile on your face which turns into a proper big grin when you hit the apex and fire it out the other side. All that’s missing is the sound of a high-revving multi-valve engine to give you the full GTi experience, but while this might take something away from the sense of drama it has all the agility and athleticism you could ask for.

Our Takumi model was on 225/50R18 tyres, which no doubt helped here. Lowerspec models get 215/60R17s, so you might expect a little less dynamic sharpness – but a little gentler ride, and unless you spend your life pretending you’re Sebastien Loeb that’s something to consider. It’s not harsh but it follows every bump and crest as it happens – which makes it sensationally chuckable on a fun B-road but can be pretty exhausting on the kind of tragedy in tarmac we’re all too used to in Britain. Body movements are pronounced and hardly damped at all – you need to slow right down on bad roads if you want a physical experience to match the refinement for which Lexus is rightly famous.

Here, it’s quiet and beautifully smooth.

There’s a slight whine from the motor and a little road noise, but nothing that won’t disappear completely with the stereo at a civilised volume. This in turn is operated by a huge media screen whose quality is everything you’d expect (and require, at the price), part of an all-round equipment list

which helps justify said price – as of course does the vehicle itself.

No, this isn’t a typical overlanding-style machine. It’s a realistic indication of what ‘4x4s’ have become for the majority of drivers, however, and with its all-electric drivetrain it’s an equally realistic indication of what the car market is becoming. You might not like these facts, but the good news is that if you can afford a new Land Cruiser for that African trek, you can probably afford one of these too for fun times back home.

Each is, in its own way, absolutely spot-on at what it does.

Interior is crisp, sharp and beautifully put together. Boot is huge in five-seat mode and the back seats fold flat

www.overlander4x4.co.uk

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FULL METAL JACKET The Ineos Quartermaster is a hardcore double-cab built for people who wear hi-vis but aimed at people who wear posh togs from Belstaff Words: Graham Scott Pictures: Ineos

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t wasn’t going to be like this, was it? It was going to be an honest-to-goodness 4x4 with all the strengths of the old Land Rover but none of the new tech-rammed ‘don’t even mention Land Rover’ fripperyfilled Defender.

So a pick-up version of the Ineos Grenadier would be a rugged and practical tool used by grateful professionals who needed that space and weight-lugging ability. The press launch for it would be a quarry full of granite where mimsy journalists could pretend they actually needed to wear steel-toecapped boots.

So where are we? We’re in Tuscany darling at this simply divine villa where the gelato is to die for. And there it is, the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster, amid the Tuscan pines and cypress trees. I can just see a line of them from where I’m lying by the infinity

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pool. How things change and warp eh?

From boozy idea to production, it all looks so different.

And yet. When they eventually get us into the vehicles – and there’s no truth in the story that they had to use tasers and cattleprods to get us away from the pool and hazelnut ice cream – it’s instantly apparent that this may sell out but Ineos hasn’t sold out its dream.

As we all know, dreams are weird. I’m not even telling you about the one I had last night. But this Ineos dream is like reality but only to an extent. With a price starting at around £66,000, but which heads rapidly North into the £75,000 or £85,000 terrain, this just isn’t for that builder or sparky looking for the next commercial vehicle.

Instead Ineos says it’s aimed more at extreme sports and, yes, lifestyle customers.

So we’re not talking someone with a tool belt and Caterpillar trousers, we’re talking a highly sponsored big-wave surfer or successful Bear Grylls-type outdoor survival school or somesuch. And maybe that’s the smart play. In a world where the top 1% will be hoovering up a minimum 90% of all wealth it makes sense to aim at the top.

And all that money gets you what? It’s basically a collection of parts, like all the Grenadiers. Engines from BMW, axles from Carraro, coil springs from Eibach, transmissions from ZF, transfer case and diff from Tremec, on and on. But when Ineos puts them all together you get the effect Ineos is familiar with. Ineos, let’s not forget, is one of the largest chemical producers and it’s familiar with the idea of putting known elements together to produce something else entirely.

www.overlander4x4.co.uk

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Some designs don’t take kindly to being reworked – the orignal Toyota RAV4, for example, looked all wrong when they turned it into a 5-door. The Grenadier, on the other hand, looks like it has spent its life wanting to be a double-cab

It must be said that when you’re in the Grenadier cabin you know you’re in something different. It’s not like anything else because it’s been designed from scratch. It doesn’t have to take into account accepted corporate design motifs or historic elements. And it helps if the designer usually creates things like superyachts.

In a word it’s got character. It makes you smile – Land Rover products, ads and corporate messaging never make you smile.

The Grenadier is different and that’s just fantastic especially because you know the bean counters, who run most corporations, will be desperately looking through their spreadsheets trying to find a costed entry for ‘character’.

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Maybe that’s a bit ephemeral for you.

Fair enough. Let’s drive the thing (once the sting of that damn cattle prod wears off).

But that puts us in the cabin and we just have to pause there, not least for a little wheeze since it’s a big, tall vehicle and so if you’re of the dwarfish persuasion forget getting up into it unless you have steps or acrobatic friends along. I think the cabin is worth the climb.

It looks exactly like the original drawings of how it was going to look. There’s been little compromise here, and even the odd note of whimsy. To me the central vents look like those you’d see on yachts (the compass set amid them helps) and there’s even a dash of red and green amid the dials

signalling left and right – port (red) and starboard (green).

More importantly, they’re all big, easy to use and clearly marked. Even if your hands are freezing or you’re wearing gloves, you can work this vehicle and get going. You don’t have to spend time farting about with endless submenus on the 12.3” central touchscreen. How refreshing is that?

The practicality extends to you being able to lift out the floor mats, literally hose the thing out, then drain it via the floor bung. All the dials and switchgear are rated waterproof so long as you aren’t so stupid as to aim a pressure washer at them. We’re back to original Range Rover thinking here and all the better for it.

www.overlander4x4.co.uk

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Ineos originally said it hope to get the Grenadier on the market for less then £40k, and it missed that target by a mile. But it also said it was going to build a true off-roader, and it got that spot-on

Are we now sitting comfortably? Yes we are in those Recaro seats and, yes, we can now rest our forearm comfortably on the window sill, unlike in famous 4x4s some people still regularly bang their elbows in.

Fire up the straight-six BMW 3.0-litre lump.

Diesel or petrol – the choice is yours but we’ve gone for the diesel today. It’s quiet but you know it’s there, surely one of the classic engines and worthy powerplant for the Quartermaster.

So far so Grenadier but with the Quartermaster the wheelbase is about 9” (235mm) longer, giving a wheelbase of 3227mm. What’s that in inches, children?

Oh, 127! Can you think of another pick-up truck with a 127” wheelbase?

Overall length is also up, from 4856mm to 5400mm, which isn’t surprising when you’re fitting in a double cab and a load bed capable of taking a Euro-pallet. Not surprising, but in some circumstances not entirely welcome either.

On the road the extra dimensions aren’t so obvious. It rolls along reasonably smoothly and perhaps that extra wheelbase adds a touch more stability to the ride. What is welcome is that the awful engineering compromise every pick-up demands isn’t too bad here at all. What do you design for – an empty load bed or one that’s full of bags of cement?

For the Quartermaster, the answer appears to lie in structural integrity. There’s

no monocoque like in the new Defender, there’s no trickery to the suspension, it’s just socking great beam axles suspended with heavy coil springs and dampers from an extremely robust ladder-frame chassis. Even empty, the Quartermaster’s load bed is not that obvious when driving on or off the road.

We didn’t try it full of cement – we’re mimsy journalists with soft hands, remember – but the integrity of the whole indicates it would handle it well.

That feeling of structural integrity continues once you head off-road. That interesting and comfortable cabin means you have lots of switches and dials, but the idea is that the ones you need the most are in the centre console and you only have

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Approach angle is unchanged, departure angle still good and breakover angle only slightly compomised

The whole airliner-style layout of the Grenadier’s switch panels makes you smile every time you climb aboard. Rear seat legroom is not exactly massive but the seats themselves are comfortable, even if they don’t recline

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to reach up to those aircraft-cool banks of stuff on the roof for when you’re already stopped. And we were stopped.

Because ahead of us lay the almost cartoon-level beauty of the Tuscan countryside, and we’d be winding through it on a selection of narrow, rocky, muddy trails.

The Quartermaster comes in three flavours: standard, Fieldmaster or, the one we were in, the Trialmaster Edition. That means, along with the standard centre diff, you have locking diffs front and rear. We spent a moment locking everything but the doors.

Actually, getting it into low range and the diffs locked is quite physically hard work as the lever is as stiff as a blue-pill stiff thing to operate, but we’re mimsy journalists remember. Eventually we’d pushed and pulled enough switches and levers and were ready to go. At first it seemed like overkill, but the scenery is so wonderful we didn’t care. Then we did.

The scenery was still there but there was a noticeable absence of track in front of that big bonnet. Then there was a notable presence of gravity and a view of a tree-lined track rapidly descending ahead of us. Time to try the hill descent button then take feet off pedals with heart in mouth.

Result – a calm and measured descent that felt absolutely under control. You can feel the Grenadier walking down the rocky slope, axles moving under control, transmission keeping things rigorously disciplined, even as boulders and rocks reared up in our path. Then it got smoother and definitely weirder.

www.overlander4x4.co.uk

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Over the radio they told us, out here in the middle of nowhere, that the next stage was a section of original Roman road. I actually felt bad about this, and made sure we didn’t scrabble the big BFG All-Terrains or scrub in too much steering input as we descended. Imagine that, an actual Roman road, astonishing.

When we got out and babbled about it, the Italians with us shrugged in the way only Italians or French can, and said the ground is soft, it rains a lot and what can you do, it will slowly erode to nothing, even given the brilliance of its construction. Shrug.

If you remember your Latin you’ll know their roads were known as Via, as in Via Dolorosa (the Way of Sorrow or, as we now know it, the M25). The Romans also, clever people that they were, had a mental technique called Via Negativa. You say what something is not until you are only left with what something is. Bit like Michelangelo chipping away at his lump of marble.

When asked how he’d created the statue of David he just said: ‘I simply carved away everything that was not David’.

So let’s apply that to the Grenadier Quartermaster. What is it not? It is not remotely cheap. It is not a Defender (old or new), or a G-Wagen despite it looking like a lovechild of the two. It is not very spacious in the rear, those three rear seats offering reasonable comfort but not that much legroom and of course you can’t recline them either. It is not an entirely practical load carrier since, for example, if you do want to load it up with a Euro-pallet you first

have to take out that huge and heavy spare wheel and stow it somewhere else – where?

And it does not steer well. Which is a shame since I applaud the thinking – let’s keep it simple. And, hmm, off-road driving can be dangerous when the steering wheel kicks in your hands and can even break thumbs. Let’s use an old-school recirculating ball mechanism. Off-road this does work well and it adds to what is already a nicely fluid movement forward.

But on-road it just doesn’t self-centre or give you much of an insight into where it is or what it’s doing. Come out of a junction, add some judicious throttle and suddenly you’re flailing away at massive steering inputs and corrections like Captain Jack Sparrow at the helm of the Black Pearl. You learn to live with it but it’s never a joy.

And, since we’re on the subject, however much you flail around with the wheel the turning circle seems to be approximately that of a galleon in full sail with a drunk captain at the spoked wooden wheel.

That extra length to the wheelbase really doesn’t help here either. Nobody progressed smoothly through the Tuscan countryside without having to at least once engage reverse on the tight turns.

So, enough of the Negativa. What positives does that leave us? Well, plenty.

It’s big and solid and is built to last. And it’s built on 4x4 first principles. The engines are both terrific and the eight-speed ZF box is faultless, something you can enjoy whether hoofing down A-roads or nudging it in low second up a precipitous slope. The

cabin is full of character and practicality and a unique style in the motoring world.

Approach angle is unchanged, departure angle still good and ramp breakover angle only slightly compromised. There are loads of really clever ideas dotted throughout, like the strips running down the sides of the bodywork to which you can attach all manner of extras for when moving or camped up. The load bed is easily accessible and pretty big if you’re just chucking stuff in that isn’t pallet-based.

And Ineos has built this to be able to handle a whole range of powerplants. Petrol, diesel, full electric and even hydrogen fuel cell – they can all be slotted in. And Ineos already has a lot of hydrogen in its supply chain thank you very much.

It’s a 4x4 built in a German factory in France with European components, owned by a British multinational headed by one of the world’s wealthiest men. It’s different, it’s full of character and there’s no doubt that as the company and products mature the build quality is improving all the time. If you’re one of the 10% and you need a luxury load carrier, this ought to be on your shortlist.

We’d go for the top Trialmaster spec and we’d get the Belstaff jacket to match.

Oh, didn’t we mention, in among all the other interesting things Ineos does, it also owns Belstaff, and both Fieldmaster and Trialmaster are the names of their iconic jackets. Welcome to the worlds within worlds of the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster. It’s a fascinating place if you can afford the entry fee.

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BETTER THAN BLING For the last ten years or so, people have been building look-at-me Land Rovers.

Paul Wilde just wanted a 110 he could live in while exploring the world – but in the process, he created a Defender you REALLY want to look at…

Words: Tom Alderney Pictures: Paul Wilde

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or much the last decade, Defender building has shifted its focus from purpose and practicality to looks and lifestyle. As the vehicles’ values went up and up without any sign of ever reaching a ceiling, demand for blinged 90s and 110s appeared unquenchable – the result being that now the market has adjusted itself to a slightly more sane position, it’s flooded with shiny Land Rovers rocking big alloys and trick paint.

Shiny Land Rovers do look good, if you’re into that. And some of the trucks the bling artists created during that period really were quite mind-blowing. As that market moves relentlessly upwards, however, and gets more and more formulaic as a result, individual builds are moving back in the direction of purpose and practicality.

A good Defender is still a pretty valuable thing, however. So we’re not seeing a return to the days when people would cut one up and go bashing it off trees at Tong or Slindon, or CCV-ing its brains out with their local Rover club. Instead, the new zeitgeist in Defender building is to turn a 110 into a long-range camper or expedition vehicle.

And guess what? If you want people to look on admiringly, should you build a blinger? Hell, no. They might look on, but they’ll be thinking the same thing they do

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when they see a slammed BMW with a popcorn exhaust; the details may change, but the W always stands for the same thing.

No, if you want people to look on admiringly there’s nothing like an expedition build to do it. Just ask Paul Wilde, who built this late 2.4-litre Puma 110 with a view to exploring Europe and Africa.

‘Be prepared,’ he says. ‘If you are thinking of owning this Landy, you will always get stopped, meet new people and be the centre of attention.’ Yeah, he’s selling it. Or to put it another way: Yeah! He’s selling it!

More of that at the end. No, don’t skip.

You’ll miss the good stuff.

And there’s a lot of good stuff about this Defender. Some of it is the kind that’s just about expeditions, while some is universal.

There’s about 175,000 miles on the clock, for example. So we’re into engine rebuild territory, but Paul did a little more besides.

‘When it was stripped, I replaced the bottom big end bearings, oil pump, front and rear output shaft seals, timing belt, water pump, brake servo pump and all gaskets, bolts etc,’ he says. Crucially, he only used the best parts: ‘all from Turner Engineering and only Land Rover parts.’ For example, he replaced the radiator – using an OEM one.

The intercooler, on the other hand, is an enlarged one which Paul bought from Bell

Auto Services. This went along with the same company’s engine remap, which along with the colder charge of air in the intake coaxed around 165bhp from the Puma lump compared to the standard 120. Silicone intercooler hoses are fitted too, also from Bell Auto Services, while the EGR has been blanked both physically and via the ECU and a MAN oil capture filter allows a cleaner intake by preventing oil from being forced back into it from the rocker cover.

Something you might notice when you look at the pictures of the 110 is that it’s lacking a snorkel. This is usually considered one of the first things you should fit when you’re building for long-range travel, not so much to protect your engine from water crossings gone wrong as to keep dust out of it. But actually, he has addressed this.

‘I re-routed the air intake from just behind the front wheel to the snow cowl on the off-side wing,’ he explains – a good solution, because actually fitting a full-height snorkel up the side of the windscreen might not be the easiest.

Everything must go

One other thing Paul did under the bonnet was strip out the factory air-con. A bit of an odd move when you’re heading for Africa, possibly? ‘The compressor was faulty,’ he

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says. ‘Rather than a lot of unnecessary pipework, I removed the whole lot.’ He did leave the wiring loom in place, though, so a new system could be installed if a future owner was feeling inclined.

So that’s a whole lot of work that he’s done under the bonnet. Successfully? ‘It’s nearly 10,000 miles later and all is well!’ he says. So, yes, then, it would seem.

Elsewhere on the grubby side of things, Paul left the original springs in place – noting that with this being a Utility Wagon, the rears are rated to 1000kg. He replaced the shocks, however, going premium with a set from Old Man Emu. Another interesting choice down below was an X-DeFlex lockable anti-roll bar at the rear – this boasts four times the torsional stiffness of the OEM unit when locked but allows 16” of unrestricted travel when open, helping keep the wheels on the ground on terrain that would otherwise have them waving.

Those wheels are that blinger’s favourite, the Sawtooth alloy. They’re wrapped in 285/75R16 Toyo Open Country muds, though – that’s about 33” tall, which could be a recipe for brake fade but Paul has thought of that too, keeping the standard calipers but upgrading to LOF vented and drilled discs. He’s a big fan of the tyres: ‘They’ve had probably 3500 miles

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on them and have never failed me in any predicament I’ve been in.’

He turned to LOF for a heavy-duty clutch, too, as so many people do when they want something that won’t let them down. And then he replaced the front diff, rear wheel bearings, heater assembly and turbo, the latter using a reconditioned unit from Land Rover. He went genuine for a new steering drop arm, too, and heavy-duty for the drag link and track rod. The gearbox? Rebuilt it, and all the seals replaced. Well, you don’t want to be cutting corners in the desert.

We mentioned air-con, now departed, which points to this being an XS model. So that means it also has heated seats, though they’re not heated Land Rover seats any more. A Mazda RX8 laid down its life, which

they tended to, and now its very sporty pews are a lot further off the ground than they ever were in their first life. The one on the driver’s side is electrically operated, too.

Staying in the cabin, Paul splashed out on a stereo with DAB and Bluetooth, which he says works pretty well now he’s relocated the aerial to the front of the wing. A flat sub under the cubby box helps with the sound, too – always something that’s going to be a bit of a battle in a Defender. With a trip to Nordkapp in the diary, he replaced the original doors with older ones, devoid of window winding mechanisms to clutter them up, which he built internally using aluminium sheet, carpeting and insulation material to prevent warmth from spilling out through them.

Let’s stay inside for now. In the back, Paul fitted the interior shell with Dynamat and 10mm insulation then built it up using 15mm lightweight plywood with a dark finish. On top of that, he carpeted it to provide ‘a nice warm environment’ which ‘gives us plenty of space and storage and comfortably sleeps us and our dogs.’

Pop of the tops

Space. Let’s talk about that. The back of a 110 is big enough to be going on with but, as so many others have discovered, fitting a pop-top is an absolute game changer.

This is more than just a pop-top, though.

‘The original roof was replaced with a Land Rover Special Vehicles extended roof from a Utility 110,’ explains Paul, ‘and on top of that

Loads of work went into turning a stock 110 XS Utility Wagon into the cool camping truck it is now. Lots of insulation, a major installation of on board air and electrics and a huge interior fit-out all play their part 30

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A quality interior fit-out and a unique poptop make this an overlander to be reckoned with. It’s a dog’s life, alright… except in this case that’s a good thing I fitted a 1972 GRP Dormobile roof from a Bedford CF Van. ‘The reason is the original Land Rover Dormobile isn’t as long as the Bedford. This roof gives you a clear six feet of length in opening and allows plenty of stand-up room in the truck, plus an ample bed up top for a full sized adult to sleep comfortably.’

Not content just to throw it on, Paul had the original plastic bellows replaced with a water-resistant marine canvas, which he describes as being ‘like a modern tent but thicker.’ He had a zip put in, too, allowing him to unzip the entire cover and pull it up out of the way. Then he insulated and carpeted the roof and installed internal lights in it.

As always in a camper, flexibility and use of space are absolutely key, and Paul designed the living area with two modes – sitting and sleeping. ‘You can see from the pictures how much space you have once the roof is up,’ he says. ‘But even with it down you can sleep two at a pinch.’

Possibly with that trip to Nordkapp in mind, Paul fitted a 5kw diesel heater in the rear cupboard, with a controller in the cab backed up by a wireless remote. He also installed a 180 Watt solar panel on the cab roof, with two auxiliary batteries, a solar controller and a fusebox under the seats.

A Victron inverter supplies a 240 volt socket, with a monitor for battery voltage;

Paul admits that he only ever uses this for its built-in USB charging ports, but you’d like to think it’s man enough to cope with higher draws than that. Also fitted in the same area is a twin-motor ARB compressor, which has one outlet behind the offside rear passenger’s door and four others near each wheel for reinflating the tyres after they’ve been aired down.

That takes us outside the vehicle, where you’ll have noticed an awning. This is a Speedwing unit from Tuff-Trek, including a full set of four zip-on sides which between them allow it to become a complete selfcontained room. As you’ll also see in the pictures (well, some of them), Paul fitted supports for an additional roof tent, which run down to a substantial set of wing bars bracing the bull bar back to the rock sliders.

These in turn are made of steel box, with tubular nerf bars doubling up as tread plates. Further heavy metal protects the steering, while up top 3mm chequer plate on the wings and bonnets has enough about it to take a person’s weight without wrecking the panels beneath them. Then there are external lockers, exterior-mounted fuel tanks, a drop-down shelf above the nearside rear wheel… everywhere you look, you’ll see something to appeal to the little kid in you who likes Land Rovers to look like an Action Man accessory.

But of course it’s not there because it’s a form of bling. It’s there for its purpose and practicality – and if it happens to draw in crowds who want to coo over it, well, who would you be to turn them away?

As we said up top, Paul currently has the 110 up for sale. It was still available at the time of writing, with a price tag of £22,999.

Not long ago, people were paying that sort of money for projects, so to us it sounds like a hell of a lot of truck for the money.

But after all this, why get rid? ‘We are looking to venture more on the road rather than off-road now,’ Paul explains. ’So a Volkswagen Transporter, Ford Transit Custom or Merc Sprinter is the area I’m looking at as my next project.’ Each to their own… we reckon he’s already got the perfect motor for seeing the world, but his loss is going to be somebody else’s gain.

‘There are areas which show some wear and tear and could do with some TLC,’ he admits. ‘But in all honesty, it functions very well – and provides a great base to explore the world. I shall miss it when it’s gone.’

Many thanks to Paul Wilde for his help in compiling this article. The 110 is currently for sale, based in Marldon, Devon, at an asking price of £22,999. You can contact him on 07522 552611

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Driving the length of Africa is an adventure many overlanders seek out. But when you’re doing it in a selfbuilt Beford MJ motorhome, the adventure has started the moment you decide that this is the life for you Words: Mike Trott Pictures: David Selway

Eight years after the life-changing moment by a Namibian water hole when they saw an old Land Rover on expedition and realised that this was the life for them, this is David and Tisha on their actual day of departure

A

BIG ADVENTURE

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S

ome 20 years ago, David and Tisha Selway were on holiday in Namibia. At a watering hole in the Etosha National Park, they found themselves parked up near a 1-Ton Land Rover 109” which had been converted into a home from home – and they had a moment of realisation. This was what they wanted to do.

The Selways fell instantly in love with the idea of camping with wildlife. Having lions and hyenas on the doorstep of their home from home seemed a logical dream to have. But as they got talking to the owners

of the Land Rover, they realised they would need something bigger, stronger and more reliable.

What they chose was very big, very strong and very reliable. Dating from 1988, it was an ex-Army Bedford MJ which David bought for £4000 in January 2007 with just over 32,000 miles on the clock. ‘It had to be an older vehicle, to be affordable,’ says David. ‘An older truck using more basic last-generation technology was a good option as it would be repairable by the average bush mechanic or ourselves alongside the road.’

The truck’s previous owner was a military vehicle enthusiast who, having bought it from Army reserve, had made sure all its major mechanical components were in the best possible condition. That left David to concentrate on turning it into a motorhome – and getting his LGV ticket.

‘The test is tough,’ he told us. ‘It lasts about an hour and a half and you need to concentrate 100% for the whole thing. One wrong move and you’re out, so don’t let the examiner distract you by chatting.’

Finally able to drive the MJ, David had it stripped down before sending it to Paul and

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‘It is the opposite of living in a health and safety culture here in Europe, where the nanny state decides what you should be allowed to do and what’s just too dangerous’

Bernard Heaven at Panelcraft Coachbuilders of Shutford, near Banbury. These guys welded a steel frame to the bed using 50mm x 50mm hollow box-section, with the walls and roof being cross-braced with the same steel members and one internal crossbrace fitted at the midpoint. They also built in locker doors and a main access door.

‘At this stage, it rather resembled an Iceland home delivery truck,’ David recalls.

At least he’s keeping with the theme of good places for an expedition…

The next stage was to start lining the interior with 5mm plywood, fitting windows (made by Paul at Leisure Vehicle Windows, Corby) and inserting a couple of yacht hatches into the roof. The space between the steel frame members was packed with 50mm thick rockwool and a polythene vapour barrier was fixed under the plywood sheeting. All the plywood in the ceiling was then painted white and varnish was applied to the wall linings. Three coats of the stuff.

36

‘The purchase list was a long one,’ says David. ‘Sink unit, worktop, shower enclosure, gas hob unit, gas oven with grill, fridge, freezer, Thetford WC, basin, gas boiler and always more plywood, timber, nails and screws. Expeditions to B&Q, Wickes and Screwfix became weekly events.

‘At this stage, Whale Pumps arrived on the scene. A casual telephone enquiry about one of their products produced an unexpected offer of sponsorship, resulting in all of the plumbing pipework, pipe fittings, taps, shower unit, pumping unit and so on being supplied free of charge – which was much appreciated.’

Like all good projects, turning the MJ into a motorhome took longer than you’d expect. Four years, in fact. During that time, David had to settle on a colour – and he chose one that would blend in with the sands and earth of Africa. And so BOB was born – it stands for Big Orange Bedford, and it immediately became David and Tisha’s name for the vehicle.

Exotic and colourful

Why Africa? ‘Surely it must be the most colourful, exotic and challenging of the continents to explore?’ says David. ‘Before we set off, a lot of our friends told us we were mad, that we would be murdered and our bodies never found. That was their perception of Africa. But we had been to several African countries before and had never felt threatened.

‘Furthermore, Tisha was born in Zimbabwe in the fifties. Her brother still lives in Harare (he survived the difficult times there on a diet of avocado pears, whisky mixed with milk and perch which he kept in his swimming pool) and her niece lives in Cape Town.

‘There’s also the wildlife in Southern Africa. We really wanted to camp out in the bush, surrounded by animals. Finally, it is the opposite of living in a health and safety culture here in Europe, where the nanny state decides what you should be allowed to do and what’s just too dangerous.’

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Waiting to be unloaded from the cargo barge at Wadi Halfa after the cross-border ferry over Lake Nasser from Egypt to Sudan. Hilariously, when you look at this, David chose the Beford’s orange colour scheme to make it blend in…

One of the reasons for choosing an MJ, as opposed to a newer vehicle, was that it would be maintainable at the roadside or by African bush mechanics. At it turned out, the old truck never even did a tyre, let alone breaking down, but that’s as much to do with preventative maintenance as anything else

It was most definitely a case of going back to the basic life. And travelling down the east of Africa gave David and Tisha plenty of opportunities to fulfil their aspirations – and to face a few dramas along the way.

‘Curiously, the best memories came from the most challenging countries. Once we got to Nairobi we felt we had almost arrived “home”. Everything was normal again; tarmac roads, supermarkets and so forth. Before that, we had been contending with Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, all of them different from each other but challenging in their own individual ways.

‘Apart from the people of the Western desert, who were lovely and didn’t hassle us, Egypt was otherwise all about touts and baksheesh in the tourist trap of the Nile valley. This stopped abruptly when we took the border-crossing ferry down the length of Lake Nasser to enter Sudan. The truck was carried on a separate barge, which arrived, miraculously, only a day later.

BOB developed from a standard ex-Army Bedford MJ. First the main military body was stripped down to a flat platform, then Panelcraft Coachbuilders in Oxfordshire were engaged to create the camper body around a 50mm box-section steel frame. This was clad in body panels and skinned out on the inside in 5mm ply, with 50mm rockwool packing and a vapour barrier to stop it going rotten

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Generations of Bedford trucks were built for Africa.

Here’s Bob meeting his grandfather in Sudan ‘At our destination, Wadi Halfa, we found the Sudanese people friendly, polite and helpful towards us. This attitude was prevalent throughout Sudan, although we did not like the gentlemen of President Bashir’s Secret Police taking too much of an interest in us.

‘Then came Ethiopia – where everyone, old and young, begged for money and handouts all day long. Western charity has done a great job of creating a nation completely dependent on handouts.

‘Once we crossed out of Ethiopia at Moyale, we found no Kenyans begging.

Instead, it was a case of contending with the hellish road between Moyale and Merille,

a journey of 367 kilometers of dust, rocks and corrugations. This section took us over four days as we had to drive so slowly. The road was supposed to be a gravel road, but it had all been washed out by the rain a long time ago. The driver of another vehicle, which was travelling in convoy with us, got down and kissed the tarmac when we got to the end of the rocks at Merille. This is also bandit country, which is why you try to travel with company.’

Bandits are one thing, but even driving on a normal road in Africa can have its life-threatening moments. This is true anywhere in the world, of course, but David sums up his experience: ‘East Africa –

meet the most suicidal coach and minibus drivers in the world, bar none. The coaches, packed tight with people, overtake anywhere – on a bend, approaching the brow of a hill, over single and double white lines or, spectacularly, when there is another vehicle coming straight towards them, forcing it off the road. Basically, the driver believes that he has total priority over all other vehicles on the road because he has a schedule to keep.’

Miracles

The Selways’ expedition to South Africa took them through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe

On the beach at the north end of Lake Malawi. Things didn’t stay this relaxed in Malawi itself, where ongoing civil unrest ended with David and Tisha being bluntly warned to get out of the country at all costs

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‘Before we set off, a lot of our friends told us we were mad, that we would be murdered and our bodies never found’

and Swaziland. Many others have done similar routes too, of course, typically in Land Rovers or Land Cruisers. And most come home with at least one or two stories of the miracles worked by African bush mechanics after their vehicles developed trouble of one sort or another. But not David.

‘We didn’t have a single breakdown the whole way to Cape Town, not even a puncture. The Bedford also proved to be an ideal vehicle for desert conditions – even at its all-up weight of nine tonnes.’

No breakdowns doesn’t always equal no dramas, though. Having survives Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, David, Tisha and BOB found themselves in Malawi

– where blending in turned out to be the primary aim.

Malawi, at the time, was experiencing civil unrest. People had taken to the streets with a wide variety of grievances against a government they accused of corruption, nepotism, curbing press freedom and passing laws to protect itself from legal scrutiny – and, ironically, clamp down on mass protests. Power cuts did nothing to help the public mood – and, once the trouble had started, neither did a reported 18 deaths and 98 serious injuries within the first two days.

To top it off, Malawi was also gripped by growing fuel shortages. Large queues

had become common and, as the situation deteriorated, the availability of diesel was reaching crisis proportions.

Against this background, David and Tisha found themselves being given some chilling advice: find some diesel, whatever it takes, and get out of the country. Further protests were planned for the following week – and after that, full-on anarchy was a real possibility. Suddenly, those jokes about being murdered had started to seem a lot less funny.

After searching in vain for filling stations with fuel in stock, David and Tisha got wind of a South African guy in Nkhotakota who produces his own bio diesel. The tip paid

An African camping spot that might defy many Brits’ expectations. This lush greenery is in fact in Ethiopia

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Back home in Britain, sometimes you have to slow down because there’s a rabbit or a badger in the road. In Kenya, you definitely slow down for giraffes off and they were able to stock up before grabbing a quick stop at Lake Malawi National Park. There was one slight issue, though. ‘Our new fuel made us hungry! But what would you rather have: diesel fumes, or the smell of your local fish and chip shop on a busy night?’

Despite the journey’s dramas, the Selways reached Cape Town on 25 October 2011, five months to the day after their departure. And if the amazing experience wasn’t enough, they raised £7000 for charity as well. ‘We were going to get huge pleasure and satisfaction from doing the trip,’ said

When David and Tisha travelled through northern Kenya, parts of it were infested with bandits. Travelling in convoy was necessary as a means of defence

David, ‘and so we thought we should try to give something in return. SOS Children’s Villages, Streetchild Africa and Big Shoes were our three chosen charities.’

Four years

So after four years of planning, followed by four years of vehicle prep, the expedition it was all leading up to lasted four months.

But what happened next?

‘Plan A was to travel from the UK to Cape Town and then sell the truck to someone who wanted to explore Southern Africa or even drive it back to Britain,’ says

David. ‘But that had to be scrapped because we couldn’t sell to a South African buyer due to the massive import duties that would be levied if it was imported into the country – around 70% of value. Selling to a European was still a good possibility, though – until the RAC changed its rules about issuing carnets for vehicles already out of the country.

And so BOB spent 18 months on a storage site near Cape Town, until the South African Revenue Service became interested and made a claim of import duties. This was the point at which my wife and I decided

Journey’s end, as BOB reaches Cape Town and the southern tip of Africa. Where next…?

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upon a rescue mission! In 2013, we flew out to Cape Town and whisked BOB out of South Africa and into Zambia where, to simplify the legal situation, I had the truck registered in my name.’

After that, David and Tisha kept popping over for the odd trip ‘to give the old man some exercise and keep him in good repair.’ New leisure batteries were at the top of the list when we spoke to them, as was replacing three windows that had lost arguments with trees the time before – oh, and spending four weeks exploring South Luangwa National Park, which is reputed to be one of the best game parks in the world.

If you want to explore the world in your 4x4, Africa has got to be near the top of your destinations list. The otherness of its landscapes and ways of life, the magnificence of its wildlife and, as David says, the complete lack of nanny-state rules and regulations… even when it’s taking you out of your comfort zone, it’s a place which never fails to be fascinating.

And it’s BIG. As is the Bedford MJ, though very few of them were ever as big and as beautiful as BOB. Chosen for a reason, built for a purpose – and driven to Cape Town for a cause. It’s a brilliant example of a home-made offroad motorhome, this – and one which should provide inspiration to every aspiring overlander who sees it.

David wasn’t interested in travelling aboard a motorhome with a mass-produced interior inspired by, in his words, ‘an operating theatre.’ Instead, months of hard work and DIY craftsmanship followed, as did endless visits to Wickes, Screwfix and B&Q. The results are unique, homely and very classy indeed – we wouldn’t mind betting that there’s actual hand-cut dovetails behind those drawer fronts…

We found the Sudanese people friendly, polite and helpful. This attitude was prevalent throughout, although we did not like the Secret Police taking interest in us’

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BRITAIN AT ITS BEST

Wales is THE place for green laning. Llanerchindda Farm is the place to base yourself while you’re there, too. And for us, a pair of Isuzu D-Maxes and the company of the Green Lane Association was the way to make the most of it Words: Alan Kidd Pictures: Regijus Simkevicius

E

veryone has their favourite part of the country for green laning.

There’s the mountains and rocky trails of the Lake District, the soggy bleakness of Salisbury Plain, the endless tight and sunken lanes of Devon, the soaring unmade hill roads of Yorkshire.

There’s ancient tracks like the Pilgrim’s Way in Kent and the Ox Drove in Wiltshire, peaceful rural rides over the hills around the Ridgeway, magnificent high-level passes in Northumberland and the Peaks, countless quiet byways to explore in Dorset, Essex, Hampshire, the East Riding and a huge swathe of counties stretching right across the middle of the country from East Anglia and the Home Counties to the West Midlands and beyond.

And then there’s Wales. Just Wales.

Wales is like a one-word answer to why we go laning. Splendid isolation, splendid landscapes, splendid rights of way, splendid terrain… Wales has a lot of splendour going

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on. It’s a little bit of a trek to get to the good bits, but that’s probably why they’re still the good bits. And God, they’re good.

Chances are you know about Strata Florida, Happy Valley, Giant’s Grave, Carn March Arthur, White Stones, Pheasant Pen Steps, Bomber Lane, Lower Claerwen, Black Yatt, The Wayfarer, Soar y Mynydd, Water Break Its Neck… that’s off the top of my head, and I already feel like I’m about to break into a song. Even some of the ones you’re not allowed to use are still legends after all these years; Sarn Helen, Motel Hill, Monks’ Trod. Legend has it that there are two Land Rovers forever entombed in the peat somewhere under the surface of the latter byway, where they sunk after getting so badly stuck no recovery was possible.

When humankind has long gone and future cycles of evolution have brought forth another species intelligent enough to do things like archaeology, someone’s going to get a hell of a PhD out of that.

So, yes, Wales has no end of epic, brilliant lanes. Lanes worth travelling for.

And people do, every weekend, sometimes for a couple of nights, sometimes for a whole week. You could spend a whole week here without ever having to drive the same lane twice, too – and people do just that.

And when they do, oftentimes they base themselves at Llanerchindda Farm. You’ve probably heard of it, even if you’ve not heard of all the rights of way I just trotted out above. It’s set on 50 acres in sharply rolling hills overlooking the Afon Brân valley between Llandovery and Llandwrtyd Wells; many years ago, a former owner decided to set it up as a B&B catering for green laners, and with that a legend was born It changed hands something like a decade and a half ago, when matey decided to emigrate and sold it to a family who had until then been running a hotel in the Lakes. And under their management, it has gone from strength to strength; today,

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This is the southern end of Mynydd Trecastle Roman Road, not long after the scappy tarmac has turned into a trail across a field. The sheep are actual descendents of those kept by the Iron Age tribes who lived here before the Romans showed up

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it has dorms, rooms and self-catering accommodation, a bar and restaurant, workshops and its own off-road course.

Andrew Hadley, one of the two sons in the family who owns it, is a host, barman, chef, mechanic and tour guide as well as being one of the most convivial front of house people you’ll ever meet. Oh yes, and he’s the local rep for the Green Lane Association.

One of the things about green laning is that knowledge is king. Well, knowledge and a good truck. We’ve got both, because we’re in a duo of Isuzu D-Maxes and Andrew is going to be leading the way for us on a daylong tour of some lanes near the farm.

The D-Maxes are the latest version, both top-spec V-Cross models and both standard. They’re very well equipped, not just with life’s luxuries but with some necessities too – the spec list includes a locking rear diff, as well as the ladder chassis, live back axle and two-speed transfer case that’s standard on all fourwheel drive examples.

Just getting to Llanerchindda was a pleasure. There’s nothing much in the way of dual carriageways as you progress west into Wales, but a long journey just to make it that far was smoothed away by a combination of cruise control, climate control, leather seats and a media system that linked to my phone without a fight and played my music

through a good, powerful set of speakers.

Ain’t nothing like a bit of Flo Gallop or Sam Dribbly to ease the pain of rush hour on the M6; forget Waylon Jennings, this here’s a modern pick-up truck.

Good guys

Behind the wheel of the other D-Max is Andy Barrett, another GLASS man – the association’s former General Manager, in fact. And leading the way is Andrew, in the passenger’s seat of a classic Land Cruiser being driven by Mike, a regular at Llanerchindda who organises trips there for customers back home in the Netherlands.

As well as leading the way, they’re carrying our packed lunches; they’re good guys.

A little more on Llanerchindda. It’s more than just a place to eat, drink and sleep; Andrew knows the lanes and offers routes for every kind of 4x4, from family crossovers to hardcore off-road trucks whose owners don’t mind a few knocks and scrapes. He offers three levels of support: maps or GPX files, if you want to look after yourself, GPS hire with routes installed, and full tag-along guiding. During the winter months, most of his business comes from green laners, while by summer it’s mainly classic car tours. No, he doesn’t take them green laning…

Whichever direction you take from Llanerchindda, there’ll be lanes there. Great

ones, too. More or less directly to the north, for example, is one end of the legendary Strata Florida, which is enough to keep you going all day.

Interestingly, though, this proves to be the second time we’ve been led on a laning trip round here by someone local, and each time they’ve given the Strat a miss. Maybe because it’s just so damn long that you don’t get anything else done in the day, or maybe because it’s well enough known to have become a bit of a cliché – if you went to visit your friend in New York and his idea of showing you his favourite hidden haunts was to take you to see Times Square, you wouldn’t exactly feel like any less of a tourist for knowing him, would you?

So we head south instead, picking up the A413 and following it to Llandovery where we pick our way through some vaguely suburban looking streets and on to a narrow road which leads up into the hills overlooking the town. By the way, Llandovery is Llanymddyfri in Welsh. Just in case you were wondering where all the consonants went.

That brings us to lane number one for the day. Andrew says he knows it as Alternative Brynglas. Puts me in mind of Alternative Ulster by Stiff Little Fingers, but I’m informed that I should leave that well alone as it will make me sound very old and

Left: Mike and Andrew lead the way as the convoy descends into Halfway Forest. Mike’s Land Cruiser is a proper classic – a survivor from another era that’s not just still living the life but, thanks to the work he’s done to it, living the life better than ever 46

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cost all the down-with-the-kids points I’ve just scored by dropping Flo Gallop. Oh well, too late now. Whatever it’s the alternative to, anyway, it’s a good one.

Coming from Llandovery, we start at the western end of the track, where the right of way clearly once saw more use than it does now. Either that or someone in the local authority had a load of tarmac they needed to get rid of. What’s left of it, which is not a lot, peters out eventually but the lane remains well surfaced, if uneven as you start a long climb which ends up with you skirting round the northern flank of a hill where, back even before the days of Stiff Little Fingers, prehistoric types kept an eye out for other prehistoric types. As we splash through a tiny ford near the source of the Nant Gwrach, what’s left of an enclosure is nearby to the right – not that you’d ever see it from behind the wheel, but if you’ve got Google Earth on your sat nav you’ve see it clear as day.

The surface returns to tarmac just before you pass Llanddeusant, which since 2002 has allowed visitors to watch from close up as red kites compete for food. It’s operated by a local partnership supported by the Welsh Red Kite Trust and Brecon Beacons National Park; our schedule doesn’t allow us to stop, but if you’re following the lanes we’d always encourage you to take a break and

enjoy diversions like these when they crop up along the route.

Throbbing

Why can’t we stop? Because Mynydd Trecastle Roman Road is waiting. We follow the route less travelled to get here, which means avoiding the urban throb of Trecastle itself and skirting the southern flank of the Usk Reservoir. The road is long, straight and narrow; a pause while still on the tarmac section to let a woman corral her dogs out of the way of our D-Maxes and on we drive, soon leaving the smooth stuff behind and hearing the happy sound of stones crunching under our wheels.

There are burial mounds to the right of the trail, just as the tarmac ends, which were already ancient by the time the Romans came along to build a road. There are stone cairns and circles, too, further along, as well as the remnants of two Roman camps on the summit of Y Pigwn, a hillock to our right as we reach the highest point along the lane. Again, these are easier to see from above than they are from behind the wheel of a 4x4, even one with a seating position as commanding as that of the D-Max. We’re not looking for relict signs of 2000 year old ramparts, though, not today.

No, not even with claviculae (curved inner ramparts) providing protection behind the

encampments’ entrances. We’re not looking at the way the south-eastern parts of the site were chewed up much more recently by a long, narrow band of quarry workings, either. Instead, all eyes are quite simply feasting on the stunning scenery.

We’re seeing Usk Reservoir, Black Mountain and the Epynt Ranges, Andrew tells us. We’re also seeing Mike pull up to a halt, near to the barely perceptible remains of a Roman fort, and open up the back of his truck to reveal our lunch. This is another advantage of basing yourself at Llanerchindda Farm; plundering the local shop is one thing, but getting it prepped for you to take away is next-level stuff.

Beyond here, the right of way becomes distinctly un-Roman as it winds its way down a steepish escarpment and past yet another Roman camp you can only see from above. Andrew leads us north-east from here, towards Epynt, where there’s a mass of green lanes and minor roads – almost all of them closed by red flags a lot of the time. We’re on one that isn’t, known locally as Push Chair Alley; after the Roman Road, which served up a diet of surface water and, as we dropped off the top of the hill, some uneven rocks to test the D-Max’s suspension and low-range gearing alike, it’s an easy-going drive whose highlight is a short but lively ford.

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From the end of this lane, if the flags are down you can carry on ahead via a short right of way known as the Ski Slope which leads past a megalithic earthwork called Clawdd Brythonig and on to the main public road across the military training area. If not, you have no choice but to turn back south and rejoin the main A40.

Unless you’re in a truck like us, with our brace of D-Maxes ready for more. After a mile or so on tarmac, Mike and Andrew dive off through a gate and on to a lane which starts by crossing a grassy field then enters Halfway Forest and starts a long descent via junctions with several other tracks. Interestingly, it’s not marked on even the latest OS mapping, however Andrew explains that it has been confirmed as a right of way of Natural Resources Wales – and this is backed up by Trailwise, the Green Lane Association’s members-only online database of routes. All those junctions make for tricky navigation, with plenty of opportunity to go wrong – obviously we’re alright, with an expert leading the way, but it’s a fine example of how important it is to know your stuff while on the lanes.

Knowledge is king, remember?

Final countdown

There’s one last lane that Andrew wants to take us down before we lose the light, and it turns out to be one I know pretty well.

First, however, a short yomp on the A40 lets us get the D-Max up to speed before we reach the hamlet of Llywel and pick up the aforementioned tarmac road across the training area.

This feels all kinds of unfamiliar. To start with, it’s what must be one of the only dualcarriageway C-roads you’ll ever find. Then it goes from dual-carriageway to unfenced, single-track and no white lines in an instant, at a point where a lay-by offers vistas of our nation’s finest learning their stuff. Actually, this is probably only there to provide military observers with the opportunity to look upon their charges at work, judging by a sign just before it warning you to stay on the road and, in capitals, saying ‘DO NOT STOP’.

Good to know, and a further benefit of paying attention here is to learn that Welsh for ‘to stop’ is ‘stopio.’

This is not a green lane, but in its own way it’s a highlight of the day. The scene is so empty here, with the same feeling of endlessness you get on Salisbury Plain but in a landscape that’s hillier and feels

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even more foreign as a result. Then you see a ‘German village’ perched high on a distant hill; you know it’s a mock-up used for training troops in urban warfare, but the effect is so alien on the eye that you can’t help but feel as if you’ve fetched up in some far distant land.

The scene returns to normal near Tirabad, one of those villages you drive though and think ‘was that it?’ But I’m not going to dwell on that because we’re on our way to Crychan, where a beauty of a lane runs almost the whole way from one side of the eponymous forest to the other.

It’s another one you’d struggle to navigate without some form of aid – I first did it with just a paper map and I spent the whole time panicking about having gone wrong. Again, anyway, with Andrew looking after us there’s no cause for concern.

This is a lane where, a few years ago, criminal off-roaders caused no end of damage by creating a series of illegal offpiste routes alongside the right of way. It’s been well managed since then to remove these temptation traps, which can lead uneducated users into believing it’s alright to leave the lane for a play, and also to improve drainage on the route itself – where, at around the same time, it had become prone to collecting water into long, deep troughs.

Now, it’s a pleasant drive in the woods.

Challenging enough in a typical family SUV, possibly, but nothing our D-Max couldn’t handle in its sleep, the main danger being from fallen branches and other undergrowth that could nip at its paintwork. The truck was very well at home, dismissing the terrain with ease – just as it had all day.

The western end of Crychan Forest is just a few miles from Llanerchindda, so it was a brief trundle back there to bring the end to the day – and enjoy the absolutely stunning view from the farm’s terrace of Cynghordy Viaduct, a mighty 12-arch structure which carries the Heart of Wales Railway over the Brân valley. Our tight schedule required us to be far away the next morning, so now it was time to hit the highway once more and enjoy the D-Max’s ride, steering, refinement and all-round ease of driving on every kind of road – but every instinct was crying out to stay, to enjoy more of Andrew’s hospitality and to spend another day making the most of our trucks, and the fabulous Welsh lanes that suited them so well. Take it from me – this is a place you won’t want to leave.

Burial mounds just to the right of the trail were already ancient by the time the Romans came along to build a road

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29/04/2024 18:21

DESERT STORM The Fenix Rally is a week long cross-country event in the northern Sahara.

Not the sort of place where you expect to be sent packing by freak winds Words: Graham Scott Pictures: RBI Sport and torrential rain…

Imagine you’re hammering it across the desert and suddenly your mirror’s full of this. It takes a lot to make a Nissan Patrol look small, but Matthias Koerber’s MAN six-wheeler certainly does that

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C

onfession time – when I saw that this was called the ‘Fenix Rally’ I rolled my eyes. Yet another example of the Americans unable to manage anything other than childlike spelling. But actually Fenix is an ancient Greek word meaning ‘dark red’, so the organisers must have been hoping not to see too much of that spilt on the sand dunes of Tunisia.

The sands of Tunisia have seen a lot in their time, including being the film set for Star Wars. But if you ever want to see the most beautiful rendition of the Tunisian Sahara then watch or rewatch The English Patient, which brings out the complexity and grace and mystery of the sands like no other film ever made.

That period, World War II, was obviously a troubled one as the Allied and Axis armies fought all along the northern coast of North Africa. In the island of Djerba, just off the Tunisian coast, the Nazis made their presence felt before they were forced to retreat. Unusually, the island had a strong Jewish population, and the Nazis stole all their wealth including a fabled amount of gold. They shipped it out but the ship never made it to Germany – cue Nazi gold hunters ever since searching for ‘Rommel’s Gold’ although that impressive German general almost certainly had nothing to do with it.

At that point there were about 100,000 Jewish Tunisians on Djerba, but that number now is about 1000. However, the population was recently swelled as it became the headquarters and starting point for the Fenix Rally 2024. About 90 teams entered, with anything from motorbikes to buggies to 4x4s and trucks.

The fourth edition of the rally brought together teams with a variety of aims. With a Discovery category (no, it wasn’t a class solely for Land Rover Discoverys), teams could enter just for the experience or to practice for bigger events, like the Dakar.

This meant they had no time pressures – unlike the other categories, who faced a prologue and then seven competitive stages against the clock.

So the event is focused on real-world practicality with sensible costs, sensible timeframe and a package that includes everything like Roadbook and Nav GPS, an FIA-approved safety system, medics, chopper, food, bivouac, media – and sand.

Given all that – what could possibly go wrong? It started well, with the prologue

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Desert rallying is dramatic enough on any other day. But the Fenix was hit by freak weather as a massive storm rolled across the northern Sahara, prompting a full evacuation of the area and requiring the rest of the event to be completely reorganised

Success for a Land Rover in Cars Limited (the standard production class), as Germany’s Olaf Seip and Matthias Stock took their Defender 90 to first place. Marian Andreev and Valentin Capota took second for Romania, appropriately in a Dacia Duster, while local men Abdennour Benabdennour and Abdel Waheb Dakhalaoui flew the flag for Tunisia aboard their Mitsubishi Pajero

219 Andreev

202 Seip

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225 Banabdennour

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215 Pelichet

The Cars Open class was totally dominated by France’s Jerome Pelichet and co-pilot Pascal Larroque, who won every single stage in their rear-wheel drive Optimus special to reprise their victory in 2021’s inaugural running of the Fenix. Alexander Oberlechner from Austria and Peter Brunner of Switzerland took second place in their Land Rover Defender 110, with the Cartec buggy of Germany’s Jork Neese and Torsten Mueller in third

210 Oberlechner not counting for places but even so these were racers, so they raced. The caravan moved off the island of Djerba and tackled 40km of sand, gravel and rough tracks. It was dry, it was hot, and everyone got themselves dialled in for a week of competitive racing ahead but with the luxury of a rest day in the middle, something of a novelty for this event.

Proven reputation

Back at the maiden event in 2021, victory went to Jerome Pelichet, a Dakar veteran.

In the 2024 event he simply wanted to repeat that victory, and to help ensure that happened the Frenchman used an MD Rallye Sport Optimus Evo 5. This lightweight and fairly simple buggy has a proven reputation around desert campfires, and it duly took him to victory in Leg 1.

That was no easy day as it meant going from Djerba to Douz, a distance of 540kms (335 miles) covering narrow, sandy tracks with a lot of undulating terrain. For many of us, that would be it, we’d be absolutely

knackered by such a day but, after a brief sleep in small tents, everyone was ready for Leg 2.

However, the weather gods had other ideas. You’ll remember all those pictures of submerged Rolls-Royces on the flooded roads of Dubai after a mega storm hit the Gulf a couple of months ago? Well, this wasn’t that same storm but it was only five days earlier so it was more like that storm’s dad. Either way, the sort of weather you definitely don’t expect in the desert had the Fenix caravan in its crosshairs of. Time for a rethink So the organisers decided to amend things and made Leg 3 the new Leg 2.

This was a marathon 190kms and it was tough on every front – big dunes, complex navigation and a wide variety of sand.

(Anyone who’s travelled far in a desert knows how quickly it changes with location and even time of day.) However, yet again Pelichet and his two-wheel drive buggy won the stage, the Frenchman being simply the lead Frenchman as the French cleaned

211 Neese up completely in every other category bar the trucks – what is it about the French and the Sahara?

The French and all the other nationalities settled down for some well-earned rest.

Which they didn’t get. The next morning did not feature Leg 3. It featured an evacuation.

I was once on an expedition in southern Tunisia. We camped for the night, dozens of small tents, deep in the desert. A storm blew up, heavy, heavy rain, gales, thunder and lightning loud enough to deafen. My tent, like many others, buckled under the onslaught and I crawled damply out of the wreckage and into a mate’s tent. My main memory is that we only kept the tent up if we both sat with locked legs, each of our backs against one of the two vertical poles.

We were shaken like rats but the tent stayed up. I remember looking out the flapping entrance to see monster balls of lightning hitting the ground and actually rolling along the seething sand. At that point I thought hard about the fact that my back was braced against a tall metal pole.

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430 Parpottas

429 Guillaume

It’s not every day that a Brit wins a cross-country rally, so no surprise that Alex Parpottas’ victory in the SSV class was all over the mainstream sports media. Oh, hold on. Co-driven

by Bulgaria’s Zornitsa Todorova, the owner of Buzz Special Vehicles is best known for building overland Wranglers but is also making a name for himself in the rally game having also taken the crown in Albania last year. On the Fenix, he made a late charge in his Polaris RZR Pro R, taking the lead on the penultimate day and holding firm to win. Behind him were France’s Herve and Maxime Guillame in a Can-Am Maverick, then their compatriots Marc Bonnafoux and Jean-Michel Polato in a similar vehicle But we survived the night and crawled out at dawn into a scene of total devastation. Wet sand had got everywhere and proved to be quite the abrasive material.

I couldn’t walk normally for a day.

Something similar happened to the rally competitors and organisers. They all – organisers, mechanics, competitors, cooks, medics – had to battle their way out and all the way back to Douz. Wet sand, mud, high winds, more rain for nearly 200kms. They had a rest day when they arrived.

Shaken not stirred

With Leg 3 cancelled and everyone recovered, the rally restarted with a 270km section of fast sandy tracks giving way to even faster gravel tracks. It was like they were shaking the mud from their wheels.

Further stages, heading south to the oasis at Ksar Ghilane, loosened things up even more, upping pace and distance every day.

The storm was forgotten.

After that it was back to Djerba for the final 136km leg and then it was time for medals. But the winner was not a surprise.

Jerome Pelichet and Pascal Larroque won

58

every single stage of the rally. A slam-dunk of epic proportions. Considering their vehicle was two-wheel drive, that was even more of an achievement.

But in second place the honour of the four-wheel drive community was upheld by Alexander Oberlechner from Austria with co-pilot Peter Brunner from Switzerland.

And their very British Land Rover Defender 110. It must be said that the Optimus of Jerome Pelichet was technically in the same category as the others but was a bit of a special amid a sea of Toyota Land Cruisers, Merc G-Wagens and Nissan Terranos.

The untimed Discovery category was won by a Toyota Land Cruiser, while another Land Rover Defender won the unmodified stock class – in a pleasing case of nominative determinism, this was crewed by Matthias Stock from Germany (and Olaf Seip). As if to underline that this was an event open to those who didn’t have unlimited budgets, Stock’s win was just ahead of Marian Andreev and Valentin Capota in their Dacia Duster.

And the Land Rovers weren’t the only British things in the medals, either. The ATV

415 Bonnafoux

class saw Stuart Marley and Jamie Shaw finish second and third on their matching Can-Am Renegades. Jerome Pla won it, and of course he’s French, but in the SSVs we went one better with Alex Parpottas moving into first place a day before the end and holding on to it to take gold. That would be the same Alex Parpottas whose company, Buzz Special Vehicles, turns Jeep Wranglers its eye-popping visions of offroad magnificence. He’s a bit good.

He wasn’t quite the only non-French class winner. The Italians of Paolo Calabria, Loris Calubini and Giuseppe Fortuna in their MAN kept an iron grip on the truck class, and the rest of the podium was German.

The motto of the event is: ‘We bring the desert closer to you’. And that they did, in an event that is proud of its ‘time-saver rally concept for moderate budget’. Organised

by RBI Sport, it might be worth a look if you don’t have the appetite, budget, skill sets or time for something massive but fancy an event in the desert that is competitive but relaxed enough to be fun.

Just remember to pack your wellies.

www.overlander4x4.co.uk

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Team-mates Stuart Marley and Jamie Shaw gave Britain second and third place in the ATV class on a pair of Can-Am Renegades, behind the Polaris of France’s Jerome Pla

19 Marley

21 Shaw

Below: The Italian trio of Paolo Calabria, Loris Calubini and Giuseppe Fortuna won the battle of the big beasts as MAN locked out all three places on the Trucks class podium. Second went to Germany’s Klaas Steinhoefel, Jochen Ullman and Ralf Schwark, with their countrymen Mathias Koerber, Max Jackermeier and Sebastian Roedel third in their 6x6 505 Steinhofel

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UK Destinations To Explore 1

Llanerchindda Farm Cynghordy, Llandovery Carmarthenshire, SA20 0NB Tel: 01550 750274 info@cambrianway.com www.cambrianway.com

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Riverside Caravan Park High brentham, North Yorkshire, LA27FJ Tel: 01524 261272 info@riversidecaravanpark.co.uk www.riversidecaravanpark.co.uk

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Kingswood Caravan Park Rowan House Gravelly Bottom Road, Kingswood, Maidstone, ME17 3NU 01622 842 096 info@kingswood-caravans.co.uk www.kingswood-caravans.co.uk

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Smytham Holiday Park Smytham Holiday Park, Little Torrington, Devon EX38 8PU 01805 622110 info@smytham.co.uk www.smytham.co.uk

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Blue Hills Touring Park Crosscoombe, Trevellas, St Agnes, Cornwall, TR5 0XP 01872 552999 camping@blue-hills.co.uk www.bluehillscamping.co.uk

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The Hop Farm Family Park Maidstone Rd, Beltring, Tonbridge TN12 6QF 01622 872068 reception@thehopfarm.co.uk www.thehopfarm.co.uk

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Woodhill Park Cromer Road, East Runton, Cromer Norfolk, NR27 9PX Tel: 01263 512 242 info@woodhill-park.com www.woodhill-park.com

Locations to stay in the UK

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Kingswood Caravans

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