The Mud Life - 17 - August 2020

THE MUD LIFE ISSUE 17 - AUGUST 2020

WE WANT THE FORD BRONCO!

Å koda Kamiq Mercedes-Benz X 350D History of Jeep Laning Life Reader's Rides Goods & Gear

FORD BRONCO pages 40-51

Important information Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the contents of The Mud Life magazine are accurate, we accept no responsibility for errors or omissions, nor the consequence of actions made as a result of these. When responding to any advertisements in The Mud Life magazine, you should make appropriate enquiries before sending money or entering into a contract. The publishers and owners take reasonable care to ensure advertiser’s probity, but will not be liable for any losses incurred as a result of responding to adverts.

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

IN THIS ISSUE TURNER'S TORQUE

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NEWS

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WHAT'S ON

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LANING LIFE 14-19 MERCEDES-BENZ X 350D 20-29 Å KODA KAMIQ 30-39 FORD BRONCO 40-51 MOOCH - BEGINNERS' DAY OUT 52-65 GOODS & GEAR 67-75 JEEP - A HISTORY 76-85 MOOCH - TIME TO ESCAPE pt2 86-93 SIMON SAYS 94-95 THE GLORIOUS 4TH 96-99 FB PAGE of the MONTH 100-101 YOUTUBE CHANNEL of the MONTH 102-103 TIME TRAVELS - LANING IN THE DALES 104-108 IN OUR GARAGE 110-111 READER'S RIDES 112-119 RETRO SNAPS 120-121

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

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

Creative Director, Layout Designer, Reviewer

F O L LOW U S

THE TEAM

DIRECTORIES 122-125

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

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

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TURNER’S TORQUE During lockdown a lot of us have been bored, and once we’ve painted the house, built the decking, done a chassis and engine swap we’ve been sat around twiddling your thumbs wondering what to do next.

Photograph by Gareth Mclaren

There was a common question on Facebook during that time, and that was, which YouTube channels do people watch and subscribe to? The good news is that there are plenty, from of 4x4, car, camping and other similar channels out there, some are epic with hundreds of thousands of subscribers, and some not so much.

With that in mind, we've decided to create a new feature, our ‘YouTube channel of the month’, and to kick it off we’re starting with JK Overland, which you can read about later in the mag.

Now that us 4x4 folk have begun driving green lanes again, it’s inevitable that we’re going to start rubbing some people up the wrong way, and that’s what has appeared to have happened up on the Old Coach Road in Cumbria.

After the massive storms around 3 years ago, many lanes, including Old Coach Road, were damaged with severe water erosion. To a lot of people, this made the lane more of a challenge, but to others it became undriveable.

So in 2018, members of GLASS, Trailriders and other user groups donated both money and effort to the repair it, so it can again be used by everyone.

However, recently a plaque that celebrated the repairs has been vandalised. It was made with toughened glass and bolted to the rock, and judging from the damage it was attacked with an axe.

The question has to be asked, why would anyone do this?

As someone wrote on a Facebook page, “Someone was both really angry and well prepared to do this damage, I suggest they seek out some mental health professional for some help immediately.”

Anyway let's leave this negativity behind, and head off into the 100 or so pages of issue 17.

Enjoy!

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Jeep's first electric hybrid - Renegade 4xe The new plug-in hybrid Renegade 4xe is Jeep’s first plunge into the electrification pool, and they reckon it offers the best performance and driving dynamics of any Jeep SUV, ever. A bold statement indeed, and thanks to the plug-in hybrid electric technology, CO2 emissions are lower than 50g/km in hybrid mode.

Jeep say that it is literally capable of ’going anywhere and doing anything’ and still features legendary 4x4 capability with two electric motors featuring ‘Powerloop’ that ensures that eAWD traction is always available. At the same time, it is ideal for everyday driving in the city with a range of up to 26 miles in fullelectric mode alone.

The 4xe pairs a 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine with an electric motor, located between the rear axle, which is powered by an 11.4 kWh battery that can be recharged while driving or through an external power outlet or charge point.

On its own, the efficient 1.3-litre turbo engine delivers a power output of 130hp or 180hp, plus the 60hp produced by the electric motor, giving a total of 190hp in the Longitude and Limited version, or 240hp in the Trailhawk model.

The Renegade 4xe also feature a new sixspeed automatic transmission selector, updated Selec-Terrain rotary control with eAWD modes (4WD Lock, 4WD Low, Hill Descent Control) to engage the different driving modes - Auto, Snow, Mud & Sand, and Rock - including the new Sport mode for enhanced throttle response and steering.

Inside the cabin, a 7-inch TFT colour display and Uconnect NAV with 8.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB radio are offered as standard.

Black accents adorn the air vents, speakers, and center console bezels on the Longitude and Limited trims, while the Trailhawk trim sports Ruby red accents.

The Renegade 4xe will be available later on in the year.

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SUZUKI introduces the NEW ACROSS Suzuki has launched the new ACROSS, the first model supplied from Toyota Motor Corporation under the collaborative business agreement between Toyota and Suzuki.

The Across is a robust and sporty SUV that’s equipped with the same sophisticated Plug-in Hybrid system and E-Four electronic 4x4 system as the upcoming Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid, but with different styling, of course.

At the core of the Plug-in Hybrid system is a powerful front electric motor that combined with the powerful 2.5-litre petrol engine produces 180bhp. On electric it can cover up to 46 miles before the engine needs to kick in, and has CO² emissions of just 22g/km.

Inside the Across, much of the dashboard design and ergonomics are the same as in the RAV4, which is no bad thing, so it’s going to be comfortable with a decent amount of space.

Further enhancing the driver and passenger experience is a 9-inch touchscreen display that works with Apple CarPlay for iPhone, Android Auto and MirrorLink for compatible smartphones.

Suzuki haven’t yet revealed what trim levels will be offered, but they always pack their cars with lots of safety kit, and we already know the Across will include adaptive cruise control, lanekeeping assistance, blindspot monitors and a rear cross-traffic alert system.

There's also an eCall system that can automatically alert the emergency services in the event of an accident.

Standard kit includes LED headlights and 19in alloy wheels.

Sales are set to start in Autumn of 2020 in Europe.

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JEEP's CONCEPT 6.4L V8 WRANGLER RUBICON 392 The last time the Wrangler was offered with a V8 engine was in the 1981 Jeep CJ, with its 5.0-litre V8 that delivered 125hp and 298Nm torque. Since then, Jeep enthusiasts have been hoping for another V8 powered production Wrangler, and the new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept is an indication they may soon get their wish.

Powered by a 6.4-litre (392 cubic-inch) V8 engine that delivers 450hp and 610Nm torque, and a zero to 60mph time of less than 5 seconds, it sounds like fun!

The concept has Dana 44 axles, a full-time two-speed transfer case, electric front and rear axle lockers, 37” mud-terrain tyres and a Jeep Performance Parts 2” lift kit from Mopar.

To accommodate its 6.4-litre V8 engine and a stronger 8-speed transmission, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept features upgraded engine mounts and a modified frame.

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NEWS

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Suspension upgrades include new aluminium, monotube Fox shocks for improved damping and heat dissipation. A dual-mode exhaust alters the performance sound at the touch of a button, though that’s considered cheating in the real world!

The 37” mud-terrain tyres are wrapped around custom 17” beadlock wheels that hold the tyres to rims under extreme lateral loads, allowing for reduced tyre pressure operation and added traction.

In case the improved approach, breakover and departure angles aren’t enough, it comes with rock rails, steel bumpers with a Warn winch, and a steel belly pan – all added to help navigate the toughest off-road terrains.

For a bit of flash, it also features Granite Crystal exterior paint adorned with bronze accentuated tow hooks, badging, springs, shocks and wheels. There’s also a heavy-duty raised performance bonnet with an aggressive appearance, custom half doors and Wrangler’s Sky One-touch Powertop, with removable side panels for complete open-air freedom.

I’m salivating at the thought of it…

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Goodwood announces Speedweek

Goodwood Speedweek will take the greatest elements of the Festival and Revival, and combine them into one unmissable 3 day extravaganza taking place at the Goodwood Motor Circuit on 16-18 October 2020.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic it will be a ‘behind closed doors’ event, with no spectators allowed within the Motor Circuit, though a range of Goodwood’s partners will help broadcast Speedweek in innovative ways, putting viewers right in the racing seat, with layers of interactivity that create an immersive, not-to-be-missed experience, all to be made available free of charge globally via Goodwood Road & Racing’s website, social channels and a range of broadcast partners.

The Duke of Richmond said: “Having taken the heart-breaking decision not to hold the Festival of Speed and Revival this year, we were determined to find a way of bringing motorsport to Goodwood in 2020. Speedweek will be a once-in-a-lifetime occasion - the fastest, most exciting and spectacular event we have ever staged......Goodwood Speedweek will be a fitting celebration of the spirit of the Festival of Speed and Revival, both of which will return, bigger and better than ever, in 2021.”

It will bring more than a century of world class motorsport to life to celebrate the legendary feats of speed, courage and endurance. On the track, the most valuable cars will do battle in the closest, most competitive historic racing in the world, driven 10

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by a glittering line-up of famous faces. (The programme of events and full driver line-up will be announced over the next few months.)

Embracing the lack of spectators, a dramatic rally competition will see cars go on, over and even under the circuit, and the inaugural ‘Goodwood Gymkhana’ will literally take over the venue, going to places that would normally be strictly out of bounds.

Building to a climax on Sunday, a never-to-be-repeated competition will see some of the fastest cars in motorsport history vying for honours in a winner-takes-all shoot-out over one lap. Modern cars have never competed at Goodwood, so the speeds they achieve will be unlike anything previously seen at the iconic venue. The official Goodwood lap record has stood for 55 years, and, with modern cars never likely to return, it’s entirely possible that the times recorded at Speedweek will remain unsurpassed for the next 55.

During Speedweek, Goodwood will be the epicentre of the motoring world, as leading manufacturers launch their latest cars to a global audience, jaw-dropping supercars will be put through their paces around the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit and technology will also take centre stage, as FOS Future Lab gives a tantalising glimpse into the mobility of tomorrow. Bonhams will, as always, hold an online auction over the weekend, with viewing by appointment only at Goodwood from Wednesday to Friday.

NEWS

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Mitsubishi leaving UK & Europe!

It has been confirmed that Mitsubishi will leave the UK and European markets in the near future, as they won’t introduce any new-generation models to Europe or develop cars for the European market moving forward.

The devastating news comes after the announcement of a bleak first quarter of the financial year, with the Japanese manufacturer suffering a £1.29 billion loss.

Mitsubishi’s heavy losses for the first quarter of 2020 forced the company to trigger an intense cost-saving initiative, dubbed the “Small but Beautiful” business model.

The strategy, which focuses on minimising costs and maximising profit, will be rolled out over the next three years in an effort to reduce the company’s fixed costs by 20%.

with plans to assimilate the plant’s manufacturing duties into the firm’s Okazaki facility for improved production efficiency.

Alongside the company’s gradual withdrawal from the UK and European markets, Mitsubishi will restructure its production staff, reduce research and development costs, issue significant salary reviews and close the firm’s Pajero factory in Sakahogi by 2021,

Mitsubishi plans to retain as much of the 103-strong dealer network as possible, continuing to sell their existing model lineup until residual stock levels will allow and such time that they no longer meet European regulations.

A spokesperson for Mitsubishi Motors in the UK told The Mud Life Magazine: "The Colt Car Company has just learned that Mitsubishi Motors Corporation have frozen the development and introduction of new models for Europe, including the UK. We will continue to sell the existing range of Mitsubishi vehicles and to provide full customer support in terms of service, repair, warranty, recalls, parts and accessories.We will provide updates when we know more.”

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or

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WHAT'S ON in august Gaydon Land Rover Gathering 1st-2nd August

GOING AHEAD Gaydon, Warwickshire

Following the recent advice from the Government about outdoor events and performances, the Gaydon Land Rover Show will now be an informal Land Rover gathering, with camping available on the Saturday night.

Please note that because of restrictions they are having to the limit the number of people that can be inside the Museum at one time. https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk

Simply Mercedes Sunday 23rd August GOING AHEAD

Beaulieu, New Forest, Hampshire, From custom G Classes restored SSKs and even the odd SL190, Beaulieu's Simply Mercedes show is set to provide a great opportunity to admire a stunning range of vehicles.

To ensure the safety and enjoyment of visitors is met, tickets must be pre-booked and capacity will be strictly limited to 500 participants. No tickets will be sold on the day. https://www.beaulieu.co.uk/events/simply-mercedes/

CarFest North & South August 28th-30th

RESCHEDULED TO 2021 CarFest North will now take place 23rd - 25th July 2021 at Bolesworth Estate CarFest South will now take place 27th - 29th August 2021 at Laverstoke Park Farm Get ready for all your favourite bits - from music and food, to cars and stars - to be back bigger and better than ever before. http://www.carfest.org

g n i n Life a L

aton E n e r u a

by L

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

The freedom of the open (unsurfaced) road. Well, nearly…

Last month I announced we could lane in England again, this month I get to add Wales to that too! Whoopee!

But (of course there’s a but, this is covid), nothing can be simple! So what’s the score this month? And what has been going on since we got a sniff of our freedom back?

Before I get into the news I think it’s best to briefly explain what is legal in Wales right now, but please be aware I sent this into the mag on the 20th July, things may change.

I’ll try and keep it simple:

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Yes, we can drive to Wales from England for recreational purposes.

No, we can’t camp there yet.

Yes we can go laning - but only with members of one other household, unless we’re a club who has organised an event with risk assessments and the like in place.

No facilities are not open yet - B&Bs, public loos, campsites, and many shops are still closed. Some of the larger campsites will not be opening until next year; Shell Island for example has made the decision to remain closed for the remainder of 2020.

Yes, this makes things awkward, yes, it is law and written in legislative documents, yes there are fines for breaking these restrictions, and no, not everyone is happy to see us again - which brings me swiftly on to the first piece of news…

Scorcher of the month Whitestones I suppose the big story has to be Whitestones. For those of you who have been laning for longer than the last 12 months you’ll probably be aware of the ongoing problems that thwart this iconic lane in Wrexham.

Illegal blockages, usually in the form of rocks and large tree stumps appear, only to be removed by the laning community and re-appear again overnight, but most worrying are the spikes and sharps that have been purposefully left along the route, many hidden in puddles and between rocks. Items ranging from household nails, to modified farm machinery have been found over the years, and this year is no exception.

The weekend before the travel restrictions in Wales were lifted, a large rock appeared at one end of the lane, two tree stumps were placed at other points along the route, and several dozen sharps were found.

These obstacles were removed pretty quickly thanks to some helpful laners, while Cheshire GLASS rep Mark Rotheram walked the lane several times removing sharps. Unfortunately one of the tree stumps returned pretty quickly; this is no real surprise, we’ve danced this dance before as many of you will remember.

There are plans to tackle this issue in other ways too, being a local rep and active in the area I’ll be joining a few others in discussions about the future of the lane. I’ll keep you posted, but in the meantime be aware that no matter how much time Mark, or any of us, spend up there removing objects we cannot guarantee whether obstructions or sharps won’t have reappeared.

The only solution to this problem is to tackle the reasons behind it, the physical clearance work will only ever be a temporary fix.

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

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What’s hot

Statutory instruments in England England has introduced amendments to covid legislation, again. At 12.01am on the 18th July 2020 the 'Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020' was amended to allow local authorities to prohibit or restrict access to public outdoor spaces citing the reason of public health, and these spaces include public highways, which in turn include both designations of ‘green lanes’ - BOATs and UCRs. This basically means the local council can close a lane if they feel it would be in the interests of public health.

It’s already been done in some areas - emergency TTROs (ETTROs, don’t you just love yet another initialism to add to the mix?) have been imposed in several areas of the country, but this extra piece of legislation just smooths the way for it to be an easy option for an authority to take in the face of complaints.

While it is legal for a local authority to close a public road, and now for even more reasons than ever before, it is not legal for a member of the public to obstruct one, or many, which has been the case in some areas.

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Wales is not the only country to be affected by those taking the law into their own hands according to our Hertfordshire rep.

The local authority have reported a 100% increase in fly-tipping, and have had incidents ‘most days’ concerning members of the public illegally closing lanes due to covid19. The repercussions of this have led the TRO review that was due to take place in the county to be put on hold, hopefully this will just be a delay rather than a cancellation.

Back to Wales…

Strata Florida works were suspended for part of July, but are back in full swing during August, so the lane will be subject to yet another temporary closure.

Whilst the work is due to last 3-5 weeks (subject to good weather, but do remember this is Wales!), the closure order will cover a period of 6 months in case of contingencies.

The byway will not be safe for public use while work is under way as it requires removal of the road surface to facilitate the installation of new culverts, headwalls, and baffles before the highway can be reinstated. As soon as the works is complete the restrictions will be lifted.

Bleddfa Fishpools remains closed due to damage caused by badgers. It is hoped that work will take place from mid-September subject to consent being granted.

The border counties Shropshire

To clarify the closures in my home county: Pipe Lane, Wootton Lane, and Boat House Lane (which is subject to a seasonal TRO) are all open.

Farmer Phil’s lane is currently closed.

What else is hot?

Despite the consistently-inconsistent nature of our world since covid, one thing has remained constant, and that’s the continued increase in GLASS membership!

We thought June was record-breaking, but things didn’t slow down in July either! So, welcome all to the world of green laning!

You’re all joining us at a very busy time.

Thanks to lockdown we’ve all been stuck indoors for months, and it’s only now we are able to get out and find out the current state of the lanes we love to drive.

What should you do if you come across a problem?

Whether a GLASS member or not we want to hear from you if you spot anything while out and about.

Contacting us is easy, simply email the county you’re reporting and add... .rep@glass-uk.org eg. denbighshire.rep@glass-uk.org There is someone at the end of every inbox, and we’ll do our very best to help. Most reports pertain to overgrowth, obstruction, or deterioration of lane surface.

If you’re a GLASS member please update Trailwise2 with details so other users don’t come up against the same problem, then let your rep know.

You can also report problems to your local authority by using their online report it tools, it only takes a couple of minutes, and the more reports that are submitted the better.

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What’s not…

Restrictions, restrictions, and did I mention restrictions?

It sucks doesn’t it? I’m a big lover of freedom, this year I should have been travelling from April to October, laning as much as possible, sleeping in my Landy, and generally having a ball (like I did last year) interspersed with lots of visiting people, clubs, and organisations to talk about, or go laning of course.

None of that has happened, or very little of it. I’ve spent more time dealing with obstructions and restrictions than I have driving over the last month, which definitely hadn’t been my plan. We’re all in the same boat though, complaining, getting angry or flouting the rules isn’t going to help, we just have to suck it up and wait for this whole ordeal to be over.

It’s a real shame that so many have taken it upon themselves to illegally obstruct our byways, fear and confusion do some funny things to people, but rest assured GLASS are working on it.

I’ve just been informed that the LRO Show in

• • • • •

PC, smartphone and tablet friendly Toggle between BOAT, UCR and Legacy layers Information on restrictions and closures Multiple mapping options including OS Easy to zoom in and out

Peterborough has been cancelled. GLASS had planned to be there as usual, but sadly like many others it is a no-go.

Other current restrictions, obstructions, or impassable lanes This is by no means a definitive list, but these are the lanes that have been brought to my attention over the last month. For more info in your local area see Trailwise2, the GLASS local area groups, or contact an area rep.

- The Wayfarer – is still under TTRO pending work - Happy Valley and Carn March Arthur – under voluntary restraint due to very poor surface condition, pending maintenance work - ‘Castle Lane’, at Dolwyddelan - floods during winter have taken their toll, it’s open but it’s not advised!

- Bomber Lane (Barmouth) – open, but not advised until maintenance work has been complete - Strata Florida – closed for August, re-opening when work is complete - Bleddfa Fishpools – currently closed

• • • • •

Add comments and photos against routes Extensive coverage of England and Wales Share a lane on Facebook or Twitter Available exclusively to GLASS members TW2... TrailWise, but smarter!

WHERE WILL YOU PLAN YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE?

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- Whitestones – on and off obstructed, booby trapped with sharps - Farmer Phil’s lane Shropshire – closed - Cornwall TWUID SW6326-01 – blocked at northern end - Cornwall TWUID SS2506-03 – locked gate, case with Cornwall Council and Rural Crime Team

For more information on green lanes visit:

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

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

- Dorset TWUID SY5097-02 – NE to SW one way restriction (downhill), open during hours of daylight only, weather restriction – fair weather only

That’s all from me this month folks. I’m off to debate what to do first - fit a new gearbox, replace a couple of rusty doors or fit a homemade roof top solar water heater.... or maybe none of them, I might just go laning instead!

Stay safe and happy laning!

Lauren x GLASS Media and Communications Officer

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Mercedes-Benz X 350 d

Farewell, it was fun while it lasted

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What is it?

I'm fairly confident by now that we all know that the X-Class was a joint venture between Nissan and Mercedes-Benz to create an upmarket, yet capable pickup, and in truth they succeeded.

The X 250d shares the same engine and gearbox with the Navara, but very little else. The A350d on the other hand has permanent 4wd, Mercedes’ 255bhp 3.0 litre V6 and creamy 7G-Tronic automatic ‘box.

Sadly though, it seems that UK sales haven’t been up to scratch, so the decision has been made to discontinue the X-Class, which is sad. Despite featuring the X350d in the mag last year, when I heard the news I had to get my hands on before it was gone completely.

On the road

There’s no mistaking the X-Class is a big truck, and it feels it, too. The thick rimmed steering wheel has a nice weight to it, but once you dab the accelerator, 550Nm of torque pulls you away in no time, smoothly, and in the blink of an eye you’re reaching ‘points on your licence’ types of speeds.

All I’m going to say about its pace is that it’s a good job it has a speed limiter, use it and you’ll keep your licence. The 350d produces 255bhp and 550Nm, which is enough to propel the near 2.3-tonne truck from 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 127mph.

On-road ride and handling is comfortable and well balanced, a lot better than you would expect from an unladen pickup. In fact, you can have a lot of fun on twisty unrestricted roads as the V6’s 4-MATIC 4wd system, that splits the power 40/60 front to back, gives you a lot of confidence.

Fuel wise, around town it was showing around 24mpg, and on long journeys, 28mpg. The last time I had one, which was this time last year, I used it for more motorway mooches and that one achieved around 31.5mpg.

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Off road

Hidden under the heater controls is a smallish dial that switches from permanent all-wheel drive to 4 high and low range, and next to that are a rear difflock and Hill Descent Control buttons. This is what I like about the X-Class when compared to it’s closest rival,Volkswagen’s V6 Amarok, is that it has a proper low box and a rear locking diff, the latter being an extra cost, of course.

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As you can see with the short video on the next page, despite the loose stones, the X-Class crawled everywhere I pointed it, with ease. It was same in mud, too. Even on road biased tyres, I have a lot of confidence in the X-Class when it comes to the rough stuff.

Click on the arrow to play the video I remember back on it’s UK launch, Mercedes had us driving all around North Wales, if the roads weren’t flooded they were covered in snow and ice, and we ended up at an off-road centre in Bala. The overall traction, again on road tyres, was impressive.

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Pick up stuff

Weighing in at 2,285kg, the V6 X-Class is 50kg heavier than its 2.3ltr sibling. Gross vehicle weights have increased to over 3.3 tonnes so it can still carry one tonne, and the towing capacity remains at 3.5 tonnes.

Interior

The X-Class’ load bed measures 1,718mm long, 1,920mm width between its wheel arches and 2,113mm maximum width.

This is a bit of a double-edged sword. Despite its luxurious interior, the X-Class is let down by its lack of storage space, even the centre cubby box is tiny compared to smaller SUVs. It doesn’t stop there, sadly, as when compared to other pickups, namely the Amarok, it also feel a little bit cramped, the Amarok gives you a lot more elbow space.

That said, it’s still a lovely place to be, even for rear passengers who have a good amount of leg, shoulder and head space, where the Amarok fails.

Another joy is that the sat-nav and infotainment system which are easy to navigate, and visibility all ‘round is good enough. Looking ahead you see the huge tall bonnet and behind there are three small windows, which aren’t as big in other pick ups. However, the 360º view camera system is very good giving you a birds eye of your surroundings.

On the subject of bells and whistles, amongst a host of other safety features, the 350d comes with Active Brake Assist (radar-based autonomous emergency braking), Lane Keeping Assist as well as 5* Euro NCAP safety rating.

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Conclusion Due to lockdown, I happened to have had the V6 Volkswagen Amarok for 9 weeks. Granted, I couldn’t go anywhere in it, apart from shopping and essential journeys, but once I got back in the X-Class I remembered why I liked it so much.

The way in which it releases its power is a lot smoother than the Amarok, it’s quieter, too, and overall more refined.

Sadly then, the X-Class will soon be no longer available, some say it’s down to poor sales, which can either be accredited to its price, which including VAT and a few options can easily reach £50k+, or that it couldn’t shake its ties with the Navara.

Whether it’s a combination of the above or the new tighter emissions laws that are coming into effect later on this year, who knows, but it’s a bit of a shame as the X350d is quite a class act, and I for one will mourn its passing.

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Å koda KamIq

Škoda Kamiq SE What is it?

If you don’t need 7 seats or AWD, but still require the benefits of an SUV, then the Kamiq is probably the car for you.

Škoda say that the Kamiq is the third element in their triple entry into the lucrative SUV market and after a week of driving around here, there and everywhere, I’d say that it’s the one that will suit most buyers.

On the road

From our first drive, both Muddy Madam and I really got along with the Kamiq, its sprightly 1.0ltr 113bhp engine and smooth 6-speed manual ‘box were both a joy.

On top of that, no matter what the road surface, the Kamiq smoothed it out, I reckon it’s one the best-riding cars I’ve driven, in its class, of course.

Pot holes and speed bumps were all shrugged off as minor inconveniences.

With this being the middle 113bhp version of the 1.0 litre petrol, it gains a sixth gear which in turn offers a more relaxed motorway cruising experience.

There’s a faster version, but in all honesty, this was all I ever needed throughout our week together, even whilst having a little fun on twisty country lanes.

Plant your foot hard on the accelerator and you’re greeted with a subtle growl from the engine, it’s really quite fun.

Around town it was equally as easy to drive, thanks to its high driving position, smooth manual gear change and tight turning circle, which helped in narrow streets and multi-storey car parks.

One thing you need to be aware of is that cruise control doesn’t retain your speed if you’re travelling down a hill. So if you’re cruising along a straight country lane with a 50mph speed limit that has plenty dips with cruise set at 47mph, be careful as you’ll soon find yourself reaching 60mph. Not good if the road’s littered with average speed cameras.

All the other gadgets work a treat, like Lane Assist.

If you want to change a motorway lane without indicating, you really have to really fight the steering wheel, which is a good thing, obviously.

Real world mileage saw us achieving around 53mpg on a long run that included motorway, country lanes and some town centre driving, you can’t moan at that.

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Off-road

Despite the Kamiq only being available in 2wd, it didn’t stop me from taking advantage of its decent ground clearance and finding its limits on a couple of local green-lanes. Despite its limitations, it drove surprisingly well, even when a wheel or two was left flailing in the air. With a decent set of mud and snow tyres, I reckon you’d be surprised where the Kamiq will take you.

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Interior

Muddy Madam has a 2002 Škoda Fabia estate. It’s a cracking car with only one flaw - it’s a tad narrow inside as our elbows touch when we change gear. I mention this because it’s the same with the Kamiq; granted, we aren’t the slimmest of people, but still it’s a bit annoying.

Another annoying aspect of the Kamiq is that the fan speed is only accessible via the 8” display screen that sits in the middle of the dash; it should be a dial, like the temperature controls that sit below the vents.

Seriously, it has two dials for separate driver and passenger temperatures, but to change the fan speed you have to press the Menu button down by the dials which brings up a visual interpretation of the heater outlets. Then you slide your finger up and down screen which in practice is awkward to use, and never seemed to bloomin’ work, especially on undulating and twisty roads!

Designers, what the hell is wrong with dials?

It’s very ill thought out and shoddy design work, if you ask me.

Ahem, right, that’s my moaning out of the way. Other than that, I really felt at home driving the Kamiq, the steering wheel and seats had plenty of adjustments, visibility all ‘round was good and all but the heater controls (don’t get me started again!) are to hand and easily reached.

The centre display, which is normally another annoyance of mine, has been integrated into the dash quite neatly, a lot better than the Q5 week I had the week previous that stood out like a sore thumb.

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You’ll also find 26 litres worth of storage cubbies dotted around the interior, that’s far more than most rivals offer.

Although my version didn’t come with it, tick the relatively cheap 'Simply Clever Pack’ option and you get a small drawer under each front seats which also includes the door protectors.

One of my favourite touches was the panoramic roof with sliding sun shade.

No big deal you might be thinking, most cars have ‘em.

But we really liked that the sun shade was operated from front to the back of the car, which was helpful and stopped my bald 'sparsely populated' head from being scorched by the sun whilst letting in plenty of light into the rear of the car.

Rear seating is comfy enough with a good amount of legroom for lanky passengers, even with tall people up front, too.

The boot is vast with 400 litres that extends to 1,395 litres with the rear seats folded.

There’s a deep lip on the inside, mind, and the rear seats don’t fold flat, so it can be a bit awkward if you’re carrying large items. That said I do believe there’s a optional height-adjustable boot floor available, which is probably worth ordering.

There are four trim levels to choose from; S, SE and SE L, and the range topping Monte Carlo.

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Engine ’n’ transmission

The engine range consists of one, 1.6 litre turbo diesel with 115ps and a 1.0 litre petrol with either 95, 115 and 150PS, and all but the 95PS engine can be specified with a seven-speed DSG transmission.

Conclusion

Apart from a few minor niggles, the Kamiq is one of the cars that feels just right and does everything you expect of it, all at a reasonable-ish price, too. In the end I really enjoyed my week with the Kamiq, I even got used to its paint job! website - www.skoda.co.uk/new-cars/kamiq price - from £18,295 Car tested £20,525 (with options £25,420)

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Ford Bronco

All NEW

A

lthough, as of yet, there are no plans to ship it over to the UK and Europe, Ford’s all new Bronco is still worthy of a mention.

FORD BRONCO

It's available with either two or four doors, and will be on sale from next spring with a starting price of $29,995.

With quick-release and stowable roof panels and doors on select versions, Ford say that it’s infinitely customisable with more than 200 factorybacked aftermarket accessories for more capability, personalisation and style.

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Ford also state that they’re built with the toughness of an F-Series truck and performance spirit of Mustang, and come wrapped in one of the most stunning and functional off-road designs that’s true to the original Bronco design DNA. I’m not going to argue with them.

Bronco features 2 powerful EcoBoost engines, a 2.7-litre V6 petrol, which is projected to produce 310 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque, and a 4 cylinder 2.3-litre that’s targeted to deliver 310 lb.-ft. of torque with an expected 270 horsepower.

Both come with a 7 speed manual gearbox.

Bronco’s advanced four-wheel-drive technology is at the core of its off-road capabilities, and at the heart of it all is Bronco’s exclusive Terrain Management System with G.O.A.T. Modes that are designed to help drivers better navigate any type of terrain.

There’s no doubt that it’s designed of off-road pleasure, with best-in-class 94.75:1 crawl ratio, 35” tyres and up to seven driver-selectable modes are offered including Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Sand, with Baja, Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl for offroad driving.

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There’s even cruise control for low-speed trail driving, while Trail Turn Assist tightens off-road turning radiuses through torque vectoring, and the innovative Trail OnePedal Drive acceleration/braking control makes for more precise and confident slow-mode rock crawling.

Two 4x4 systems are offered on all Bronco models, a base setup and advanced 4x4. The base system utilises a twospeed electronic shift-on-the-fly transfer case, while the optional advanced system features a two-speed electromechanical transfer case that adds an auto mode for ondemand engagement to select between 2H and 4H. On the subject of transmission, power is distributed to a Dana 44 AdvanTEK solid rear axle and Dana AdvanTEK independent front differential unit – both with available Spicer Performa-TraK electronic locking differentials for improved traction over rough terrain.

Speaking of rough terrain, the Bronco has almost 295mm ground clearance, maximum 29º breakover angle and 37.2º departure angle, plus water fording capability of up to 901mm, which is 1mm better than a Range Rover.

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Ford say that they’ve created the new Bronco family to elevate every aspect of off-road adventure and equipped them with class-leading chassis hardware and exclusive technologies to raise the bar in the rugged 4x4 segment and take people further into the wild. Things like offroad mapping and drive technologies that give novice adventurers as much fun as hard-core off-road experts.

Off-road capability is further reinforced by exposed tow hooks in the front and rear and available heavy- duty modular steel bumpers with integrated Ford Performance accessory winch mount.

Thanks to Bronco’s legendary Baja racing DNA, each model brings with it a thrilling off-road experience and delivers it with modern, heritage-inspired style. It all began in a Ford design studio with a life-size digital scan of a first-generation model that served to influence the proportions and design of the all-new Bronco for maximum off-road capability and performance. Similar to the first-generation model, Bronco’s square proportions, short overhangs and wide stance are optimised for offroad adventure.

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If you enjoy the wind in the air experience, both Bronco two and four-door models make the open-air experience quick, easy and fun. The two-door model come with a standard three-section roof system, whilst the four-door has four removable roof sections. Roof panels on all models can be removed by one person by unlocking the latches from the interior.

A cloth soft top, standard on four-door models, provides easy access to the open air and a unique tiltup function for quick access to the rear cargo area. For customers who don’t want to choose between a soft or hardtop, the four-door model can be optioned with both.

There’s more, every Bronco comes with frameless doors that make them easier to remove and stored onboard with protective door bags.

Inside, the instrument panel is inspired by the firstgeneration model, with gauges and controls clearly visible and intuitive and all materials are tough and rugged.

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Select Bronco models come with washable rubberised floors with integrated drains and marine-grade vinyl seating surfaces that resist mildew. Instrument panel surfaces are wipeable, with seamless silicone rubber on the dash-mounted hero switches, while rubber touch points protect against dirt and water.

Protection wise there’s a modern high-strength steel roll cage with integrated side curtain airbags in the upper structure and seats helps protect passengers from side impacts and complements driver and front passenger airbags.

There are pages upon pages of more interesting facts about the new Bronco, and although we’ll probably never see them in UK showrooms, I guess we can take solace in the fact that it's just too big for a lot of UK lanes anyway, much like the new Defender, but I’d still love to get my hands on one!

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h c o Mo

Beginners' Day Out T

I decided to join the party along with Colin and Trish in their well prepared 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, Neil Harrison Range Rover Sport and Laura Harrison in her silver Discovery 4.

James, the Cumbrian rep, had organised a few beginners' days and places were snapped up in no time time at all.

There was also Cam Bowman in his Defender 110, Mark Woods in his white Discovery 4 with Phil Griffiths in his well turned out 88�

Series 3, and of course the man himself, James Dixon in his venerable 90.

he event was advertised on the Cumbrian GLASS facebook page as a beginners' day in South Cumbria, a full day learning all about driving green lanes, including vehicle preparation, what to carry, navigation as well as learning some basic off road skills.

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Lane 1

At 9.30am we all met up the church at Colton, which also happened to be at the start of our first lane, SD3186-07, and after a quick chat, we set off in two groups.

The surface here is solid and made of hard stone that after a while as you head downwards snakes between the trees, nothing a smaller SUV couldn’t handle.

I hadn’t realised it, but SD3186-07 leads onto another that I drove with Andy the week previous that’s elsewhere in this month’s mag,

only this time we were driving downwards, and I only recognised it as we made our way towards the second gate.

The diagonal trench near the top of SD318605 wasn’t as bad going down.

Whilst the bottom I hung of for a while until James arrived with the second group as I wanted to take some snaps. Before the trench, James gathered his group around to discuss ways of tackling such obstacles.

As short as they are, SD-3186-07 and SD3186-05 have quickly become favourites of mine.

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Lane 2

Turning left in the centre of Bouth we followed the single track lane until we reached SD3387-02 that begins just before you reach the carpark at the end of the road, it’s fairly difficult to spot the entrance until you're right on top of it.

From the off, the lane heads through woods following a stone brick wall which can sometimes feel a bit too close for comfort, and although it can be slightly rutted and rocky in places, traction was good.

Once you emerge from the woodland the lane begins to climb offering more fantastic views and you end up driving through a few fields that can be rutted in places, nothing too dramatic, though.

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Lane 3

The entrance to our next lane, SD338904, or Rusland Pool, from west to east, was a bit tight and scratchy, but soon opened up as we reached watersedge Name of river? Although it was a new lane for me, it sounded familiar.

Was this the lane with quite a deep ford?

Yes it is, but thankfully the water level was fairly low today after a dry spell. Phil went first, which was only fitting as he was our ‘leader’, and the water level was only a couple of feet deep - until you get to a yard or so before the exit, where there’s a dip and it suddenly becomes deeper.

If you’re driving it in the same direction as us, just be aware that there’s a large submerged rock just before the exit on the right hand side, I wasn’t and gave Deux Smurf’s steering quite a kick, so if you can, keep to the left and you’ll be fine.

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Shortly after that there’s another ford, all part of the same river, but this was only inches deep. Carry on a bit further there’s a large opening in the lane where it was decided that we’d park up and wait for the next group to join us as James wanted to chat about green lane etiquette and go through some of the kit we should carry. This gave me the opportunity to go back to the ford and snap the other group getting wet.

By the way, this lane has a seasonal TRO in place between 1st October and 31st May. After our socially distanced chat, Colin, Trish and I followed Phil again to drive a more challenging lane, Grizedale, or The Fox as it’s also known as, whilst James took Neil, Laura, Cam and Mark over to Ickenthwaite, or as I know it The Rigg - SD3187-02

Lane 4

Before we arrived at Grizedale, we drove SD3389-03, that’s another favourite of mine, or at least it was before someone removed the tree that you once drove under. Still, it’s a relatively smooth and well maintained lane that has a few small steps at the southern section, it’s still suitable for all 4x4s.

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Lane 5

There’s a voluntary restraint on Grizedale that requests we drive from west to east, though every time I’ve driven it it’s been totally ignored by motorbikes.

Starting out at the visitors centre, there’s a rough and rocky climb upwards, decent clearance is well recommended as well as proper tyres, none of those low profile nonsense as they’ll end up damaged.

This first section is good fun, though any passengers you have with you will be hanging on to anything solid, as no matter how slow you drive they’ll get flung from side to side. Close your windows too, as there’s plenty of low, overhanging branches that’ll whip you as you drive past.

The first time I drove this lane was early on last year on the launch of the new Jeep JL Wrangler, I was in a standard 5-door Wrangler Sahara and I ended up catching the side steps and other parts on pretty much every single rock step.

Once at the top the lane turns to grave, and a little further on we stopped by the fox statue for the obligatory photo, then onto the next section.

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Controversially, this next section of the lane has been... I don’t want to say repaired, but let’s just say that all of the holes and drops that made it interesting and challenging have been filled in with stone.

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That said, the rocky step near the end hasn't been touched, which always makes for a good photo opportunity. If you’re up this was for the first time, don’t be put off by the pics as there’s a bypass route just to the right of the tree.

Lane 6

From here we drove through Hawkshead towards our next lane, SD3499-01, or Arnside Intake as it’s also know as.

It’s a nice long lane with more fantastic views over Tarn Hows, but just like Grizedale, and indeed Parkamoor, Kankku 4x4 Tours have been up with trailers filling in and levelling the ‘fun’ bits that often meant you needed a spotter if you have a smaller 4x4. I’m not moaning about it, as with all the politics going on up here it was something that arguably needed to be done.

At this point we caught up with a couple of, err, older ladies on mountain bikes, one of which wasn’t very appreciative of us being there - I know this because she told me as much. The problem was that because she rode past us on the flat bits and was pushing her bike for the rest, we kept catching up.

Although it’s been mainly flattened, there are still one or two pointy bits where you need to be careful, and perhaps have someone watch where you’re going.

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Lane 7

Crossing the A593 onto Smithy Brow that takes us onto NY3101-04, or Oxen Fell End as I think it’s also known as, we caught up with the other group who were just about to tackle the steep rocky ’S’ bend.

Although this section looks a bit sketchy, the surface offers a lot of grip, so you don’t need any speed at all, in the dry you can easily climb them at tick over, or at least I can in Deux Smurf.

It was great watching the newer models from the Land Rover stable tackling this section, it isn’t often you see them in this environment, especially a Range Rover Sport, but everyone managed it with ease.

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Lane 8

The views heading heading north are nothing short of breathtaking, and I paused quite a few times for photos.

Moving on, we continued until we reached High Yewdale where we stopped for a late lunch, and whilst Phil went off to to top his Series 3 with petrol, the rest of chatted about 4x4s and stuff.

There were quite a few different groups of walkers out today, and as we approach most of the gates they even held them open for us, which was nice.

From there we switched the group us and I lead the first one as we made our way to our penultimate lane, Tiberthwaite, or NY3001-02.

There’s another voluntary restraint on Tiberthwaite that requests us to drive from south to north, so please bear that in mind.

By all accounts this used to be quite a challenge, but since the repairs it isn’t the same lane it once was. Currently the surface is just shale and is an easy drive that any AWD SUV can manage.

On reaching the end there’s two very, and I mean very narrow bridges to cross. If you have a Discovery with 35’s or similar then you’ll be ‘kissing’ each side of the bridge without a doubt.

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Lane 9

Our final lane was NY3103-03 that has some small steps on the eastern end with the occasional loose stone the size of a football. At the end once we’d driven it and whilst waiting for the other group to catch up, James did go into its history, but with a memory like a sieve I totally forgot what he said!

And that was it, the end of a fantastic day driving some iconic and beautiful Cumbrian green lanes with fellow enthusiasts.

Yes, we received a bit of grief from a couple of walkers and a cyclist, but overall it was positive.

Thanks to James Dixon for organising the event, and Phil Griffiths for leading the second group.

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GET YOUR MUD LIFE gear Here at The Mud Life Mag we like share our love for all things muddy and automotive, and as part of that we know that there is always a need for clothing and other bits’n’pieces to show this love to the world..

We decided that to create some original art just for you, and put it on T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Mugs and more in our Teespring store - https://teespring.com/stores/themudlife

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DISCO 2 XTREME ALUMINIUM STEERING GUARD Precision engineered from 8mm thick Marine Grade Aluminium for superior strength, this Xtreme Aluminium Steering Guard from Ratel-X is designed and constructed to handle almost anything you and your Disco can throw at them.

Designed and manufactured in the UK, the Ratel-X steering guard uses existing mounting holes (fittings supplied) and

simply bolts on adding valuable protection for the exposed steering rod under the front of your vehicle.

All Steel plates are Galvanized and Yellow Passivated to protect against corrosion and designed to fit Discovery 2 Td5 & V8 with aftermarket steel type bumpers and winch Bumpers. price: £147.50 more at » www.ratel-x.com

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

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

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

Thanks

Karen Lee & Damian

KUMHO ROAD VENTURE AT61 The latest member of Kumho’s cross functional line-up is the AT61 that replaces the long established KL78 all-rounder.

It features: two-step sipes for improved snow performance; larger, stiffer tread blocks for increased mileage; and zig-zag grooves for enhanced traction. The sidewall offers strong resistance to penetration and a rim protector to safeguard the alloy wheels that are standard fit on most on-road vehicles these days. The newcomer is initially available in a selection of eight sizes to fit 15, 16 and 17 inch rims.

Further information on Kumho’s extensive range of 4x4 tyres can be found at www.kumhotyre.co.uk THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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New Stuff we've discovered this month GEARMATE HEAVY DUTY MOULDED FLOOR MATS Gearmate have just introduced their new range of high-quality, heavy-duty moulded floor mats, tailored perfectly to fit your vehicle.

Each mat is perfectly tailored to fit your vehicle with OEM fixings to prevent the mats from moving when driving. Although they’re made from 100% rubber there’ll be none of that rubbery smell as they’re somehow impregnated with a vanilla-scent.

They’re easy to clean with deep threading to increase the functionality and high edges to retain water and dust. Gearmate say they’re tough, too, with a reinforced driver heel pad area.

Gearmate tell me there’ll be more coming along soon , but at the moment the Gearmat is only available for the following vehicles: Mitsubishi L200, Toyota Hilux Nissan Navara, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max,Volkswagen Amarok price £48 (+ VAT) available to pre-order » www.gearmate.co.uk Although they’re not available to buy right now, you can be the first to get yours with an exclusive early access discount. Just enter code GEARMATS10 at the checkout and your mats will be ready to despatch in August in time for the new vehicle registration releases in September

ARB AWNING Easy to mount and operate, these self standing, retractable awnings fit onto the side of a roof rack, and are conveniently stored for immediate use.

Specifically designed for harsh Outback conditions, the awnings feature height adjustable, telescopic legs and provide fast and convenient protection from the elements. Easily mounting to the side of most roof racks or roof bars, the awning is secured in a heavy duty nylon reinforced PVC bag.

Constructed from tough PU coated 300gsm poly/cotton rip stop canvas, the awnings are fully waterproof and offer a UVP 50+ rating, and when open measures 1.25 x 2.1m. price: £250 more at » www.britpart.com

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

PRAIRIE SLEEPING BAG

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

Recovery Points & > Equipment

> Canopies

> Roof Racks

> Drawers

> StealthBar Bumper

> Lights

Steps & Side > Protection

Upgraded > Suspension > Rear Protection

arb4x4uk.co.uk

> Tyre Accessories > Underbody Protection

ARB accessories & suspension products for a wide range of manufacturers & models Ford Ranger / Isuzu D-Max / Jeep Cherokee & Grand Cherokee & Jeep Wrangler Land Rover Defender & Land Rover Discovery / Mitsubishi L200 / Nissan Navara & Pathfinder / Toyota Hilux / VW Amarok

sales@britpart.com

GOODS & GEAR

K HY AM IGLOO TE N T I’ve had two Igloos over the last twenty-odd years, I foolishly sold the first one, and instantly regretted it when I bought a caravan thinking my camping days were over, they weren’t, so I bought the other.

Khyam’s patented Rapidex Pole System allows you to erect the Igloo in 20 seconds, so while others around you are fiddling threading poles through their tents, you can be relaxing with a brew, which is handy if it’s raining or blowing a gale.

My only problem with the Igloo, and it isn’t the tent’s fault, is that I now find it a bit awkward getting in and out - I’m so over crawling on my hands and knees just to get in and out of a tent! That said, will I sell it? Not a chance, it’s too useful, not only because it’s roomy inside, but it’s so damn easy to erect and put down again, even when I’m on my own and it’s as windy as hell. price: £249.99 (available for pre-order as the new model is released 31/08/20) more at » www.khyam.co.uk

The Khyam Igloo has been used on expeditions to the North and South Poles, and was the tent of choice with the Royal Marines and chosen for both the Paris Dakar rally and Land Rover's own G4 Challenge.

It can sleep 3, but I reckon you’d be more comfortable if there’s just two of you, even better if there’s just yourself. The Igloo has 2 porches at either end, the back one being smaller and ideal for keeping cool boxes or rucksacks. At 120cm tall you can’t stand up in it, but there’s plenty room inside.

The inner-tent has a waterproof sewn-in groundsheet and is created using breathable polyester to allow for a comfortable atmosphere throughout the night, preventing condensation forming. I’ve used my Igloo in all-manner of weather conditions and it’s never leaked, it also stays put, no matter how windy it’s been.

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The new version has an updated colour scheme and clear windows.

GOODS & GEAR CO O K-AIR The award-winning, wood-burning Cook-Air grill is probably the most powerful portable grill on the market. It’s as great on a tabletop as it is on a tailgate, and so easy to use.

Simply ignite an all-natural, chemical-free fire starter and place it in the fire pot. Add one piece of hardwood or a Cook-Air wood puck.

Then start it up The 5-speed fan will create air flow which will feed the fire and generate incredible heat in less than 5 minutes, attaining temperatures over 595°C at maximum power. True meat-searing power!

But with 5 different settings, you can do almost anything from regular grilling to adding a final touch of smoke to foods at the end of their cooking cycle. From steaks to chicken or fish, the Cook-Air grill is extremely versatile makes an awesome from-scratch paella, too.

It weighs less than 8kg, and because its base remains cold, it can be used on most surfaces.

Supplied with a 12v car adaptor and a 240v adaptor for home/main power use. Can also be powered by 8x “D” batteries (for c. 20 hours use).

STANDARD GRILL PACK: • Cook-Air Barbecue Grill, Red • Cigarette lighter adapter • AC adapter • Burner brush • Carry bag • Cooking grid handle • Introduction video • Owner's manual

PLUS

• 1x Box Cook-Air Wood Pucks (3 Logs) • 1x Pkt Cook-Air Fire Starter Paper price: RRP £159.99 - currently £119.99 more at » shop.americanbbq.co.uk

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GOODS & GEAR O UT W ELL HU LA COOL B A G We have numerous cool bags here at Muddy Towers, and all of them are around 30 years old and getting well past their best, so when it came to choosing a new one we turned to Outwell, and their brand new Hula collection.

Made from an easy to clean durable polyester fabric plus TPU lamination, the Hula range is available in two sizes – an 8 litre version that can fit up to 12 cans, and 17 litre for larger 2litre bottles.

We opted for the latter.

Water-resistant at the base with moisture-sealed zips, both sizes have a large, sealed zip top opening, a front zip pocket for smaller items, like a bottle opener, cutlery set and small cutting board. There’s also a handy adjustable shoulder strap.

Inside you get an easy to clean and washable aluminium lining which, in conjunction with an 800ml ice block, will keep its contents cool for 12 hours. We haven’t tested that theory yet as everything has been both eaten and drunk well within that time.

So far the Hula cool bag has been a success, so much in fact that we asked Outwell for an extra one so that we can give it away in this month’s competition. prices: 8L - £37 17L - £49.99 more at » www.outwell.com

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WIN Robens have sent us one of these great 17 litre cool bags to giveaway. to one lucky reader Simply click the button below and enter your details to be in with a chance to win.

GOODS & GEAR MSR ALPINE DEL UXE K I TCHE N SE T

Last month I told you about the MSR Flex 3 Cooking kit I was trying out, this month I want to look at the MSR Alpine Deluxe kit that compliments it, perfectly.

weight in water and dries incredibly fast.

Fancy a drink? Good, you’re in luck, as you also get a sturdy bottle opener/corkscrew.

Encased in a zipped, semi-rigid case with two large zipped mesh pockets on either side, it holds most things you’ll need for a small camp kitchen.

On a personal level, I found the only weak part of the kit is the deluxe cutting board. Yes it’s strong, hinged and it fits well, but it’s a tad too small to be useful for large meals. Having said that, for small meals it’ll be fine.

Unzip and open the case and you’ll find two generously sized zippered mesh pockets on either side with the following 100% BPA-Free goodies neatly packed inside.

There’s a folding spoon that’s calibrated for common measurements, a folding spatula with a serrated edge, and strainer that doubles as a cheese grater.

Have I mentioned the 2 squeeze bottles yet? These are really handy, one I’ve filled with vegetable oil, the other will have brown sauce!

Next to those is a salt & pepper shaker that’s been designed to be moisture resistant.

With all of that stashed into the case, there’s still enough room for me to include a few items of my own, like a small bottle of washing up liquid and 2 foldable utensil sets. On the subject of the case, it also has a releasable webbing handle that enables you to hang it anywhere you want.

There’s a dish brush / scraper pot cleaner that’s nonstick surface friendly with an edge radius to match cookware.

Weighing at just 0.64 kg and measuring 22.9 x 15.2 x 7.0 cm, it stores nicely pretty much anywhere.

The 4-1/2” kitchen Knife is Santoku-styled and secured in a ventilated, plastic sheath. Made from 440-series high-carbon stainless steel it’s a tad flexible, but very, very sharp and cuts through all things with ease, so be careful!

After just a couple of uses, this Alpine Deluxe Kitchen Set has earned itself permanent residency in my camping kit, it's practical, well thought out and works really well, both at Muddy Towers and whilst out and about.

You also get a PackTowl Dish Towel that absorbs four times its

RRP £51 (£43 at www.elitemountainsupplies.co.uk) THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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GOODS & GEAR HELINOX S A VA N N A CHA I R Because I’m a bit on the large size, when I was asked if I would like to review a Helinox chair I straight away opted for one of their ‘extra roomy chairs’.

The Savanna is not only one of the most comfortable chairs Helinox has ever made, but it also sits higher off the ground, and features a tall back and wide seat that’s designed to keep the-broad-ofbeam comfortable, up to a max. weight of 22½ stone, or in young speak 145kg (no, I'm not that big!).

The Savanna features integrated cup holders on each side of the armrest, one for the drink of your choice, the other for.....snacks (Pringles anyone?).

The chair's frame is built with ultralightweight and exceptionally strong DAC aluminium alloy poles. Although it doesn’t come with instructions, we found it really easy to put together.

Once removed it from its carry bag, simply unravel the material and you’ll find the frame. The frame goes together easily as the poles are all connected together using elastic, like tents poles. Then at four points you attach the material to create the chair.

There’s an integrated headrest which is basically a flap of material that you can tuck something soft into like a travel cushion or a rolled up fleece jacket to support your head and neck. You can easily adjust the height so that it fits just right.

Unlike some other folding chairs, the Savanna doesn’t have uncomfortably sharp edges under your thighs (something that drives Muddy Madam loopy). It’s a bloomin’ comfortable chair, one of the best compact portable ones we've come across.

Packed Length - 54.5cm Weight - 1.9kg / 4lb3oz EU price: €199,95 helinox.eu/collections/savanna-chair best UK price we found - £164.95 - basecampfood.com 74

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GOODS & GEAR To be honest, I never thought much of these fabric tables, as in the past they’ve always been a bit flimsy and useless (spoiler alert - this one is different).

The Helinox Table One is quite a game changer here at Muddy Towers, it’s light, practical, compact and strong.

Like the chair, Table One's frame is built with ultralightweight and exceptionally strong DAC aluminium alloy poles, with hubs and joining components molded using a high-strength nylon resin carefully engineered to achieve precise, solid, secure pole attachments. It’s simple to put up, and once erected the mesh top remains taut enough to prepare food and even cook on.

H EL IN OX TABLE ON E

It’s stable, too. The other weekend I was in a rush unpacking all manner of stuff, and I placed a 10 pack of Guinness on one end of the table, and it didn’t falter, it took the weight with ease, I was impressed. In fact, Helinox say that it’ll hold up to 50kg.

If there’s a downside it’s that weighing in at just 625g, if there’s a gust of wind you could be chasing it down the campsite in no time, so always keep something heavy placed on it!

The two centre cup holders do their job brilliantly, and, with bits of fabric at the top on either side that form a grip, they keep longer cans and angled cups in an upright position.

Both Helinox's Savanna chair and Table One, although fairly expensive, are lightweight, compact and brilliantly portable, so if space is an issue you should look no further than this fantastic duo, and with a 5 year warranty, you know they’re built to last.

EU price: from €93,71 more at » helinox.eu/collections/table-one-series best UK price we found - £76.27 (RRP £109.95) www.alpinetrek.co.uk

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The Original 4x4 Sport Utility Vehicle is heading swiftly towards 80 years old. Over the coming issues we chart the meteoric rise from a military drawing board to one of the best selling off-road vehicles of all time.

Written by Simon Hastelow

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1940-1946 THE SEARCH BEGINS: MILITARY PRODUCTION In a 1940s memo to Willys-Overland officials from Col. A. W Herrington of the Marmon-Herrington Co., Herrington called both the origin of the Jeep itself and its name the subjects of bitter controversy.

"The reasons are obvious," wrote Herrington. "The prestige of the Jeep as the most remarkable vehicular development in 50 years of automotive history is an invaluable asset to any individual or firm which can claim credit for it" That perhaps was the automotive understatement of the past 50 years. As early as 1938, as hostilities began to flare in Western Europe, the U.S. Army put the word out to all automobile manufacturers they were searching for a light reconnaissance vehicle to replace the motorised tricycle side-car combination traditionally used for messenger and advance reconnaissance duties.

From those sketches came the original Willys-Overland concept of the vehicle that would soon be known to the world as the Jeep - a light, manouverable, powerful all-purpose vehicle capable of utility uses as well as a weapon carrier. The "weapon carrier" potential was something Bantam had not considered in its designs earlier that year.

In February 1940, Barney Roos received a letter from Col. A.W. Herrington regarding the "Howie Bellyflopper," a small, 4-wheel vehicle that required the driver to lie on his stomach and thus provide a low silhouette. On March 15, 1940, Roos and J. W Frazier, president of Willys-Overland, examined this vehicle at Camp Benning, Ga. While it was the first concrete example of the Army's search for a weapons carrier as well as a reconnaissance car, it was a crude effort to reach the same objectives on which Barney Roos had been working since the fall of 1939.

Answering that call, C.H. Payne of the American Bantam Car Co. in Butler, Pa., approached Army officers in the summer of 1939 with a design for a dispatch vehicle to replace the motorcycle and side-car. That design made its way into three Bantam test models delivered to the Army in September 1939. Each weighed 1,275 pounds, but after being tested were all rejected as having no military use.

While the Army was listening to Bantam, Ward M. Canaday, Willys-Overland chairman, held the first discussion of a Willysbuilt "mosquito" car with Army officials.

After further talks and interest from Army officials, Canaday ordered initial research

by Delmar "Barney" Roos, the Willys-Overland vice president of engineering.

Preliminary sketches of a mosquito car were given to Col. Rutherford, chief of the Planning Section of the General Staff, on December 22, 1939.

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At Fort Benning, Frazier and Roos discussed with Gen. Walter C. Short the extent to which Willys-Overland research had gone in designing an entirely new kind of military vehicle.

BACK TO BANTAM On June 20 and 21, 1940, Army officers went to the Bantam plant in Butler, Pa. to examine a second Bantam reconnaissance model. The Bantam model was rejected as too light, marking the second occasion on which Bantam proposals were rejected.

The Army stepped up the pressure on July 11, 1940, when it mailed requests for bids to 135 manufacturers for delivery of 70 vehicles. The vehicle the Army sought was to weigh 1,300 pounds, carry a 660-pound payload, be powered by an engine capable of 85 pound feet of torque, and have a wheelbase not more than 80 inches and tread not more than 47 inches. The bid request included a 49-day pilot car delivery stipulation and 70-vehicle delivery stipulation of 75 days.

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Willys-Overland was the low bidder.

However, Bantam was the only company that committed to pilot car delivery in 49 days and total delivery in 75 days. Willys had bid 75 days for delivery of the pilot and 120 days for total delivery. Bantam received the bid.

Willys' Bamey Roos may have lost the bidding war, but he was not about to fade away without putting in his two-cents-worth regarding the type of vehicle the Army thought it needed. Along with the Willys' bid, Roos amended a statement that "no substantial vehicle" could be built at the weight specified --1,300 pounds.

Roos also explained his objections to the delivery date and weight limitations to Major H.J. Lawes, the purchasing and contracting officer for Camp Holabird.

Lawes suggested that Willys-Overland build its own pilot model for testing. That same advice was given to Ford Motor Co., which also lost the bidding war. It was clear that the Government was anxious to have as many designs as possible in interpreting this specification - bidding war or not, a real war was raging in Europe. Roos' plan was to disregard the weight specification and build the vehicle as sturdily as possible, but always keeping in mind the weight requirements.

Money was immediately appropriated by Willys-Overland for the development of two pilot vehicles.

One-stop shop for Jeep parts, spares and accessories.

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

01482 666491

THE FIRST PROTOTYPES ARRIVE On September 23, 1940, Bantam, led by their brilliant designer Karl Probst, delivered a prototype, named the "Blitz Buggy to Camp Holabird. Among those in attendance to view the testing were Roos and Gene Rice of the Willys-Overland engineering staff. Rice was amazed at the agility, stamina, and compactness of the Bantam vehicle and returned to Toledo to spur on the engineering group he was heading. That group had already been working on a Willys-Overland prototype and what he saw at Camp Holabird had triggered some new ideas.

Shortly after Rice returned to Toledo, the two Willys-Overland vehicles were delivered on November 11, 1940 to Army officials at Camp Holabird. Both vehicles, nicknamed "Quads' had a choice of two-wheel or four-wheel drive, while one offered fourwheel steering. The Quad raised the interest of the Army and the ire of the Bantam people.

Internal Willys-Overland documents called a charge from Bantam that the Willys engineers had lifted design ideas "ridiculous."

However, in fairness to the Bantam "Blitz Buggy" designer Probst, the Willys prototypes were remarkably similar in looks to the Bantam prototype.

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The similarity was no coincidence. Both Ford and Willys technical representatives at Holabird had ample opportunity to study the Bantam under test. In fact, in order to expedite production, the Army had given them free access to Bantam blueprints.

The prototypes from Bantam, Willys and Ford did have their differences. While the 2,030 pound Bantam vehicle didn't meet the original 1,300-pound weight requirement, it was lighter than the 2,400-pound Willys. However, the strength in the Willys vehicle was the fact that it was the only one that met the Army's power specifications. In fact, the Willys 105 pound feet of torque not only exceeded the requirement, it dwarfed Bantam's 83 and Ford's 85 pound feet of torque.

The Willys "Go-Devil" engine had greater displacement and horsepower. The engine, like 65 percent of the prototype's parts, had come from the Willys Americar, tested and tried in years of service while the Bantam and Ford models were entirely new and different from their civilian products.

With prototypes from the three companies in hand, the Army ordered 4,500 vehicles, 1,500 from each company, in order to test all three designs in the field. The order accompanied the Army's recognition that the 1,300-pound weight requirement

was neither sound nor realistic. Barney Roos' earlier objections were realised as legitimate. The new weight requirement was 2,160 pounds, or 240 pounds under the Willys prototype "Quad."

For Quad it was diet time if Willys-Overland hoped to receive the government contract.

"The problem that confronted me' said Roos, "was whether or not we should redesign our pilot model to meet this weight specification and stick to the Willys-Overland engine, or to simply go out and buy a Continental engine as Bantam was doing and redesign our vehicle.

We knew from the report of tests conducted at Holabird on our vehicle that they liked its performance, power and ride."

Roos decided that the engine was much too valuable to alter, so he and his staff completely disassembled the car and, part by part, bolt by bolt, began to reassemble it.

Each part was evaluated with respect to weight and whether a lighter material could be substituted. They trimmed off bolts that were longer than needed; they cut material here and there, and by the time the new vehicle was put back together, it was within seven ounces of the weight restriction.

JEEP IS A GO-DEVIL Delivery of the 4,500 models began in June 1941, and after studying the production models, the Army decided to standardise one basic design. Of all the features taken into consideration in the standardisation process, the Willys-Overland unit was elected as the standard with certain modifications to incorporate some of the superior features of the Ford and Bantam models.

In July 1941, Willys then underbid Bantam and Ford in an all-ornothing contract for 16,000 vehicles at a rate of 125 per day.

Bantam's small production capacity was a disadvantage. Later that same year, the Quartermaster Corps of the Army, pressed for other sources of supply, requested that Willys Overland turn over designs of its vehicle to Ford in order for the manufacturer to build 15,000 vehicles.

During World War II, Willys and Ford filled more than 600,000 orders for Jeep vehicles, with W-O supplying more than 368,000 units. Bantam supplied only 2,675 units, most of which were given to England and the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease Act. Production of the Bantam vehicles ceased just prior to Japan's attack on Pearl Harbour.

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THE NAME GAME As Willys-Overland began production in earnest on its versatile all-purpose military vehicle, classified the MA and later in 1941 classified as the MB, the name Jeep became synonymous with it and in no time at all had become a household word.

"The origin of the name itself is open for debate.

It may have evolved from Eugene the Jeep, a comic-strip character popular in the late Thirties, but what's not debatable is what the brand has come to mean.

However, just as the subject of the creator of the vehicle is wrought with controversy, so is the origin of the name "Jeep."

Many people say it comes from the slurring of the acronym G.P, or General Purpose. the designation the Army gave to the quarter-ton, front-wheel-drive reconnaissance car.However, according to Col. A.W Herrington, the name was used in Oklahoma as early as 1934 to designate a truck equipped with special equipment for drilling oil wells.

Jeep spells off-road ability, and whether you're a fan of the brand or not, you must admit that the company has a well-earned reputation for building vehicles that can tackle just about anything.

Still another 'source' of the name is a test driver for the Minneapolis-Moline Power Implement Co. In an affidavit, company officials claim that Sergeant James T O'Brien, in mid1940, while attached to the 109th Ordinance Co. at Ft. Ripley, participated in a test of a '4 or 6 wheel' vehicle designed by the firm. He reportedly called the vehicle a Jeep in reference to the character Eugene the Jeep in the 1936 Popeye comic strip by E. C. Segar. Eugene the Jeep was a small, impish-looking animal that had the power to travel back and forth between dimensions and could solve all sorts of problems.

It's that go-anywhere potential that has made 'Only in a Jeep' something more than an ad slogan." (from 4-WHEEL AND OFF-ROAD MAGAZINE, JUNE 1990)

Even though Red did not create or invent the word Jeep, he very well could be the one most responsible for its first news media usage. He gave a demonstration ride to a group of dignitaries in Washington, D.C. Among the group was Katherine Hillyer, a reporter for the Washington Daily News. During the demonstration ride, he referred to the vehicle as a "Jeep. Hillyer's article appeared in the newspaper on February 20,1941, with a photo caption that read, "Jeep Creeps Up Capitol Steps."

What is not in dispute is the service Jeep vehicles rendered in World War II. The late General George C. Marshall called the Jeep vehicle, "America's greatest contribution to modern warfare."

The Jeep served in every WWII theatre as a litterbearer, machine gun firing mount, reconnaissance vehicle, pickup truck, front line limousine, ammo bearer, wire-layer and taxi.

The reference to Eugene the Jeep prompted an April 23,1944 editorial in the Washington Post. "As to the origin of the monosyllable (Jeep), there appears to be neither mystery nor controversy. It first appeared as a generic name of an amiable and exotic creature of indeterminate sex, introduced about the middle of the 1930s into what was then a highly popular comic cartoon strip."

But then again, Irving "Red" Hausmann, a Willys-Overland test driver who drove the first pilot model to Camp Holabird, recalled, "Some distinction had to be made as to a name for our vehicle. I took a lot of pride in the vehicle we had developed, and I didn't like people confusing it with the Bantam 'Blitz Buggy' or the Ford 'GP', so I picked up the name that the soldiers at Camp Holabird had been using' 82

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In the Ardennes during the 194445 Battle of the Bulge, Jeep vehicles, loaded with stretchers and draped with wounded, raced to safety ahead of spearheading Nazi armour.

In the sands of the Sahara, the morass of New Guinea and the snow fields of Iceland, Jeep vehicles hauled the .37mm anti-tank cannons to firing sites.

In Egypt, the British used a combat patrol of Jeep vehicles to knock out a fleet of fuel tankers enroute to Rommel's armour forces on the eve of the battle of El Alamein. At Guadalcanal, Jeep vehicles went in with the U.S. Marines. The Jeep name became so distinguished that on June 13, 1950, Willys-Overland registered the Jeep name as a trademark both in the United States and internationally. Today, Jeep is a registered trademark of the Chrysler Corporation.

1946-1950 THE MOVE TO CIVILISATION: When World War II ended, Willys-Overland held true to its war production motto, "The sun never sets on the Willys-Built Jeep," by creating a civilian role for its famed Jeep vehicle.

While it may be true that the design and name of Jeep were not originally a Willys-Overland possession, it is indisputable that they were

responsible entirely for the present-day impact of utility transportation on industry, agriculture and the consumer. It was Willys-Overland that turned Jeep from a war vehicle to the ultimate recreational vehicle for man, woman and family.

Willys-Overland officials perhaps mapped the future of Jeep vehicles with this statement taken from a late 1946 internal memo: "The Jeep of the future is still evolving and will continue to evolve as new uses are found for it. The Jeep is an ever-changing functional vehicle. Its development differs from that of the conventional transportation vehicle in that it does not stop with transportation alone."

The civilian evolution of the Jeep vehicle actually began before victory was ever achieved in Germany and Japan. In 1944, plans were underway to exploit the use of Jeep vehicles for agricultural purposes. That year, Willys-Overland produced 22 prototypes of the projected civilian vehicle under the code-name of CJ-1A, or Civilian Jeep, first model of the Army.

Those prototypes led to the production of the first civilian Jeep CJ, the CJ2A, introduced in August 1945 at a price of $1,090. The CJ2A was heavily based on the wartime MB model and included "civilian" features such as the addition of a tailgate, automatic windshield wipers and an outside gas cap.

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These models were to have the Jeep name stamped on the tailgate, window frame and hood. However, at the time of early production, Willys-Overland was still involved in litigation with American Bantam Car Co. and Minneapolis Moline Power Implement Co. over the origin of the Jeep trade name before the Federal Trade Commission. So as production CJ2A models went down the assembly line in Toledo, they were stamped with the Willys name. Even though WillysOverland eventually won the right to use the name Jeep on its products, the Willys name stayed on the Jeep vehicles into the 1950s.

The potential for post-war Jeep vehicles did not stop with wartime derivatives. In 1946, WillysOverland introduced the auto industry's first all-steel station wagon and sedan delivery vehicles. These two-wheel-drive vehicles featured a maximum seven passenger capacity and reached a top speed of 65 mph. When four-wheel drive and a Willys six-cylinder engine were added in 1949, the Jeep All-Steel Station Wagon truly became the forerunner of the modernday Jeep Cherokee.

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Willys-Overland followed the All-Steel Wagon introduction with the 1947 Jeep 2WD and 4WD pickup trucks and, in 1948, increased the fun factor of the Jeep line with the introduction of the two-door Jeepster. Called a sports phaeton, the Jeepster was powered by the famous four-cylinder Willys engine. By 1949, Jeepster was also available with a six-cylinder powerplant.

Willys-Overland closed out the 1940s with further development of its CJ line, known to the world as the Jeep Universal, with the introduction of the CJ3A in 1949.

That's it for this month, next time we'll visit the 50s.

Photographs courtesy of Jeep THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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h c o Mo

Time To Escape part 2 You can read part one in last month’s mag, where Andy and I had driven 5 stunning green-lanes around the Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale area. Of course, I was in Deux Smurf, our ’96 Toyota Surf, and Andy, a fellow motoring writer for the Yorkshire Post, had Land Rover’s brand new Discovery Sport Dynamic on test.

Lane 6

Within a mile or so you reach a farm with roaming life stock, so take your time here.

So after driving our last lane in Yorkshire we headed over to Cumbria, and our next lane was Trailwise2 reference, SD398302. If you’re heading from south to north it begins as a steep tarmac road that leads to fishing lake, my only concern would be driving it mid winter in icy conditions.

Once through the gate, the next section remains a hard gravel track with the odd rock to negotiate, and a ford too. After a long dry spell the ford was only a few inches deep with a solid base, though I’m certain what it would be like after a downpour.

A couple of hundred yards or so past the lake you take a sharp left, which is SD4084-03, or Simpson Ground Road, which is a well maintained gravel track with stunning views.

As SD4084-03 continued to weave through the open moorland we encountered a few gates close succession, it was a bit tiresome, but the views are worth it.

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Lane 7

Upon reaching the end you turn left onto SD398702, which is a tarmac road. We turned left drove until we passed a few cottages finally arriving at a gate, which was the start of Sow How lane.

Apart from even more spectacular views, there isn’t much to report here, it has a solid, well maintained base that's suitable for any AWD SUV, even a normal car, at a push. But those views…

As you arrive at the west end of the lane you have pass through a farm yard, and as Andy and I arrived, the farmer was moving all of his sheep into the field that we were waiting in, and soon enough we were surrounded by the little bleaters, who weren’t in any hurry to move on!

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Lane 8 Back on the blacktop and we headed back down to the A590 and aimed for our next lane, SD3186-05 that’s just west of Bouth.

If you’re tackling this cracker from the south, then straight away you’re faced with a steep climb.

Although it has a solid base, it’s also scattered with loose stone and dirt, and the trickiest bit is the diagonal trench that spans across the lane not far from the top. With a good approach angle and long wheel base, Deux Smurf straddled it without any concern, Andy on the other hand...

The main concern with this little obstacle was the low front bib on the Discovery Sport that could get damaged, not Andy’s ability, obvious!

Unlike other lanes, Andy couldn’t drive up the side banking and avoid it, he had to somehow drive through it, and with that as our only option, I dug out my waffle boards. Unfortunately, without anywhere to chock them, as soon as the front wheels began to spin, the boards shot out backwards, so I ended up scurrying around looking for large stones with which to fill the hole.

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With enough stones to half fill the trench, I guided Andy through and the ‘Sport made light work of my repair.

From her on, the lane is straight forward and twists its way through the trees until we arrive at the first gate.

There’s a homemade sign on gate requesting that folks stick to the track, which is fair enough, and it must do the trick as there was no evidence of off piste activity.

Through the gate and there’s a 90º right hand turn made up of loose stone that gently rises to above the tree line with more lovely views, and soon we’re on our next lane.

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Lane 9

SD3186-06 is almost a continuation from the last lane, and if we’d beard left it would take us to Colton Church, but instead I wanted to turn right which would make it easier to get to our next lane.

SD3186-06 is an easy enough lane that be a bit muddy in places, but it has a solid base with a gentle descent into the woods.

Lane 10 SD3187-02, or The Rigg is a favourite lane of mine that I’ve driven numerous times in a variety of 4x4s.

From south to north it begins with a narrow farm track and really starts at a farm gate. It’s a hard gravel track throughout that’s suitable for all 4x4s, though mid way through there’s a small rocky section that if you’re driving a 4x4 with low ground clearance requires a bit of care. This is the only part of the lane that you really need to engage 4-wheel drive, and without much suspension flex, the Discovery Sport cocked a wheel or two.

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And finally

Lane 11 From the end of the last lane, SD3088-02 is only a matter of yards away, and begins through a gate next to a farm house with a 90º left hand turn up a steepish incline, which never feels like it’s going to stop!

Just like the previous lane, SD3088-02 is a nice and easy undulating lane with a firm gravel base, and after a lot of rain there are quite a few puddles to negotiate, though nothing over 12-18” deep.

There are also a few rocky bits that had Andy slowly traversing nothing too bad, mind, and when we reached the top reached stopped for a natter whilst enjoying the beautiful views. The only thing to spoil are view was a few signs of trail riders going off-piste, which is a shame as you’re surrounded by pristine green fields and hillsides with flocks of grazing sheep, very picturesque.

Further along there’s a twisty descent that leads to a small stream that crosses the lane, again it isn’t too deep and if taken at around 15mph makes for a dramatic photo.

From here there’s another incline before you drop down towards a gate, and once through was the only section of the lane that caused Andy and the Discovery Sport problems.

In another 4x4 with proper ground clearance you wouldn’t give it a second glance, but Andy saw damage!

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Basically it was deep rut on the drivers side that meant he would surely ground the shiney ‘Sport and cause a fair bit of damage to its front bumper.

There was just enough room on the passenger side to squeeze past, but it would have been tight, with a real risk of sliding into the rut.

The only other alternative was to place the driver's side on a near vertical rock and hope the sidewalls of the low profile tyres not only had enough grip, but also had enough strength so not to pop of their rims.

Easy does it. As I guided Andy forward, slowly, the Discovery Sport took it all in its stride, its tyres finding grip from seemingly nowhere. Of course, Andy didn’t do a bad job, either. The rest of the lane is easy going with large, undulating holes that fill up with water after a good downpour.

Deux Smurf, our 1996 Toyota Surf, as always did well, and despite being the road biased Dynamic model, the Discovery Sport proved yet again that it’s a remarkable green-laner and capable of much more than you think.

And that was it, a cracking day out exploring a selection of lanes that began in Yorkshire and concluded in Cumbria.

wri t es Simon says Simon ponders something that affects us all in this month's musings...

But it might come in handy!

Every self-respecting motoring enthusiast, no matter what marque or style of car they’re into, has a collection of very useful parts and accessories that does not fit anything they currently own.

This is a fact!

So why was a I forced to explain my own collection of oddities to my darling wife?

Well mainly because I’d been putting off ‘clearing out the shed’ for over two years, but now,during lockdown, I was fast running out of excuses.

However, if I am being perfectly honest with you, it turned out to be quite a cathartic and enlightening experience. Never mind parts to vehicles I no longer owned, I found stuff I didn’t even know I had!

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When we moved into our new house we built a 12ft x 10ft shed and installed racking along two sides. While one wall is home to gardening camping and decorating stuff the entire back wall is filled with boxes of car parts - mainly Land Rover flavoured, but also some other oddities. All neatly stored in sturdy plastic or metal crates.

These were moved from a similar storage facility to the garage of our last house, then transferred to their current resting place when we moved in 2017. For some items this was their third home. I’d estimate some artefacts had been archived this way for more than 20 years. Obviously I’d just moved them en masse and unopened each time.

I genuinely struggled to explain some of the finds. For instance I have no idea why I have a complete set of rubber mats for a Discovery 3. I have never owned a Discovery 3.

I have a 300TDi idler pulley (the last 300tdi engine I owned was 6 years ago). I had an air filter for a 3.5 V8 One Ten (I sold that car in 1997!) I have a wiper motor for a Series III (I have never owned a Series III).

Add to this the lengthy list of bulbs, wiring, nuts, bolts, seals, filters and other random nik-naks - I could have a go at building something rather interesting. It would not be anything I could sell on eBay but it would definitely raise eyebrows.

So now I’m slowly going through my haul and sorting it into two piles: eBay and skip.

Which raises another problem: When you start selling things on eBay, you start browsing eBay. This could turn out to be more of a stock-rotation exercise rather than freeing up much needed space.

Words & photos - Simon Hastelow

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The Glorious 4th

When the invite arrived from Bob at Compass Adventures for a camping weekend on the 4th July, the day that guidelines on social gatherings was going to be relaxed, it was the middle of June, and the weather was glorious. When the weekend finally arrived, the weather was forecast for non-stop wind and rain - typical!

Before I go any further, it must be clarified that it wasn’t an official gathering, that would’ve been against the rules and government guidelines.

Bob had arranged the private field at the wonderful Holme Farm camp site in Sedbergh, Cumbria, but everyone, up to 30 vehicles, had to book individually.

There was no plan for the weekend, just turn up and do what you want - all within socially acceptable distances, of course, and enjoy beer, food, an open fire and plenty of chat. If you wanted to go off and explore some local green lanes, then that was up to you.

It had been a while since I’d done any proper camping, so I reckoned it would be good practice, as I plan to do a lot more. I filled one of my Peli 1650 Protector cases full of cooking gear, chucked a stove, chair, table and a cool bag into Deux Smurf, along with both of my tents; the brilliant Robens Vista 400 and my old Khyam Igloo (why two, I'll explain later).

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On arrival I decided to park along the fence that runs parallel with the river Rawthey, which in hindsight wasn’t the best position, as I found out later that night, but hey-ho.

It was blowing a gale and raining, in fact it was that heavy drizzle that gets you soaking in no time, and as I opened the back of Deux Smurf, I really wanted to use my Robens Vista 400, as it’s a large 4 person tent that’s tall enough for me stand up in. The trouble was, although it’s an inflatable tent and therefore quick to erect, it’s also made from a heavy poly cotton material that I reckoned would be a pain to pack away when sodden, so instead I grabbed the smaller Khyam Igloo (this is why I brought both), and had it up and ready within just 30 seconds.

Yes, I’d have to crawl in and out on my hands and knees, but it would be a damn sight easier to pack away by myself. Besides, it’s also small enough to be opened up to dry in my front room at Muddy Towers!

Once the tent was up and I’d sorted the inflatable mattress and sleeping bag, I wandered over and introduced myself to Bob. He gave me a quick rundown of his 'new to him' V8 Land Cruiser - he’s done a fabulous job of modding it for intercontinental overland travel, using parts that aren’t even available in the UK. There are still a few bits ’n’ bobs he wants to add, and when he’s done it’ll be featured first here in The Mud Life.

We also chatted about the pros and cons of various set ups, like why he prefers the ARB Outback range of rear drawers and the new iDrive unit, but as I said, all will be revealed soon enough.

Parked next to Bob was Paul from PB Customs in his rather tasty Ford Ranger. As we were discussing electrical set ups, Paul showed me where he‘d fitted his CTEK D250SE and Smartpass, which in turn gave me an idea of where to fit mine.

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As the day progressed more people arrived, with the vast majority having roof tents and awnings - proper touring set ups, unlike me, and I was beginning to get a little jealous.

I had a wander around the field and chatted to fellow campers, especially my ‘neighbour’ Mick, who, with his beautiful sheepdog, had set up camp next to me in his Defender 90 with an impressively stable Alu-Cab 270º awning and roof top tent.

After tea, I joined a few others under a large taupe that Bob had attached to his Land Cruiser and a Wrangler that kept us dry whilst we chatted nonsense in front of the open camp fire (yes, we observered social distancing).

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Later on in the evening I crawled into my Igloo all sodden, and squirmed into my sleeping bag with the intention of completing a few articles before getting my well deserved beauty sleep, but I ended up nodding off instead.

That was until around 12.30am when the wind and rain totally battered the tent, it was like the wind was blowing straight down the Cumbrian hills, across the huge field and directly at me. In fact, that was exactly what was happening, and for the rest of the night I reckon I had around a further 20 minutes kip!

As bad as the weather was, my little Igloo didn’t leak once, and in the morning was exactly where I’d pinned it down, surprisingly!

I did write names down on a piece of paper, but by the time I got back home the paper had turned to papier-mâché!

Eventually rising from my pit at around 7.30am, I was treated to moment or two of dry weather, enough time for me to nip to the loo, get back and cook myself a bit of breakfast before the heavens opened again.

As well as meeting a whole bunch of new people, what I learnt is that I still need to be more organised when it comes to camping in Deux Smurf. That said I’m more than happy with my Peli 1650 protector case which was brilliant, but an awning is now high up on the list of things I want for Deux Smurf, in wet weather they make life so much more comfortable and manageable.

I had the tent down and packed within a minute or two, despite the winds best effort, which left me free to have a chat to a few others who I'd missed last night.

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acebook Page of the Month Once, not so long ago, if you wanted to catch up with like minded enthusiasts, you’d join a forum. It appears these days however that Facebook has taken over the mantle for the place to go for information. So, in the aptly titled ‘Facebook Page of the Month’ every month I will invest hours of time, effort and energy searching Facebook for interesting and relevant groups so you don’t have to. It’s serious work, or so I tell Muddy Madam!

WHO STARTED IT IT? North Somerset Land Rover Owners Club, or NSLRC as its known as amongst its members was founded all the way back in 1996 almost 25 years ago by a select few Land Rover enthusiasts.

WHY / PURPOSE? The idea was for friends in the North Somerset area to get together and go green laning monthly basis or so, as well as attend off road events and shows, just in a non – competitive manner.

These principles are still alive in the club today, even if the members may have mostly changed.

https://www.facebook.com/northsomersetlandroverclub

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HOW MANY MEMBERS SO FAR? We have always been a relatively small club, not ever bigger then 50 members, and we currently have around two dozen members.

AREA? In the North Somerset area as well as the areas surrounding it.

ARE THERE PUB MEETINGS? We hold monthly club meetings in a local pub that’s mostly central to our wide span of members called The Crown, in Regil.

This occurs on the second Tuesday of every month followed by an outing on the second or third Sunday. This outing may be anywhere in South West UK or further!

CAN MEMBERS ORGANISE THEIR OWN TRIPS? We also do occasional camping trips for those further afield visits. Said trips are normally organised under influence by where our members want to go.

ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? We are a big supporter of GLASS, The Green Lane Association, which is something that hasn’t changed since we founded all those years ago. We make sure to follow the code of conduct issued by GLASS while out and will not tolerate otherwise. We have even donated Sizeable amounts raised amongst out members in the past to keep certain green lanes open and help with repairs as some of you may know.

We are always looking for new members in the area as well as those new to green laning and welcome them with open arms!

We are not strictly Land Rover, we accept many makes - if you can put up with a little friendly banter!

ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? Website - nslrc.org.uk Facebook - northsomersetlandroverclub

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

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YouTube Channel of the Month Who are you and where are you from?

Thank you for having us as the first YouTubers :), we are JKoverland, Jack and Kristina, a couple who have decided to pack in the normal grind and create a lifestyle more in tune to ourselves. Jack is from Sussex and Kristina grew up in Latvia but moved to the UK over 10 years ago. We have been a couple for over 7 years.

How would you describe your channel? Our YouTube channel is a way for us to document and share with the community our passion for overland travel and adventure. Our style is to keep it raw and simple.

No shiny 80k vehicle and accessories, no camera crew and definitely no made up scenes just for show! We choose to travel in our 34 year old Mitsubishi Pajero Molly, travelling to realistic destinations on a budget. We do have dreams to travel further afield so when this becomes a possibility in the future hopefully sooner than later we will be doing so!

When and how did it begin?

It began five years ago when we bought our first red Jeep Cherokee XJ and took it off road to a pay & play then a few camping trips to Wales later, we were hooked!

Soon after that we were packed and on our first major trip to the Pyrenees.

How many videos have you created so far?

Hard to say but if feels like hundreds :) We started weekly YouTube videos roughly two years ago now.

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What’s been the biggest challenge so far?

The biggest challenge by far has been transitioning into the world of the online workplace. Coming from hands on professions (Jack landscape and Garden business & Kristina care work) we now totally rely on income we can generate online.

We offer online services in social media management to companies and individuals and have a handful of full time clients that keep us busy Monday to Friday which is a challenge in itself being on the road but we love it none the less for what it means to us. We may earn much less than we earned in our previous work but we are rich in life experiences and happier for it.

Can we find you anywhere else?

YouTube - JKoverland Instagram - jkoverland Facebook - JK Overland Anything else you’d like to include?

For anyone who loves our videos and would like to support JKoverland and the channel, you can join us on Patreon. For a small monthly donation you get access to exclusive videos, early releases and much more www.patreon.com/jkoverland Another way to support us is to take a look at our latest merch design for hoodie & T's www.teespring.com/stores/jkoverland

Click on the arrow to play the video If you would like your channel to be featured send us a quick email to: YTOTM@themudlife.co.uk THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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Laning in the Dales…

Way back in December 2008, Barny received an invite from Steve who frequented the Nissan Owners forum for a day out ‘laning in the Dales, and the meeting point was to be at Leeming Bar Services on the A1.

There was a number of reason we took Barny's Tin Can, the main one being that our ’94 Surf wasn’t a Nissan.

We eventually met up at junction 45 where we met up with a Terrano, a Patrol, and two Discovery's. We then headed off to the next meeting point at Leeming Bar services for the rest at 9.30am.

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Group leaders were chosen, maps and other relevant info given out, and off we left in small groups. Our group consisted of Simon in his blue SWB Terrano II, Neil also in his SWB Terrano II, Andy in his modified Discovery, and of course Barny 'n' me in the Tin Can. As we set off I tried to write down the names of the villages we drove through, but after Bedale my writing became more like a spider had walked in a bottle of ink and slipped and slithered all over the paper, so I gave up.

Anyway, after many B roads and single track lanes later, we arrived at our first lane. It was quite narrow heading down hill with trees either side that led to a small ford that was around a couple of feet deep, not a problem for our small convoy.

On the other side of the ford, as we began to climb, water erosion damage was very evident and I wondered how much of this damage would be blamed on us.

Our next lane was quite a distance away, but driving through this part of the country I must say was a pleasure, I even commented to Barny that as a Lancastrian, I would seriously consider emigrating to this part of Yorkshire.

Stopping briefly to check the maps, we took a left off a single track road onto a muddy lane that required Barny to engage 4wd, and upwards we drove. The views were stunning as we drove higher and higher stopping at a gate for a quick natter.

Once through, there was a series of ruts where others had driven off-piste to avoid a mud hole, so trying not to make new once we continued through.

However, Neil began to lose traction, as did Barny, and both ended up sliding towards the edge of the lane towards quite a steep drop.

A tow from Simon and all was well again.

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As we began our descent towards a water crossing, the lane became quite rutted with diagonal holes dug deep into the loose gravel surface where many a 4x4 had struggled to find traction driving upwards.

This in turn meant that things got a little hairy as everyone ended up on 3 wheels and crazy angles at various points.

There were some good photo opportunities, mind.

Around the hairpin at the bottom and through the river crossing and we were on

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our way to our next lane, that unfortunately turned out to be Barny and I last for the day.

As we followed another series of steep hairpins down to the same river, the problem was getting up the other side.

It was a steep and very tight left hand turn and Barny, on 35s, simply didn’t have the turning circle and grip.

What you wouldn't realise by the photos is that the Tin Can, Barny’s double cab D21, is actually longer than a Defender 110, but that's no excuse really as Barny had driven this lane once before when it was fitted with 31” tyres.

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Simon reversed down to help with the aid of his recovery rope, after a few tugs Barny was on the straight and narrow, but the damage was already done.

Sadly, both track rod ends on the Tin Can decided to call it a day and a familiar problem raised its ugly head as both front wheels decided that they wanted to face each other.

The problem was that both track rod ends are connected to a steering bar by vertical ball joints, which in turn let the whole steering rise up. As Barny always said, that if they changed one of them to horizontal it wouldn’t have happened.

As everyone carried on, Barny and I limped to a safe spot and began repairing the Tin Can, and although our day was cut short, we had a fun and memorable day.

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Treat these loonies to a hot chocolate

Damian and I want to keep the mag free to read, though it costs quite a bit for us to put it together each month.

If you like what we do, we'd love it if you'd chip in for a hot chocolate every now and then, to keep us going whilst we put together the next mag.

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

Ta muchly

Here are all the lovely people who have bought us some slurpy goodness this month.

Margaret R. Lauren E. Liam, Dave, Corey & Wayne Laf Jim H. Martin W.

Edward P. LR Asser Billy F.

u o Y k n Tha THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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OUR GARAGE - OUT IN DEUX SMURF It’s been a busy ole couple of months for Deux Smurf, she’s covered approx 1500 miles on green laning trips alone. Of course, as many of you will know, the vast majority of those miles are actually getting to the lanes, but still, her high / low gear-lever has certainly become less stiff to operate!

Usually we have an abundance of press cars that take up the mileage, but the PR teams are still not back to full capacity yet, and our

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only press car last month was the Suzuki Vitara that arrived a few days before this issue was published.

I actually think that the last couple of months holds the record for the amount of green laning trips I’ve been on. As you can read elsewhere, Andy and I took the Discovery the Sport around Cumbria, then I was back to the Lakes the following week James from GLASS and a few novice 4x4 owners.

Then I was up to Sedbergh for a 4x4 camping weekend, the Lakes again with Mat and others from

North West Overlanders, then around Holmfirth, Oldham and Delph with Luke and Amy in the JL Wrangler, both of which will be in next month’s issue.

On the subject of next month, I’ve been invited down to Tixover for the Mitsubishi L200 Facebook Owners Club meet, that puts a further 400 miles under her belt with some proper mud, to boot, hopefully!

The great thing about Deux Smurf being a fairly big 4x4 is that I don’t have to worry about packing everything neatly, often I just throw a few camping essentials in the back and I’m done.

As soon as I have some spare pennies I’m going to start searching for a pair of lockers.

Another mod that I really want for Deux Smurf is an awning.

During the camping weekend in Sedbergh it rained constantly, and I think I was one of the only vehicles there without one, everyone else was sat cozy under theirs, and I don’t mind admitting that I was quite jealous!

Before I buy any other mods, I reckon she’s due for a full service, not only that but she’s acquired a wobble, so a visit to a tyre place is on the cards to sort her tracking out and get all four wheels balanced.

One thing’s for sure, I’m pleased as punch with the new Pedders Suspension, she’s less crashy and a lot smoother on the road.

That said, even though I get more flex off road, when there’s two wheels flailing in the air, she isn’t going anywhere, no matter how much left foot braking is used.

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

Rory Cox. I was born and raised in Devon but I've not lived in the West Country since leaving for university. Since then I've lived in London, Aberystwyth, Oxford, St Andrews, and Los Angeles. I'm a Senior Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where I've been for nearly 10 years.

luggage space at all for camping trips, etc., so I decided to sell it for something larger.

History of cars leading up your present 4x4 I was a broke student for a loooooong time, so couldn't afford a car until I was 28. I had always wanted a Defender 90, but they were too expensive so instead I bought a Mazda MX5 MkII for ÂŁ1,500. It was great fun!

Modifications done Not much so far. I've fitted slightly bigger tires - I went for the BF Goodrich AT KO2, and I'm really happy with them. Fitted a set of ARB underbody protection plates, which have already paid for themselves coming down a few lanes. I removed the towbar that came on the Land Cruiser and replaced it with a Hi-Tuck 2" hitch receiver that I purchased from a US company called MetalTech 4x4, and paired that with a Bushranger recovery hitch. That gives me a rated rear recovery point and still lets me mount a bike rack.

A few years later, needing space for kids and wanting to get into offroading, I got myself a 1996 Land Rover Discovery 300tdi. I loved it, but it was a bit rotten at the back and the diff lock lever was seized, so I had to crawl underneath and flick it with a screwdriver from underneath the case every time!

When we got back to Scotland after living in California for a year, I picked up a black 1999 Jeep Wrangler TJ Sahara with a 4" lift, winch bumper, rear recovery bumper, sliders, etc. It was seriously capable and the 4 litre straight six engine was a delight (although very thirsty).

Unfortunately, it was also totally impractical, as there's no

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Present 4x4(s) 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser 120 LC3 with 140k miles. It's a manual and comes with a low range box plus centre and rear diff locks.

Favourite Modifications It's got to be the BFGs. Modifications to do I've already bent the side steps, so I want to take those off and fit some rock sliders. I need to get some front recovery points installed as well. The truck has a solid rear axle and IFS, so a small suspension lift is on the list, which will help bring the

front end up a bit. Other than that, a snorkel and roof rack would both be nice, but not essential. I'm not in a rush – the Land Cruiser is really capable as it is.

Favourite green-laning trip There are no public access green lanes in Scotland, so up until very recently all my off-roading experience has been at pay-and-play sites and trials. I've just come back from my first green-laning & camping trip to the Lake District, with the Overland Bound West Europe group. It was an absolute blast and everyone was so welcoming. Great lanes, great scenery, great people. I can't wait to go out again!

Lottery win 4x4 Either a Land Rover 110 'Spectre' Double Cab or a 1982 Jeep CJ7 Golden Eagle. If I actually won the lottery, I'd probably just buy both! Maybe a Land Cruiser FJ40 as well...and a Ford F-150 Raptor...and a Favourite car related film Knight Rider - not a film, I know, but as a kid growing up in the '80s it got a lot of us interested in cars.

Favourite biscuits Tunnocks Caramel Wafers.

Where can we find more details?

I'm on Instagram - HistoryOffroad.

I've recently started a HistoryOffroad YouTube channel, where I'm planning on creating history-related overlanding/off-roading videos. There are a couple of things up already.

On Twitter - DrRoryCox.

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Who are you and what do you do?

So my name is Aaron I’m from west London near Heathrow airport, I’m 34 years old I run an estate planning company which specialises in Will writing trust work, life insurance, mortgage investments and funeral plans. I also work for Tesco doing deliveries as I have to pay for the mods on the truck somehow.

History of cars leading up your present 4x4 My first car was a bright yellow Peugeot 306 which I paid £900 for and owned for less than 2 weeks before the back wheel fell off on me. I’ve owned a series of cars from Peugeot’s, Renaults, Citroen’s, I have also owned a Mk2, Mk3 and Mk5 gold Gti and a Mazda RX8 which was a lot of fun to drive. I’ve also had an Audi A4, and last of all my ranger. My plan is to get a mustang to go with the truck.

Present 4x4(s) My present 4x4 is a 2.2ltr 2016 Ranger limited that has been uniquely modded. I’ve tried to make it stand out and have a murdered out Mad Max style look. It’s my daily drive so trying to keep it economical to run as well as using it for off-roading.

The truck is also used in a lot of music videos.

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Modifications done - 19inch black rhino alloys - 33” toyo open country tyres - 2” lift kit - 50mm sPacer kit - Full Matt black body spray - Raptor front bumper - F150 grill - Military side panels - Raptor rear quarters - Snorkel - Roof bars - Stedi light brackets - 47” light bar - 21” light bar - 2x 4” light cubes

- Auto beam ambient grill lights - Blue side step lights - Underglow - Rear bed lighting - Aqm roll bar and roof rack - Matt black interior - Full interior neon kit - Fb radio - 4ft neon flagpoll - Window tints - Rear tailgate raptor cover - Rear mic tuning reverse lights - AQM side steps - Mic tuning rock light and underglow

Modifications to do Mods to come begins with an all round old man emu suspension kit, front winch and maybe a bigger lift, wheels and tyres. There’ll be a new interior, under seat sub and new speakers with a new custom headliner. I’m also looking at cages to cover rear windows and some paint touch ups.

Favourite green-laning trip I run a ranger club which has just under 59 members, we have been over to Salisbury plains numerous times and to Wales, they have been my best adventures so far in the truck. A trip to Europe is also on the cards.

Lottery win 4x4 My dream off-roader if I won the lottery would be a Ford Earthromer.

Favourite car related film Favourite car related film has to be Gone in 60 Seconds and Fast and the Furious, before they got silly, and also Bullit.

Favourite biscuits Favourite biscuits are dead fly biscuits or chocolate Hobnobs Where can we find more details?

Find me on Instagram: ironhide_ranger & rangerclubuk

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

I’m Lauren Eaton-MacQuarrie, also known as Sunshine to some. I’m the Media and Communications Officer for the Green Lane Association and rep for several counties in North Wales. I’m originally from Shropshire, over the years I’ve lived in various countries, and now I live 50/50 in North Wales near Ruthin, or in Ardnamurchan in Scotland - although I spend most of my year living in a Land Rover somewhere remote.

History of cars leading up your present 4x4 I learned to drive in a 2ltr Subaru Legacy estate, the cost of insurance was astronomical for a new driver so I made the poor decision of buying a £350 Ford Escort that used more oil than fuel!

The solution to this was a brand new Hyundai Getz that I used to cheaply commute to Derby every day on a student’s income. After that I had a string of vans – various Transits, Suzuki Carry, Peugeot Partner - before finally buying my first Land Rover, a 1.8 petrol Freelander.

It got me into laning and I ended up leading trips for others for several years.

Over time I’ve owned various Land Rovers and the odd Japanese model – I’ve owned a total of eight Freelanders (Td4s and 1.8s), a Discovery 2 Td5, a Series III 109”, Suzuki Jimny, and a Land Cruiser FZJ80.

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Present 4x4(s) Currently I use my 2001 Td4 for travelling and laning, it may seem an odd model to choose, but it’s cheap to run, easy to fix, and it’s seen me right so far.

My 2005 model is the clean and tidy 4x4 used for attending meetings or anywhere dog hair and mud is frowned upon, the Land Cruiser has a new home to go to soon, and the 109 is in 1000 pieces in my garage waiting to be put back together - I will get round to this one day.

Modifications done Every 4x4 I’ve owned has remained reasonably stock.

‘Harry’ my Td4 Freelander has had more mods than most I’ve owned, the majority of them for overlanding purposes - when you live in a vehicle for 9-10 months of the year you need a few tweaks!

He’s currently running Goodyear Wrangler Adventurer tyres because it’s summer, and I’m mostly touring/ overlanding, he’s got a winter set too. I bought a roof rack from a VW T4 that fits him perfectly, soon I’ll fit a homemade pressurised solar water heater/shower - I’ve got the materials and just need to put them together. He also has rock sliders, custom made underbody protection, and light guards front and rear.

Mechanically I’ve uprated the crankcase breather filter to the BMW separator, blanked the EGR, fitted an all metal clutch slave cylinder to replace the shoddy plastic one, and fitted heavy duty plates.

I’ve had it re-mapped, and replaced a lot of components in the hope they wont fail me when miles from home - brake assemblies, drive shafts, all hoses, alternator, battery, all bushes and bearings, UJs etc.

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Internally he’s far from stock, I’ve modified the dash by making a centre console panel with extra 12v and USB sockets, I’ve also added more storage as it might have two gloveboxes but both are pretty poor. I’ve also installed a CB radio. The seats have been upgraded from the cloth GS model to full leather. In the rear I’ve built a fold out double bed platform with full extension pull out lidded drawers to use both as storage and a kitchen/ worktop. In the rear boot recesses, and in the boot window recesses I’ve made further storage by utilising what was previously useless space, and I’ve added a tool organiser to the inside of the rear door.

I’m ok with mechanics but not sewing, so my mum made map themed blinds for all the windows so I get some privacy while camping in it.

Favourite Modifications Probably my memory foam bed as it’s super comfy, when the dog gives me any space that is! The underbody protection is very handy too!

Modifications to do Build the solar water heater and fit it to the roof rack, I suppose I should replace the front doors for ones that don’t have rust holes in them. I’m not going to do much more as I plan to buy an ex-military vehicle to convert into a full time home on the road. Bricks and mortar just don’t do it for me so 2021 will be the year I sell up the houses I pay for but barely spend time in and hit the road for good.

Favourite green-laning trip There have been so many great ones, but I think the big 2019 trip was the best! I spent 9 months laning my way around the UK in Harry, and had the most amazing time. I went solo with Celyn my dog, but arranged to meet up with friends on route, and made many more along the way.

I was privileged to be able to drive a lot of trails in Scotland thanks to a Scotsman I met at a fuel station, and

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subsequently married - that’s the way to a girl’s heart by the way, show her special places to drive and wild camp.

Also wearing a kilt and a beard helps, although that may just be my preference! I returned the favour and showed him around the lanes of northern England and Wales. Sadly he passed away at the beginning of COVID in March so the awesome memories I have of our year on the road together are even more special.

During the trip I drove 18,000 miles, visited North Wales, the Lake District, Cumbria, Northumberland, explored almost every nook and cranny of mainland Scotland, and visited 8 islands, before heading over to Ireland for a few weeks to visit old friends I made when I lived over there. I wild camped every single night, I also did a few ‘mosts': • Most northerly point in the UK - Dunnet Head • Most westerly point in the UK - Ardnamurchan Point • Third highest road in UK - Bealach Na Ba (twice) • Steepest road in the UK and Europe - Hardknott Pass • Steepest ascent road climb in the UK - Bealach Na Ba, sea level to 626m (twice) • Longest dead end road in UK - Loch Garry to Kinloch Hourn, 22 miles • Most beautiful road in the UK - A817 from Loch Lomond • Best driving route in the world - NC500 (twice) • Highest pass/A road in the UK - Cairnwell pass • Most easterly point in Scotland - Keith Inch • Most southerly point in Scotland - Mull of Galloway • Highest road in Scotland - Lowther Hill • Second highest road in Scotland - The Lecht Although I’ve driven Harry to 10,000ft off road in the Pyrenees, I still class this trip as my absolute favourite. The driving and scenery were breathtaking, and it’s true what they say... 'who you choose to travel with on a journey can make or break it', the people on this trip were some of the best I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting.

Lottery win 4x4 Can I only pick one? I’m a Land Rover fan first and foremost, so I guess a fully loaded overland spec 130” would be somewhere at the top of the list, I’d certainly get some use out of it.

I quite fancy one of the new Ford Broncos, the Ineos Grenadier interests me, as does the new Defender 110.

If I won the lottery I’d have one of each and test-drive them for a good 6 months.

I’ve always wanted a massive truck, so a Tatra 8x8 would definitely be on the list, although I’m not sure where I’d drive it, so I’d have to buy a Unimog too because they’re just more practical size wise. I love a classic, so I’d probably have to add a couple of those to the collection – a Series I Land Rover, and an original Range Rover Velar would definitely go a long way to scratching that itch.

Favourite car related film I grew up in the era of many car related films and TV - Nightrider, Back to the Future, The Blues Brothers, Ghostbusters, and Herbie, all of which I watched to the point of obsession as a kid. I also had a thing for M*A*S*H, I love a military truck! I guess one of my favourites would be The Blues Brothers, who doesn’t love a car chase?

Favourite biscuits Jaffa Cakes and Aldi’s Oaties. I have a special box for my stash!

Where can we find more details?

I’m on Facebook as Sunshine 4x4 Overland.

Instagram as sunshine4x4overland.

I’ve been talked into starting a YouTube channel, but that probably won’t happen until next year now.

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ALRC 2007 Baden Hall, Staffordshire

RETRO SNAPS 120

THE MUD LIFE MAGAZINE

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

RETRO SNAPS

ALRC 2007 Baden Hall, Staffordshire

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Fancy an off-road challenge?

Want to get your 4x4 filthy?

Don’t ruin our ancient byways, try out your local P&P site, join a tour or brush up your skills on a driver training day instead.

Over the next few pages we have listed many of the business that you can play, train and holiday with.

If you fancy going along, always find out what you'll need to bring along or which vehicles are allowed: • Does your 4x4 need to be road legal?

• Do you need to show proof of age, vehicle MOT and insurance documents?

• Are your recovery points secure?

• Do you even have any recovery points?

Always check with the individual site before you set off.

Remember, as well as a good quality tow rope, it’s always useful to bring along some rags and a bottle of water to clean your lights and reg plates, so you can stay legal whilst driving home!

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THE MUD LIFE MAGAZINE

Pay & Play Directory

NORTH

SOUTH

Hill ’n’ Ditch

Essex Rochford & District 4x4 Club

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

Explore Off Road

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

Activities: Pay & Play http://www.4x4er.co.uk

Devils Pit

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

Avalanche Adventures

Kirton Off Road

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

Frickley 4x4 Off Road Centre

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

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

Activities: Pay & Play https://www.frickley4x4.co.uk 07881 590593

Cowm Leisure

Activities: Pay & Play https://cowmleisure.com 07970 101 879

4x4 Without A Club

John Morgan 4x4 Driving

Activities: Pay & Play, Off Road Driver Training http://www.4x4driving.co.uk 01903 812195

Piccadilly Wood

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

Ultra Adventure Driving

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

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4x4 TOURS DIRECTORY

Highland All Terrain Single & Multiple Day Tours with Wild Camping 100s of miles of Off-Road Tracks Access to Private Estates

4×4 TOURS & ADVENTURE HOLIDAYS

The Old Filling Station, Kinlochlaggan, Newtonmore, PH20 1BX

Manor House, Chapel Lane, South Duffield, Selby YO8 6SY

tel: 01528 544 358 mob: 07708 819 157 email: info@highlandallterrain.co.uk www.highlandscenicsafari.co.uk

mob: 07974 356 516 tel: 01757 638 479 email: customers@ardventures.co.uk https://ardventures.co.uk

D-Day Tours

4x4 Adventure Tours

Ardent Off Road

Trails and Tracks 4x4 Adventures

One Life Adventure

Cambrian Way

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

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

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

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Ardventures

THE MUD LIFE MAGAZINE

Activities: 4x4 Tours https://www.4x4adventuretours.co.uk Tel: 07769 336 099

Activities: 4x4 Tours https://trailsandtracks.co.uk Tel: 07976 393 838

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

Off Road Driver Training & Experiences NORTH

SOUTH

North Yorkshire Off Road Centre

Wild Tracks

Explore Off Road

True Grip off Road

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

Tours http://www.nyoffroad.co.uk 07787 555060 Activities: Pay & Play

Off Road Driver Training

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

WALES Bala 4x4

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

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

4x4 Experiences https://www.wildtracksltd.co.uk 01638 751918 Activities: Off Road Driver Training

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

Protrax

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

Avalanche Adventures

SCOTLAND

Activities: Pay & Play

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

Scottish Off Road

Ash 4x4

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

Far X Four

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

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

John Morgan 4x4 Driving

Activities: Pay & Play

Off Road Driver Training http://www.4x4driving.co.uk 01903 812195

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

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

UK WIDE All Terrain Services

Activities: 4x4 Driver Training

4x4 Experiences

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

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