The Mud Life - 27 - June 2021

THE MUD LIFE ISSUE 27 - June 2021

COMMERCIAL DEFENDER LEXUS UX KIA SORENTO '4' TERRATRUXX UTILITY

Goods'n'Gear Laning Life Reader's Rides Atlas Company Profile

Land Rover Commercial Defender pages 46-54

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

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

IN THIS ISSUE TURNER'S TORQUE

4-5

NEWS

6-12

LANING LIFE 13-20 DIRECTORIES 22-25 KIA SORENTO '4' 26-35 LEXUS UX 36-45 LAND ROVER COMMERCIAL DEFENDER 46-54 GOODS & GEAR 57-69 BUILT FOR A PURPOSE 70-78 MOOCH - DAKAR DAY OUT..80-87 SIMON SAYS 88-89 FACEBOOK PAGE OF THE MONTH 90-91 DAN'S DAD'S DAKAR 92-97 COMPANY PROFILE - ATLAS 98-99 READER'S RIDES 100-103 RETRO SNAPS 104-105

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

BACK ISSUES 112-113

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

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turner's torque Last month I mentioned that freedom was on the horizon, and I can happily report that I’ve had a taste of it, and it was wonderful!

I was able to visit Wales for the first time in over a year. I took the amazing Cupra Formentor along some of my favourite Welsh roads, and doing my bit to help the local economy I bought and cooked a burger (or two) on the shoreline of Llyn Brenig reservoir - it felt good to have a proper day out. The weather was good, too.

If you follow us on social media (you’ve no excuse not to), you may have also noticed that last week I returned to Wales again, this time with Lauren, the Media Officer for GLASS and Roy from 4x4 Obsession. We explored a lane or two, but the jaunt was mainly so Roy could take a few photos of the new Defender 90 I had on loan.

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There have also been tentative steps towards normality with a few shows popping up, on the horizon. Last week Muddy Madam and I had a trip to Stoneleigh for the National Camping Show to check out new kit, and coming up we are planning on visiting the Adventure Overland Show down at Stratford-Upon-Avon on the 5th-6th June. If you are going, look out for Muddy Madam and myself (I’m not sure which day we’ll be attending yet), and if you spot us, don’t be shy, say hello!

Lastly I want to say a huge ‘THANK YOU’ to all our KoFi supporters who buy us a hot chocolate or two every month.

Every penny helps to keep us going, and keep The Mud Life free to read. The same goes for our brilliant advertisers, so please click the links to take a look at their websites (hint everything that flashes blue when you turn the pages is a clicky link). Doing this helps us and helps them, and if you do buy something don’t forget to tell them where you saw their advert.

muddy madam's moment One of the things that is a real bonus about writing and creating a digital magazine is that you can do it anywhere you have an internet connection, or at least that was the idea when we started The Mud Life.

The goal was to be able to head off, travel around, drive a shed load of cars, do some fun bits and still earn a living, but that isn't the current reality.....yet.

No, the reality involves a lot of sitting at the kitchen table tapping away at computer keyboard, writing articles, editing photos, creating videos, designing t-shirts/art, sourcing products to feature, doing mailouts, fighting IT fires, oh and an the never-ending agony of trying to figure out what's for dinner.

We freely admit that we started the mag with no clue what we were doing. Damian had to figure out how to write 95% of the mag himself, whilst still having another job. I had to teach myself the entire Adobe software platform to be able to put the mag together, and between us we also had to figure out all the other back end stuff that goes along with it.

To say that we've both been on a steep learning curve ever since would be an understatement, but we think we are getting the hang of it nowadays. We hope you think so too.

So this is where you come in to it...

Now that most shops and leisure businesses are reopening, and we are (fingers crossed) heading towards a more normal outlook, we'd love to get back to working towards our original goal, but to get anywhere close to achieving this we need to get the mag seen by even more people, and as there is only the two of us, this is where I'd like you, dear reader, to help us out....

If you see our social media posts promoting the mag, please like and repost them.

Please share the magazine with your friends and followers (it's really easy, just click on the SHARE in the top corner of the reader).

And finally, please tell anyone who you think may like the mag about us, we'd be so grateful for your support.

Toodle for now,

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SOLTERRA - SUBARU's New All-Electric SUV

Subaru have revealed a sneak peek of their new SUV, named Solterra, which is an all-electric C-segment-class SUV, and it will be the first Subaru vehicle to be built on the battery electric vehicle (BEV) dedicated e-Subaru Global Platform.

The e-Subaru Global platform, which has been jointly-developed

by Subaru and Toyota, enables the rollout of various types of EVs efficiently by combining multiple modules and components, such as the front, centre and rear of a vehicle.

While the two companies have brought together their knowledge to create a completely new platform, Subaru have aimed to realise superior passive safety and vehicle stability, which they have always been pursuing, also in this BEV dedicated platform.

Not only the platform, the Solterra has also been jointlydeveloped by Subaru and Toyota, and wide range of collaboration includes product planning, design and performance evaluation. In this development, the two companies combine their respective strengths, such as Subaru’s long-accumulated all-wheel-drive technology, and Toyota’s outstanding vehicle electrification technology, to create a new SUV with attributes that only an allelectric vehicle can offer.

The name SOLTERRA was created by joining the word SOL and TERRA , the Latin words for the Sun and the Earth 6

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respectively. Subaru gave this name to the EV to appreciate mother nature and further advance the form of coexistence with it, together with their customers, and to represent their commitment to deliver traditional Subaru SUV’s go-anywhere capabilities in an all-electric vehicle.

Solterra will be joining the range of Subaru SUVs - Outback, Forester and XV, and go on sale by the middle of 2022 in the markets including Japan, the United States, Canada, Europe and China.

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Polaris Camp 2021 with Polaris UK open circuit designed for maximum fun and suitable for all abilities.

- Push your vehicle to its limits and enjoy a bit of competition on the enduro-style track.

- Put your skills to the test on the Gymkhana arena course and prepare to try your luck in the Gymkhana Finale…

With a host of facilities on-site to make the stay comfortable and accessible, Polaris welcomes riders to camp out at Bodrhyddan Hall for the event.

This September, Polaris UK has announced the first edition of Polaris Camp - the largest 3 day off-road event in the UK dedicated to Polaris ATV and SXS. Following the launch of Club Polaris in December 2020 the exclusive community of Polaris off-road recreational customers Polaris Camp is officially coming to the UK. Initially introduced to Polaris customers in France over 15 years ago, Polaris Camp has grown to become an internationally recognised off-road annual event amongst ATV and side-by-side enthusiasts.

Taking place over 3 nights from Friday 3rd September to Monday 6th September, Polaris Camp 2021 will be held at Bodrhyddan Hall, Wales; a beautiful stately home nestled in the vast North Wales countryside, surrounded by acres of gardens, woodland, and green lanes.

The central BASECAMP area will play host to all the main entertainment outside of the off-road riding and driving action: Members can learn something new in the off-road-centric workshops, pay a visit to the on-site tuck shop, and even finesse other skills in activities such as archery and wood carving. When the sun goes down there’ll be campfires each night, pub quiz, and a night-time riding torch parade to get involved in.

Polaris Camp UK will be open exclusively for Polaris customers, with a maximum registration of 100 vehicles – riders are encouraged to register their interest early to avoid disappointment.

Tickets are now available to purchase via www.nora92.com/ event/polaris-camp-2021, with prices starting at £250 for one adult member entry with one machine.

Richard Coleby, National Sales Manager at Polaris Britain, said: “Polaris Camp is the perfect opportunity for our customers to enjoy all things off-road. We’ve planned the event to cater for every type of rider, from scenic ride-outs in the beautiful welsh countryside, to high-speed courses that will allow riders to push their vehicles and get the adrenaline flowing.

Not only that, we wanted to make it accessible for everyone, including families, so we’ve got great entertainment, shopping opportunities, workshops, and lots of other fun activities planned so it’s an event not to be missed.”

Riders can make the most of 3 full days of riding with 4 different styles of off-road courses: - Soak in the beauty of North Wales with a group ride through its winding green lanes, led by Green Lane experts (vehicles must be road legal at the time of the event and the driver must have a current licence).

- Experience the joy of off-roading on the mixed course; an THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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New Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace

The Tiguan was given an update back in autumn last year, and now the countdown has started for its equally successful brother. The Tiguan Allspace celebrated its premiere last month, and in addition to a fresh new design for the exterior, the long version also boasts advanced technical features - new control and assist systems guarantee even more convenience, and the Tiguan Allspace now has a wide range of online-based services and functions on board thanks to the MIB3 Infotainment system.

Since its introduction back in 2007, the Tiguan has gone from a newcomer to one of the best-selling SUV models on the market. One of the main factors for this

success is the 2017 launch of the Tiguan Allspace, a 22cm longer version of the Tiguan.

third row of seats, it also offers enough room for up to seven people, making it the perfect choice for families.

Around 1.5 million of the Allspace variant have been sold worldwide since its market launch in 2017 until the end of March this year. The technical and visual update of the Tiguan in autumn 2020 opens the next chapter of the success story. The Tiguan Allspace has received the same treatment and now dazzles with a sharper look, digital cockpit and comprehensive connectivity.

The Allspace will be built at two different sites. The Tiguan L for the Chinese market will be manufactured in Shanghai, while, the LWB (long wheel base) Tiguan versions for North and South America and the Tiguan Allspace for Europe will be made in Puebla, Mexico.Volkswagen has clearly hit the mark with the LWB version worldwide, as a remarkable 55% percent of all Tiguan models rolling out of production have a long wheelbase.

The Tiguan Allspace offers even more space with a luggage compartment volume of up to 1,920 litres. With its optional

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Ford's Ranger Raptor Special Edition

Built in limited numbers to ensure exclusivity, the new Ranger Raptor Special Edition model is among the heroes of “The Good, the Bad and the Bad-RSE” – a new Spaghetti Western movie genre-inspired action film released recently by Ford. The film showcases Ranger Raptor Special Edition’s newly-enhanced style and high-speed capability alongside further distinctive Ranger models including the new Wolftrak and Stormtrak variants, and the rally-inspired Ranger MS-RT.

Developed by Ford Performance as the ultimate Ranger model, the Ranger Raptor features an ultra-strong chassis, bespoke suspension and tyres, and a high-performance EcoBlue diesel powertrain to support the thrill-seeking outdoor lifestyles of true off-road enthusiasts.

Featuring a choice of bold Performance Blue, Conquer Grey and Frozen White paint finishes, the new Ranger Raptor Special Edition adds twin matte black racing stripes – edged with red contrast lines – to the bonnet, roof, lower body sides, rear wings and tailgate to further emphasise the pick-up’s high-performance character.

Complementing the distinctive racing stripes, front tow hooks are finished in red while the flared wheel arches, front and rear bumpers, door handles and signature Ford-embossed grille feature a matte black finish to create an even more imposing appearance than the standard Raptor’s grey exterior details.

Inside the Ranger Raptor Special Edition’s double cab interior, an even sportier, bespoke feel is delivered with red stitching for the steering wheel, instrument panel and door cards. Standard high-grain leather seats are designed to be comfortable and supportive whether tackling rough terrain or smooth highway, and a Special Edition-only Raceway Grey instrument panel adds further exclusivity.

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The Special Edition model retains Ranger Raptor’s unique Ford Performance chassis. Optimised for high-speed offroad driving where regulations and conditions allow, Ranger Raptor features a 150mm wider track and 51mm taller ride height than Ranger XLT for greater off-road capability.

The bespoke suspension uses aluminium double wishbones at the front and a multi-link rear architecture, including FOX shock absorbers with Position Sensitive Damping that moderates damping forces in response to changing driving scenarios. General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyres offer maximum grip on loose surfaces.

Ranger Raptor Special Edition is powered

by Ford’s 213PS 2.0‑litre EcoBlue Biturbo diesel engine developing 500Nm of torque. Ranger Raptor’s unique Terrain Management System enables drivers to tackle a wide range of terrain and driving scenarios, including Baja Mode – named after the famous Baja 1000 desert rally – for optimum off-road performance.

Ranger Raptor Special Edition will reach Ford dealerships in Europe from October this year.

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New P300 HST broadens Range Rover Evoque line-up

Powered by the 300bhp 2.0 litre Ingenium petrol engine, the new Range Rover Evoque P300 HST brings a purposeful new edge to Land Rover’s compact luxury SUV. Featuring a stealthy high-performance look inspired by the Range Rover Sport HST, the new edition is based on the Evoque R-Dynamic S and features a unique combination of interior and exterior updates.

With 11 exterior colour options, its modern and sporty look is enhanced with the Black Pack, comprising Gloss Black Range Rover bonnet script, side vents, bonnet louvres, door mirror caps and exterior accents. A standard Gloss Black Sliding Panoramic Roof and Privacy Glass, plus unique Gloss Black 20-inch alloy wheels with red brake calipers also set the new HST apart.

The close links to the Range Rover Sport HST continue inside, where it shares the exclusive Suedecloth steering wheel and Ebony Suedecloth headlining. Luxurious touches include grained leather seat trim, Range Rover treadplates, a sliding panoramic roof and powered tailgate.

The enhanced specification of the P300 HST includes Land Rover’s advanced and intuitive Interactive Driver Display with its configurable, high-definition 12.3” instrument cluster able to show a comprehensive array of driving information, navigation instructions and infotainment data.

Pivi Pro infotainment comes with a 10” deployable touchscreen and 10” lower touchscreen and 13-speaker 400W Meridian Sound System to bring enhanced connectivity and audio quality, while keyless entry and Premium LED headlamps, with signature DRLs and animated indicators, provide heightened convenience and sophistication.

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Driving through a nine-speed automatic gearbox and featuring Land Rover’s cutting-edge Terrain Response 2 system, the all-wheel drive model combines dynamic on-road handling with trademark Range Rover all-terrain capability. Performance wise you’ll reach 60mph in 6.8 seconds.

The Range Rover Evoque is available to order priced from £32,115 in the UK. New Range Rover Evoque P300 HST is priced from £50,440 in the UK. Configure yours at www.landrover.co.uk

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!

Much ado about PSPOs! (Public Space Protection Orders)

Every month many requests are put out via this column, and on social media, for questions from those in the laning community. These requests usually go unanswered, more's the pity as we’d welcome them with open arms, yet there are always hundreds of questions, discussions, accusations, and presumptions made on social media.

People do have questions that’s for sure! So we picked a few at random about the recent hot topic - the Ramsden Road PSPO and associated chatter. So log off Facebook for a while and read on to discover what is really going on. I’d get a brew at this point, it’s a long one!

Why did GLASS negotiate a PSPO for their members only? Why is GLASS seen as an authority? - B.U. They didn’t and they aren’t. This was an offer made to GLASS instead of a potential permanent closure, and it was made to us as we were the only 4x4 organisation present. Had it been refused the lane would have been closed to everyone permanently, but as it stands we now have the opportunity of six reviews over the three year term of the PSPO to continue negotiations.

Is this what GLASS is going to do from now on? [As in use members’ only permit schemes and discriminate against other users] - P.S.

No. GLASS will continue to fight for all users of vehicular rights of way where at all possible, this does not change that.

Why were other 4x4 organisations excluded from the process? - A.L. They were not. Early in the process other 4x4 organisations were involved, and attended meetings. They

did not continue that involvement - why is not known.

Other organisations were included in the permit scheme, but then complained about that inclusion, and were then removed from it as their complaint requested.

Why did [delete as applicable] an ex GLASS rep/exec/member say something I don’t agree with on social media? - S.A. Why does it matter? Anyone no longer within the organisation has no bearing on the current activities of the organisation. Decisions are made by majority vote anyway, so one person’s opinion is never overriding.

Anything an individual states on social media using their personal profile is their personal opinion, and they are welcome to have one. All important GLASS official statements are decided on by a committee, and for clarity are posted as GLASS, via our official national or regional pages, which are public and viewable to all.

Statements made by members (of any level) may not reflect those of the organisation, and that is fine as long as those statements do not bring anyone into disrepute.

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Why didn’t GLASS argue [insert some basic argument like ‘it’s a public road’, ‘not everyone is a mud plugger’, or ‘not all users should be tarred with the same brush’]? - FAQs These arguments are not ‘case-winners’ when discussing matters with local authorities and other stakeholders. The content of these statements is also well known by all parties without them needing to be told; no TRO or PSPO case could or would be won on these terms. Discussions are of a far more involved nature than stating obvious and cliched statements to professional rights of way managers and managing authorities.

Of course they come up in discussion, and the rights of responsible users will always be fought for, but sometimes there is simply too much irresponsible use to not take extreme measures to stop it, and sadly that can affect those who do not deserve to be penalised. This is the fault of those irresponsible users though, and not those who make every effort to manage their behaviour without resorting to wider prohibitive measures unless absolutely necessary.

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Why is GLASS so secretive? - J.B. It isn’t. Matters pertaining to public roads are public, they have to be. An order cannot legally be enforced if it is not published where interested parties can see the full details of said order. The process also must go to public consultation.

It is not always possible to share information until decisions have been made and agreed on before they are put out for public consultation. This is not secrecy as the results will be published to everyone eventually, it is a matter of due legal process.

It also stops misunderstandings, if we were to report back on every meeting that happened there would be dozens of differing stories flying around social media!

It’s bad enough when only one (the final agreed) version is published!

Things change over time, so until there is concrete information available it is not published partly due to professionalism and partly due to process. If GLASS over stepped that mark we would not be invited back to represent the 4x4 community at all and lanes would be lost to us all without any representation.

Why doesn’t GLASS share TRO information with other organisations? - FAQs This information is public, it has to be by law. Anyone can find it and therefore GLASS has no access to any additional information or requirement to share it beyond updating their route planning tool Trailwise2. If other organisations wish to discover this information they can do so in the same way GLASS does, if they fail to find public information that is not the responsibility of GLASS.

What about Voluntary Restraint (VR) information? - FAQs This scheme has been scrapped, although some historic VRs (mostly one ways) will remain. This information is shared on GLASS social media as well as on Trailwise2 and via signage on the relevant lanes where LAs agree to them being installed.

VRs are simply a polite request to our membership and other responsible laners and were designed to avoid cost, red tape, and reduce the time lanes are restricted for (in the case of temporary closures) while fostering positive relationships with local authorities, they are not a legal prohibition.

Due to the bickering on social media over VRs being ‘useless’ or ‘secretive’ in future more clear-cut and stringent legal restrictions will be used, these will be public information from source (local authority) and will be policed under Section 59, but sadly this may mean closures may last longer as legal process must be followed by local authorities.

Why doesn’t GLASS fight this PSPO in court?

- FAQs

Because it would be very costly and unlikely to win, if we lost then a permanent TRO could be used instead. It would also be very bad form at this point and destroy years of fostering a good relationship with the LA, this is the only reason that lane is not closed permanently to all today and that there is still a chance that things will change in future.

An ETRO (Experimental TRO) was already fought against

by GLASS and we won. But that case left the option for a further TRO to be implemented without a full consultation period. The reason for this is a consultation had already taken place. We fully expected that a TRO would be used on the lane soon after the court win, but thanks to the local authority working with GLASS rather than against us a better, albeit not perfect, solution was offered. It may not be ideal, but it is better than the alternative, and gives us the opportunity to continue to fight for the rights of others.

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Why is GLASS so elitist? - FAQs It isn’t. Anyone can join to simply use our resources, or if they wish to get more involved become a rep or part of a team if they have the necessary skills or are willing to learn. We really need more people! We’d love it if we received more requests to come on board!

In this case presumably this question is aimed at the members/affiliates only permit scheme? This is not an elitist ‘statement’ from GLASS, this is simply the best option on a very worn out table at this point. If we had refused it then no one would get to drive the lane ever again. As things stand there will be six reviews during the term of the three year PSPO.

“As I understand it even GLASS members were not informed?” - J.B. Everyone, GLASS members included, were advised about the details of the PSPO at the same time via our public national page as soon as it became possible for GLASS to release the information - basically once it went public prior to the consultation period.

I’m the Comms Officer, and even I didn’t know the full details until I read the documents only minutes prior to sharing them.

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As I have stated above there is a process to follow and GLASS cannot step outside due process. If anyone requires further information they can easily request it via the list of all GLASS contact information on the website, or they can submit a Freedom of Information request to the local authority.

“Shame we can’t tag that gobsh*te Lauren” - D.M. There is no need to tag me in any posts to gain an answer, I’m very easy to contact! All my GLASS emails are public. Only GLASS emails are official communications channels, my personal profile is just that, personal.

As for me being a “gobsh*te”. It is my role to speak for an organisation, and as an executive officer I have a duty of care to our reps. This may mean correcting online information/ comments, sharing things I have had no involvement in, would rather not share at all, or that I may not personally agree with, but if it’s happening, or I’ve been outvoted, I have to accept it, suck it up and do my job.

What people haven’t asked: What is a PSPO and how exactly do they work?

A PSPO is a Public Space Protection Order and is used in public places to help to prevent or prosecute anti-social behaviour.

These orders are temporary, lasting a maximum of three years although they can be extended, with periodic reviews throughout their terms. In the case of Ramsden Road these reviews will take place every six months. At these reviews terms can be relaxed, made more stringent, removed, amended, or additional terms added.

The specific terms can be written to address the nature of the individual case, there is no ‘one size fits all’ PSPO.

Is this PSPO beneficial to the 4x4 community?

Generally speaking yes, although that very much depends on what happens next.

Has it saved a lane from permanent closure?

Yes! For now at least.

Can the lane still be closed?

Yes, if the reasons the PSPO has been enforced do not improve then a proposed permanent TRO is very likely indeed.

Does it set a precedent?

Not exactly, this is not the first of its kind, it is just the first that pertains to 4x4s rather than motorcycles.

It does not set a precedent within GLASS, local authorities may choose to use them instead of TROs, but they have always had that option and this does not change that. The benefit of a PSPO is that unlike a TRO it is not permanent and can be changed.

Does it give us time and opportunity to continue to attempt to avoid permanent closure?

Yes!

Will it always be GLASS members only?

Hopefully not, but we cannot know what the future will bring, what happens next depends on how people use the lane from now on, and how they represent the laning community, both on the lane and online in the public domain.

What is the background to Ramsden Road?

Ramsden Road is an ancient byway in the Kirklees district of West Yorkshire, and its use can be traced back to the 13th century.

In recent years it has fallen into disrepair through lack of maintenance and failure to address drainage issues when repairs have been carried out. The area is a catchment for three reservoirs and as such encounters large volumes of water runoff.

Several years ago due to irresponsible usage that compounded the problems, Kirklees Council attempted to close the lane under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order, but after taking them to court GLASS got this overturned.

Since then the behaviour on the lane has not improved, and that is why we are here now.

Something simply must be done to manage the problems, and possible solutions are becoming thin on the ground.

What happens next?

Once the PSPO order is active 4x4 users who are eligible will be able to apply for a permit and drive the lane. Motorcycles are exempt.

If those who drive the lane are responsible, and if no one makes efforts to cause a problem, gain illegal access, etc, then discussions may possibly allow a relaxation of the scheme in future, but nothing is certain as everything relies on how users behave and what the LA decides.

The only certainty is that any poor or illegal behaviour in the area, or negative advertisement of the 4x4 community pertaining to this lane on social media is not going to help, and could very easily lead to far more stringent restrictions or complete closure.

Remember that TRO without consultation? It still hangs above our heads like a dark cloud!

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What can you do to help?

The most important things you can do are: » Lane responsibly and legally » Be polite to other users and local residents, in person and online » Always represent and promote the 4x4 community in the best light when laning or on social media » Encourage others to do the above » Ignore people who have no experience of a matter except for commenting on Facebook, and (directly) ask GLASS what GLASS are doing, and why they are doing it!

It would be great if you could: » Get involved with organisations, and/or the processes that affect our community » Engage with a process before the end and ask useful proactive questions - understanding will help to clarify what is going on, why, and what is likely to happen next » Become familiar with the laws that pertain to our hobby and rights of access

If you really want to make a difference: » Join an organisation, become a rep and learn about and see these processes from start to finish for yourself.

Own your ideas and drive them forward for the benefit of our community!

• 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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As seen in pretty much every forum Situations like this are always going to be contentious, but as there is still an opportunity left to fight, what's important now is what happens next, how we react to it, what we learn from it, and how we move forward.

None of these people stand up to be counted where it matters, they simply tear strips off the hard work of others through unfounded claims, ignorance and personal bias against organisations and/or individuals this is EXACTLY the same thing the antis do!

Anger, speculation or presumptions have no place in legal processes, it is only a calm head and an educated well researched standpoint that will make real change happen.

This is the most difficult thing about representing a hobby we are passionate about, it isn’t easy to separate our emotions from our roles, but without doing so we would lose every case!

As it stands we win more than we do not, and that is testament to those who stick their heads above the parapet to be shot at from both sides and yet still manage to rise above it and remain professional.

This is the hardest fight we have to face. Antis are one thing, but we are used to going head to head with them, and can evidence our counter-arguments.

What is the most difficult, and the most damaging, fight for our community is the ‘enemy within’, those who refuse to stop their internal vitriol against those fighting for their rights.

Parts of our community do the antis job for them, the most vocal anti-4x4 groups use this information against our community and rub their hands with glee while they do so.

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Be part of the solution not the problem!

You don’t need to be a GLASS member to do so, but at the very least communicating with organisations respectfully will mean that your voice is used for beneficial reasons rather than as ammunition against the hobby we all want to protect.

None of us individually have the knowledge, time, money or resources to fight alone, it is only when we come together that we have any hope to change our future.

That’s all for this month folks!

Happy laning!

Lauren x

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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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Pay & Play Directory

NORTH

SOUTH

Hill ’n’ Ditch

Essex Rochford & District 4x4 Club

Mouldsworth, Cheshire http://www.hillnditch4x4.com 07974 398201

Explore Off Road

Crewe, Cheshire http://www.exploreoffroad.co.uk 07970 286881

Kirton Off Road

Hibaldstow, Gainsborough https://www.korc.co.uk 01652 245022

Frickley 4x4 Off Road Centre South Elmsall, West Yorkshire https://www.frickley4x4.co.uk 07881 590593

Cowm Leisure

Whitworth, Rochdale https://cowmleisure.com 07970 101 879

WALES Ultra Adventure Driving

Wrexham, Wales http://www.ultraadventuredriving.co.uk 01978 358 444

Canewdon, Rochford http://www.4x4er.co.uk

Devils Pit

Barton Le Clay, Bedfordshire http://www.devilspit.co.uk 07764 159478

Avalanche Adventures

Market Harborough, Leicestershire https://avalancheadventure.co.uk 01858 880613

4x4 Without A Club

Aldermaston, Berkshire http://www.4x4-withoutaclub.co.uk 07887533168

John Morgan 4x4 Driving Slindon, West Sussex http://www.4x4driving.co.uk 01903 812195

Piccadilly Wood

Bolney, West Sussex http://www.piccadillywood4x4.co.uk 07984 543886

If you have a Pay & Play site, offer tours or driver training, and want to be included for FREE in the directories just email your details to us.

We also offer an enhanced eye-catching boxed listing (see next page) for only £25 per issue (better rates for 3, 6 & 12 month listings) email - klt@themudlife.co.uk for more details THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

23

4x4 TOURS DIRECTORY

Highland All Terrain

Trails and Tracks 4x4 Adventures

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

Cambrian Way

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

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

www.highlandscenicsafari.co.uk

Ardent Off Road

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

One Life Adventure

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

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

Roam Free Adventures

Activities: 4x4 Tours https://www.roamfreeadventures.co.uk Contact via website

Timeless Overland

Activities: 4x4 Tours https://www.facebook.com/tloverland Tel: 07508 833 899

Land Tracks and Trails Green Lane Adventures Activities: 4x4 Tours https://www.lanestracksandtrails.co.uk Tel: 07855 213355

Ardventures

Compass Adventures

4x4 Adventure Tours

Battlefields by 4x4

Activities: 4x4 Tours, 4x4 Experiences https://ardventures.co.uk Tel: 01757 638 479

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

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

THE MUD LIFE MAGAZINE

Activities: 4x4 Tours https://www.compassadventures.co.uk Tel: 07508 708 588

Activities: 4x4 Tours https://www.battlefieldsby4x4.com Tel: 07014 241 418

Off Road Driver Training & Experiences UK WIDE

SOUTH

All Terrain Services

John Morgan 4x4 Driving

Activities: 4x4 Driver Training & Experiences, Self Drive Tours https://www.allterrainservices.co.uk 01792 862669

Activities: Pay & Play

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

NORTH

Wild Tracks

North Yorkshire Off Road Centre Activities: Off Road Driver Training & Tours http://www.nyoffroad.co.uk 07787 555060

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

4x4 Experiences https://www.wildtracksltd.co.uk 01638 751918

True Grip off Road

Explore Off Road

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

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

WALES

Protrax

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

Bala 4x4

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

SCOTLAND Scottish Off Road

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

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

Avalanche Adventures

Activities: Pay & Play

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

Ash 4x4

Activities: Off Road Driver Training

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

THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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Kia Sorento ‘4’ 1.6 HEV T-GDi Auto AWD What is it?

Now in its fourth generation, the Sorento, Kia’s range-topping SUV, has evolved to meet the demands of the modern family, as well as environmental challenges.

Using their expertise in the field of electrification, the new Sorento range includes a self-charging hybrid and plug-in hybrid power options.

The former combines a 1.6 litre petrol engine with a small battery pack and electric motor to drive down CO2 emissions and fuel consumption, while the latter's larger battery can be charged by plugging the car in to give a pure electric range of around 35 miles.

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On the road It was around 6 years ago when I first had a Sorento on test, I remember it well.

Muddy Madam and I took and Queen size Tempur mattress down to Wales for Muddy Madam Senior. It easily slotted into its cavernous boot. But that wasn’t what I remember the most about it. It was driving home from Mynytho, past Caernarfon, onto the A55 and home towards South Lancashire. It was just after midnight when we left, the roads where empty, and it was raining quite heavily. After a long and hectic day, Muddy Madam had already nodded off to the rhythmic patter of the rain on the windscreen, and I had a playlist gently on in the background. A bit of Anita Baker, if you must know. As we cruised home in comfort and serenity, a couple of mood lights gently shone down from the roof panel onto the centre console, and all was good with the world, because the Sorento was everything it was meant to be that night, and more.

I’ve driven that same route countless times in countless cars over the years, but for some reason, that stands out as special. That’s why I have a soft spot for the Sorento, in fact, the Kia range as a whole. I like how they build their vehicles.

Anyway, this ‘ere new version. I obviously couldn’t do the same amount miles this time ‘round due to lockdown, neither could I drive to Wales, but I still managed to put a good few hundred miles on the clock and almost emptying the tank.

Initially I was surprised by its firmness, but I suspect the 19” alloys will be to blame for that.

A bit ‘thumpy’ around town it might be, but it smooths out on motorways. If you’re concerned about the ride, lower models have 17” alloys that should prove comfier. Higher-spec versions also get self-levelling rear suspension, which is handy if you’re planning to fill the 7 seats with bodies, or thinking of towing.

Out on the open road the Sorento feels reassuringly stable, and although not a sports SUV, with 0-60mph time of 8.7 seconds, it’s nippy enough, and the 1.6 litre petrol 'self-charging' hybrid (HEV), never feels like a slouch.

On a couple of late night runs, the new Sorento proved to be just as comfortable and as easy to drive as I remember, only this time there’s a lot more tech and it’s more frugal. Throughout the week the trip told me that I had averaged just under 40mpg, which was quite remarkable, really.

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Off road Whichever model you go for, four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox come as standard, and I’ve always said that the PR team at Kia should make more of a song and dance about their AWD abilities, they’re really quite good.

Whilst balance the Sorento on three, and two wheels, in my experience it’ll drive away without a fuss, and it’s pretty decent on wet grass, too, though you may need to take a closer look at you tyre choice if you’re going to make a habit of driving on fields.

The new Sorento has a Terrain Mode that makes it more capable in mud, snow and sand. With each mode selectable from

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a dial on the centre console, Terrain Mode carefully controls the car’s standard electronic stability control (ESC), as well as the distribution of torque to all four wheels. It also adapts transmission shift times to help the car find and maintain traction in a range of driving environments - clever stuff.

I didn’t go daft ‘off-road’, but where ever I took it, the AWD system and automatic gearbox made it light work of it.

When it comes to towing there’s little surprise that the 2.2 litre diesel, producing 199bhp and 440Nm of torque, is the one to go for with a 2500kg load-lugging capacity. Next is the HEV at 1650kg and the PHEV drops down to 1500kg.

Interior Upfront it’s all a bit high-tech, and the spec sheet reads like a novel, but once you get used to it it’s all very intuitive.

You sit quite high, so the view all ‘round is pretty impressive - and just in case you’re struggling, all versions get front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera. Opt for the top-spec 4 models and you get a 360º bird's eye-view camera and a blind-spot camera.

When you indicate, a feed from the rear-facing cameras located in the door mirrors is shown on the digital instrument screen. Obviously you should be looking at your mirrors when you indicate, but having them is an extra safety feature that I actually quite appreciated, especially when you’re stationary and about to turn right and a cyclist decides to overtake you!

Our test car benefited from the larger 10.25” touchscreen (8” comes as standard), and all Sorentos run Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The new Sorento is a big car, not just on the outside, either. All passengers will feel at home with comfortable seats loads of elbow and headroom, and plenty of stowage space.

Middle seat passengers won’t complain, either, they have air con and two USB charging sockets that are integrated into the backs of the two front seats, with a third found at the rear of the front-row centre console. Both third-row passengers also have their own charging points, meaning all seven passengers can keep their mobiles charged, maintaining harmony in a full car during longer journeys!

On the subject of third-row passengers, unlike most 7-seaters, the rear most seats aren’t just for primary for kids or oompa lumpas, you can actually get an adult back there, and access to them is relatively easy, even for a 20 stone lump like me!

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Lifting stuff in the boot is easy as there isn’t much of a lip, and all versions have switches in the boot to fold down the second row of seats remotely, which is good.

Despite the Sorento Hybrid’s battery pack being located under the floor of the boot it still manages to offer one of the largest luggage capacities in its class.

There’s up to 616 litres (608 litres on hybrid), and with all seven seats in place, boot space is 187 litres, which is still pretty decent.

Kia offer three trim levels, simply named 2, 3 and 4.

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Engine ‘n’ transmission As mentioned previously, four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox come as standard whichever of the 3 engines you choose.

The Hybrid (HEV) is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a 1.49kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack and 44.2kW (59bhp) electric motor. It produces 226bhp and 350Nm torque and has a six-speed automatic, and depending on trim, Kia reckon it’ll achieve between 38 and 40mpg with CO2 g/km between 158 and 169.

Sharing the same engine, but with a 90bhp electric motor and 13.8kWh lithium ion battery, the Plug-in Hybrid produces a combined maximum output of 261bhp and 258 lb ft of torque.

Officially, the Plug-in Hybrid can run for up to 35 miles on electric power alone and achieve over 176mpg.

The Sorento’s new four-cylinder 2.2 litre diesel produces 199bhp and 440Nm torque, has an eight-speed automatic and achieves 42mpg with CO2 g/km of 176.

Conclusion Kia have given the Sorento a more bold design that’s quite imposing, but the Sorento remains an excellent mode of transport - quiet, stylish and very practical, and with Kia’s 7 year, 100,000 mile warranty, you can have as much confidence in your new Sorento as Kia do. price - £46,945 (as tested) more at » https://www.kia.com/uk/new-cars/sorento/showcase/

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Lexus UX

250h Takumi E-Four

What is it?

The UX is the compact, self charging hybrid SUV from Lexus. Sitting on Toyota’s new global architecture, as used by cars such as the latest Yaris, Prius and Camry, and other TGNA cars, the UX 250 should prove to be both engaging and comfortable to drive.

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On the road

For the first couple of days it was Muddy Madam who kept hold of the keys, and I didn’t have a say in it, she was quite smitten by the UX, and trust me, that’s high praise, even before I start!

Whether it was on long journeys or just nipping to the shops, the 4 cylinder in-line 2.0 litre petrol engine mated to an electric CVT gearbox was lovely and smooth. The UX always starts in electric mode and silently pulls away, shifting to petrol at around 20mph, or sooner depending on how heavy my right foot was. The technology seamlessly selects the best power source (petrol or electric mode) based on your driving, and of course recovers the energy that would normally be wasted through regenerative braking.

Driving along the twisty roads heading towards Buxton, the UX was surprising agile - and fun.

This is helped by Active Cornering Assist, which monitors the vehicle’s trajectory through curves and applies the appropriate braking on the inside wheels to suppress understeer - very clever stuff.

All-wheel drive also gives the UX a sense of sure-footedness when things get a little damp.

Despite being a fun car to hoon around country lanes in, it’s equally at home in Eco mode bumbling around town in total silence using its electric motor, giving you a sense of smugness.

So far so good, yeah? Hmm, despite having a special acoustic windscreen that’s designed to cut down noise transmission, I found the UX isn’t as quiet as I would have hoped for. There was a fair bit of road noise emanating into the cabin from, I suspect, the low profile run-flat tyres. That said, it doesn’t help that both the engine and gearbox are so smooth and quiet, you’d probably hear the silent screams of flies and bugs as they come into contact with the windscreen!

Chatting to other motoring journos, the E-Four isn’t that much different to drive that the regular 2wd version, that’s because the E-Four system uses a separate dedicated electric motor that’s integrated into the rear differential, as opposed to the usual prop and drive shafts, and therefore only adds just 60kg to the weight of the vehicle.

During the week, that contained a variety of different journeys and speeds, it achieved just over 45mpg, which isn’t too far off Lexus official figures of between 47.1 - 53.3mpg.

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Off road

As I mentioned, despite being the all-wheel-drive version, or E-Four as Lexus prefer to call it, it’s really designed for onroad slippery scenarios and snow, I can’t imagine you’ll see many UX owners green-laning.

That said, I did take the UX part way up Macclesfield Old Road, but it wasn’t much of a test as it hadn’t rained for a good few weeks, and the ground was dry and the terrain fairly tame.

Interior

It’s a lovely place to be, Lexus have obviously put a lot of thought into it and created a sort of layered dash that looks and feels classy.

Before I continue on laying on the superlatives, let’s get an annoyance out of the way.

The UX’s remote touchpad tech, that I believe is borrowed from other Lexus models, is awkward to use and the sat-nav isn’t very intuitive. In fact, trying to plot directions back to Bolton from Buxton, the system didn’t recognise Bolton as a place! I could’ve put my postcode in, but by this stage I’d had enough and used my iPhone instead. Like most things, I’m sure that once you’ve used it for a while it becomes easier.

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Thankfully, this incident didn’t mar my experience; the seats, driving position and overall ambience inside the UX was one of class, and every time I jumped in, it made me smile.

I particularly liked the analogue style clock on the sticky-up infotainment screen.

Just thought I’d throw that one in.

There are no dials for heater and temperature, rather a neat bank of switches just below the centre vents.

Rather peculiarly, attached to the side of the main binnacle you’ll find a large twistable knob for the Drive Mode Select that allows you to choose from 3 settings; Normal, Eco and of course Sport, that latter also tightens up the steering.

If you’re a tall passenger then you’d better call “shotgun” to claim first rights to the front seat as there isn’t much knee room in the back. The rear seats are comfy enough, there just isn’t that much space.

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Regarding luggage capacity, with the rear seats in place you have 438 litres of space in the 2wd model, which decreases by 40 litres in the AWD. With the seats folded flat you have 1231 litres in the 2wd and 1194 litres in the AWD.

Engine ’n’ transmission The UX is only available with one engine and gearbox, a 2.0 litre, 181bhp four cylinder electrically assisted petrol engine and with a continuously variable transmission that produces the feeling of six gears.

You can either have front wheel drive or electrically powered all-wheel-drive, as in our test car.

Performance wise you’re looking at; 110mph, 181bhp, 0-60mph in 8.7 seconds and CO2 136g/km, and as I mentioned earlier, Lexus are claiming 47.1 - 53.3mpg.

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Conclusion

Well, Muddy Madam wants one, which is the highest praise any manufacture could ever ask for!

UX250h would be high up on the list. It has a refined and sophisticated powertrain with a luxury interior, a host of driver assistance systems, with excellent seats, good economy and agile handling; what isn’t there to like?

Obviously it isn’t perfect, as I moaned a bit about the road noise, fiddly touchpad and sat-nav, but other than that it was a great car to live with for a week, and if we had a spare forty-odd grand to spend on an AWD hybrid, the

price: from £29,955 (as tested - £41,420) more at » https://www.lexus.co.uk

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Commercia

FIRST DRIVE in Land Rover’s com

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al Success

mmercial spec. Defender Hard Top

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It seems like a lifetime ago since a commercial variant of Land Rover's Defender was available, and back then it was competing in a much healthier sector, but now commercials are back, albeit in a slimmed down market.

Putting pickups aside, commercial versions of the larger 4x4s like the Mitsubishi Outlander and Shogun Sport will soon be gone, which will leave a hole in the market. The mighty Land Cruiser 150 is still available as a commercial, but some would say that at around 13 year old it’s showing its age - others will argue that if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

Then of course, putting the cat amongst the pigeons, we have the INEOS Grenadier that's due out either later this year or early next. With the sector in disarray, this is arguably the ideal time for Land Rover to seize the opportunity with their commercial. Defender

My mission, if I chose to accept it, was to depart from Gaydon, Warwickshire, and deliver potatoes to the family-run Chase Distillery in Hereford ready for the fermentation of their homegrown Gin. Then drive back again using each one of the new commercial vehicles - Defender 90, 110, and Discovery.

The route, I was informed, 'may' feature an off-road short cut, and upon arrival at the distillery I would have to ‘endure’ lunch, and a short tour of the artisan process of Gin distilling, before returning to Gaydon.

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It would be an arduous and challenging proposition.

Would I be up to the task?

I think so.

My first steed was the coil-sprung Defender 90 resplendent in the best colour combo - Tasman blue with a white ‘hardtop’, reminiscent of Series Land Rovers and Defenders of old.

With numerous bags of spuds thrown in the back and the long road route set in the sat-nav, I set off via the winding Herefordshire A roads towards Eastnor Castle.

The commercial 90 is only available with Land Rover’s D200 six-cylinder engine that’s been tuned to develop 200hp and 500Nm, which feels plenty.

On the road it made mincemeat of overtaking slower vehicles, and the ride quality was excellent with pitching being non-existent.

Upon reaching Eastnor Castle, we stopped for a short break before swapping vehicles and heading off onto the off-road route.

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For this my vehicle was the Defender 110 D250. Despite the tracks being wet and sloppy, they didn’t challenge the 110. Land Rover’s Terrain Response system is standard on both models and the wading depth remains an impressive 900mm.

The roads from Eastnor to the distillery were a little busier, so I didn’t get the opportunity to test the extra umph from the D250, but being the 110 it was a little comfier due to the extra length, and air suspension.

In the UK, 110 buyers get the choice of two engines, either the D250 (250bhp and 570Nm) or D300 (300hp and650Nm), I had the former. Also, whereas 90 is limited to fabric seats and rubber flooring, the 110 has three specs available: S, SE and HSE and with that comes a huge selection of options for interior, exterior and wheels.

Of course, the names 90 and 110 are misnomers as their wheelbases are 102” and 119”and respectively.

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When it comes to payload and carrying capacity, the 90 can carry a payload of up to 670kg and has a total load space of 1,355 litres. The 110 on the other hand can carry up to 800kg in a 2,059 litre load space.

As for towing, both are rated at 3.5t towing capacity.

Both the 90 and 110 are full of handy cubby holes and such, both have a 58 litre compartment at the rear, and the 110 has a further 155 litre space in what would be the footwells for the rear passengers.

There’s also an abundance of useful fitments including hooks, stowage nets and lashing points.

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Up front the cabin is huge, the new Defender is a wide vehicle, and from the drivers seat you’d struggle to reach the passenger door.

Both commercial models have a fixed bulkhead and full-height partition behind the front seats to separate drivers from their cargo.

If you’re concerned about it impeaching on front cabin space, don’t be, there’s loads of leg room for the driver.

Commercials come with two seats as standard, but you can spec a third central jump seat which is a handy extra and can be folded down to form a good sized armrest with cupholders.

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the 90 Quite honestly, after a day of driving both plaints. com no had I shire ford and 110 around Here led hand and drive to les Both are easy vehic ry themselves impeccably, and in almost luxu sion smis tran c mati auto ed -spe comfort. The eight oth smo a ed offer box sfer tran with a twin-speed g bein that e awar be do torque delivery, but

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ds,

commercials you have to keep at lower spee which can be a nuisance.

from The 90 starts from £36,896 and the 110 frenzy ng ticki a £43,771, both before VAT. Start up end well d coul on the options list and you ful! care be so ne, spending an eye watering fortu

GET SOCIAL WITH US

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GOODS & GEAR R O BENS M U LTI AXE If you spend enough time outside you will probably end up buying yourself an axe of some kind, a small foldable saw and more than likely a fire steel for when you run out of matches.You could buy them all separately and chance losing, or leaving, them somewhere, or you could buy the Robens Multi Axe that has them all included.

That’s right, secure in the axe handle you’ll find a saw that has a decent 18cm saw blade. It feels good to hold, even when wet, and it doesn’t flex as much as other small and portable saws that I’ve used, either.

Attached to the nylon sheath, which has an integrated carry handle and adjustable and removable belt loop, sits the fire steel. With a handle of just over 3cm and shaft (stop giggling at the back) of 4cm, the fire steel isn’t the largest (I’m not warning you again!), but when using the axe head as the striker it doesn’t half throw off a good size spark.

Another reason this is a great 'multi'-axe is that the back of the axe head also incorporates a hammer, which is ideal for knocking in tent pegs on hard and stoney ground.

Weighing in at just 872g, and measuring 35 x 22 x 14.5cm (LxWxH), the axe itself it isn’t the heaviest or longest to achieve a good swing for chopping big lumps of firewood, but it’s good enough for chopping branches and smaller pieces. The stainless steel blade has, so far, kept in sharpness, and the polyamide handle is light and quite resilient to shocks.

Overall, the Robens Multi Axe is great to have around the camp site, and even in your bug-out bag, and it’s also great value. price: RRP - £55 (seen available from £45) more at » https://www.robens.de

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GOODS & GEAR SOF T TIE We all know that cable ties are useful things to have, both around the house and in the car, but what has always annoyed me about them is that they’re single use, and a bit too rigid. Wouldn’t it be better if someone could invent something similar that was a bit more flexible, and reusable? Well, as by magic, Matt Savage is now the UK agent for SoftTIE, an Australian company that does just that.

Their entire range of ties has been equipped with a special locking system that not only keeps them securely in place, but can also be opened again at any time, and without tools.

With operating temperatures ranging from -20°C up to +85°C, and a holding force of 240N, SoftTIEs are designed to be twisted and bent as needed, as well as being extremely tearresistant. According their spec sheet, SoftTIEs can be stretched usually to between 300 to 400% before material failure occurs. Another benefit is that due to the highly elastic character of the SoftTIE, once tensioned, slippage is almost impossible.

Matt also stocks a double version (SoftTie DL), that are ideal for connecting parallel cables or poles together. Basically, any two items that you need securing together, the SoftTie DL is ideal for.

Matt sells the SoftTIE in various styles, sizes and depending on which you go for, they can either be bought individually, or in packs of ten. price: from £1.19 more at » mattsavage.com

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GOODS & GEAR T I LL EY TM H55 M A SHUP A I RFLO HA T Despite having around a dozen or so baseball caps, I’ve never really found them useful. If the sun is blasting down on my balding head, or I’m driving the Bugster (our Doon Buggy), sure, they stop me from getting burnt and blinded, but my ears and neck always get scorched, which is why I have a penchant for wide brimmed hats, and so far I haven't found better than a Tilley hat.

I’ve been fortunate over the years to have been sent a variety of them, and my latest is by far my favourite, the Mashup Airflo.

Made with a 29% hemp, 28% cotton, 36% polyester and a 7% rayon mix, the Mashup has impressive eco-credentials as it uses leftover yarns from their other ranges. Despite this recycled fabric blend, the Mashup still retains its Tilley qualities, like its DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish, a moisture-wicking Hydrofil sweatband and a tuckaway wind cord, for both under your chin and behind your head for extra windy conditions.

There’s more, of course. Along with other Tilley hats, for maximum sun protection the fabric is certified to UPF 50+ (you can’t get any higher), and in the crown there’s a hidden pocket in which you can store a few quid or a credit card for emergencies.

Speaking of the crown, the Mashup has a thin built-in a layer of foam to help it float, great for when I forget to use the chin strap when I'm paddling about in the canoe!

All sounds well and good, but what’s it like to wear?

I don’t know whether it’s the new recycled blend of materials, but the Mashup feels softer, lighter and much cooler than my older Tilleys - the 3/4” air flow mesh around crown helps with extra ventilation.

I like that the Mashup retains its shape after being ‘scrunchedup’ and packed away in a case, and even after being dunked in water, oh, and of course its guaranteed for life against wearing out.

Despite only having it a month or two, I can already tell that it's just as sturdy and well put together as my oldest Tilley hat which is well over ten years old and still going strong. Overall it looks great, feels great and performs as a high-end hat should, and will hopefully last a lifetime!

As it's available in 8 different head sizes and 4 light summer colours - Pink Mashup, Denim Blue, Brown and Sand, the TMH55 Mashup Airflo Hat can be for both men and ladies. price: RRP £75 (seen available from £45) more at » uk.tilley.com/products/tmh55-mashup-airflo-hat THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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GOODS & GEAR R O BEN S DOU BLE D RE A M E R 4 New from Robens for 2021 is their Double Dreamer 4 Tent, and as the name suggests it is suitable for sleeping up to four people.

This isn't the tent to take backpacking, but is the perfect size for campers looking for comfort, with decent standing height and all-weather performance.

With just 3 aluminium poles, which loop over the top of the tent, the Double Dreamer is quick to pitch, and is just as easy to dismantle. There is a massive 175cm of interior height, and 2 large doors give you easy access, with the side door being a Rain Safe door with a small canopy for water-free access.

The inner needs to be attached to the flysheet on its initial use, but can be left attached for future use. Inside the tent, you'll find two separate bedrooms which will each fit two people, each with their own mat. There are mesh storage pockets on the front of the inner sleeping section, as well as inside to store small items.

There are double rear and low vents to control air flow, and all doors feature mesh coverings behind external doors for insectfree ventilation.

The mesh panel window is backed by a zip-up waterproof curtain with upper PVC panel to balance privacy, ventilation and light entry.

If you fancy some extra fresh air, the front section can be converted to a canopy style awning using optional extra poles.

The Double Dreamer 4 also includes aluminium buckles and tension handles on pegging corners along with strong nylon coil-zips on the doors.

Pack size - 72 x 31cm Weight - 11.62 kg

price - RRP £580 more at » www.robens.de

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WIN

Robens Double Dreamer 4

worth £580

To have a chance to win

THE BIGGEST PRIZE WE'VE EVER FEATURED

all you need to do is click the button below which will take you to an entry form, and enter your details.

ENTER HERE Closing date for entries - midnight on June 30th, 2021 The winner will be chosen at random after the closing date.

All entrants will be added to the mailing list to receive The Mud Life Magazine directly to their inbox each month.

New Stuff we've discovered this month UCO CANDLE LANTERNS

Candalier lantern

UCO’s range of candle lanterns have been updated for 2021 – now all models are powder coated giving a smooth durable finish.

New colours have been added into the range with the popular grey colourway coming back to join red, green and the continuing polished aluminium.

All still work with original candles, citronella candles for insect repellent or beeswax for long lasting burn time.

New 2.0 series kits are available which include cases, reflectors and spare candles, offering great value for money and everything you need to head out on your first adventure with your candle lantern.

Mini Lantern

prices: Original Lantern - from £23.47 (kits - £34.99) Mini Lantern Kit 2.0 - £19.99 Candalier Lantern - £39.99 available to buy at the Amazon UCO store & outdoor retailers.

OUTWELL MAGNETIC CABINET STYLES

If you enjoy days or even weeks away camping alone or with the family but can’t be mithered with the clutter, or living out of a bag, then Outwell have the simple solution with their new easy access cabinets.

ARUBA

BAHAMAS

Using magnets to create a zip-free camping experience, so not to wake other campers when opened at night, their cupboard doors are now a drop-down cabinet style to make accessing cupboard contents even easier with just a flick of a finger.

New products include the Aruba, Domingo, Bahamas and Cayon Cabinets, all of which unfold in seconds to create practical storage solutions that include solid and mesh shelves along with hard tops on which to rest cups and TV’s on - perfect for tents and awnings. prices: Cayon - £56.99 Bahamas - £100 Domingo - £100 Aruba - £134.99 more at » www.outwell.com/en-gb

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CAYON

DOMINGO

New Stuff we've discovered this month REAR HUB BUSH KIT TOOL (DA2883) This tool has been developed to allow the user to safely remove and replace the rear hub bottom bush for Freelander 2 & Range Rover Evoque.

For use with hand tools only, it uses a mechanical force screw and has been specifically designed for use with minimal strip down of the vehicle components for the removal and replacement of the rear hub lower bush. price: around £130 more at » britpart.com/all-parts/da2883

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.

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 THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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New Stuff we've discovered this month ARB OUTBACK SOLUTIONS SINGLE DRAWER MODULE FOR DEFENDER - 90 & 110 STATION WAGON - 2002 - 2016 Complete with anti-roll back system, anti-rattle locking mechanisms, and folded stainless steel runners with roller bearings, the drawer is finished in hard wearing commercial carpet, and the interior surfaces are trimmed in automotive boot carpet. Both materials resist abrasion and conceal dirt in tough off road conditions.

It also features slam shut latches -that make opening and closing the roller drawer easy, even with hands full of gear.

A side floor kit is available at an extra cost and is specially designed for fitment with the drawer module and fills in the area between the outer edge of the drawer and the side of the rear boot area providing a much larger at top surface. more at » britpart.com/all-parts/crddef

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y a D s ' r e h Fat

20th June

SMELLY BALLS

Smelly Balls are designed to firstly make the recipient chuckle on opening, and then provide a luxurious treat when used.

These UK made bath bombs are 100% biodegradable, free of palm oil, plastic, parabens, SLS and all that sort of nasty nonsense. They are suitable for vegans, and have not been tested on animals, and furthermore they are packaged in recycled and recyclable packaging too. The perfect cheeky gift for your Dad!

price: £10.95 more at » golala.co.uk

MUD LIFE CRISIS T-SHIRT This fun slogan Dad T-Shirt is for 4x4 drivers of a certain age, and it's perfect for 'Dad bods'.of all sizes from small up to a roomy XXL (modelled here by our lovely editor, Damian) Even better, this product is designed by our own Muddy Madam, constructed from 100% organic cotton and printed in the UK in a renewable energy-powered factory.

Available in both block print and mottled effect. The choice is yours. price: £19 more at » the-mud-life.teemill.com

DAD SLOGAN APRON This is the perfect gift for any barbeque master dads out there!

Designed in Manchester, and made in Britain, this 100% cotton apron features hand painted illustrations over a navy blue background with contrasting checkerboard neck strap and waist ties.

So if you want your Dad to show off his 'Best Dad' credentials this is the gift for him.

Size - One Size Fits All price: £20 more at » www.eleanorbowmer.co.uk

LEATHERMAN BOND Every Dad should have a Leatherman in his tool box, or back pocket, and this brand new Bond multi-tool is a great choice. Based on the original Leatherman tool the Bond packs 14 essential tools: • Needlenose Pliers • Regular Pliers • Wire Cutters • Hard-wire Cutters • 420HC Knife • Wood/Metal File • Awl with Thread Loop • Philips Screwdriver • Large Screwdriver • Small Screwdriver • Can Opener • Bottle Opener • Wire Stripper • Ruler (4in,10cm) The Bond features non-locking tools and a knife blade measuring 2.6 inches, making it EDC - Every Day (UK legal) Carry. The stainless steel handles are rounded, giving you a comfortable grip. Backed by Leatherman’s 25-year warranty. price: RRP - £59.95 more at » www.leatherman.co.uk

use code:

MUGOFF at the checkout to get £2 OFF off any individual mug

MUD LIFE MUGS Dads always love a cuppa, and these mugs would make any brew taste so much better. price: normally £12 OFFER - order between June 1st - 8th and you can get £2 OFF any of the individual mugs using the code MUGOFF more at » themudlife.co.uk/mugs 68

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RECYCLED SKATEDECK SUNGLASSES Your dad doesn't have to be a current or former skateboarder to appreciate the funkiness of these sunglasses, from WUDN Handcrafted, which have been handmade from the remains of broken and unwanted skateboards.

The sunglasses feature CR-39 polarized lenses, UV400 protection, anti-glare coatings, and stainless-steel spring hinges.

They also include a drawstring microfiber, cleaning-cloth bag.

SIZZLING BACON CANDLE Busy Bee Candles, a husband and wife team from Wales, have created the perfect 'Dad candle'.

No ordinary flowery scent here, no it's what we all want, the mouth-watering scent of sizzling BACON!!!

Each and every Busy Bee Candle is handmade (really, handmade!) in their purpose built workshops in Wales.

Colours: Escalator Blue & Ollie Black - both with smokey black polarised lenses Jetty Ledge Brown with brown polarised lenses

Burn Time - 8-12 hours

price: £56.99 more at » suusco.com

price: £6.00 more at » www.busybeecandles.co.uk

T GIFT SETS

HE POS A TOAST IN T

If you live away, or your travelling is restricted (like us up in the lockdown capital of Bolton!) you may not be able to get to see your Dad on Father's Day, so one of the fun options you can do is to send him his favourite tipple.

With over 100 drinks to choose from you are bound to find something that fits the bill, and you can add a personalised message and upload a photo to go with it (or you can pick one of their pre-designed cards if you are prices: from £10.95 camera shy) (the prices depends on the drink you choose) more at » www.atoastinthepost.co.uk THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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Built For Purpose Located at the northern end of the Yorkshire Dales, on the edge of the Lake District National Park, MHB Motorcycles, as the name suggests, is the area’s main dealer for leading motorcycles marques, including trials, quad bike manufactures, and more recently, electric mountain bikes.

Sadly, for the two-wheeled enthusiasts among us, motorbikes weren’t the reason why I drove an hour and 45 up the M6 to meet Martin. I was invited up to Kirkby Stephen to find out more about the TerramaxX, a modified Suzuki Jimny, and his

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recent addition, the all-new TerratruxX Utility that’s based on the Suzuki Carry 4×4.

Martin first came up with the idea of modifying Suzukis after his less than positive experiences with UTVs, that are not only expensive, but don’t last that long in the hands of a typical UK farmer.

“There must be a far cheaper and more practical alternative.” he thought.

Enter the Suzuki Jimny.

With donor vehicles and parts readily available, and servicing being cheap as chips, they make perfect sense.

With the idea formulated, Martin searched for a suitable and reputable company to start the build process, and being impressed with their workmanship, he now works in conjunction with Torque Performance 4x4 over in Keighley, West Yorkshire.

Obviously being donor vehicles, they have had a life before being modified, so before they leave Torque Performance 4x4 they’re fully fettled, which means being completely stripped back to their individual components. The chassis are refurbished and rust protected, then the axles are stripped back, sandblasted, powder coated and fitted with new seals, swivel bearings and so on. Each vehicle is then rebuilt with quality parts to create a machine capable of working in pretty much any environment.

Part of the pickup conversion includes new uprated suspension, an optional rear disc brake conversion and of course a new rear tub. Importantly, apart from from being totally refurbished, the chassis remains unmodified, so they’re still registered as a Jimny.

On arrival, Martin had two versions of his TerramaxX Jimny conversion for me to play with, along with a TerratruxX that I’ll chat about later.

To get a proper feel for them, Martin and Steve drove me to Martin’s family farm that’s located deep in the Dales to show off their ability.

Those who know about Jimnys are fully aware of how capable these gutsy little 4x4s are, but add some of the modifications that Martin and TP 4x4 provide and they’re simply unstoppable.

There really isn’t much to write about here, simply because both vehicles drove everywhere Martin, Steve and I pointed them - up bankings, through the river everywhere, both are ridiculously capable and agile 4x4s.

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Another thing Martin is proud of is how recyclable they are.

A good example is the big green one. As I mentioned previously, it had had a life before it was rebuilt, then Martin sold it to a farmer with the same rear body as you see in the photos, but back then it had a simple 2” lift. When said farmer decided to move on, Martin bought it back, and after inspection and any repairs, it was modified further to what you see now with heavy duty radius arms, adjustable panhard rods, a 3” suspension lift, wide arch front wings and a super low gearbox, oh yeah, and low ground pressure tyres.

Inspect it with a fine tooth comb and it looks like new.

Martin has lived within the farming community all his life, so is aware how useful his creations are, not just to farmers, but land owners, contractors - the list is endless. I, on the other hand, instantly recognised the leisure 4x4 user.

Can you imagine what a superb UK green-laner and wild camper they would make? A low level drawer system in the back for tools, recovery equipment and food, whilst on top of that you have a fridge / freezer and space next to that for your camping gear and tent?

The possibilities are endless.

After an incredible hour or so trying to get both Jimnys stuck, and failing, it was time to head back to the workshop to take out the all-new TerratruxX Suzuki 4×4 Utility.

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The TerratruxX is of course based on the Suzuki Carry 4×4, and again built in partnership with Torque Performance 4x4 where the donor vehicle is taken apart back to its chassis then fitted with upgraded suspension and so on.

This particular example comes with upgraded suspension & brakes, steel wide rims fitted with low pressure tyres, LED work lights, an LED light bar, protective front bull bar and cab bars. The load bed is vehicle specific and heavy duty with all sides being detachable.

To show off the TerratruxX’s ability even further, Martin took me to one of the fells that his family owns.

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With such a low centre of gravity, side slope anxiety is a thing of the past. Sure, you need to be aware of hidden rocks, but Martin has designed it tough, with a sturdy steering guard and other underbody protection. Driving around his property, the TerratruxX was a proper mountain goat with both a hi and low gearbox and diff lock, and those small tyres meant that it has quite a tight turning circle.

With a 660cc three-cylinder engine and a curb weight of around 700kg, the TerramaxX is small, powerful and extremely capable, these bespoke vehicles are designed to work in tough conditions, and like the TerramaxX Jimny conversion, spares are easy to find, they’re cheap to run with low road tax to-boot!

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The Jimnys that Martin and TP 4x4 source are from the UK, but the TerratruxX 4x4 Carry Martins buys from an importer straight from Japan, ensuring they’re rust free and low mileage examples.

Martin has specifically designed these vehicles for work around estates, farms and forestry, and because he has so much faith in the design and workmanship, he offers a 3 month warranty. prices: TerramaxX - start from £11,000 + VAT TerratruxX - start from £8,000 + VAT more at » mhbmotorcycles.co.uk

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All these lovely people chose to support us - the bonkers duo that create this mag - this month.

Margaret R. Lauren E. laf

ery penny v e , h c u m o s Thank you all preciated. p a is y ll a e r is

Jim H. LRAsser

n Lee

Damian & Kare

Chris J Billy F. @matt_ske Edward P.

Sniffer 2 anonymous people We want to keep the mag free to read, though it costs quite a bit for the two of us to put it together each month.

Everyone who buys us a hot choc each month will get a name check in the mag.

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

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

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h c o Mo

Dakar Day

With lockdown restrictions easing, and the recommission of Deux Smurf after a few months of sitting dormant, I was itching to get out for a mooch, so as we don’t see many Dakar 4x4s knocking around, I asked owner Daniel if he’d fancy joining me.

A plan was hatched and we opted to explore a group of lanes that started at Ingleton Falls, North Yorkshire, and ended 5 minutes away from junction 36 on the M6.

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Lane 1 Just outside Ingleton, SD6975-01 was our first lane of the day, and we decided to start of lane on the eastern side.

The last time I drove this lane was foolishly on a weekend, and just after the previous Covid restrictions were lifted. Muddy Madam and I were in a press Land Cruiser, and because the first section is part of the Ingleton Falls walking route, we were literally surrounded by walkers. No such fun and frolics today, it was a Friday, and despite it being the last few days of the Easter holidays it appeared that the masses were still at work.

To begin with, SD6975-01 is quite narrow, it’s a single track lane with a stone brick wall on your left and a tall embankment to your right with the ground mainly made up of crushed stone.

Soon enough the lane widens, and with an almost clear sky, the views over the Yorkshire Moors were spectacular.

It always amuses me that half away along, just as the aforementioned walking route reaches the lane, there’s an icecream van parked up that always does a roaring trade!

Driving through the third gate and the lane widens as we head downwards towards the river crossing. It hadn’t rained for a while, so Long Gill was only around 20” at its deepest.

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Lane 2 Five minutes away is SD6874-01, and as we headed from east to west the start of the lane is made up of broken tarmac, easy enough for Deux Smurf and the Dakar, but I had to be very careful with wheel placement the last time I was up here in a Subaru Forester.

Lane 3

As you reach the first gate the next section is straight and flat and can easily be driven in a normal car. Passing through the next gate and the lane becomes a little narrower and a bit overgrown in places.

Upon reaching the end of SD6874-01 you end up at a T junction, turn left and you head back down to the A65, turn right and you’re on SD6776-03 and SD6876-01 that sadly ends on a TRO, and therefore is essentially a dead-end. Of course we couldn’t miss it out, especially as the rocky track that headed up towards the clouds looked so appealing.

The last time I was up I was in a Land Cruiser and there were a few deep holes to avoid and the odd challenging step before we reached the first gate, but since then I noticed they’d been filled in, and although it’s still a bit rocky in places, I’d consider taking a soft roader up.

Through the gate and a sharp right hand bend, the lane plateaus and snakes around the contours of the moors and becomes much smoother.

Checking Trailwise, it’s recommended that turning round at the high point where the ground is firm is the best option, and as you do the views over South West Cumbria and Morecambe bay are simply stunning. At this point Dan and I jumped out to admire the views and began putting the 4x4 world to rights.

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Lane 4

Back on the A65 for a few miles and SD6575-02 was our penultimate lane. Despite some of the holes being filled, it was still a tad rougher than I remembered.

When I was down here last, I had a friend and motoring writer colleague Andy from the Yorkshire Times with me, and he was driving a Discovery Sport. There were quite a few occasions when we ended up packing some of the holes and ruts with rocks to protect its front bib. No such worry today as both Deux Smurf and the Dakar have a decent enough clearance. Having said that, I did give the rear diff a bit of clunk at the start - I haven’t done that before.

SD6575-02 is a fairly narrow lane, and according to some of the reports, once it’s rained the holes retain water, so be careful, if you’re trundling along and you see what looks like an innocent puddle, they’re deeper than you think!

The next part of the lane can be a little scratchy and overgrown during the summer months as the tress and bushes encroached the lane, so if you care about your paintwork, bring a pair of loppers with you. Today, however, it wasn’t too bad.

Returning to the A65 again, we passed Kirkby Lonsdale heading towards the M6, and just as we reached Lupton we turned left onto our final lane.

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Lane 5

SD5580-02 is only a short lane, and from north to south drops quite sharply towards the tree line, it isn’t challenging, but it warranted me slipping Deux Smurf into low box 1st to let the car do the braking.

Within a few hundred yards we reached the brook, and just like before, the water level was quite low, but we still had a good splash!

Again, we stopped for a chat and I learnt a bit more about the Dakar and how it came into Dan’s family, which you can read about in the next couple of pages, and after a few more photos we parted ways.

As Dan drove off, I parked up on the waters edge, dug out my flask and sat on the bumper for a while pondering life’s mysteries. Overall it was a great day out driving some classic lanes with good company, and for once we couldn’t complain about the weather!

wri t es Simon says

by Simon Hastelow

The power of the written word I’m not sure if they appealed to us because we didn’t have anything else, or whether they really were better back in the day, but I really miss Forums.

I remember spending literally hours every day on the Difflock Forum. I used to excuse it by saying it was my job, but I think I would have spent just as much time on there regardless, just as a lot of other people did.

There are still a few oldstyle forums around, but almost all of the good ones have died a death and switched to social media groups instead.

But Facebook Groups just don’t work the same do they?

They are a great place to congregate, share memes and ask questions, but I just don’t see the long, in-depth discussions going on, the way they used to on forums, and if you’ve ever tried to use a search function on a group chat you’ll just become deeply frustrated.

Which leads to another issue: The Newbies.

This is not a new phenomena, Noobs have been around since the first forum went online. Someone, new to whatever ‘scene’ or subject the forum caters to, asks the same questions that have been asked, and answered, numerous times.

We shouldn’t criticise, it is partly that lack of usable archive and search of previous posts which causes the issue.

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However my other main gripe is that the attitude and temperament of the average social media user nowadays can be characterised as constantly short-tempered, quick to criticise and just lazy.

Some wouldn’t use a search function if their life depended on it, going by the ridiculous regularity of people asking “What time does Morrison’s close?” on my local area Facebook Group.

You’d think people had never heard of Google nor had any knowledge of how to research such basic information for themselves, so when Noobs do rock up and ask daft or previously asked questions, the regulars can be prone to sarcasm and shorttempered responses which ultimately drives the new-blood away. Then the same ‘regulars’ can be seen moaning that their particular ‘scene’ is dying Catch 22.

People see the content from their Facebook groups in the same timeline as photos of their aunty Beryl’s Sunday Roast, a mate going off on Boris, even though he previously said he never votes, a daft advert for funeral planning and unfunny memes. They scroll and scroll and scroll through endless crap before they get to a sensible question that they could easily and helpfully answer, but by then they’re just not in the mood for it anymore.

Forums, on the other hand, were useful, walled-off communities where everyone knew the secret handshake, and learned to respect the flavour of the place. Sure you still had to deal with Noobs, dickheads and gatekeepers who criticised everything but you were all part of the same group.

Another element to the forum landscape back in the day was cost. Someone had to pay to set it up and host it. There were free facilities but they were rarely nice to use. Hosting costs alone for the Difflock forum ran into the hundreds each month, just because of the traffic and data bandwidth it consumed. I think the highest invoice we received was a little over £400 for a single month.

Overheads like these meant that only the serious forums grew in size, or the ones which were subsidised from other side projects, or revenue generating activities. Difflock had the shop and we ran Google ads on the forum which covered the costs.

This leads to multiple people joining multiple groups and posting the same stuff to all of them. I’m in a few photography groups and I see the same suspects posting the same content to all of the groups they are in. After you’ve seen the same photos for the fourth time you start to get pissed off and engage less with the group or just leave it completely.

There are a couple of groups which are expertly managed and operated. I’m in one hiking group where the Administrator meticulously tags and archives every post that people share if it relate to a specific area, or trail, or recommendation. This makes it all very easy to research and find old posts, but he freely admits that this work takes up 2-3 hours of every day, and he only does it for fun!

With Facebook groups there is no such barrier in place, anyone can set up a group with no cost involved. Facebook encourage people to do it as it just drives more traffic to their service.

Social media now dominates our online lives, and there’s a page or group or app for almost every activity or interest a person could have, but I feel like the usefulness of it all is very minimal and a bit shallow. The long discussions I mentioned earlier are gone, the archive of really useful technical information has largely gone. The collective experience of the users is still there but extracting it from them is near impossible.

The problem with this is that if you’ve ever found yourself researching something you’ll be presented with a number of seemingly similar groups. Which do you join? You probably cannot see the content until you’ve been allowed access, so you have to join them all to see which one suits you, and offers the information or support that you need.

I’m as guilty as everyone else. I post random and useless stuff daily, as much to amuse myself as anyone else. I do post things specifically to generate an archive of life, so that I can look back in a few years time and see what I was doing on a particular day.

Social media is great for things like that.

But I do miss forums…

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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!

Overland and Adventure Sussex

https://www.facebook.com/groups/663283511064544 WHO STARTED IT IT? Myself, Benn - @Benn_Vitara Dan - @That_P38 Matt - @MattAvery25

tight knit community group that was local to us. We wanted to, and still want to, promote responsible laning as there has been a lot of off-piste driving on our local lanes.

WHEN? We started the group in August 2020, I had hosted a couple of guided days locally through other local groups and Matt, Dan and I decided it was time to create our own group!

With the group we hoped/hope to arrange guided days out for newbies with little to no experience in vehicles that are completely standard or lightly modified. With the hope being that if they are shown the ropes by a sensible team that they in turn will stick to the green lane code.

WHY? The main purpose of the group from the outset was to create a

We also arrange days to local pay and plays as well as future weekend long excursions further afield.

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HOW MANY MEMBERS SO FAR? We've just ticked over 500, I think it's currently sat at 512.

AREA? So we (the team) are based in Horsham, West Sussex. The group is aimed at everyone in the East and West Sussex Counties, however we have members from all over the UK. ARE THERE PUB MEETINGS? Not pub meetings as such but we have just started to do a Monthly Breakfast meet, currently alternating monthly between a Coffee shop called Torque Moto Cafe and a Greasy Spoon Cafe called The Chalet Transport Cafe. We meet at around 9am on the first Sunday of every month, have a good chat and some food. This month (June) we will be at Torque!

CAN MEMBERS ORGANISE THEIR OWN TRIPS? Members are encouraged to meet up and help each other out, exploring new lanes and guiding people around their local lanes. We feel this really helps create that community atmosphere.

ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? We are inclusive of everyone at OAAS, doesn't matter if you have been driving green lanes and off roading for 50 years or you have no idea where to even start!

We've got members with standard AWD cars such as Rav4's to fully built competition spec Land Rovers and everything inbetween! We even have someone with a lifted FWD Micra!

We are an ATUK affiliated club, but work closely with ATUK and GLASS to do the best we can to preserve the lanes in the Sussex and Surrey area.

If you want to see what were about come join our group!

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

POTM@themudlife.co.uk THEMUDLIFE.CO.UK

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Dan's Dad's Dakar

As you will have read a few pages back, I had a thoroughly enjoyable day out driving some lovely green lanes with Dan in his, and his Dad’s Dakar.

But, what is a Dakar?

As we all know, older Range Rovers and Discoverys rust. Their inner wings, sills and pretty much everything structural that’s made of steel will slowly and surely disintegrate - it’s the way of the world and over the years it’s what we come to expect.

Back in the day, when your old Rover had aspirations of becoming a sieve you had three options - get the welder out and repair it, chop the chassis and make it into a 90 hybrid (like I did), or simply scrap it.

But there was also a fourth option, and that was to throw away the rusty shell and replace it with a brand new shiny fibreglass one, thus making into a kit-car. One such manufacturer is Dakar 4x4, obviously.

As Dan told me, it was well over a decade ago when his Dad, Michael, bit the bullet and decided that Dan’s grandmother’s 1990 Range Rover was due for the Dakar 4x4 treatment, and drove it down to the Dakar 4x4 workshop in Leicestershire for the chop.

Obviously, building a kit-car is a tad more involved than simply removing the old body and replacing it with a new one, so I’ll skip over this part and just say that Dakar 4x4 removed the old body, replaced it with a new one whilst performing some involved surgery.

Probably because the donor Range Rover was a 3.9 litre with a more complex wiring harness, Dan told me that almost immediately after the conversion, not only would it not run properly, but it wouldn’t hold a charge. Later he discovered that the latter was due to having a constant live earth.

Sadly, because it wasn’t very reliable, it wasn’t long after that when the family lost interest in the Dakar, and it sat dormant gathering dust and grime for a good few years

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It wasn’t until around 5 years ago, when Dan looked at the Dakar and decided something had to be done about it.

Eager to get it running again he found a donor Range Rover with a 300Tdi and automatic gearbox. It was actually a 1995 ‘Softdash’ model, and to this day Dan wishes he’d found another donor vehicle and repaired it!

We live and learn.

Due to other commitments it was a long project, but whenever he could, he would tinker away until eventually it ran and was ready for an MOT. Like any kit-car it’s quite unique, and Dan had fun finding and fabricating parts. As a temporary measure, Dan built the wooden transmission tunnel, which is on the list to be replaced with a neater one.

The custom fuel tank was replaced, and as the windscreen wipers wouldn’t work properly, he adapted the mechanism from a Defender.

He also liked the idea of keeping warm, so he bought a new heater from carbuilder. com and plumbed it in.

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The solid front plastic seats are Ebay specials, but he said are surprisingly comfortable, and it doesn’t matter if they get wet.

After many years sat outside, the Dakar’s body was looking a bit worse for wear, so a trip to AutoModz over in Blackpool was booked. The team spent a whole day on the Dakar, and did such a fantastic job of revitalising the paint work that it looks like new again.

Next, a replacement hood was bought from Amtrim, a local company over in Preston that specialises in boat covers, canopies and marine upholstery.

It was expensive, and they kept the Dakar for a whole week, but the end result was certainly worth it, Dan said.

As Dakar 4x4 intended, it’s a serious 4x4 that uses the tried and tested mechanics of a Range Rover Classic, and therefore will take you pretty much anywhere you point it.

Dan regaled me with numerous tales of adventures, and laughed at the times he’s nearly floated away during deep river crossings.

There are plenty more modifications on the horizon, from a new centre console to new headlights and light bars. One thing’s for sure, the Dakar ain’t pretty, but who cares when you have such a capable vehicle that’s this much fun?

Kits are still available from Dakar 4x4, for full details and prices, check out their website - www.dakar4x4.me.uk

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COMPANY PROFILE - Atlas Vehicle Works Deux Smurf is the second Toyota Surf that Muddy Madam and I have owned throughout the years, and both have had terribly dim headlights.

It isn’t just us, as recently I’ve noticed a trend in America as Surf, or 4Runner owners swap their standard lights with new projectors, leaving them not only with a cool modern look, but up-to-date and much safer headlights.

I pondered buying a pair, then Covid hit us and I put the idea of converting Deux Smurf's to bed for a while.

Then, not long ago I noticed a Facebook post from a fellow UK Surf owner who was not only supplying, but at the time converting, these rather cool retrofit projectors, I needed to know more.

Being in the modified car scene, Jack already knew about this particular mod, and once he’d modified both his own Toyota

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Surf and his brother’s Land Cruiser, and was over the moon with the results, he decided to include them within his own business of designing and building rear drawer systems for 4x4 owners.

Jack has teamed up with BXBuilt (https://www.bxbuilt.com) over in the U.S. and is now their sole UK based distributor of their Bi-led retrofit projectors.

There are plenty of choices when it comes to the type of projectors you can have, from the Panomera V1 (round), Panomera V2 (square) and Turbine. Not only do they integrate side lights and indicators, but you can also have a variety of colour options, too.

The conversion is relatively easy, Jack told me, it doesn’t take too long either, and the kit comes with detailed instructions.

Hang on, wasn’t there a lot of kerfuffle on social media recently about how it’s illegal to fit new LEDs to older cars?

Yes there was, but it’s important to note that the regulations have been out a few years now, and refer to LED bulbs in a reflector housing. The difference is that Jack’s conversions are a complete projector retrofit, therefore MOT compliant for any age of vehicle.

With a variety of shroud designs, halo switchbacks and paint finishes, you can replace your old candle lit reflector headlights and bring them into the 21st century with high quality and extreme output LED tech. At some point in the very near future I’ll be buying a pair for Deux Smurf, not sure what style, mind.

You can check out Jack’s website at - atlasvehicleworks.co.uk, but at the time of going to virtual press it’s a work in progress, so you’re better off visiting his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/atlasvehicleworks Also take a look at Jack’s rear storage / drawer systems, not only has he put a lot of thought into them, but they’re created using quality materials that are sturdy and built to last.

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es d i R s ' r e Read

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

My name is Jonathan Pitcairn, and I am from Dumfries and Galloway in South West Scotland. I am not currently working due to an acquired brain injury, but do a lot of hobby and adventure photography. I just completed a course in forestry training as well, however I am aiming to go for my HGV licence by the end of this year.

History of cars leading up your present 4x4 It is a long list but I will try to keep it short. I have owned and worked on about seven 4x4s and multiple cars over the years.

I fell in love with Discoverys when I won my first one on Ebay for £530. I didn't tell my wife, and just left the computer there for her to see when she got home, whilst I ran and hid - hehe!

Since then it's been like an addiction to them. My wife even owns a TD4 Freelander now.

Present 4x4(s) My present 4x4 is a ’97 Land Rover Discovery XS 300tdi. It is my pride and joy. It has 165,000 miles on the clock and is a work vehicle, family car, play toy, all in one basically.

Modifications done It has been modified with highlander roof rack, winch bumper, heavy duty rear bumper, Terrafirma 2” lift kit, modular wheels and bigger tyres, REBEL steering guard and BEARMACH diff guards.

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Inside it has a custom painted dashboard, engine bay and wheels with custom decals throughout. I've fitted a roof box for chainsaws and camera equipment, spotlights front and back, CB radio, chequer plating on sides and rear door, back door ladder, DIY rear door folding table, purple tinted windows and Avengers theme throughout as well.

Favourite Modifications My favourite modifications have to be my roof rack and decals.

The roof rack gives a lot of versatility for carrying items and gives me a platform for when I get my roof tent. It also allows for a higher angle for some photography.

The custom decals are which makes the vehicle mine. My own mark on the world if you like, so that is one of my favourite mods.

Modifications to do Modifications I would still like to do are to get my own private number plate, get a roof tent, put chequer plating on the bonnet, chunky Insa-Turbo Ranger tyres and kit it out for overlanding.

Favourite green-laning trip There aren't a lot of green laning opportunities nearby, however my favourite area to explore is Galloway Forest, managing to get to places other vehicles wouldn't.

We would start from Dumfries and travel across to New Galloway, then take the raiders road down to the Viaduct at Loch Skerrow. I've managed to access the top of the viaduct before and drive along it and it takes you all the way to Big water of Fleet. It leads to a dead end, but great photo ops.

Following the raiders road you can get to the Otter Pool, another great spot, especially for wild camping. Further along this road you come to Clatteringshaws Dam, and follow the main road for about 2 minutes to then head down the additional raiders road which will take you right across to Loch Dee which will lead through to Loch Trool. Fantastic views, loads of photo ops, great opportunities for wild camping and true Scottish wilderness at it's best.

Lottery win 4x4 If I were to win the lottery, I would invest a lot in my current Discovery, but would also buy a Chevrolet Silverado, because I really like the American style and have a lot of ideas of how I could make it my own.

Favourite car related film The Fast and The Furious Favourite biscuits Blue Ribands.

Where can we find more details?

My instagram handle is 300tdi_green_avenger

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

My name's Benn, I'm based near Horsham, West Sussex, and I spend my days working in a timber yard mainly operating a forklift.

History of cars leading up your present 4x4 First car was a VW polo 6n. Pistachio Green, lowered to the point of hitting cat's eyes, with a purple shag pile carpet for a roof liner. This got me into the 'car scene' and cemented my enjoyment of modifying cars. After that I had a few motorbikes, a KTM Duke 125 and a Suzuki GSR750. I met my now wife, and the motorbikes went. Out came the list of family cars - Audi A4, 3 different Ford Focuses, and then finally my current car.......

Present 4x4(s) ....a 1995 1.6 16v long wheel base Suzuki Vitara Modifications done Does spending hours and hours welding the thing back to one piece of solid metal count? Apart from that it's got a 2" lift, 15x7 et0 Modular Steel wheels, 235/75 Insa turbo Dakar's. Custom front and rear tubular bumpers built by myself. Citroen Dispatch Roof rack and an assortment of spotlights. 2" receiver hitch with custom CNC'd rear recovery points, CB Radio, "touring" rear drawer set up and a dual battery system with split charger.

Favourite Modifications Probably the tyres and CB radio. The tyres help a treat by adding a little ground clearance and increasing the traction ten fold, and I love my CB. Being able to chat with friends, whilst out on the lanes, makes the whole day much more entertaining!

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Modifications to do Not much more I want to do. A new suspension lift and a front winch, along with some more welding, as with all old Japanese cars they are made from steel softer than cheese!

Favourite off-roading / adventure trip I love nothing more than a slow plod around some scenic lanes with my mates.

Our local lanes are located on the Surrey Hills - it's a gorgeous mix of forest trails, small water crossings and hilltop views as far as the eye can see.

Lottery win 4x4 Can I have two?

I would love a big lifted MK4 Hilux set up for touring anywhere from the NC500 to the Alps, and more.

Also I'd love something a little more playful - either a Cummins swapped Defender 90 or a Bowler Wildcat!

Favourite car related film I hate to admit it, but I'm a huge Fast and Furious fan! I know, I will hang my head in shame now.

Favourite biscuits Got to be a chocolate Hobnob the marines of the biscuit world.

Where can we find more details?

My instagram is Benn_Vitara You can also find me and my friends on Facebook in the group we run Overland and Adventure Sussex, we have just hit 500 members and are building a great local community of 4x4 drivers/owners.

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RETRO SNAPS

Difflock Weekend Anglesey, 2006

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RETRO SNAPS

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