There be V8s in them there woods!

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TurboGirl

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2011
2,326
1
Leicestershire
www.king4wd.co.uk
I fancied getting back to my Turbogirl roots in combination with the woodland fun I've found here so thought I'd suss out the local off road club for a combination bimble today :) I even saved a flock of sheep wandering in the road on the way, SuperTurbo to the rescue, don't hold back on the mint sauce ;)

There was quite a cross section of vehicles, some road taxed, some specials that were trailered in, almost all with or carrying decent mud tyres and about 20 in all...
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I'd've made a rare fool of myself with the disco and its road tyres so, regretably, Kigher Management was right to ban me from competing ;) It was a good premise for some petrol based fun, with waymarkers that had to be found and clicked on attached to the drivers side dash from punches on trees. Basically you paid your £25 which covered membership and 5 hours of driving round a big wooded quarry, much better than a standard trial like back in the day where you trogged around in a big group waiting for your turn to drive a section.
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It did look wierd having traffic jams of V8s in the woodlands! But wander a little way from the tracks and the wildlife was present. I spotted a huuuuge buzzard on the way in (possibly some other large raptor but I'm making assumptions here as I'm not a twitcher)
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The thing that drew me to this group was the fact they're not an Association of Rover Club (ARC) so as long as you cover all the points under scrutineering, you can run what you brung. Lannies were the order of the day with a few discos, some rangie chassis special and a smattering of Jap stuff :)
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A lot of the boards were set up with some fine lateral thinking so getting the vehicle presented right involved some manouvering. I remember helping set up trials back in the 80s and actually the workparties to lay the course and the subsequent camp were brilliant fun... I think that bit is missing now from what I've heard/ seen, I might have to work on that ;)
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There seems to be some folk who enjoy the getting stuck and recovery at least as much as the actual off roading, nothings changed there then! It was a bit like bushcraft ethos, everyone pitches in to help others out.... niiiiice :)
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And here we have a lannie, beautifully camoflaged in its natural environment ;)
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There were gentler bits for road taxed vehicles and a good handicap scheme to level the playing field for overall winners. I wouldn't take the stock because all vehicles were getting some branch brushing but other clubs might be more user freindly, especially if not woodland event based :)
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At this point, I had to jump into a blackthorn bush to avoid a trialler on the 30 degree slope I was sliding down ar5e first so after spending a good 10 minutes dangling by my hair, I realised I might as well give up and shoot some more piccies ;)
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I finally released myself and slid further... I think I should have gotten a prize for being the only person to make all the waymarkers on 2 legs (if you can include buttock cheeks in that!)
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I realised how much H&S I've forgotton from my youthful offroading... like the safest place to stand when you're recovering with a winch ;)
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Well, I was about tuckered from all that hill walking so I headed off for a brew as there was so much wood about, it'd've been rude not to... it was VERY surreal after the peace and beauty of North Wood, to be listening to engine song and catching glimpses of rampaging 4x4 herds while I was having my coffee :)
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In essence, I'd love to go back with a vehicle and relive the youth- although if I took hubbies without permission, I doubt I'd get to reach my old age! I was the only spectator and I can see why, but I'm used to folk not knowing quite what to make of me and it was a laugh. Find your local group, head along to their meets, try the trials, orienteering (this type) or get involved in the green laning, it's a giggle and having the opportunity to learn what you and your vehicle are capable of is a real eye-opener!
 

Chiseller

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 5, 2011
6,176
3
West Riding
Off to make a brew an come back for a read TG .......ignore Robbi . I'm for preserving the woods n lanes , but I'm also for folk enjoying there 4byS . Having a wood used by 4x4s once a couple of month , that was probably saved from destruction in the first place ain't such a bad thing. Like green lanes. Responsibility is the key and the lanes have been across the land for hundreds of years.
 

TurboGirl

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2011
2,326
1
Leicestershire
www.king4wd.co.uk
leave a few standing thou bud...
we need something to winch off of :) :)
]

That made me giggle ;) The wood is actually a working quarry with managed commercial woodland- if it wasn't for them, a large woodland simply wouldn't exist. There was plenty of spore and bird song, the critters weren't complaining and the management opens up areas in strips which allows glade loving plants to reproduce :D

I thought your first comment was joking tbh! But not knowing the situation, you weren't to know, I guess.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Nice going TG! If I ever get back into a Jeep I want to make a few of the Jeep Jamborees. Particularly the Rubicon Trail. I may be wrong but I think it's the only Class X trail on the list.
 

Robbi

Full Member
Mar 1, 2009
10,228
1,028
northern ireland
That made me giggle ! if i thought you were joking i'd laugh out loud, as it is..............lets have a look at the selfishness of what you condone....

The bird song..........drowned out by the growl of V8 engines, polluted by the exhaust fumes and noise.

Critters not complaining........are you really serious ?.......habbitat destroyed by mud slinging tyres, the noise frightening "critters" for miles around, nesting birds disturbed.

Managed woodland ?..............plant life destroyed, trees damaged, ground erroded..........

And before you say i don't understand etc etc etc..............let me tell you, i competed in long distance cross country trials for many years until i saw and understood the awfull destruction caused just for your selfish enjoyment.

as i said before................well done !!
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
That made me giggle ! if i thought you were joking i'd laugh out loud, as it is..............lets have a look at the selfishness of what you condone....

The bird song..........drowned out by the growl of V8 engines, polluted by the exhaust fumes and noise.

Critters not complaining........are you really serious ?.......habbitat destroyed by mud slinging tyres, the noise frightening "critters" for miles around, nesting birds disturbed....

Except for the noise of the engines it seems very much like when a colony of beavers builds a large dam.
 

TurboGirl

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2011
2,326
1
Leicestershire
www.king4wd.co.uk
Hahaha I've got my first pet troll! Awww, bless ;)

Your arguements are well meaning but misplaced, robbi. Commercialism isn't as idealistic as the eutopia you wish for, unfortunately, and flora and fauna is resiliant where habitat is available, which it wouldn't be without the site being viable to the owners.
 

Robbi

Full Member
Mar 1, 2009
10,228
1,028
northern ireland
Unfortunately it's folks such as yourself that demand the right to drive 4x4's along BOATs that were designed for horse and carts, thus destroying vast swathes of countryside across the UK that you profess to want to save and protect, what a complete and utter joke.

"Oh, lets go and wild camp in the middle of that secluded wood, we'll take the 4x4" Christ, it's enough to make you weep !

Woodlands are not there to be abused by motorised vehicles guffing out pollution, there are roads and tracks / circuits for that.

Practise what you preach, not 20 to the gallon deisel engines destroying what you pretend to love.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
.....Practise what you preach, not 20 to the gallon deisel engines destroying what you pretend to love.

20 to the gallon off road? I wish my truck got that much. It's only a common 2WD and it gets (at best) 20 miles per UK gallon on the highway without a load.

But your point is taken. At least up to a point. I've seen the vast damage that those horses you mention can do to the natural environment too. And even hikers wearing trails into the ground causing erosion. Anything can be taken to excess.
 
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John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,109
2,847
66
Pembrokeshire
I am not a fan of motor vehicles or motor sport, however I think that everything has its place and if some folks enjoy spending their fortunes on vehicles designed to do nowt but go place that others can't then an old quarry is ideal!
If I need rescue from some forsaken hole in the middle of nowhere I hope that the vehicle and driver have both been proven in spots like that quarry!
Oh I did and was, and they were!
Not a "sport" I have any time for personally but I can see that some folk like it.
Good luck to you :)
 

Johnnyboy1971

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 24, 2010
4,155
26
52
Yorkshire
Maybe this is one of those designated places track/circuits that allow people to go and do what they do thus leaving other areas alone.
 

Robbi

Full Member
Mar 1, 2009
10,228
1,028
northern ireland
In these Green and Eco times, i'm disappointed but i have to confess not really suprised that you lot agree with the cost, pollution and the irriversable damage to the enviroment caused by a few blokes with small penis symdrome out to prove that their car is better than yours !
 

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