Welsh Trip 27/28 January 2001

Another weekend with Lee James 4x4

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Did we enjoy it, what do you think??? Nigel and the rest of the 4x4web 110 team.

How Green was my Valley………

Story by Simon (Blue 90) Sjenitzer
Pictures and captions by Nigel Leak (4x4web)

Living in the East Midlands, you don’t tend to get over to Wales very much. Not accidentally anyway, there always has to be a reason such as the desire to climb mountains, visit Italianate village follies or get away from all these blasted English. Well, last year my lovely wife gave me such a reason - a weekend off-roading with the Lee James team - wow!

The 4x4web 110 resplendant with its new BFG mud terrain tyres and steel wheels from Southam Tyres and seat covers from Coverking. No not a precautionary measure for all off road trips, the new owners wanted tuition to find out what it was capable of.

We had just retired our D90 from business motorway driving as I was back in the Disco now that the mileage was more in line with keeping down to 6 figures!. The D90 had subtly undergone many improvements each time it went in for a service, (Actually, it wasn’t such a subtle transition and wife-of-mine soon picked up on additions such the snorkel, tinted windows, sump guard etc.)…….Hey presto, the beastie was ready for ‘bog plodding’. W

e arrived at the wonderfully hospitable Llanchindrra farm on Friday evening after traversing through the Brecon range negotiating twisting narrow lanes and mad black dogs. We parked amongst an array of Solihull’s finest (and a very clean Isuzu) and stepped inside the farm house/hotel/bar/thing. Wafts of beautiful smells met us as homemade sausages were being cooked for the evenings repast.

We were met by Lee and quickly introduced to some thoroughly nice people, who also were going to share this experience with us. Not having been to such a gathering before, I was expecting a gaggle of anoraks, dweebs and peckerheads, but I have now decided that people who share similar interests are a cut above on the ‘good sort’ barometer of humanity. Funny that.

Next morning met us with broken cloud skies and the promise of a great day. After a prep talk from Lee and an intro to his team (Mark and Kevin), all 8 vehicles set off for a quarry that was in a forest known to the farm mine-host, Nick. (I’d like at this point to write several chapters on the farm owner, Nick, but I won’t. All I will say is that this apparently middle aged man with his dark tousled hair who has a wonderfully warm manner about him, has a manic-mad glint in his eye. Behind the wheel of his hybrid 90/bitsa, you could imagine him taking on the world. Sort of a cross between Denis the Menace and Monty).

I digress………………so there we all were in convoy:- 2 x 110, 3 x 90, RR Classic, 101 Ambulance, Isuzu (very clean car), striking out for a disused quarry in woodland. Great fun at the quarry. Low ratio, Lock diffs, 2nd gear and kick it! Snarling - gnarled diesels and V8’s chewing their way up 45 degree inclines. My thanks go to Nigel (4x4web) at this point who gave me some sound advice of how to make a controlled descent if you don’t make it to the top. I would have done the exact opposite.

A nice looking 90, belonging to Simon and Jacqui, ready to tackle anything????. Equiped with Mantec snorkel, 25% torque boost to 300TDI c/o J.E. Engineering, Front & Rear diff guards, Steering & sump guards And here it is going over the lip of a very steep decent. It did not, however, make it back up again, but the 4x4web 110 did. Better driver or just better tyres?

Nicks 90. Although according to a previous owner it is a cut down 110 So Nicks 90 did this so why shouldn't the 101 do it with a driver under instruction?

On the job training, this is what we call a cross axle. No problem going down the hill but a good place to demonstrate it. With wheels this size the cross axle wasn't very cross at all.

From there we headed toward the mountains and we split into 2 parties to cross on an old Roman road. (are there any new ones?). Fabulous scenery here and the going whilst not difficult, was certainly interesting as we had mud, splash pools, rock and slate as we humped and bumped our way towards the reservoirs. Learnt a good lesson here. Always follow a 101 Ambulance if possible. Watch him first to see how he copes, and if he can do it at that angle, you know you’re well in the clear with a D90! (don’t have any advice for if you’re in the 101 though.).

Isuzu fording the Irfon. The 3.1 TD Duty owned by Rosemary and Barry put up a good performance. They are now looking for a 110 as it will "give us more street cred". V8 90. A few good squirts of WD40 and no problem

Blue 90, no problem. 4x4web 110, you could feel the current pushing you sideways.

Blue 90 101

Best bit of the day was as the sun was going down, we headed towards the mountains and a bit of river that Lee knows of - oh aye! Picture this,……pitch black, save for the Halogen-convoyed arcs across the mountain side, and we are into a rock bottomed river system that in some parts comes over my bonnet. Steering in a river is an art which I’m not quite sure I ever mastered. Lee’s advice however was spot on, “keep going until you come to stop on a rock. Wriggle your steering wheel until you’re off it, and carry on to the next one….” It works! There was some concern over whether the D90 V8 would make it, and indeed all was well until it missed the exit track and merrily carried on bouncing down ever deepening ledges and foaming-angry water. Quite funny thinking back, all we knew was what we could hear over the radio mic’s. “Ahem,….you appear to have missed the path exit…stop….I SAID THAT YOU….” The V8 eventually triumphed and fought it’s way backwards and up to the exit point. Nice one.

The day’s excitement was almost over, when 15 minutes from the farm, the 101 ran over a rock on tarmac road and blew the tyre. Of course, when you’re hungry and cold, it’s pitch black and a 101 blows a tyre, no-one takes odds on whether the spare is going to be suitable. It wasn’t!

Next morning we set off for the hillside woodland behind some hotel or other in Hay-on-Wye. There had been a heavy frost, but the mists were clearing high in the sky and the sun was painting the few scudding clouds with brilliant pink…..aaah! 101 was going to meet us there after the local tyre diva had mended said wheel. (I’m sure it was mended, but we never saw the 101 lads again……………………….).

Having arrived at the hotel, (wish I could remember the name because it looked very nice), we almost immediately set off and up the woodland at once again 45 degrees. Difference this time being that one of our member had decided to try out his very nice TD5 Disco fully loaded et al. I don’t think he expected quite the severity of the landscape we had just entered, but as he was sandwiched between 7 cars, he had no choice. (Can I mention at this point that the Isuzu was STILL the cleanest car with virtually no marks on it. Do the Japanese use Teflon or what?!?). The TD5 coped quite well all things considered, and whilst it had to receive some towing help from the RR Classic, you can be sure that it’s occupants were suffering in opulent leather lined luxury.

There was a little too much mud that day in the wood. 6 out of 8 had to be winched at some point (not our D90 though! Note from Jacqui - ask him who was driving then). I was really impressed with the RR Classic and the Isuzu, especially as they were shod with relatively modest rubber. The Isuzu never really did get dirty, but by the time we managed to extricate ourselves from the woods it was well into the afternoon and we were all tired.

Discovery complete with traction control needed a spade and a..... Range Rover and rope to get up this one.

And the Discovery rounds the corner, still being towed by the Rangy V8 90 with mud terrain tyres winching itself up over some of the slippiest mud I have seen

Best parts of the trip were;
People we met, hospitality ‘down the farm’, scenery, food, throwing cars around, river wading, expert tuition, mud-plugging, Rosemary & Barry’s pup - Penny, everything really. Jacqui and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would recommend similar events in the hands of professionals to anyone.

There were no downsides, save for the 5 hours trip back! Let’s hope that Lee James 4x4 keeps, “…a welcome in the hillside”.

Return to the Welsh Trips Page
For information on 4x4web please contact Nigel Leak at 4x4web, Email: webmaster@4x4web.co.uk
4x4web, Multiplex Internet Services, Tel.01488 657888 Fax.01488 658157
20 Jan 06 NDL Return to the 4x4web Home Page


The 4x4web 110 resplendant with its new BFG mud terrain tyres and steel wheels from Southam Tyres and seat covers from Coverking.	No not a precautionary measure for all off road trips, the new owners wanted tuition to find out what it was capable of.


A nice looking 90, belonging to Simon and Jacqui, ready to tackle anything????. Equiped with Mantec snorkel, 25% torque boost to 300TDI c/o J.E. Engineering, Front & Rear diff guards, Steering & sump guards	And here it is going over the lip of a very steep decent. It did not, however, make it back up again, but the 4x4web 110 did. Better driver or just better tyres?


Nicks 90. Although according to a previous owner it is a cut down 110	So Nicks 90 did this so why shouldn't the 101 do it with a driver under instruction?


On the job training, this is what we call a cross axle. No problem going down the hill but a good place to demonstrate it.	With wheels this size the cross axle wasn't very cross at all.


Isuzu fording the Irfon. The 3.1 TD Duty owned by Rosemary and Barry put up a good performance. They are now looking for a 110 as it will "give us more street cred".	V8 90. A few good squirts of WD40 and no problem


Blue 90, no problem.	4x4web 110, you could feel the current pushing you sideways.


Discovery complete with traction control needed a spade and a.....	Range Rover and rope to get up this one.


And the Discovery rounds the corner, still being towed by the Rangy	V8 90 with mud terrain tyres winching itself up over some of the slippiest mud I have seen