|
Text of article for LRM 2002 |
Herriot country, that’s what the Yorkshire dales are often referred to these days. We could not help thinking about James Herriot the 1930s Yorkshire vet as we splashed through the ford made famous in the opening sequence of every episode of All Creatures Great and small. We being a group of Land Rover owners out for a couple of days exploring the unsurfaced rights of way in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park. The outing was the result of my inviting other members of the internet based UK Land Rover Owners list to join me for a couple of days fun putting our vehicles to the use they were designed for instead of just debating them on the net.
The morning meet took place in a Dales Café, where we all got to know one another a little more over breakfast. Having debated routes on the map and consumed bacon and eggs the running order was agreed. I was to lead in NVX my Lightweight/Range Rover V8 hybrid with my pal Colin as navigator and gate opener, Greg Chandler travelling alone was to come second in his winch equipped diesel 110. Peter Estibeiro and co driver Keith drew third place driving a GS 101. Wayne Davies and Bill, together with Bill’s sons Chris and David elected to ride tail end Charlie in Bill’s V8 110. With both my hybrid and Bills 110 equipped with CB radio we were confident that we would stay together without having to drive too close.
Only half a mile from the café, having passed a lone figure re-building a dry stone wall we were onto the first lane and within a few hundred yards of leaving tarmac behind us Peter was having trouble. It was not surprising really that the 101 was struggling as the lane surface consisted of wet, solid rock steps overlaid with lose rocks up to 10 inches in diameter, bounded by high dry stone walls. It was not lack of power that caused the problems but a combination of stiff leaf springs and well worn bar grip tyres. A second blast at the steps and the 101s LPG powered V8 bounced the big Land Rover through. We continued to climb now driving through a virtual stream with water running down both wheel tracks from the wet moors above. Using low second or third with diff lock engaged NVX took all this in its stride, the 110s also had no trouble with the scrabble over steps and loose rocks. This type of driving requires constant concentration to pick the best line. Will that rock fit under the axles? Or should I put a wheel over it to save bashing the diff? Are questions constantly going through my mind.
The first gate of the day led us out onto the high moors, the views were superb, revealing a patchwork of meadows enclosed by dry stone walls and dotted with stone barns. Stopping for a photo call we all admired a landscape seemingly unchanged for 50 years. Again my thoughts drifted to James Herriot struggling to reach his patents in the isolated byres without the benefit of Solihull’s finest.
The gates were to become as much of a trial to us as they were to James back in the thirties. I am sure a whole book could be written on the subject of Dales gates. The variety of construction and fastening methods is so diverse that no two are alike. It is often a problem for the crew of the tail end vehicle (without the advantage of having opened the gate) to work out exactly how the piece of bent wire, hook, bolt, old horseshoe, leather strap, binder twine, latch, rusty bucket handle, chain or whatever else came to hand, was supposed to hold the gate shut. Opening most of them is also a challenge. The opener must first ascertain which end of the gate is hinged, not always apparent as the hinges can be of the same construction as the latches. Secondly which end of the restraining device to detach. Thirdly does it need lifting, depressing, twisting, or whatever to get it moving. Finally is a rock or hook required to keep it open whilst the convoy passes through. Remember all this often takes place in a six inch deep brown puddle.
I think it was about the sixteenth gate of the day that brought Peter and his 101 to a halt. Earlier gates had required a pause whilst we spotted to help Peter squeeze through, but this one was a problem. With unforgiving stone gateposts at either side, and a solid rock bump in one wheel track the 101 simply would not fit. Every shuffle back and forth just resulted in the rock tipping the vehicle onto one of the posts. Some wag even suggested dismantling the 101 and taking it through in pieces. This gave Peter the idea of removing the doors as the mirror hinges are the widest part. These lift off easily and had the mirrors bolted to them, to gain a vital couple of inches allowing the 101 to squeeze through.
Heading on over the high moors the track was mostly of firm if bumpy rock. At one stage we met a lone mountain biker who stopped for a chat whilst we walked a severe washout to asses the safest, least damaging route. Least damaging to the track as well as the vehicles that is. It was only too apparent that other vehicles had not been “treading lightly” as the damage to the lane surface was severe. We opted to slowly take a central route with a pronounced side slope, which safely took us all through yet left no further damage to the lane. I do not recommend anyone ventures out onto these high moor roads alone, so much could go wrong and help is a very long walk away. Weather conditions can change rapidly reducing visibility or ground conditions with no warning. As leader it was a little unnerving driving into the unknown depths of stagnant, brown, vehicle length, pools of water or fording flowing gills. I won’t say his winch was the sole reason for inviting fellow Breckland Land Rover club member Greg to join us, but it was reassuring to have him along with his Bushey Hall winch equipped 110. If one of these brown pools turned out to be bottomless, help was immediately behind me.
Greg’s 110 is impressive. Powered by a 3500cc. Nissan 6 cyl diesel through a re-valved Range Rover auto box with a disk brake converted rear sailsbury axle. Other equipment includes rear proximity reversing sensors, a boat interior heater, and cruise control. From filling up the tanks on arriving in the Dales to filling up again on departure Greg’s 110 consumed £24 worth of diesel whilst my V8 hybrid despite being considerably lighter went through £36 worth of petrol. To add insult to injury Greg had provided the taxi service to and from the Tan Hill Inn both nights adding 32 miles above those covered by NVX.
Having come down off the moors we only had a short distance on tarmac to the next lane. This was totally different, following two stone tracks set into lush meadow land we were soon spotted by a farmer out tending his sheep. The way he strode towards NVX suggested he was not happy with our presence on his land. First contact was of the “where do you think you lot are going” school of diplomacy.
“Along this county road I replied”. Pointing at the OS map.
“That were closed long ago” he retorted.
“Not according to my research” I insisted.
“Research eh!”
“Ah well, so long as you shut the bloody gates behind you I don’t mind where you go”.
There then followed a short friendly chat during which he used some colourful language to describe boy racers in Japanese four wheel drives tearing up his meadows. Eventually he wished us a good day and wandered off to continue tending his flock of Swaledale ewes.
Meandering from meadow to meadow through several more gates the ever present Swaledale sheep promoted a few robust sheep jokes over the CB radio. After a couple of miles we were again quite high but not the heather and grouse of the previous moor. This time we were on a grassy pass between ridges of bare rock and it was decided the shelter afforded by the rock made a good place to park for a late lunch. Having broken out the rolls (expertly made by Colin that morning) and brewed tea and coffee using my petrol stove, some of us retired to the vast rear load area of Peters 101 to dine.
Now you would not expect a rag top GS 101 rear load area to be a very warm place high on a moor on a damp November day. This one however was very cosy thanks to the Super Ser type gas heater Peter had brought along for the ride. Peters 101 had other surprises in store. Built in 1975 and released from the RAF in 1998 powered by a petrol 3500 cc V8 Peter had added an LPG conversion with 70ltr LPG tank giving dual fuel capability, greatly increasing the range. This combined with the change to Range Rover transfer gears reduced the running costs to something approaching sensible levels. Running on LPG also reduces exhaust emissions so much that Peter claims he has drunk the water dripping from the tail pipe to find it is in fact tasteless. This I was happy to take his word for. Someone suggested we place Peters Super Ser out on the moor and all sit around it like a modern day camp fire for a silly photo shoot, but the onset of drizzle and poor light prompted our happy convoy to move on.
After a long rock strewn (read very bumpy) track and several more entertaining gates we again found ourselves back on tarmac. As darkness was not far off we decided to skip the next planned lane as from past experience we knew it could be difficult and take what looked like an easier route. Despite another gruelling crawl up another rock strewn (read very very bumpy) lane we were proved correct as we soon ended up on a firm (read less bumpy) forest track. Once into the Forrest we stopped to say goodbye to Wayne and Bill as they were heading south back to Harrogate.
Bills Limestone 110 had taken everything in its stride despite Bill’s concern on seeing everyone else on aggressive tyres on his arrival in the morning. This vehicle also has an interesting tale to tell. Having originally been exported to Oman as a radio vehicle it still contains a lot of extra wiring from the radio installation. It is obviously not stock production as when Bill had to replace the fuel tank he discovered it was impossible to remove the old tank without first removing the rear body. On contacting Land Rover to ask if this is correct they replied “oh you have got that one have you”.
As the most direct route toward Langthwaite, our little convoy now down to three Land Rovers headed off along an old Roman road. No gates this time much to Colin’s relief, and the dry stone walls were set much further apart leaving a very broad swath in which the wheel ruts could meander. After about a mile we met a convoy of six vehicles coming the other way. Stopping for a chat they confirmed that they were a commercially led group of paying customers on an escorted Green lane run. It transpired they had stated from the same point, but an hour earlier than us. After leaving them we continued in the dark towards Langthwaite. Again the most direct route led us via yet another short section of unsurfaced lane.
None of us had driven this piece before and I will pass you on to Peter to describe this section from the perspective of a 101 forward control driver.
“I wasn't expecting anything
like this, I'd been expecting to be back on tarmac any minute! The motor was
in high range with the diff-lock open and that suddenly seemed a bad thing.
I pushed the transfer lever to low and punched down the diff-lock, praying it
would engage. It did. Things were looking up. I chose not to think about what
might be off to the right and
concentrated on steering....and began to enjoy myself! This was great fun, very
surreal, not the sort of experience that could ever have been planned.”
Peter Estibeiro
This last lane was so interesting in the dark that after a meal at the Tan Hill Inn and a nights rest we returned the next morning to drive it again in daylight. Going up was steep, very steep and what Peter chose not to think about in the dark was a sheer drop down into a ravine. The surface was again loose stone and rock weaving around two tight turns. We hung around at the top for a while and took a few photographs of another group of 4X4 drivers coming up. We then drove back down towards a final lane before heading for home. This lane turned out to be a mistake. It was fine for Colin and I in NVX, being hand painted NATO green I did not mind a few more scratches but for Greg in his recently re-sprayed 110 it was rather too tight and scratchy. Stopping to say our goodbyes I asked Peter to let me have his highlights of the trip, this is what I got.
My memory highlights of the trip are hard to decide on, so much of it was excellent. The lamb chops at the Tan Hill for instance. Trying to get the motor up the stone steps and the delight when it finally powered up. The good company. The views. Sitting in the back of the 101 with the fire on! Taking the doors off to get through the gate. That descent in the almost total blackness at the end. You and Greg just vanished in front of us, we got to the lip and the world just vanished in front of us.
Peter Estibeiro
Peter was right it was a good trip in good company. Every walker we had met at least gave us a friendly smile or wave. The best bit for me was that I did it all in a vehicle I built myself six years ago, using a written off Range Rover, a beat up Lightweight, and the engineering skills I learned as a boy. Running on the tax exempt RR registration NVX incorporates a 3.500 cc Carb fed V8 coupled to an early 4 speed RR gearbox, RR axles and coil suspension. NVX brought me safely back to Norfolk, having covered 500 odd miles, 30 of them on demanding unsurfaced tracks in reasonable comfort without missing a beat. I won’t go into how much petrol NVX used as I just love the burble of that V8. Lets just say I envy Peter that LPG conversion.
Mike Rogers