It was quite a surprise when out of the blue Mark one Tuesday said “I’m holiday this week could you take me on an off-road trip”. As I had offered to take him several times before, I could hardly refuse. I quickly called around all the usual suspects to find out who was available. With exception of Jamie everybody else was not available at such short notice. I then started frantically e-mailing to try and find accommodation for 3. In the end I found two locations offering B&B for the Thursday night. I settled on the Abbey Grange Hotel in Llangollen. I arranged to meet Mark and Jamie at 9 o’clock on the Thursday Morning. here was no time to even put decent tyres on the 3 door Discovery. I had loaded up the car with 2 Hi-lift jacks and a selection of wooden chocks, strops, shackles, chains and ropes. The car is pretty much bog standard and is a basic model, it’s even got manual windows.

Thursday 18th November 2010

I awoke in plenty of time but neither Mark nor Jamie showed up on time. It was at least 10:30 am before we got going. We stopped at London Colney on the M25 to fill up with diesel. The weather was filthy and by the time we hit the M1 the traffic was heavy. Nonetheless we made good progress until we got just past the M6 intersection for the toll road (should have used Frixo.com to check the traffic). It took forever to reach the M54 intersection but once there I put my foot down. At Shrewsbury we decided to have a break for a meal at Morrisons but after finding it the queues in the restaurant were enormous we decided to give it a miss. So we returned to the A5 and at the Shrewsbury services we stopped for a burger at Burger King. While here I purchased 3 Land Ranger maps: 115, 116 and 117 from the tourist information centre. By the time we reached the Abbey Grange Hotel in Llangollen it was about 3 o’clock.

After unloading our luggage we went down to the bar and planned the afternoon’s route. We soon set off for Llangollen, turning right over the bridge and then left onto the A5. After short distance we turn right up a steep side road and at SJ218412 we turned off tarmac and made our way up a steep lane. After about 3 miles we eventually end up at Glyn Ceiriog OS Ref: SJ203381. Here we exit the lane and make our way through the village onto the B4579. At OS Ref: SJ224340 we climb a very steep track alongside a wood after about a mile we cross a small road then continue on through a gate over the open mountain top. After about another mile we come to a farm “Llechrydau”. The original right of way carried straight on but the track is gated and has a bridleway sign clearly displayed. Another victory for the CROW Act (Countryside Rights of Way Act 2000). We turn west here and continue on the off road track eventually emerging onto the B4500 at SJ195355. Its an awkward turn left back on ourselves and the Discovery just hasn’t got enough lock to do it in one.

We then meander down this road for about a mile to OS Ref: SJ187342. Here we turn off left and climb up a very steep track with trees tight on each side and a stream flowing down the right hand side. Considering the car has not got off road tyres and is sporting to large roof bars I am amazed we get up unscathed. At the top OS Ref: SJ190335 we are faced with a choice. We can continue by turning right through a gate and taking a sweeping curve round the side of the hill and through a farmyard or we can proceed along the brow of the hill along a side road. Previously when I drove this lane in March 2009 we got some hostile stares from people in the farmyard. So I opted for the side road and rejoined the track at SJ173326. At first the going was good but the light was fading fast and although the first part of the lane is fairly sedate I knew the last bit was very steep and rocky. I hurried as fast as could and just as we were about start the descent there was a problem. At a spot where we had stopped for lunch in previous years the ground was badly churned up. It looked like somebody had cut deep ruts with large aggressive tyres. We couldn’t turn round and we could back up as it was too slippery.

I chose a less churned route that was on the very edge of a sheer drop of about 30 metres. The car immediately ground to a holt, with the tow bar bracket embedded in the mud, holding us fast. It was dark, wet cold and miserable and in an exposed and remote location. I tried backing up and running forward but we just got deeper and deeper. There was nowhere to anchor a rope to and we had limited recovery gear. To make matters worse my bad shoulder was throbbing like hell. In the end we unloaded all the gear from the back of the discovery and placed it on the mountain side. We dug down by the wheels at the back and then using a large rock and the Hi-Lift we lifted the rear wheels clear.

We then packed bracken and all the wooden chocks I had, under the rear wheels. With Mark and Jamie pushing and me driving, the Disco’ eventually crawled free, teetering dangerously on the edge.

It sure got my adrenalin going. In all it took over an hour to extricate the car. By now it was about 7:00pm and pitch black and it took another 10-15 mins. to load all the gear back into the car. The descent from here is very steep and rocky with a sheer drop on one side and it is tricky enough in daylight. So I very carefully picked my way down the track, to say the least it was nerve racking. At the bottom of the lane OS Ref: SJ176304 (“The Lawnt”) there were some houses and cars parked so it was impossible to get out on to the road. I decided to play the ” I think I’m lost” card can you help? So I knocked on the door of the nearest house to ask for assistance. I wasn’t very welcome and was told the road was not a right of way (not true), I was told to continue up the track and I would eventually get to the road (he wasn’t about to move his car). So we continued on for about another 3/4 of a mile before exiting the lane at OS Ref: SJ179299. We quickly make our way down small side roads to the B4580 and on to Oswestry. In Oswestry we stop at Morrisons and get some essentials which we forgot to pack We also get a few biscuits etc. to stop the hunger pangs. We decide to go back Llangollen to eat so we zap up the A5 as fast as we can. Its about 8:30 pm when we get back and the fish and chip shop is open. We nip back to the hotel and get cleaned up before going back to town for something to eat. We are back in Llangollen by 9 o’clock but everywhere is shut. A small Indian restaurant is open so in we go. A word of warning to you fellow travellers, it wasn’t cheap, it would have been cheaper at the hotel. As soon as we get back to the hotel I fall into bed. Mark and Jamie retire to the bar to sample the homemade beers.

Friday 19th November 2010

Next morning we awoke to a cold day, but the sun was up and clearing the mist from the valley. We made our way down to the restaurant for breakfast, it was superb!! There was cereal, toast, yoghurt and a full cooked breakfast, sets you up for the day. After Breakfast we go outside and Mark takes some pictures. I check out and the hotel kindly allow us to use the restaurant tables to spread our maps out to plan today’s route. Mark and Jamie go outside and clean the Discovery using a pack of baby wipes I purchased in Morrisons yesterday! By 11:30 we are on our way back down to Llangollen. Here we turn west on the A5 and 10 minutes up the road the scenery is so good we stop for a short photo shoot at OS Ref: SJ175424.

We then continue on the A5 towards Glyndyfrdwy and at OS map ref: SJ152426 we turn left up a steep side road. When we near the summit we stop again the scenery is absolutely stunning.

More pictures are taken and the video camera is brought out.

We stay here for about 10 minutes at SJ145407 just drinking the scenery. There’s a drop of nearly 300 feet almost straight down. From here we proceed up to the summit and along the crest and before long the tarmac ends. Several dirt tracks lead off from this point and the way forward is not clear, but after consulting the map we turn left. The track soon begins to descend and as we proceed we meet 2 cyclists coming the other way. After a few more minutes another cyclist passes us as he struggles up the incline. The rain has stopped and the sun is out and it gets very warm inside the Discovery.

After about half a mile we enter the Ceiriog Forest and the car cools down. We exit the forest after about 2 miles and we are presented with a junction. My instinct is to carry straight on down what is sign posted as a national cycle trail but Jamie and Mark think we should turn left along the edge of the forest. I bow to the majority and we continue along the edge of the forest. After about a 1/4 mile it is apparent that we have come the wrong way. The track is very narrow and it takes a lot more than a 3 point turn to get the Discovery around.

Once we are back at the junction we then continue on side roads to OS Ref: SJ170370 where it drops down into a small lane. We are confronted by a gate but I’m sure we are on the right track.

After another quick consultation with the map we open the gate and continue up the track. Its very steep and rocky with a stream cascading down the right hand side. After a short distance we stop for another photo shoot and more video.

I decide its time Mark and Jamie have a go behind the wheel to give me a rest so from here I leave all the driving to them. I get the video camera out and film Mark and Jamie as they climb up the track. It takes a fair while to ascend to the top and we pass various cyclists and motorcyclist all the way up. At times it seems busier than Piccadilly Circus. At the top of the track the terrain opens out into open moorland. Its a lovely day and the sun is shining but time is marching on. This lane runs for about 2.5 miles and at SJ162356 there is a fork shown in the track. It is clear that nothing had driven down the left fork for many years. We continued on for another half mile before the we came upon a wooded section to our left. The track now changes character and is deeply rutted with deep pools of water. We have to be careful as there is no indication of how deep the water is or how muddy the bottom is. Using the spade from the back of the Discovery we test the waters depth as best we can. We eventually emerge from the end of the lane at OS Ref: SJ157330 at around 3 o’clock, turn left up the B4500 and head for home. The journey home is relatively uneventful until we get near the bottom of the M1. The traffic slows dramatically and its one long jam all the way until we eventually exit the M25 at Potters Bar. Its 7 o’clock by the time we get back and it makes Jamie late for work. As a direct result of this Jamie lost his job, what a perfect end!

Ah well ’till the next time.