Twist and Shout
This year the Series I,II,III club’s annual rally was held in Yorkshire, which meant a chance to go see purveyors of lovely Land Rovers – Twisted Automotive
Words and Pictures – Ian M. Garner
As Land Rover clubs go, the Series 123 club is a relatively new club on the block, but that didn’t stop it holding its second annual rally in the Yorkshire city of Ripon during the first weekend of August. As locations go, Ripon is well suited. Easy to travel to, being close to the A1, and on the edge of the wonderful lanes of North Yorkshire. The Rally started on the Thursday, with most people using this day to arrive and get set up. Over the next few days around 60 Land Rovers would be turning up to enjoy the activities arranged. The club had organised different green lanes routes with a mixture of self-led and group led.
One of the self-led routes was nicked names the Masham circular, which as you may have guessed started and finished in the market town of Masham. Some of the more opportunistic club members also took this chance to visit the world-famous Black Sheep Brewery. The route initially takes you over the grouse moors before heading towards Pateley Bridge, home of the world’s oldest sweet shop. The route then takes you over the hill and down towards Scar House reservoir, with fantastic views of the dam. Once you have descended the steep and twisty track you drive over the Dam and ascend the next land up Deadman’s Lane.
Left – High House was one of the old buildings that used to make up the lost village Lodge, this stone acts as a reminder.
As you start to ascend the route takes you through a small, wooded area where the lost village of Lodge was once located. If you stop and explore you can still see evidence of the housing and a couple of old wood fired ovens are still visible.
On the Friday, the group had arranged a visit to Twisted Automotive in Thirsk. Home of some of the best modified Land Rovers money can buy. After being met by the team we were offered coffee and bacon, before a talk by a former Land Rover technician. After this we were shown the workshop where we were taking through the process of turning Defenders into Twisted Defenders. The level of detail in their vehicles is amazing as is the natural enthusiasm the team have for their product. Once of the highlights of the visit was to see the recently launched Range Rover Classic. With an American V8 under the subtlety modified exterior there is a lot to like. The wheel arches have been widened, not by bolted on extensions, but had hand rolled panels. This is a product where things have been done properly. The retro Rostyle wheels fill those arches and everything looks just right, in proportion.
Above – The highlight of our visit to Twisted was this amazing Retromod Range Rover Classic, inspired by Twisted’s owners fathers Range Rover from back in the day.
After our visit to Twisted, the group headed to Helmsley, where we started the lanes. The first lane took you along the top of a hill with a beautiful vista to the left before taking you through a farmyard and through a pretty wooded area. After this, we tackled Rudland Rigg, the longest Greenlane in England, before heading back to the camp site.
Saturday we had a special treat for those greenlaning with the guided routes, but more on this later. When organizing greenlaning you are always trying to balance difficulty with ability, so we decided to have two different routes to our destination – black and red. Both routes started in Leyburn and took us Northwest. Those on the black run tackled Fremington Edge, a lane which is not for the faint hearted. Very rocky, loose surface and a big drop to the left at the start, you climb the hill. As you near the top you have the option to go left or right. Left is gentler, but brings you close to the edge whereas right takes you on a very bumpy track indeed. With cross axles and a loose surface, you need a certain amount of vigor to maintain your momentum. Once you get to the top, your heart rate has certainly up’d a few notches and I found myself patting the bonnet of Minty my 1967 109” saying “Good Job” whilst having a grin a Cheshire cat would be proud off. Heading down the hill with Camera in hand I filmed the others in my group also having fun.
Below – Fremington is a great lane, but not for the faint hearted! Newly restored Neil the 88″ lifts his wheel and kick up the dust.
Above – LRLife’s admin Dave’s 88″ tackles the axle twist, but who is that driving?
After Fremington, you meet up with the red route, which takes in Goats Bridge, the pinnacle of which is a tight hand hander which requires a shunt. Whilst a 88” has been known to get round in one go the route taken was, well, very direct! From here you head down through a gate and across a ford. With the dry weather of late the Ford was quite low, but still enough to cause a slash. Through the ford you climb and head to our planned destination, Helwith Tea Garden. A small unassuming farmyard, literally in the middle of nowhere, Helwith Tea Garden offers a nice stop off point. The lady of the farm will come out and offer you fresh scones, with Jam and Cream with your choice of Tea or Coffee, for only a few pounds. The garden itself is a very pleasant place to sit in the sun and talk about the mornings laning with friends.
Above – As you leave Helwith Tea Gardens you go straight into the next lane with a lovely ford!
After the final few crumbs have been ingested, you start the next lane in the farmyard itself. A small ford and a tight left-hand bend takes you over the hill and onwards. A couple more lanes later and a stop off at Brymor Ice cream was in order. However, as we entered we came across a fellow club members Land Rover in need of a tow. A fueling issue had stopped the engine and no amount of coaxing could get it started. Rather than tow with a soft strop on these country lanes, I offered to pick up my Defender and car trailer to ensure there were no accidents and 30 minutes later we were winching the stricken Land Rover onto the trailer.
Above – This Owner of this Series 1 tackles the last ford of the day, before heading back to cook burgers for the rest of the group!
In the evening, we all gathered for a communal BBQ and Quiz. A team of willing volunteers manned to BBQ and after a lot of effort in getting the BBQs lit, food was being served. Washed down with a few Beers, we held a raffle. All proceeds from the raffle and BBQ going to Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Not having done the final adding up yet we estimate the we raised £260, a good effort indeed. The campers then found themselves huddled in groups to tackle the evening quiz. A slight difference of opinion later on the amount of islands in Indonesia and we were done. Time to gather round the firepit and relax. A guitar appeared and so did an accordion, and soon we were treated to live music. It was a busy weekend, but a good one, and what better way to end it with a firepit, friends and live music. Next year will be in Devon, I can’t wait.