Let's Off-Road!

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• Bala
• LRESnowdonia

Posted by Samantha Castle on June 18, 2010 3:04 PM

AT last it was my turn to climb aboard a brand-new Range Rover for my own Land Rover Experience day.
After a short drive out of Bala, myself and LRESnowdonia instructor David Mitchell, entered miles upon miles of unspoilt countryside which would provide the driving trails for the day.
Under the expert tuition of David I managed to take Range Rover through deep streams and negotiate it up and down vertical inclines thanks to the vehicles ultra handy Terrain Response system which eased me through various driving obstacles including mud and ruts, adverse cambers and the off-roader's favourite- the water trial. Once I had learned how to create a bow-wave there was no stopping me.
Stimulating, challenging and inspiring, surrounded by nothing but fresh air where every activity is designed to take your breath away. Based just outside Bala in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park the Land Rover Experience is based within some of the best off-road terrain in the county, with rocks, rivers, ravine and ruts to get up and over in 823 square miles of unspoilt countryside it is easy to see why the business is growing in popularity.
Having an overly keen interest in Land Rovers and off-road driving from an early age has only ever been a positive influence for David Mitchell, who has managed to turn his passionate past-time into a thriving adventure business.
David, from Llanrwst runs the popular Land Rover Experience Centres based in Bala and Cheshire.
After buying his first Land Rover in 1967, a Series one 88', which he still owns, Liverpool born David has been providing off-road tuition for as long as he can remember.
"I began giving off-road tuition in 1971," he explained.
"It was while I was working for Heron, the main dealer for Land Rover in Merseyside and North Wales back then.
"When I bought that Series one my fascination for models began at much the same time, although it didn't become a business until much later."
David was born in 1948- the same year as the Land Rover, and is a fully paid-up member of no fewer than 14 off-road clubs and is also vice-president of the Liverpool Motor Club, Britain's second oldest car club.
"Like many of us involved in off-road tuition, David is happiest when sitting in the passenger seat of a Land Rover or Range Rover imparting the wisdom of his years to others," added Cheshire based instructor Wayne Mitchelson."
David eventually put his money where his mouth is and started his own off-road tuition company Landcraft in 1986.
When Land Rover started the Experience Centre in 2002 David was head-hunted to run the North Wales centre, now know as Land Rover Experience Snowdonia.
David added: "I run two centres and have a pool of 10 experienced off-road tutors with me including Wayne and fellow Llanrwst lad Alex Brown, between them they average around 18 years Land Rover ownership and off-road driving experience, mines more like 40 years worth!"
If you want to ditch the pinstripes, lose the tie and treat yourself or your family to an unforgettable driving experience- book a day at a Land Rover Experience Centre.
08448486001. www.LRESnowdonia.co.uk

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Its not always easy being a meat eater.

Posted by Samantha Castle on June 2, 2010 3:57 PM

I BRIEFLY paused my life and decided to take an interest in what morally responsible, politically sensitive, environmentally aware, health-conscious humans were supposed to be putting on their dining tables. But, unless you are willing to pay through the nose, which I'm unfortunately not in a position to do, it quickly becomes a ridiculous way of life - no meat, no dairy products, no wheat, no sugar, no fat, not even fish and certainly no sausages. No out-of-season vegetables, no eggs, actually, nothing. Well at least I'd be thinner!
I try not to think about the chickens and if they suffered or had any kind of life before being shrink-wrapped while I'm walking down the meat isle of my local supermarket, even after watching kids animation 'Chicken Run' with my nephews, I didn't feel a pang of guilt when buying the cheapest chicken carcass on the shelf. I didn't care where it came from, how long it lived, or how much exercise it was allowed to take- I pushed those thoughts to the back of my conscious. I didn't even spare a though if its so pumped up with hormones it makes men at the table grow breasts. That's the trouble you see, in order to be a morally responsible, politically sensitive, environmentally aware, health-conscious human I would be broke and hungry. Correct me if I'm wrong but organic food is very expensive and if we insist on sparing a thought about how animal may or may not have suffered during their short lives and even shorter death's, I may as well become a vegetarian.
But its not all bad, after contemplating this matter for some time I have since made more of an effort when shopping to try and source any organic and Fair Trade products (on offer) while in Asda and Tesco and recently my gorgeous newish boyfriend (Dishy Daniel) and I even went to a local butcher in Bangor to buy lamb shanks, chicken, bacon and sausages and although it did cost a small fortune we did feel a slight smug sense of happiness knowing exactly where our Sunday roast had come from.

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