A new venue for us, just north of Abergavenny we were fortunate enough to touch base with Kris Murphy who kindly offered us the use of his site over the weekend. A small plantation with plenty to keep people on their toes, I would guess we were the first to drive 90% of the plantation since it was planted.

The aim of the invitation to regulars only weekend was to open up some routes to allow a free flowing circular section through around the edge of wood plus some interlocking technical sections in the middle. A steep sided plantation I am so pleased that we weren’t attempting this for the first time in the wet!

With a collection of regulars meeting on the Friday morning for the trip up in convoy from Sedgemoor we had plenty of time to admire the scenery enroute – I guess a 1976 pinz towing a 3.5T trailer is never going to be lightening fast!

Kris met us at the plantation and showed us the prep work he had made for the trip ranging from dug out platforms for tents, through to drainage stone work on the access route (which he also cut into the woods) The result was a lovely secluded campsite set back within the plantation and well out of the way. The added benefit – no phone signal – what more could you ask for!

We carried out some route recce work on the Friday afternoon before chilling out (literally) for the evening. Saturday brought sunshine and the opportunity to fire up the motors and make good headway before the saws came out to start proving the route. We must of made a good 25m before the 1st stop…… yes that meters not miles! With Jeroen plus 1 on a saw cutting a route ahead, Scott leading with Scott codriving and we were soon up to rhythm and making good progress. There’s is always something really special about being the first vehicle through somewhere, knowing you making a good access track allowing timber to come out later and letting light push through to encourage regrowth on the plantation floor. Plus the added benefit of not quite knowing how the car is going to react over the ground with no tracks to follow or anyone to watch in front!

A hard’ish day Saturday saw many a tried person that evening. We still managed to creep back out and open up a section down through an old stream that had become cluttered up with dead fall, a steep winch down into the section was sufficient to put everyone off attempting it this time around but then, with luck, there will be another opportunity next year!