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THE 13th EXMOOR 4X4 JAUNT AND CHALLENGE

£11,884.00 PLEDGED FOR WOODEN SPOON

What a fantastic total to mark the end of the 13th Exmoor 4x4 Jaunt and Challenge!

The event took place over the weekend of the 20th – 21st March 2010 and had an equal split of vehicles taking part in the Jaunt and Challenge. The Jaunt included a variety of off-road sections of varying difficulty and is suitable for families, all skill ranges and most 4x4’s. The Challenge on the other hand is much more demanding and offers experienced drivers with suitable vehicles a chance to test out the capability of their 4x4.

After registering on the Friday evening drivers, navigators and passengers from all vehicles had a chance to meet up and enjoy a hearty two course meal at Wheddon Cross Village Hall before retiring to local B&B’s or for the bravest of the bunch, local campsites or the village playing field.

Saturday was wet and windy and after a hot bacon roll and a briefing the vehicles set off in teams of three and after navigating some local roads the teams soon hit some good old Exmoor mud! And boy was there mud, the rain over the previous few days had made sure of that which added some extra ‘interest’ to both the jaunt and challenge routes. While those on the Jaunt got to experience some otherwise inaccessible off-roading routes and some tremendous views, the Challengers were facing side slopes, muddy dips, hill climbs and steep descents, which most vehicles coped with surprisingly well. However, there were a few occasions when the use of a winch was required or alternatively a lot of momentum was needed.

Once again a highlight on the Challenge section was a 150m freestyle hill climb, where teams had to make their way from a low track to the higher track across untouched forest land. Teams started by carefully choosing their route using equipment and technique to winch, prune dead and fallen trees and navigate through the thick forest land. Most teams got stuck at some point, but the teamwork was amazing to see and it wasn’t long before 4x4’s were at the top, looking down and saying WOW! Huge thanks has to be said to the land owners and Forestry Commission for letting us have such freedom on their land to experience off-roading as never seen before!

Further along the route vehicles in the Challenge and Jaunt were rewarded with some fantastic views and photo opportunities, before regrouping at a local pub for a fantastic carvery. After a large helping of lunch and a check of their vehicles, teams set off to the afternoon start points.

Following an afternoon of steep climbs, steep descents, drop offs, trials and tricky manoeuvring through boggy woodland, the Challenge and Jaunt teams were reunited for an evening meal and prize giving back at Wheddon Cross Village Hall where the ‘Jim Ballance Trophy’ for the most funds raised was presented to Nick Gage & Carl Liversage of the Four Wheel Drive Club who raised a staggering £1,508.97 – well done lads! Teams and marshals exchanged stories from the day’s adventures then headed off for an early night in preparation for day 2.

Day 2 offered some welcome respite from the wind and rain and turned out to be a beautiful Spring day. Following the briefing and more bacon rolls the teams set off from the start area with smiles on their faces due to the fantastic weather and the excitement of the day ahead.

Teams enjoyed more of the same beautiful views, challenging routes and teamwork as vehicles crossed fords and muddy ponds. The previous day’s weather meant that some of the Jaunt sections had to be closed because they had become too challenging, but there were still plenty of routes for the teams to enjoy before making their way to local Village Halls for lunch. Teams then returned to the tracks for their last couple of hours off-road and by the look of the vehicles as they returned for a farewell cream tea, they had enjoyed some more Exmoor mud!
Having had a hose down from the local village children, the vehicles were completely transformed and ready for their return trip. A good fill of scones and cake later and it was time for good byes. Teams shook hands, exchanged numbers and vowed to see each other the next year, before hitting the roads for the less exciting motorway journey home!

Wooden Spoon would like to thank all of the landowners who kindly allowed us the use of their property and without whose support the event would not be possible. Thanks also to the teams for their fantastic fundraising efforts and the marshals for dedicating their time and knowledge both during the event and to the pre-event training course ran by Landrover Experience at Honiton. Finally a big thank you to Geoff Norman and his family for putting the routes together and liaising with the landowners on the ground, Julian Wallace who assisted with reccying and Paul Banfield and the Victory Car Club who put the challenge routes together.

If you like off-roading with a challenge and lots of good food then the Exmoor 4x4 Challenge event is definitely for you! If you like green laning and fantastic views then the Jaunt will more than satisfy your needs. Everyone had a fantastic weekend with excellent company, combined team work, good sportsmanship and lots of friendly banter – and all for such a good cause! Exmoor generally has very few places where you can drive off-road and this is a fantastic way to see some of the best countryside in the south. Fancy joining in for the 14th Exmoor 4x4 Jaunt or Challenge? Contact the challenge office on challenge@eventsunlimited.co.uk