Walter's Off Road News

Club visit

2012-01-30T18:20:00.001Z

We had Tay 4x4 Club visiting on Sunday, 15 vehicles out plus our own club guys.

Great day for it and lots of fun had, annoyingly my camera was playing up and I did not manage to get any really good photos but you can see one of them gathering in the car park.

We also had Garry from Ayrshire using his voucher which we donated to a help the Heroes auction last year.

Club Visiting

2012-01-24T16:54:00.002Z

I hope we are going to get some snow soon, I have not had a chance to play in it all winter. Except briefly on skis!!
Tay 4x4 Club are coming to visit our site on Sunday next 29th January from about 10am.
The site is fantastic at the moment with mud everywhere and it's very wet, really good fun just now.
all the best, Walter

Hogmonay

2011-12-31T15:47:00.002Z

Three new members this week, Bert,

Roy and Lewis, in the picture joined by Ryan. They picked a brilliant time to join the site is as wet and muddy as ever.

Lewis and his Disco survived this ducking with only a very wet interior.

Happy new year to all, Wattie.

Typical December day

2011-12-11T19:45:00.003Z

Wow the site is fantastic at the moment, frost coming out of the ground with rain on top making it super slippery!! The ice is about 3 inches thick on the water splashes so we must have had a more serious frost than we realised.
Pic is of our club members in the east section today about to attempt the hill. It was very good to see the Jenkins boys back after a bit of a break, they picked a really good day.
Two new members joined today, Ryan from Freuchie and Abao from Glasgow with Disco and Jeep respectively.
Hopefully I will get the pressure hose sorted this week and I'm also needing a new battery for my white Land Rover which does a lot of recovery winching which seems to have worn it out. And me!!

Scot Mud Club visit

2011-11-20T17:34:00.003Z

We had ten visitors form the Scottish Mud Club today, they are a pretty well equiped lot and had a lot of fun on site. Conditions were wet and muddy!!
We are going to have a joint BBQ and camping weekend, probably in April just after Easter which i will keep you posted about.
The starter motor on the pressure hose has packed up so it will be out of action for a week or two, you'll need to wash in the water splash!!??
All the best, Walter

3 yearly Inspection

2011-11-02T19:19:00.002Z

Firstly, sorry I have not been posting much lately but we have been run off our feet!
Today we had our three yearly inspection for accreditation pursposes for membership of the International Organisation of Professional Drivers IOPD and the British Off Road Driving Association BORDA. These are the organisations that certify our training.
Steve of the IOPD did the inspection and many thanks to him for his time. There are, as always, a few things we need to improve but other than that it went well.
The site is very wet at the moment and some of the new tracks are really slippy, test the depth of the water splashes before you drive into them!! All the best, Walter.

Autumn BBQ

2011-09-19T19:40:00.002+01:00

Our Club Autumn BBQ is this weekend Sunday 25th Sept at 12.30 on the hill at the clay shooting area.

I will provide some grub, sausages and burgers with rolls, please bring you own drinks and anything else you want.

Could you please let me know if you are attending so we can buy the appropiate ammount of food.

Pic is of the balmy day we had for our Spring BBQ.

The site is super at the moment with the rain making the newly cleared tracks very slippery.

Here's hoping for a sunny day on Sunday and Scotland beating Argentina!!

Walter

Visitors

2011-09-02T14:45:00.003+01:00

We had 22 Norwegians here today for a fun 4x4 day out, pic shows a winching demo for them.

2nd pic is of the Scottish Mud Club, who visited recently, gathered on top of the site looking out to the East Lomond hill.

We are now finished the holiday period so will try and post a bit more often. Sorry been lazy during August!!

A lot of JCB work has been completed on the site, new tracks and some bushes cleared. There is much more to drive on now and the site is looking great. Walter

SORC last sunday

2011-07-26T19:57:00.003+01:00

The SORC brought seven vehicles on site last Sunday for their Treasure Hunt outing, pic shows them comparing notes on the north side of the site.

I was chef at a BBQ we had at the house so I did not see them at all but they found all the treasure and had a laugh.

Two new Club members this week, welcome Steven and Carl who are both locals with Hilux and Range Rover. Carl brought his RR back from New Zealand with him!

The builders have just started the new house for my parents in law just below reception, there may be the odd builders van parked in the car park but hopefully they will keep the place clean.

Tay 4x4 Club booked in for this coming Sunday 31st. All the best, Walter

Balvaird Charity Day

2011-07-17T19:35:00.004+01:00

We took part in the Charity Event run by neighbour John MacGregor today, pic shows the event and two of the three vehicles we had driving guests around our 4x4 site.

It was a great day out, very well attended and they should have raised a lot of money. The collection of vintage cars was, to quote one visitor, "better than the scottish motor show"!!

What's happened to summer? W

July + August

2011-07-12T09:55:00.003+01:00

The variety of vehicles we will be training operators for BORDA during July and August.

All good fun!!

Walter

Training

2011-07-08T17:01:00.003+01:00

Starting a new training contract for an international telecommunications company now. It should be fun as Ken and I have to train drivers for Scot Track, Polaris Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Land Rover Discovery.
The site is wet again after all the rain last week, always happens around T in the Park!!

Tractor tyres

2011-05-31T09:12:00.002+01:00

I have scattered old tractor tyres in selected places around the site to make drivers use a slightly different track, this helps prevent erosion and allows some vegetation to grow. Please leave them where they are for now.
Pic is of our Simba looking at the tyres, I think or perhaps it's a rabbit!
5 new Club members this month with Suzuki's, a Cherokee and 110's. Plenty of water still on site but we are needing a bit of rain to make it slippery again.
We have, as usual, a lot of people redeeming Christmas Gift Vouchers at this time of year and are now fully booked at weekends until the 16th July for anyone reading this and still wanting to book. Roll on summer, Walter.

Training

2011-05-02T16:15:00.003+01:00

Picture is of our instructor Ken Swan training drivers on Mule ATV's for a hydro power tunnelling project in the north of Scotland. The ATV's are mainly used to take the blasting crews to the mining face down a steeply inclined tunnel, exciting stuff!

We have also been training their crews to drive the access road in 4x4 vehicles, the first time I went up to the site in Feb 2010 the snow was deeper than the height of the Land Rover and it has been pretty bad at times this year. They will be very glad to see the summer arrive up there.

We are always happy to go to where the customer needs us.

After a record dry April I hope we have some rain soon for the 4x4 site, and also for the garden!! All the best, Walter

Mad on Mud Club spring BBQ

2011-04-18T20:18:00.002+01:00

We had a beautiful sunny day for the spring BBQ yesterday, about 30 people attended and I had no complinats about the new tracks I made on the highest bit of Biens Law!! Pic shows the BBQ site and the stunning view over Kinross and Loch Leven, as well as myself working hard doing the cooking! That's all for now. Walter

Last weekend + BBQ

2011-04-13T20:22:00.004+01:00

Pic is of Luke and Bill "mudding" last weekend, having a laugh!!!!!!!!!!

Next weekend Sunday 17th April is the Mad on Mud Club spring BBQ on the hill at 1300hrs at the camping/clay shooting area in the south west corner.

It looks like we have about 30 people attending so far. If you are joining us and haven't let me know please do so asap.

I am providing burgers and sausages in rolls but please BYO drinks and any extra food you can.

Enduroland have cancelled their event on the 1st May due to lack of bookings with them, what a shame as a few locals were looking forward to the event.

Nina and I look forward to seeing you at the BBQ. Thanks Walter

High lift suspension!!

2011-04-07T20:18:00.002+01:00

I assume this is what is meant by high lift suspension???!!! Looks great from this angle! This was in fact a gentle roll and afterwards it looks much more dramatic than it actually was although I stress I was not in the vehicle with the Club member. For those who know the site it is a steep descent in the south west corner looking out towards Loch Leven. However as always I am very relieved there was no one hurt and it is just the location that will make recovery awkward. Just completed the new fence up the side of the access road and hope to get a few new tracks made before the BBQ on Sunday next, the 17th. Walter

What I have to put up with!!

2011-03-30T07:29:00.002+01:00

Someone last weekend had a dump in the laurel bushes by the car park over the road, I only just noticed it before the dogs rolled in it!! The culprit used a white Nike polo shirt to wipe themselves and left it behind as well! If you know who left without a white polo shirt let me know as it was pretty disgusting to remove. Generally the visiting club members had a great time and left very little rubbish, except for the dump! The Scottish Off Road Driving Centre is now on Facebook and also videos are on You Tube if you search under Glentarkie. Next event is our Club BBQ on Sunday 17th April at 1300 hours. All the best, Walter

wintery scene

2011-03-13T17:38:00.003Z

Scot West Club visited today. Some as seen in the first pic, we had six visitors and I think the site at the moment is a difficult as ever!!!!!

I had to watch the rugby (not too bad a result) so did not see how the day went but they all had fun.

Alan gave his Argo a last blast with the snow tracks on and we went for a float around the big pond, a bit dodgy with the weight of the tracks!!

The new gate at the roadside seems to be working well, please lock one paddlock into the other one so BOTH can open the gate, one has a key and one a combination lock. Is spring coming????

New gates

2011-02-23T08:33:00.003Z

We had some visitors last weekend, they were very well behaved and thoroughly enjoyed themselves as you can see from the photo going up to the top of the hill.

The ground is absolutely soaking at the moment and all the water hazards are at full depth. The big pond is as deep as I have ever seen it, take care!!

I have moved the locked gate to the bottom of the hill next to the public road as of today, still the same system with the combination padlock. Three reasons; firstly so that any unauthorised people trying to get onto site have to gain entry in full view of the houses. Secondly it was nearly impossible to open the old gate and get the vehicle going again in the snow. Three it makes it easier for me to manage as it is next to the houses. Next move video surveillance on the gate! All the best, Walter.

Thawing at last

2011-01-10T19:09:00.004Z

Forecast to be +10c on Wednesday, fantastic!!
Pics show the two vehicles that have made life a bit easier over the past few weeks, feeding pheasants and exercising the dogs.
The Argocat is owned by Alan my neighbour who put snow tracks onto it this year. It goes anywhere even with 6 people on board.
We should be open for customers again this weekend, at last.
All the best, Walter

Slow thaw

2011-01-06T12:17:00.002Z

The thaw that started last week has come to a sudden stop this week and we are still not able to take clients onto the 4x4 site. We have frozen snow and thick ice still which is very difficult ot drive anywhere in, 50 metres and your stuck. You get yourself out and after another 50 metres your are stuck again, not much fun!!
27th November was the last time a client was on site and it looks as though we will have to cancel everyone this weekend.
Five Mad on Mud Club members have been up over the festive break and I can see from the tracks it has not been easy!!??
Pic is of the big pond showing the Ochil Hills to the west, temp was -1c when i took the photo today. All the best Walter.

Siberian weather!!

2010-12-22T19:15:00.002Z

S..t is it cold!!! The site is still deep with snow which has frozen on top making any driving very difficult.
The only vehicle I have had up there is the Quad bike feeding pheasants again, all the wildlife certainly benefits from the feeders and they are being emptied every week.
With no sign of a thaw yet it looks as if we could be cancelling all bookings over the festive break but a the moment we are waiting to see.
Christmas voucher sales are well up on last year, what I don't understand is that we did no advertising this year and yet sales are up!!??
Pic shows the view south from the top of the hill over Loch Leven.......and Simba!
Merry Christmas to you all from Walter, Nina and Ross.

Snow and frost, very difficult.

2010-12-12T16:58:00.004Z

The SORC visit today had to be abandoned as the site was just about impassable. It took them over an hour to get up the access road to the car park on the hill.

Today is the first time I have made it to the top in a vehicle, Alan and I were in his Disco with new off road tyres and it was still quite a struggle.

The JCB is useless in the snow, it is too heavy and just slides about all over the place and I can't risk using it to clear the road as it wants to slide into the fence all the time.

The forecats is for no change this coming week!!!

All the best

Walter

Back from Jamaica to the snow.

2010-12-08T18:30:00.003Z

If you are wondering why the blog has been quiet with all this exciting snow it was because I have been in Jamaica for the past ten days celebrating 25 years of marriage. Wonderful, I highly recommend it!
Lying on the beach all day in 28 degrees sunshine with a rum punch in my hand and Bob Marley jamming from the beach bar, fantastic!!!
Pic shows the beach and also the collapsed polley tunnel that we keep the Land Rovers in which I arrived home to.
The vehicles are ok but the tunnel is wrecked, my neighbour told me he had 3/4 of a ton of snow on his farm weighbridge so there must have been about four tons on the tunnel.
I'll keep you posted on the snow.
Walter

First Snow of the winter

2010-11-25T17:26:00.002Z

We had a dusting of snow last night and some hard frost, the snow is very little but the frost has the ice about an inch thick in watersplashes. The RAF have spent most of the day bashing it up!!!

The picture shows Club members cars which have been left here for their use on the hill. The two blue/grey discos on the left of the picture have not moved for months and I would like the owners to take them away please. If they are still here in a few weeks time I will lift them with the JCB and put them across the road in the woodland.

All the best Walter

Winter brings out the Clubs!!

2010-11-16T18:43:00.003Z

Hello, we have Tay 4x4 Club booked in for the 28th November and the Scottish Off Road Club on the 12th December. We are full on the 5th December and our own Club winch challenge is on the 19th December so it is all go up to Christmas. I only allow one visiting Club at a time now, this allows us to monitor what is going on and who is doing what, sadly necessary after a few items went walk about last year!!

Our own Club has as usual picked up a few new members as the winter weather arrives and some previous members have rejoined, the site is brilliant at the moment. It is very wet and the water hazards are all full, we have had a lot of people using the site and mudding it up!

Pic is of the latest RAF group visiting for training pre deployment.

Hope to see you covered in mud in the run up to christmas!!!!!!!!!!!

Walter

Back in action!!!!

2010-10-21T20:26:00.002+01:00

I has been a very busy September and October so far, our BORDA training is taking off. We are now able to deliver Quad and ATV courses as well as our normal 4x4 vehicle training, we will soon be doing skid steer ATV's as well.
We always pick up new Club members as the winter starts and this year is no exception, the next Club date is Sunday 19th December for our own Club Winch Challenge.
Looking forward how about Sun 17th april for a spring BBQ? Enduorland are now coming back with the bike day on Sun 1st May so the site will be closed 3 days prior to that.
Pic is of the RAF Regiment from Leuchars doing a simulated recovery pre deployment overseas.
So far they have not been stuck and have driven through everything!!! Walter

Summer BBQ Sunday 29th August

2010-08-23T15:36:00.003+01:00

The Club Summer BBQ is being held this coming Sunday 29th August at 1pm on the hill, all members are welcome. Please let me know by email if you are attending and who you are bringing. I will provide burgers and sausages etc but not drinks so please BYO drinks. If you are bringing a few gusets please bring some food as I can't guarantee I will have enough for extras!!
The photo shows the changes at the main reception area. Wider entrance and more parking with new fencing to partially hide the semi ruined house next to us. We hope to have painted the container store by this weekend.
I hope to see lots of you on Sunday.
Here's hoping for a dry day.
Walter

Last of the snow

2010-03-07T18:25:00.003Z

The snow is slowly disappearing but the frost is well into the ground and it is still rock hard underneath.
Two pics from last weekend show Alan my neighbouring farmer (!!!???) and Stewart who works for Mike Aitken 4x4 at the start of the day. Yes Alan really does use his Disco off road!!
I have just sent a new email around our Club Members (if anyone didn't get it just email me!) re the combination and some unwelcome visitors.
Lots of action on site this month as we are very busy training and I will be transplanting some trees. W

Tay 4x4 Club visit

2010-02-28T18:10:00.004Z

We had about 25 vehicles out today, sunday.
Conditions were very tough in the wet heavy snow but everyone had fun and we had lots of smiling faces.
March starts tomorrow, spring is coming! So maybe the snow will disappear?
Come back soon,
Walter

Snow again

2010-02-24T18:07:00.002Z

More snow on the site again today but not serious enough to affect our training or vouchers, but it did drift badly across the access road again!
The Ambulance Service have started training on site again and we are this week putting in a few new tracks as well as clearing access to areas that have become unusable. Pic shows Andrew Swan from next door making a new track in the north west corner of the 4x4 hill.
We have also clared and levelled an area for Clay Shooting in the south west corner, and please do not drive over this area as we are preparing it for grass seed. We have also put in a few telegraph posts as anchor points for self recovery and winching in selected spots on the hill.
Finally Tay 4x4 Club are coming to play this sunday 28th feb, thats it. See you all soon, Walter.

Photos update

2010-01-19T19:01:00.004Z

I have been asked to say that absolutely NO assistance from the big John Deere tractor was need while these two were on site!!!

The site access road is still closed due to ice so please phone if you are coming up for advice on an alternative route.

Not much change in the weather!!

2010-01-14T16:26:00.003Z

There is still a lot of deep snow on site. Now that it has slightly thawed after drifting it is really solid and very slippery where it is not deep.
It looks like we will still be closed for vouchers this weekend due to conditions.
I am getting fed up with this now!!!!

Very cold

2010-01-02T17:24:00.004Z

I wish you all a very Happy New Year.
This picture is taken at the back door at the farmhouse today. We are still closed for vouchers and it looks like we will be closed all next week if the weather forecast is correct. (I hope not!)
In the Clubhouse the water has frozen for the loo so please do NOT use the loo. Alan next door has a small weather station which recorded minus 16 one night last week.
Conditions will be fantastic when the thaw eventually comes and all this snow melts, I will try and keep you posted on it.

Christmas snow

2009-12-29T11:37:00.006Z

We have snow from 14 to 20 inches deep on the hill and minus 5 at the farm house today. The site is impossible for driving on and we are closed for gift vouchers due to the conditions. Worst snow and frost for a very long time.

The first picture shows a frozen solid mouse I found on my walk this morning, it was stuck in a footprint from yesterday. Spare a thought for the wildlife in these conditions!!!
Second pic gives you a view of my black labrador Wren in Pitmedden Forest, which is stunningly beautiful at the moment, and shows just how much snow we have here.

Snow and Frost.

2009-12-28T15:28:00.003Z

Conditions on site are severe and we have now been closed for gift vouchers for ten days since the snow arrived. The site is impossible and the access road very difficult.
A few Club members have been on the hill but with the water frozen solid and hard frost under the snow driving has been very limited.
If you have a voucher and are booked in for this week please call us to rearrange.
Happy New Year when it comes, another decade!!!!!

White Christmas!!!!!

2009-12-22T20:08:00.004Z

Conditions are impossible at the moment, five inches of snow on frozen ground!!! The second picture shows how difficult it is on even the smallest slope as this is as far as I got on my annual Christmas tree hunt.

First pic is of the view looking north from the top of Biens Law
and shows the big pond, now called Loch Tarkie!! The ice on the pond must be about six inches thick and if you look carefully you can see Roe Deer tracks crossing it.

A very Merry Christmas to everyone, ho ho ho Walter

Sunday 13th December

2009-12-15T19:25:00.004Z

Thanks to everyone for a great day last Sunday. Particularily to Bob and Andy for looking after their respective Clubs on site. Conditions were very slippery on frozen ground and a lot of ice in the water but we had lots of smiling faces all day!

I hear there was an accident on the road in Gateside village afterwards? I hope nobody was injured and no vehicles to badly damaged?

2 pictures of views; East to Loch Leven and South to the Howe of Fife

Man the lifeboats!!

2009-12-01T17:44:00.005Z

The blue submarine in the big pond!!!
And NO snorkel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SLROC Sunday 29th Nov

2009-11-30T16:32:00.003Z

We had about twenty vehicles on site last Sunday with our Club and the visiting Scottish Land Rover Owners Club. Ground conditions were fantastic with lots of sliding around in the mud.

Videos are on you tube if you enter as your search "Glentarkie"

The water around the big pond is seriously deep, at least two feet above normal level after all the rain. Take care!!

The clubhouse area has now been moved around to suit us better now that we have sold the land adjacent to the parking area. Please excuse us for the current mess but this will all be clared and a new surface put in before christmas.

November Club Safari

2009-11-22T19:53:00.005Z

We had a very good safari today with lots of members. The ground conditions made it really difficult but very interesting!

Thanks to everyone, I had a great time especially watching the big descent in the wood and all the winching after it. More photos on the website shortly.

Rain, rain and more rain!!!!!

2009-11-06T21:09:00.003Z

The water is very deep at the moment, it just about caught me out!!!!!

2009-11-03T17:31:00.003Z

The Scottish Ambulance Service started a training program today on our site for their new resourse vehicle and also Land Rover driving. They will be good fun to watch and the new vehicle is very capable.
Plenty of rain at last and the Scottish Mud Club who are coming this Saturday 7th will have lots of fun and the water is VERY deep.
I lost a hedge bill blade on site doing the bushes last week, please just leave it in reception if you find it. Hopefully not finding it through your tyre!!!!!!!

Visiting Clubs

2009-10-25T18:04:00.003Z

Two more clubs have decided to visit our site this Autumn, on Sat 7th Nov the Scottish Mud Club is coming and on Sunday 29th Nov Ross is bringing the Scottish Land Rover Owners Club along.

Lots of rain in the past 24 hours and the site is very slippery again. I taught a very able lady teacher on saturday morning for her 40 th birthday surprise and she had a great time sliding the vehicle around all over the place. Her next activity was a flying lesson!!

Now that the crops are all cleared from the fields we are seeing a lot more deer on the site again, they can hide easily in amoungst the trees and bushes and are not too scared of the Land Rover, we are getting really close to them now. The photo is of our resident ducks on the Land Rover roof!!!!!

2009-10-05T18:51:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone. This is my first proper blog. The big news this week is that we have put up our prices (after 8 years!!) The club membership, however, stays the same at £150 as does the full day adventure at £300. We believe we still offer fantastic value for money!!

Other news is the white Land Rover had to have major welding done to the front suspension, caused by using too many rough descents. It also had the engine management relays replaced as they had been damaged by water over the years and were causing starting problems. Many thanks to Mike Aitken and his team yet again!!

The next event is the Club Safari at 1pm on Sunday 22nd November. Hope to see as many of you as possible then but I will be back blogging before then...watch this space...