These are just in: Wild Canvas Australian Swags! Finally we have the first few swags ready, built to my design and based on authentic Australian swags and years of experience camping in swags, Wild Canvas, makers of tents, yurts and canvas products have begun producing these for sale in the UK & Europe – as far as I know they are the only Australian swags available to buy in Europe. Available from www.australianswags.co.uk
No one likes the monotony of the everyday working week; quite often and without
failure, the majority of us can do our jobs in our sleep, blissfully and sluggishly carrying
out our everyday tasks like the machines that we quite often use for our work. That is
why that it is imperative to get out during your weekends and really test those adrenal
glands over knuckle whitening falls and teeth grinding speeds. Whereas the majority of
the country spends their weekends atoning to silly music in nightclubs; you can achieve
the very same highs by taking your 4X4 onto an adventure that won’t leave you with a
hangover and might actually save you with a few extra bills in your wallet.
Throughout the country there are various off road centres and parks where you can
really test the limits of you and your vehicle. As they are quite often cheaper than your
average night out, there’s no reason why any 4X4 owner can’t get out there and teach
their car just what real mud tastes like. Of course, besides the many thrill seekers out
in the world that fill the parks and centres nearly every week, there are those of us who
have relatively little experience in off-road handling and therefore need just a little
training before getting out there with the big boys.
There are a variety of centres throughout the United Kingdom where you can go and
learn just how to handle a 4X4 vehicle in the tricky terrains and lands that nature
provides us. For as little as £300 you can partake on a two day course where you can
gain qualifications and become certified as a professional 4X4 driver. If you wish to
steer away from the more serious side of off-road driving however, there are various
4X4 days, weekends and events held throughout the country where you and other off-
road lovers can come together, drive, escape and share your experiences in the off-road
world.
4X4 package holidays are highly popular through Wales and the South of England where
you will explore the great British countryside with your 4X4 as well as being catered
for with luxurious accommodation and breathtaking scenery. Quite often, quad bikes
are readily available within the packages and are a very popular choice for people
wishing to test their skills out with something slightly different, or perhaps, a little more
exposed to the extreme side of life.
One very popular event which is marked upon the calendar of any motoring fan is the
Goodwood Festival of Speed that is to take place on the 28th of July right through to the
1st of July. For any 4X4 fanatic, the off-road driving area is a showcase made in heaven
for anyone interested in the monster wheels of the world; the breathtaking and metal
grinding demonstrations are sure to raise a few hairs on the back of your neck.
Of course, if you are not quite into 4X4 vehicles just yet, you can get your hands on a
second hand vehicle from a variety of commercial dealers around the country. Hunters
Land Rover for example, have a huge stock in new and used 4X4 vehicles so you can be
assured that there will be a off-road vehicle to suit your weekend needs.
The Conqueror Australia’s model UEV-490: descroibed as “Half caravan half camper” off road trailer. A very capable looking set up with coil springs and full of features. The trailer has a hard roof, sides and floor the UEV-490 gives you the ability to escape the elements almost instantly by simply opening the door. Built to handle the toughest conditions Australia can muster, the UEV-490 is built to last, but of course will come at a hefty price – but if you watch the video below you’ll see you at least get a wide-screen TV built in!
This is great movie, showing a couple of youngsters getting out in the bush with their Dad and trying out Swag camping for the first time. It makes quite a good job of explaining how a swag works – these OzTrail swags are a bit more sophisticated and complicated to set up than most true Australian swags, almost like a mini tent and they don’t quite have the ‘roll and go’ quality that I like with the simpler more traditional swags, but as the chap says in this video they are probably good for a youngsters first time out in a swag.
For more about swags and why they are a great piece of 4×4 (meaning Land rover of course) camping gear see our main post and another short video.
Based in the small village of Stanton Drew about 10 minutes just south of Bristol the Stanton Drew Garage has given me tremendous support maintaining variously my Defender 110 Hi-Cap, the family Discovery II, a 109 Truck cab, and most recently my 109 ex-military Series III FFR dual fuel. They have great knowledge of Land Rovers through and have always gone the extra mile to solve a problem and get things fixed in good time to get back on the road they have been a great team to work with and I would recommend them to anyone needing Land Rover work done.
They do regular chassis-up rebuilds and have a Defender re-build just started that I will be keeping a close eye on and hopefully featuring on this site as it develops.
But from me, for all your efforts the past few years, thanks Stanton Drew Garage!
