Vision Motorsport present a muddy day of off-road fun

Living in such a rural county, I’m sure we’re all used to seeing the likes of the so-called Chipping Norton Set in their flat caps and tweed jackets, tearing around the Cotswolds in fleets of 4x4s like a photoshoot for Country Life.

But, how many of them do you think actually use their Chelsea Tractor to its full working potential? My guess is most are merely an expensive taxi to drop Tarquin and Porsche off at the Montessori nursery.

Apparently, around 75 per-cent of all Land Rovers ever made (since 1948) are still road worthy – surely making the prestigious British marque the ultimate utility vehicle. So, I ventured to the heart of green welly brigade territory for a crash (err, I mean…taster) course in how to get the most from our four-wheeled friends – both on and off the roads.

Spread across 75 acres of former WW2 airfield on the Great Tew Estate, Vision Motorsport’s fantastic family-run facility offers a series of challenging all-terrain courses that’ll push your off-roading techniques to the limit. Heading deep into the woods, the legendary Discovery will (more or less) take whatever’s thrown at it and you’ll be amazed at what a two-ton vehicle can achieve while axle deep in some serious sludge.

As a special treat for my bravery in the woods, I was treated to a passenger lap in another of the team’s enviable fleet of performance vehicles. But, this was no ordinary chauffeur ride – my driver was former Network Q Rally competitor Mike Brown in a 120mph race-ready Ford Puma.

After seeing first-hand how it’s all done by the professionals on 1.6km of gravel and asphalt – with plenty of surface water to keep you on your toes – it was then (you’ve guessed it) my turn. As I was strapped tightly in, I could feel the adrenalin kicking in before I dipped the clutch, shifted into first and progressively fed in the power to learn how to go “just a little bit sideways” – all with one-to-one tuition from Mike beside me.

Even with the wipers fully on, visibility was limited – as the car got a new paint job in mud. But, seat-of-your-pants driving is all about confidence – especially on the corners. So, as instructed, I gave it some welly, ripped the handbrake through the roof with my left hand and let the car drift around the final hairpin before planting my right foot firmly back on the throttle to complete the lap – putting a huge smile from ear-to-ear on my face and probably a few more grey hairs on my head too.

A half-day mixed taster session like this is the ideal way to banish the January blues and have some serious fun in a safe and controlled environment while also picking-up some advanced vehicle control techniques through your (inevitable) mistakes. I’ll certainly be taking aspects of both experiences away with me and aim to use them to hopefully become a better driver on Oxfordshire’s roads – especially during the difficult conditions of the winter months ahead.

Martin Lush, Matt Fell, Alex Dew, Simon Clark, George Haynes, Mandy Pullen and Mike Brown

* Beginning from an award-winning rally team over a decade ago, Vision Motorsport’s action-packed driving days are second to none – with an unrivalled car/driver ratio anywhere in the country. A package like mine lasts approximately four hours in total and drivers are welcome to bring along family and friends to share the experience.

If you too fancy channeling your inner Sebastien Loeb, mid-week offers are available from £129.

The team also offers the ultimate boy’s day out with the chance to get behind the wheel of some of the world’s top supercars – including the jaw-dropping Lamborghini Gallardo.

Visit rally-driving-days.co.uk for all details

• Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.