Writers’ Rovers
Patrick heads to Eastnor Castle for a day of classic driving
Dodgy hoses, new purchases and engine conversions... it has all been going on this month
If everyone on the planet was only allowed to own one vehicle then I would have a Defender of course. My current one is nearly 20 years old and each month it costs me a few pennies (should read pounds) to keep it on the road. So if truth be told I could probably afford another Land Rover without having to consult with my bank manager. Maybe a less than £1000 Freelander, Discovery 1 or Series Land Rover? Where am I going with all of this waffle? Well, we live on a lovely island where space and/or property are extremely expensive and not everyone has the space or budget for a classic car collection. So, if you feel the need for a classic driving fix, Jaguar Land Rover recently re-launched their Classic Drive Experience at Eastnor Castle, that special place with mile upon and mile of muddy tracks in the picture perfect Herefordshire countryside. The estate has been a Land Rover proving ground for several decades now and is also home to a Land Rover Experience Centre.
What does the Jaguar Land Rover Classic Drives Experience entail, then? First you have to book and pay £475 (an extra £95 for a passenger) for the privilege of spending a full day driving a selection of classic Land Rovers and Jaguars. Obviously the latter are only driven on the surrounding public tar
roads while the Land Rovers are driven on the estate’s off-road tracks. The fee also includes a scrumptious lunch served in the recently enlarged LRE building. I know what you are thinking. One can probably buy a just-about-roadworthy Freelander for £475. It is expensive but where else can you drive perfectly preserved JLR classics that are easily worth hundreds of thousands of pounds?
An instructor accompanied me on each of my drives as I made my way through the Land Rover fleet. First up was a Series III 109 station wagon. How did I know it was a 109? When I had to make a three-point turn to get around a rather tight turn during the forest drive. Next up was a V8 Range Rover Classic. They are great to drive. Not only because you don’t have to pay the fuel bill but because of the feeling of invincibility that only a V8 can give you. It just powered through the muddy puddles and flattened the inclines. Last, but certainly not least, was a 1951 Series I, the granddad of the collection on offer. Unlike the V8 it just tootled along the tracks without a care in the world. While it may take a bit more talent to drive than some of the new Land Rover products, it was certainly just as capable. I have been to Eastnor many a time for press events, but the chance to drive the classics was definitely one of my favourites. I am sure any Land Rover heritage fan will certainly agree.
After lunch it was the turn of the Jaguars. As a 4x4 and Land Rover journalist, I was certainly a little out of my depth. There were a couple of E-types to chose from (1965 Mark 2 3.8, 1960 XK150 3.8S and a 1966 Coombs 4.2). The latter was by far my favourite and probably the easiest to drive for someone with zero classic Jag skills. At the end of the day it is a very expensive car with brakes, clutch and an accelerator, just like my own straight-six Defender. So all I did was give it beans and enjoy the pleasure of the ride. If Classic Land Rovers and Jaguars are your thing then I would certainly start saving, because it does not get better than the Classic Drive Experience at Eastnor Castle. Book now on eastnor. landroverexperience.co.uk.