Foum Zguid during the fuel strike, Morocco April 2009

In April 2009 we ran an adventure that crossed from the Atlantic coast to Lac Iriki. Most of the time was spent travelling on the tracks or crossing the desert itself. Every three days or so, our group headed north, to refuel in one of the towns that string out across the northern edge of the Sahara.

Tata is such a town and as we approached its garage on the outskirts, we could see a queue of cars, trucks and buses alongside the pumps. There was no fuel at all; it appeared that the tanker drivers all over Morocco were on strike over conditions and pay. This left us with a problem as our cars needed fuel to continue on with the adventure. 

I had a chat with everyone and we distributed any spare fuel amongst them all, so that we could make the camp in the desert near, the village of Foum Zguid and there hopefully get some more fuel. Rachid is a good friend of mine who owns a cafe overlooking the square in the middle the village and knows everyone. I phoned him and he rushed around to collect as much fuel as he could, all petrol, so our Range Rovers would be able to make Mhamid and the hotel Kasbah Azalay. The only hitch was that there was no diesel for the other cars!!!

Said who was travelling with me made a phone call to his brother at the garage in Zagora which resulted in a Landrover 110 heading off into the desert to a GPS rendezvous two days later near the sacred oasis, where it would wait for me to arrive and collect the diesel to feed our diesel powered cars so that they could also get to The Kasbah Azalay as well.

Our first fuel “pick up” was in Foum Zguid and this picture was taken while we were refuelling the Range Rovers. The buses in the background have run out of fuel and are waiting for the strike to finish. Foum Zguid was also full of French and German off road cars stranded, their occupants sitting in the cafes watching us with interest. As we fuelled and left they gave us many a jealous glance, probably wondering how we had managed to purloin such a rare and precious commodity. 

Over 25 years of travelling through Morocco has led us to forge  many strong friendships, which  put you in good stead in such situations. 

Land Cruiser Club of Holland Welsh Weekend

May 18th to 21st 2012

Rain, Rain and more Rain was what was in store for us, in Wales this weekend. That was according to the esteemed weather men and their enormous computer weather reading systems. Well they were slightly right as it did rain, but only on the Friday night and after we had finished off roading. This left us with two days of dry, albeit cloudy weather for the rest of the weekend.

This popular weekend starts at the Victorian Hafod Hotel, nestled amongst the Oak and Pine forests that fill the valleys of the rivers Mynach and Rheidol.

Four Land Cruisers, belonging to Hans and Laura, Hans and Marjolijn, Koos and Leo and Rob and Isabella, arrived during the Friday afternoon. After the crews had checked in they sat in the lounge to enjoy a plate or two of Welsh Cheeses and some glasses of water. Neil arrived in time to partake in a morsel or to two whilst Louise being a vegan had to hungrily wait until dinner a few hours later.

Water, I here you ask, well the group knew that they would be off roading before dinner so did not want to jeopardise this with any influence of alcohol!!

The group were then introduced to the infamous “Poppy” the Impala English Springer Spaniel who made sure she had cuddles from everyone before settling down to listen to the briefing for the evenings off roading.

Neil had prepared a roadbook for the tracks around Nant-y-Moch (stream of the pig) that would see the group up to dinner. Leaving the cheese unfinished and water still in the glass the group headed off, road books in hand to Nant-y-Moch. The tracks here are fun as rock climbs and descents abound, that lead into rain filled puddles. The highlights on this route are a side slope that you can take to 45 degrees and a difficult technical turn out of a hollow which everyone completed with ease.

The only rain of the weekend started as we sat down for an excellent dinner after which a tired and satisfied group of Dutch men and women retired to bed.

Out here in the forests the alarm bells do not come from a watch or clock but from the Jackdaws and Song Thrushes. Breakfast was had and the briefing for the day finished by 0915 so the group set off to that gem of a track Strata Florida. The description in their roadbook read:

“This famous rock track runs across high moorland and through pine forest. There are a number of river crossings; some very deep so caution is required. Some of the rock climbs and descents can be challenging.”

Sums it up really; some way along the track is a Butty, a refuge for anyone caught out in inclement weather giving security and warmth. Neil and Louise of Impala met the group here and set up a fire so that Koos and Leo could cook up some sausages that they had bought for lunch. As Koos said “We are out in the forest so can be boy scouts and cook” As you can see from the picture both Koos and Leo enjoyed some al a fresco dining in the sunshine.

After the river crossings of Strata Florida we climbed up the rocky hill of Soya Myndd but not before a power steering pipe had split on Koo’s Toyota. When a car breaks out here miles away from a garage it is always a pleasure to see a group of men sort out the problem, which was solved with a few bits of hose and a sawn off handle of a jack.

By 1900 all of the group were back at The Hafod ready for the excellent evening meal and the “jury rig” on the power steering had held and would continue to hold for the rest of the weekend.

After the combined Jackdaw and Song Thrush alarm those who looked out of their bedroom windows could see that Sunday had dawned bright with the promise of sunshine and clear skies.

Before modern roads the only way to get from Devils Bridge to England was along an ancient mountain highway call Cliffordd Byway and this was the route for today. In patches this old road still exists, the road book takes the group from the high mountain parts onto the byways left on the lush agricultural lands below. One part of Cliffordd Byway is called the Old Hall Farm Track and the roadbook description gives an idea of its challenges:

“Old Hall Farm track runs across grassland and is soft in places with some deep holes filled with water if it has rained. Please be careful not to leave the track. If you get stuck you must be pulled from behind or winched in the track”

While the group of four were enjoying the challenges of the Cliffordd Byway and eating of a sumptuous lunch at The Red Lion in the village of Llanfihangel-Nant-Melan, Neil and Louise were checking to see if a track that has only recently been open to us would be suitable for the group to drive. The track was ready and consisted of stone with some rutted hill climbs and descents-excellent for us.

The delights of lunch diverted everyone’s mind from reading the map so they set off to finish the roadbook forgetting about returning to Penybont to meet the Impala Crew.

Lunch in the sunshine enjoying the views across The Radnor Forest and watching the now abundant Red Kites were magnificent and very calming. The time was pressing on and I had calculated that the group would arrive at the rendezvous point at around 1400. 1400 came and went, 1420 came and went so at 1430 I rang Marjolijn and Hans to see where the group had got to.

“How are you getting on” I said

“Very well, we are at WP96 Neil” was the reply “WP96! Where did you eat?” I asked

“We enjoyed an excellent meal at The Red Lion” Marjolijn said. This rang alarm bells as they should have not been anywhere near The Red Lion until after meeting us near Penybont!! “Stay where you are and I shall get to you in twenty minutes and bring you over to the track”

“Ok Neil we will wait for you here”. Louise, Poppy and I sped off to pick up the group. 

We met them all beside the last track of the day and with a lot of merriment they realised that the instructions of the map had been forgotten.

With our Discovery to the fore we lead the group to the Gilwern Hills to enjoy the newly opened track in bright sunshine before heading towards Shobdon and The Bateman Arms for the evening.

That evening over dinner we talked about the weekend and its fun, looking at the photographs that were taken by all before heading to bed for a well earned rest.

Weekends like this always instil a camaraderie that makes it a little sad to say good bye. There will be other weekends like this one, where old acquaintances can be renewed as they always are and Louise, Poppy and I always look forward to guiding a bunch of “Cloggies” around Wales and England.

Land Cruiser Club of Holland

For many years now, Neil at Impala has been guiding groups of members of the Land Cruiser Club of Holland in Wales and England, as well as supporting Eric Helleman (the clubs chairman and founder) on Desert Training Adventures to Morocco.

Future destinations include weekend events in The Lake District, Wiltshire and The Peaks.

The club has well over 600 members and its ethos is to encourage its members to use their Land Cruisers on expeditions all over the world. The Club has travelled as far a field as Mongolia as well as the depths of Strata Florida and The Gilwern Hills.

Web Site: http://www.landcruiser-club.nl

Steve and Kirstie Pitt - Impala Support

I got a phone call once from a prospective client, who wanted very much to go on one of Impala’s Moroccan Adventures into The Sahara. I talked enthusiastically to Steve about Morocco, emphasising the incredible beauty of the night’s sky full of stars from all horizons and stressed how Impala did not convoy but you were free to travel using a roadbook which allowed you to get really close to the culture and feel of Morocco.

“That is exactly what I want” he said, but there was a small problem concerning his wife’s view of such adventures. She was not at all convinced about going to the desert, especially the ‘camping out in it’ bit. “She is worried about the toilet facilities”

“Well, “I replied, “what I can do is come over and talk to both of you about the adventure. What do you think?” We arranged for me to travel to Paulton the next weekend and chat about the trip to Morocco.

The following Saturday I arrived, photographs and maps in hand outside Steve’s house and rang the bell. His wife soon appeared and invited me in, offering me a cup of tea as Steve was down at the yard and would join us shortly.

Some two or three hours later Kirstie was convinced and both she and Steve were booked onto a Moroccan Adventure. Over the years we have become close friends and Steve and Kirstie are now valued members of The Impala Support Team. I found out some years later, round a desert camp fire that there was no way that Kirstie was ever going to come to Morocco but when she saw that I had travelled at the ‘drop of a hat’ to convince her she decided that I must be alright!!

Tea In The Anti-Atlas

One of the advantages of not travelling around on adventures in big groups, is that you get close to the real culture of the country that you are visiting. You have time to sit and talk about their lives and yours. You don’t even have to be able to speak the native language as gestures and good humour are always rewarded with an unforgettable moment of human interaction as we are all from the same beginnings.

Many years ago while I was travelling along a dry river bed in the Anti-Atlas, near the village of Akka Irene I noticed off to my right a man sitting near a newly dug well. I 

always travel with my window open so that I can greet people openly and without the “barrier” of a closed car, which is very intimidating. We both waved and shouted “Bonjour” across the valley and I decided to turn off the track and drive up to where he was sitting to pass the time of day with him.

As I got closer I could see that not only was the well newly dug but some of the seemingly barren soil behind the well was freshly dug, and sitting proudly in amongst the fresh earth were a few rows of broad beans and wheat which had been hidden from the track as the garden was behind a rough mud wall.

I got out of my Range Rover and we shook hands warmly. He invited me to sit down in the shade of a date palm, where we spent a very pleasant hour or two talking in a mixture of French, English and Arabic about growing plants, our families and surprisingly world politics!! As you can see from the picture we also partook of the ubiquitous mint tea and a very succulent melon.

Each time I pass this garden I always stop and now some fifteen years after my first visit the garden has matured. To the side of the garden a mud house the same colour as the earth has been built where my friend now lives with his wife and two lovely daughters. We still enjoy a tea and a chat before I continue on my way, sweeping behind my clients who are enjoying the enormity and beauty of this part of the world.

Impala Range Rover on Chegega

This picture sits at the head of our home page on the Impala website and it occurred to me that it would be interesting for all of you to know - Why, Where and What are the clients doing, while I enjoy sitting on top of this 200m high dune.

First of all why? Well I love adventure mixed with some exciting challenges, so on our routes, wherever they may be, my eyes are always searching for some part of the beautiful awesome landscapes that we travel through for that extra something, a something that will enthral our clients when they enjoy an adventure with me and my support teams.

Then Where! In the south of Morocco between the villages of Mhamid El Gezlane and Foum Zguid and stretching away from the mountains called Jebel Bani is Lac Iriki. Lac Iriki is as you would deduce from its name, a lake. Well it was a lake a long time ago when North Africa was a lot wetter than it is now. In the middle of this old dry lake the ever present desert wind has very kindly blown a lot of eroded mountain into an area of dunes called Chegega. Here we find dune fields where some of the dunes are 200 meters high and I love it!!

And finally: What are the Impala clients doing while I enjoy sitting on top of this 200m high dune? They are all at the bottom “chafing at the bit” as they wait their turn to blast their off road chariots to the top of this dune. It is what we are about at Impala, giving our clients that extra challenge, that extra adrenalin rush as some of you reading this will have experienced!!

Land Rover Series 2a Crossing Ford near Tideswell

Many years ago all cars were very simple: an engine drove a gearbox which in turn moved a few gears in a differential or two, which resulted in the wheels that were in contact with the ground pulling the car forwards or backwards depending upon the whim of the driver. This was before the modern era of ABS, ABD, ETC and many other electronic “assistances” that help to seemingly make us all splendid drivers, especially off road.

I teach many drivers the skills needed to enjoy off road driving, both in Great Britain and abroad and I am often asked which of the many off road cars “is the best”: there is no answer really. This is because at the end of the day the most important “nut” is the one behind the steering wheel, even if the car is bristling with the most up to date electronics, locking differentials and a couple of thousand horses running about under the bonnet.

My answer often surprises many and a few raise their eyebrows at the thought of it. The old cars that were built simply and often sit on leaf springs (Land Rovers, Jeeps and Toyotas) require great skill to drive across challenging landscapes and in my mind this makes them the “best to drive”. In the right hands these underpowered machines, without many gears and definitely not a locking differential in sight, will go where a modern car with its assisted systems will do. If you can drive off road then old cars like these will confirm that you can or kick you in the teeth if you are found wanting.

This picture of my Old Faithful Land Rover Series 2a, which my brother Manley and I won two Warn Challenges in and enjoyed an adventure to Morocco, is one of my favourites. I remember getting my feet wet as the ford got deeper and the water poured in, but that was all part of the fun with these old cars.

Alex’s Diary Of An Adventure To Morocco

Last years adventure to Morocco in April included John and his daughter, Alex, travelling as navigators and crew in a Defender 90. Alex, 11, kept a diary of her day-to-day trip, experience and photos and it provides a wonderful view of the trip from a younger perspective.

Alex has kindly let us reproduce her diary on our Impala Adventures web site

Auberge Iriki on lac Iriki, Sahara Desert, Morocco

Zoe & Ben Metcalfe joined Neil in Morocco in 2008 for some Dakar training in their Desert Warrior prior to participating in the 2009 Dakar in Argentina and Chile. They wrote up the experience and their article appeared in Land Rover Monthly in June and July 2008 and have been kind enough to let us reproduce the article on our testimonials page and directly Part 1 & Part 2.

Impala Support Range Rover in the Lakes