LR4x4 Live

[Anderzander]

What about a Forum Camping Weekend?

We should have an annual get together - or at least try one before we deem it a failure!

Where we could actually meet each other, talk about Land Rovers ‘in person’, lie under each other’s trucks, see the trucks we’ve seen pictures of, drive some lanes, light some fires, and that kind of thing … 

Who’d be up for that ? 
 

 

[miketomcat]

I'd love to, however time and cost are likely to kill it for me. But if I can I will.

Mike

[elbekko]

Everyone can come to the SLRC event at Walter's Arena in September

[Anderzander]

31 minutes ago, elbekko said:

Everyone can come to the SLRC event at Walter's Arena in September

I was thinking somewhere more in the middle of the country - and rather our own event than piggy back someone else’s… 

[Nonimouse]

We've found that the 'middle' means Stratford upon Avon, but after the AO show degenerated into a truck and camper fest, we moved to Nash Oakland.  I spoke to the owners about a large gathering there, and they said they could get some toilets in for the cost. They have room for 100 plus tents/vehicles in some of their fields. 

Problem is, it's not the centre

[Bowie69]

For a small-ish gathering, middle of the country, for the size fo the place, quite a good off-road course and minimal sanitation, there is this place: 

Wagtail 4x4 Off Road Centre

Stayed there a couple of times, maybe a decade ago, owner is great, runs/used to run training on his land as well as farm. Seems like it is a daily P&P now.

[miketomcat]

1 hour ago, Anderzander said:

I was thinking somewhere more in the middle of the country - and rather our own event than piggy back someone else’s… 

The beauty of the slrc event is it's already organised, the site is massive, camping is in a local ish campsite with full facilities and a fair few of us are already going, by the sound of it including some foreigners.

Yes I am biased.

Mike

[Anderzander]

Middle of the country is probably the midlands.

Derbyshire for example is about the same journey time from Southampton as it is from the borders. 
 

Personally speaking - I would rather have a meeting centred around the forum community than piggy back something else.

I’m sure the Student Club events are ace - but I personally have almost zero interest in a pay and play - lots of interest in meeting you lot.

 

I’m happy to defer though.

[elbekko]

41 minutes ago, miketomcat said:

The beauty of the slrc event is it's already organised, the site is massive, camping is in a local ish campsite with full facilities and a fair few of us are already going, by the sound of it including some foreigners.

Yes I am biased.

Mike

That's exactly why I suggested it.

[Nonimouse]

Other option would be to split the country into regions and hold an event in each region. Say two a year

[Nonimouse]

The Beardy Overlanders, which is , to be honest, mostly the Old Guard from ORRP, have this issue everytime we meet up. We have members from the tip of Portland, up to Newcastle, from Maidstone to The Valleys...and Saudi. We meet up twice a year and always argue about where. As of 2023, we are going to try the regional thing...  Obviously the South West is the Best, but needs must when the Devil wee's in your teapot

[Anderzander]

I don’t know how we are split in terms of numbers - but we are definitely spread north to south.

I imagine there is a situation where people already go to events together - which is great - but isn’t the same as getting people together who don’t already do that. 

[geoffbeaumont]

I wonder what our geographical spread is? Ideally weighted by density* - we've definitely got members in most areas of the UK, but definitely more in some parts than others. It probably roughly follows population density, so I wonder if someone else has worked out the practical centre of the UK by travel time weighted for population density? From here in Lancashire it's roughly the same driving time to Aberdeen or Devon (neither of which are at the extremes) - I'd guess the centre without taking account of density (and including NI) would probably be somewhere like the Lake District or maybe North Yorks - but density will move it South a fair way.

 

* I meant number of members in each area, not IQ. Shut up at the back 

[Bowie69]

1 hour ago, geoffbeaumont said:

I wonder what our geographical spread is? Ideally weighted by density* - we've definitely got members in most areas of the UK, but definitely more in some parts than others. It probably roughly follows population density, so I wonder if someone else has worked out the practical centre of the UK by travel time weighted for population density? From here in Lancashire it's roughly the same driving time to Aberdeen or Devon (neither of which are at the extremes) - I'd guess the centre without taking account of density (and including NI) would probably be somewhere like the Lake District or maybe North Yorks - but density will move it South a fair way.

 

* I meant number of members in each area, not IQ. Shut up at the back 

Gosh, you can tell the guy that works with computers/data on a daily basis  

 

Not knocking it -I'm hardly one to talk 😛 

[FridgeFreezer]

5 hours ago, elbekko said:

Everyone can come to the SLRC event at Walter's Arena in September

We'd happily host that although it was tried before and there wasn't much interest

[Snagger]

1 hour ago, geoffbeaumont said:

I wonder what our geographical spread is? Ideally weighted by density* - we've definitely got members in most areas of the UK, but definitely more in some parts than others. It probably roughly follows population density, so I wonder if someone else has worked out the practical centre of the UK by travel time weighted for population density? From here in Lancashire it's roughly the same driving time to Aberdeen or Devon (neither of which are at the extremes) - I'd guess the centre without taking account of density (and including NI) would probably be somewhere like the Lake District or maybe North Yorks - but density will move it South a fair way.

 

* I meant number of members in each area, not IQ. Shut up at the back 

Most magazine sponsored shows are around Peterborough, but that is largely because the LRO main office (and that of their owner and events and PR managers) are there, not much to do with geographic centring.  At least it’s close to a main arterial route (A1).  Northampton has the proximity of the M1 and is perhaps a little more centred on visitor geographies.  I though the show at Nottingham was pretty good and not too far for most in the south east, but is probably a fair bit worse than Northampton for those in the south west.

Birmingham, or Solihull, strike me as being pretty central and not far from the M1 and M6 and has an airport well used by the low cost airlines for those coming from the continent for shorter visits.

[FridgeFreezer]

What about the field & car-park at Gaydon? Seem to recall that makes for a nice little venue.

[Nonimouse]

32 minutes ago, FridgeFreezer said:

What about the field & car-park at Gaydon? Seem to recall that makes for a nice little venue.

Cracking site, interesting museum and not far from Coventry Air Museum, which is truly awesome

[Snagger]

18 hours ago, FridgeFreezer said:

What about the field & car-park at Gaydon? Seem to recall that makes for a nice little venue.

I went to one event there.  There were very few stands despite a lot of visitors, so that was a let down, but that was a matter of organisation and marketing.  The site was good.

[Anderzander]

How would that work then ? 

I assume we would need to register ourselves with them to rent and get access to the camping ? 

How would that compare with just picking a campsite that wouldn’t freak out with a ton of Land Rovers turning up? 
 

I’ve no idea what the costs would look like - but I guess it would mean we’d need a threshold of people who would be 100% confirmed ?

[FridgeFreezer]

Never know till you ask them - if they have run a camping field before it might be as simple as booking it & turning up.

Failing that, yes a good campsite with a rally field would be an option.

[muddy]

Ivy bank campsite in North Yorkshire is 4x4 friendly and has lots of lanes within driving distance for the day as im sure do sites in Wales and Derbyshire, perhaps choose an activity and then tailor the location to that?

 

In my experience its a bit of a none starter trying to organise an event however a group of us are going camping/laning/pay and playing come along if you want may well have more interest.

 

Will.

[Nonimouse]

I've spoken to the Commanding Officer, asking for permission to go to the Seven Sisters bash...  Things are looking hopeful

[Peaklander]

On 6/21/2022 at 10:22 AM, Anderzander said:

Derbyshire for example is about the same journey time from Southampton as it is from the borders. 
 

Personally speaking - I would rather have a meeting centred around the forum community than piggy back something else.

I’m sure the Student Club events are ace - but I personally have almost zero interest in a pay and play - lots of interest in meeting you lot.

I think it's a great idea and Derbyshire suits me 😀 and I would try my best to come along for those same reasons.

[miketomcat]

Whatever happens we need username labels because I haven't got a clue what most of you look like and I can't remember names for toffee.  

Mike