You'll driving a 4x 4 in County Durham around a purpose-built area for this off roading experience! A 4x 4 vehicle like a Land Rover loves tricky terrain deep in the Teesdale countryside. That's why this 4x 4 session near Barnard Castle gives you the chance to drive the almighty Defender in one of its most natural habitats. The off road course has been constructed at Deepdale (what a great name!)
- a large working farm in Teesdale. Around these parts off-roaders are very much working vehicles & play a crucial role in the rural lifestyle. Just look at where you are
- surrounded on all sides by splendid countryside with the Yorkshire Dales the Lake District & the North Pennines. Quite possibly the best playground for 4x 4ing you could wish for. Just three miles from Barnard Castle (both the castle & the town of the same name) this 4x 4 off roading centre in County Durham is easily accessible from the A66 which runs between the M6 & the A1 (M). Turn off the main road & you're in the Teasdale countryside proper & you'll need a decent 4x 4 to get about. Which is exactly what you've got waiting for you! The team here has been offering 4x 4 sessions at Barnard Castle since 1999. Whether it's to brush up on technique you own a 4x 4 & want to drive it properly or just fancy having a go at tackling off-road terrain for fun this lot has got it covered. Experiences are offered on a one-to-one basis. & there's no needless waffle or lengthy instructor demos going on here. After you've been shown the vehicle's controls it's you behind the wheel from the word go. This lot believes the best way to teach off road skills is to get out there & get on with it which is exactly what you'll be doing. It's challenging terrain you'll be tackling but the feeling of satisfaction & elation you feel when you take a look back at where you've just driven is undeniable. Quite rightly you'll be congratulating yourself by the end of the session
- & thanking your fantastic instructor & that sturdy reliable Landy too of course. You can even invite someone to share it with either as a second driver or to ride as a passenger
- a great little extra when you go 4x 4ing in County Durham.



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Private 4x 4 session in Nottinghamshire where you can invite friends & family to ride or drive with you in the Land Rover. ...

From the glamour of the swinging 60s to the head-turning looks of the extravagant 90s this on road sports car experience has a full fleet of cars from across the decades just waiting for you to drive. To get the best out of some of the older classic sports cars there's nothing better than an on-road experience. A lot less brutal than a track day we think handling these cars in 'real life' situations is so much more satisfying & authentic in some way. Maybe there's something about cruising the country lanes & weaving through the town centres that feels like you are proudly showing off your finest vehicles for all to see! And when it comes to car nostalgia this experience has it in bucket loads. You will be going on the roads around the Home Counties in six different sports cars all of which boast very different qualities & characters. Our highlight has to be the Jaguar E-Type roadster. For purists this model has been deemed the superlative Jag. It's the straight six 4.2l double overhead cam with those classic E-type lines & multi-spoked wheels. Simply gorgeous. Then there's the delicious mix of modern & classic with the Morgan +8. Morgan began making cars in 1910 & remains a family company today. The +8 design dates back to 1968 but when you look at this iconic car it is totally timeless. That long long bonnet & the stunning curves over the front & rear wheel arches are just so Morgan. & as the car continues its long heritage of V8 engines this sports car is as agile & fun on the roads today as it ever was. An experience not to be missed. Other cars joining you on this very convivial road trip experience may include the very pretty Aston Martin Vanquish the TVR Tuscan (now there's a sports car you don't see on the roads every day!) the Lotus Elise Sport & last bit not least a little Italian flavour with the Ferrari 355 GTS. This is the 'targa' style version & it's one of only 2577 ever made. We think this car epitomises all that was bold & brash about the 90s being in production between 1994 & 1999. After meeting in a north London hotel your full day on road sports car experience will see you & your fellow motoring fans setting off for an on road trip that covers over 150miles in one day in these superb sports cars. The plan for the trip is a treasure hunt searching for clues as you go & swapping drivers too. That means everyone gets the chance to drive each of the six sports cars available on the pre-planned road route. ...

Swirl that glass & sniff those delicate aromas like a pro when you learn about the greatness of grapes on a one day wine course! Most of us have to admit when you're in a posh restaurant & the sommelier pours a drop of your chosen wine to taste test you kind of make it up as you go along & you just nod appreciatively. Well after your day out on a wine course you will know just what to do next time. These full day wine tasting courses take place at  London & Berkshire in suitably relaxing & inviting venues in which to taste & learn about wine. The team running the courses is enthusiastic & knowledgeable aiming to offer informal events that are a far cry from the rather stuffy classes you can come across. After all wine education classes are meant to inform you but in fun way. All tutors & hosts on these one day wine courses are WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) qualified & experienced wine presenters. These wine experts are adept at finding vintages from eve... ...

Overnight spa break for two to the Crowne Plaza hotel near Reading with dinner & breakfast included. ...

Prepare for proper open cockpit flying when you take off on a Stearman flight! The Stearman biplane has a long history as a military trainer aircraft & even today it's still an absolute delight to fly in a Stearman. We are offering rides ranging from 20 minutes through to a whole hour taking off from this delightful private airfield on the Dorset/ Wiltshire border. This particular Stearman was born in the US of A in 1940. Working as a military trainer for the US Air Force & later the US Navy she certainly served her time helping young pilots gain their wings. Boeing N2S-5 Kaydet (E75) to give the Stearman it's full American name became G-AZLE in late 1971 & since then has enjoyed flying in the skies over the UK. Despite her civilian life G-AZLE with military serial number 75-8543 is still resplendent in her US Navy training colours. That canary yellow & sky blue combination she sports is definitely striking so there's no missing this Stearman in flight that's for sure! All Stearman biplane rides start on the ground in the vintage-styled briefing room. You'll get kitted out in a genuine flight suit chat about safety procedures & what to expect on your flight & also chat a little about flight path planning. On the shorter flight durations you'll be flying the local area but on the longer ones you can explore further afield to the Jurassic Coast & even the Isle of Wight
- with superb open cockpit views guaranteed. A nice touch at Compton Abbas set this Stearman flight experience apart from others. Friends & family are invited to join the briefing & they can then observe from the terrace as you climb into the cockpit of the plane. & of course they can all wave enthusiastically as you take off too.
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' Autobots… Roll out!' the Optimus Prime truck driving experience is now here! This Transformers truck driving extravaganza takes place at a race track near you & gives you the chance to pilot a behemoth of an American truck that has an uncanny resemblance to Optimus Prime when he's in vehicle mode. Optimus Prime is the enigmatic & inspirational leader of the Autobots. He's a brilliant tactician & a shrewd decision-maker as well as possessing superb leadership qualifies & displaying incredible martial arts skills. Not bad for a giant-sized truck with a fancy paint job! Throughout the live action Transformers films he's been portrayed by several different rigs. Apart from the first generation Optimus Prime who was a short-nose Wentworth he has always been an impressive long-nose truck. In Transformers Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen & Dark of the Moon he was a Peterbilt 379. The Optimus Prime-a-like you'll be driving is indeed a celebrated Peterbilt 379 complete with gleaming chrome everywhere on the cab that distinctive aggressive grille & the obligatory long nose bonnet. & of course he's dressed for serious Decepticon-fighting Autobot business with that wonderful flame-inspired metallic livery just like in the live-action Transformer films you know & love. Inside the high-rise cab it's all pretty spacious. In America the 3 series from Texas-based Peterbilt is still very much the truck of choice for owner-operator hauliers & some of the interiors are seriously impressive. Rather than transforming into an Autobot many are decked out to be comfortable living spaces complete with integrated TVs microwaves & fold down tables. All very civilised if you're away for days at a time driving on the ice trucking routes of the Northwest Territories in that 18 Wheels of Steel Extreme Trucker style. Our Optimus Prime truck driving sessions give you the chance to take a 600bhp 18-gear (!) Peterbilt 379 for a spin around your choice of circuit from several around the UK. With a typical Transformers-style war cry of ' Charge!' it's time for you to lead the next Autobot offensive at the wheel of this American beauty. ...

Visit Anish Kapoor's Orbit sculpture tower at London's Olympic Park
- & slide back down if you dare! ...

Discover wines as you've never known them before when you go wine tasting in East Sussex at an organic vineyard. Sedlescombe produces English wines with a passion & their innovative use of biodynamics lends a new flavour to the art of winemaking
- made all the more tasty as the tours are combined with some lovely food too! Set in the heart of 1066 country with far-reaching views towards Battle the vines grow surrounded by ancient bluebell woods which you'll explore as part of your wine tasting adventure. The East Sussex vineyard is the longest-established organic vineyard in the country. On these guided tours you'll discover all there is to know about traditional wine production & the more modern biodynamic techniques. After a woodland stroll around this East Sussex vineyard to see the vines it's time to head to the winery. Here an expert host will tell you all about how the grapes are pressed & fermented as well as seeing the blending processes & bottling machinery. Next it's time for the juicy part: your tutored wine tasting lesson. At the appropriately named Bar-in-the-Barn you'll have the opportunity to taste some of the award-winning wines produced by the East Sussex team. Just like a real wine tasting connoisseur you'll be given a tasting sheet to note down your thoughts & impressions upon sampling each delectable wine choice. The wine-themed fun doesn't end there. You'll head to the restaurant for a nice sit down & some food where there's a ploughman's lunch using deliciously fresh locally-sourced ingredients served with a glass of house wine. A day of food & wine tasting in East Sussex is a fantastic opportunity for any wine lover to discover the entire grape-to-glass process sample the end product & taste some really lovely food too. It's a delight to see how much effort goes into creating these wonderful biodynamic bottles of joy.
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Take several acres of woodland a compass a map & a pencil & you've got everything you need to go orienteering in Yorkshire! Well nearly everything. You'll also need some sturdy boots outdoor clothing & a bit of lateral thinking to succeed. Orienteering is an adventure sport to exercise the mind & the body. It actually started in the early 20th century in Scandinavia where it is still very much a popular pastime today be it as a leisure activity or a hardcore sporting competition & there's even an international federation that governs the sport. With miles & miles of varied countryside to explore at either a woodland estate near Leeds or the grounds of a castle near Harrogate will certainly whet you appetite for learning all about navigational pursuit. These introductory courses are principally aimed at beginners with instructors on hand to show you the basics but there are three different routes plotted so you can go easy medium or hard depending on how much of a challenge you're up for. In essence it's a race around the natural terrain on foot to see which team navigates its way through all the check points to the finish line first. & we have to say it's very much back to basics with the map & compass so there's no Google maps or Tom Tom to help you out that's for sure you'll have to learn to use your brain to be an orienteer! As for the best method to adopt there are several theories including those who make a dash for it from the start literally running around the course which means learning the art of reading the orienteering map whilst tackling tricky terrain at a pace. Then there are those who take a bit of time to work out the shortest route possible between each check point before setting off. In essence an orienteering race can be a bit like the hare & the tortoise. And in case you were wondering these are not just standard maps you'll be issued with when you tackle orienteering around either this Leeds or Harrogate. They are proper orienteers' maps that have been specially produced for beginners to intermediate navigators in partnership with Eborienteers a local Yorkshire orienteering club. So the gauntlet has most definitely been laid down here let's see if your team can bring in the win! ...