The lads took the Yeti and went for a little cross country over the Sussex Downs farm tracks.

Good think we had the vehicle Teflon coated - guess we will be able to fry eggs on the roof in summer.

Is the "off road button" a good thing to use if we get heavy snow? Advice appreciated we just have all round 17" tyres.

Honest guv - we did not hit the blue car behind us!!!

Good looking Yeti - would be my choice

I would say yes to the Off Road setting for snow and ice as it retards the throttle and sets up the ABS, TC and eDiffs to react appropriately on slippery surfaces. Also you would have the hill decent mode activated for those downhill bits.

Just take it easy and remember that the laws of physics still apply - if there is no friction there is not traction All the usual rules for driving in the snow still apply, you will just have more chance of continuing with the limited grip.

The throttle retardation alone will make life far easier and more controlled.

I imagine its very similar to the Grass Gravel Snow settings on my Discovery 3, but you won't have so much weight to worry about which makes life fun when momentum kicks in.

Edited 10 February, 201016 yr by simonharper

The Off Road button is a "must" for snow. It makes the most of what grip you have and is more sensitive to wheel spin or loss of traction. It will not replace winter tyres and, maybe next year, I will buy a set.

Unfortunately for me, the mud bath is a daily occurence and gentle use of my jet wash is my only answer. I have mudflaps fitted and it makes little diffrence.

Thanks for these helpful answers - the manual is a bit ambiguous on this!!!!

Must get the jet washer going and check the rules (and insurance) for driving along farm tracks

When you say farm tracks. Do you mean driving on private roads/tracks with permissions or on Public with vehicular rights of ways legally known as a BOAT Byway Open to All Traffic, popularly known as Green Lanes? A BOAT is really just an unsurfaced road and has the same legal status, normal insurance will or should cover it. Private roads with permission might be most likely not and defiantly not with out permission, the latter a legal offence also.

When you say farm tracks. Do you mean driving on private roads/tracks with permissions or on Public with vehicular rights of ways legally known as a BOAT Byway Open to All Traffic, popularly known as Green Lanes? A BOAT is really just an unsurfaced road and has the same legal status, normal insurance will or should cover it. Private roads with permission might be most likely not and defiantly not with out permission, the latter a legal offence also.

Thanks Anthony I stayed on the network of unsurfaced roads that seemed to be linking farm houses and farm buildings to a very isolated communal development at the end of a surfaced, clearly public, road area. There were no gates defining an end to the public road so I wonder if you could reasonably assume , unitl your reached a gate, that you were on a BOAT

Unless you know that you have a legal right ie is an Unclassified County Road or a BOAT to be on these tracks you are at risk from prosecution. It is not safe to assume anything. If the "tracks" lead to farm buildings they may be private. If you want to drive on unsurfaced Public rights of way their are a few ways of finding out. Most areas have off road clubs which also have rights of way officers who may be able to advise. Joining one of these clubs is perhaps the best and easiest ways of getting off road on private land and or even appropriate public rights of way. Each County Council has a Definitive Map at a very high scale that records these BOATS as well as all sorts of other rights of way. They also have a legal statement or description of the BOAT. Some BOAT have been closed by enforcement notices both Temporary and longer term subject to Public Notice. Everyone has legal right to see the Definitive map but you need to know what your looking at, some CC RWD are more helpful than others. OS maps sometimes have BOAT marked on them but they have no way of showing what the present legal status is and just following them blindly can lead one into trouble. That is why I say approach the Local 4x4 club they will know most of the legal local issues and most likely those out of area also. They often take novice off road drivers under their wing will give driving advice as well as showing or taking you out on off road excursions. They will also advise on tyres and suitable equipment and will help if your in trouble.

I have been off-roading for well over a quarter of a century or more and things have changed significantly since then. Driving on Vehicle Legal Unsurfaced Public Rights of Way has become a very contentious issue, die mainly to the sheer numbers of people driving "off road" now, many people disobey the country code and Law and just fool around damaging tracks and making very much a nuisance of them selves. This has caused a huge backlash for other rights of way users and County Councils, Politicians alike. Many would like to see the end of vehicular access full stop.

It can be a very enjoyable past time if done properly and being in the right place but get it wrong and their may be no end of people just waiting to have ah go and report the wrongdoer or inappropriate user to the authorities. In some areas the police actually patrol areas in unmarked off road vehicles ready to catch the illegal user. Sometimes this results in little more than a ticking off but some times a prosecution may follow. The police have also been known to section vehicles. Ultimately this can result in a vehicle being crushed! Be warned! Besides illegal use just give additional leverage to those just wanting t close things down for the rest of us.

Join a local Off Road or 4x4 club for new people to driving unsurfaced roads that is the easiest and most probably the best way of going about it.

Can I just back up what Anthony has said.

I own a Land rover Series 3 and occasionally go 'green laning'. Many unsurfaced vehicular rights of way have been lost in recent years and if some organisations, such as the Ramblers Association had their way we'd lose all rights to drive unsurfaced roads.

Please, please, please don't drive on tracks unless you know they are DEFINATLEY legal to drive.

If you look there is lots of information on the web about driving BOATS but the best advice if you want to do it is to join a club.

One other point is that it is generally considered wise to always go with other people in case you get stuck, but not huge groups as that can caause too much of a nuisance.

Unsurfaced tracks leading to a farm are most likely to be private drives. One other point is that BOATs can have gates on them so the lack of a gate doesn't prove anything.

Edited 10 February, 201016 yr by BillScarab

Number 3 who will give you the same advice....if you can't prove it is a legal VEHICULAR Right of Way, DO NOT DRIVE ON IT!! The Police can legally take your car away from you if they catch you and feel so inclined.

Perhaps with all these new 4x4 owners there needs to be a Rights of Way Officer??

That is the thing really. If someone bought a Freelander, they would most probably join a general Landrover Forum and they would read about all the rights and wrongs but on forum where no previous off road ties exist, when their is no history and nor rule book for people to lean on. One way or another, by design or default, someone sooner or latter, is going to get into some trouble, either with the Law or by doing themselves or their vehicle a mischief!

The Yeti because of its superb electronic chassis management, will lull people into exploring just a bit further than might be prudent. They may go beyond what their own natural ability or experience would normally allow. The very least that may happen is getting bogged down, stuck in some ruts hundreds of yards from the road. They may equally have problem miles from anywhere and getting stuck might just be the least of their misfortune. They could cause themselves or their vehicle some serious harm. The list of possibilities is endless from straying into a ditch and then turning turtle, running on into someone that sort of thing. Even trying to recover a stuck vehicle is a task loaded with potential risk when attempted off road.

Join a Club, learn from other more experience folk.

Edited 10 February, 201016 yr by Anthony 1

Thanks for putting my brain into gear!!!!!

Joining a local 4WD Club seems an excellent suggestion and I do not feel so downhearted now after seeing the demonstration of the capabilities of Yeti on our video links.

I thought it would be worthwhile making a search on where I had been and found this very interesting link concerning an application from the Trail Riders Fellowship to confirm that Bridleway 2578 in West Sussex is a BOAT. The considerations of the County Council in arriving at their decision to approve the application are well worth reading.

http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/ds/cttee/row/row230209i10b2.pdf

I will edit if I can find links to the map missing from the internet version of the decision and of course try to find out more for the Truleigh Hill area and whether Bridleway 2578 links to it.

Whilst no substitute for joining a Club I am just testing what one can find out from searches for BOATS in your local area.

UPDATE 1

Maybe I had better join a mountain bike Club - here is a start from them on the route I followed:-

Mill Hill Route

An old country road runs from Mill Hill over the downs towards Truleigh Hill Youth Hostel (216 metres above sea level). This road is not marked by signs, but look for Erringham Road leading to Mill Hill Road. At the Beeding Hill crossroads (115 metres above sea level) about three miles north of Mill Hill the route west is an unadopted road ¥ (* a recent visit, 1998, indicates that this stretch downhill is only cyclable with mountain bikes) that leads to a place called Castletown on the main road from Upper Beeding (east at the Rising Sun junction) to Wood's Mill (Sussex Wildlife Trust) and Henfield. The path north at the crossroads is difficult to cycle and may be too muddy to ride. It ends at the Beeding-Henfield road further north. More routes from there, but a mountain bike is necessary. Red Route on Map

Unfortunately the links for the maps do not appear to be working for me http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Shorehm5.htm#¥

UPDATE 2

Excellent link describing The South Down Way and the different categories of user

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns/uploads/SDW_Event_Guidelines.pdf

Edited 11 February, 201016 yr by Y4YETI

Excellent link and information from The Trail Riders Fellowship

Edited 11 February, 201016 yr by Y4YETI

Have now joined The Four Wheel Drive Club

We still wonder if some kind of sponsorship from Skoda would be appropriate towards education and training of people who might be encouraged to take their 4WD off road and for a scheme of community help as discussed elsewhere on these forums. This as part of a Skoda advertising campaign for the Yeti.

The expertise and knowledge of those knowing the limitations of the Yeti would enable us to offer a tier of help above that of stuck hatchbacks but maybe not as sure footed in really bad terrain as larger multi-axle vehicles.

One very picky point. If you're driving on BOATs don't call it 'off roading' as they're still roads, just ones with an unsealed surface. Some people get very annoyed at 'green laning' being called 'off roading!

Off roading is generally used to describe things like 4x4 playdays or off-road competition.

If you're interested in trying your Yeti in more challenging terrain have a look for any 4x4 playdays near you. They generally have a variety of terrain and let you exlore the capabilities of your vehicle in a leagal and controlled environment. Obviously in a Yeti you're not going to tackle the same sort of terrain as someone in a highly modified Rover but it would be fun none the less.

I've mentioned these people in a previous thread, but all those who want to experience what a Yeti can do "off tarmac" might consider joining their local 4x4 Response Group. (http://www.4x4response.info/)

Nearly all the Groups run regular "off tarmac" training days and are generally full of well informed people who know how to do things. They also often have a social side, that certainly in Wales involves green laning expeditions. Plus there is nearly always someone who is the local RoW expert, with plenty of marked maps, which they may be willing to share, once you are a member.

I can certainly provide some references to suitable "lanes" near me. If I can do them in a Freelander then a Yeti is equally as capable, plus i have a fairly large library of maps of other areas, so if anyone wants to send me map references, in the form of :

2 letters for the 100km square

6 figure reference

nearest village/hamlet/ named feature

then I can try to look for you.

It may not be a quick response as I work shifts.

I'm sure Anthony and Bill also have details for their areas.

Graham

I've certainly got details for my area. Aboslutely nowt! The West Midlands has very few lanes, the nearest one to me was closed a few years ago due to fly tipping.

I have to head out to Shropshire and the borders if I want to go laning.

One website that may be of interest to Yeti owners is

http://www.wetroads.co.uk/

It's basically a database listing fords and watersplashes in the UK. Some are on tarmac roads, some on BOAT's. You still need to check the access rights for the ones on BOAT's as things can change.

If you look at wooton on the Shropshire page you can see my contribution, a byway that follows a stream bed for part of it's length. The byway is not suitable for Yeti's though, unless you liek the scratched paint look!

While I'm on the subject of water how well protected is the Yeti's air intake from water ingress? It can be a very important consideration when using a vehicle off road. I wonder who will be ther first to fit a snorkel?

I've certainly got details for my area. Aboslutely nowt! The West Midlands has very few lanes, the nearest one to me was closed a few years ago due to fly tipping.

I have to head out to Shropshire and the borders if I want to go laning.

One website that may be of interest to Yeti owners is

http://www.wetroads.co.uk/

It's basically a database listing fords and watersplashes in the UK. Some are on tarmac roads, some on BOAT's. You still need to check the access rights for the ones on BOAT's as things can change.

If you look at wooton on the Shropshire page you can see my contribution, a byway that follows a stream bed for part of it's length. The byway is not suitable for Yeti's though, unless you liek the scratched paint look!

While I'm on the subject of water how well protected is the Yeti's air intake from water ingress? It can be a very important consideration when using a vehicle off road. I wonder who will be ther first to fit a snorkel?

I'm from Staffordshire/ Derbyshire and studied the green lanes around the area for a long time. Staffordshire has only a few reasonable ones in the south of the county with plenty as you head north to the Peak District. Staffs CC in general doesn't like off-roaders so never used to provide much info on them at all.

Leicestershire CC is very good and has them all listed on their website and all signposted well.

derbyshire is mixed, very few in South of county where I live but more in Peak District.

Shropshire has some splendid lanes with lots around the Long Mynd, Styperstones and further south etc.

I would suggest you go walk them first to check what they are like as many of them are either suitable for a saloon car (ie. no fun at all) or you need a heavy duty 4x4 like a LR Defender etc and expect to get muddy, scratched or wet.

One the whole, when the ground is dry you'll have fun in the yeti - it mud and ruts thats going to kill them.

Check out your local off-road club or the All-Wheel drive club plus people like The Green Lane Society for all the rules and regs.

I took a yeti over the few green lanes accross Cannock Chase when I test drove it and was impressed.

There is(maybe was) a very good off-road centre at Buldwas near Ironbridge which would be ok for soft-roaders like a yeti (again when its dry) were you can play in relative safety and chat to other drivers etc. I used to go there a lot when I had my LR90 and had great fun.

I think the one at Buildwas is still there. I used to go there a few years ago in my Series 3.

Forgot tosay earlier that a few county councils have online maps that have the rights of way on them.

The peak district has some good lanes but the National Park used to be very anti 4x4, presumably they still are.

Shropshire and out towards Elan Valley certainly does have some great lanes... many unsuitable for the Yeti though and are tough enough for the AT2 and MTR shod Disco3's. Especially in the recent snow.

Unless you like bramble rash and are prepared to listen to all the banging underneath that is

Spent many hours out with friends (never go alone) enjoying the terrain and amazing views

Edited 11 February, 201016 yr by simonharper

Simon

there are a few around here that are very suitable, I know I drive one of them regularly as a short cut to the Aberystwyth road!!

Claerwen would be eminentally suitable for a Yeti.

I'm lucky it is only a few miles from me.

Simon

there are a few around here that are very suitable, I know I drive one of them regularly as a short cut to the Aberystwyth road!!

Claerwen would be eminentally suitable for a Yeti.

I'm lucky it is only a few miles from me.

We should arrange a Freelander, Disco3 and Yeti meet one day Would love to see a Yeti in the rough.

The West Sussex County Council has an interactive map but only about 8 kilometres of BOATS

Here is the link to the map - I am not sure if the area I have selected around Truleigh Hill will show or the map will revert to a default position

http://was.westsussex.gov.uk/apps/imap/

Just in case it is not here is a screenshot

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac325/Feverking/Home/TruleighHIll.jpg

So close to the sea but not a BOAT in sight

Edited 11 February, 201016 yr by Y4YETI

Simon, name a date!! Any Yeti owners fancy a day green laning around the Rhayader area?

Perhaps we can go and try Anthony's drive as well!!

However I think Strata Florida might be a bit extreme!!

Strata Florida would be FUN though

Strata Florida would be FUN though

Hee hee!!

I know that the MAD Freelanders have done it, and I've done it in several vehicles, but not my own, but I don't think a Yeti would get very far from either end, and I am still trying to work out the fording capacity of a Yeti.