Surviving Christmas day was a feat in itself and left some of us needing to seek escape from the prospect of watching the Sound of Music for the twentieth time. A few hasty phone calls later and a green laning trip was arranged for Boxing Day.

The day started as well as Greenlaning trips normally do. I arrived at the Queen Street Car Park in Hitchin about two minutes before Russ and just in time to witness him arriving on three inflated tyres. He stepped out of his Landie to a chorus from myself, Mark S, Mark G and Chris "You've got a flat!". A bewildered "Have I?" retorted.

I drag out my trolley jack to assist Russ and paddled trough the stream of water pouring out from the engine bay of my Rangie. Mark Goold and I lifted the flat metal thing covering the engine and looked at the big lump of metal that was exposed. After prodding around for a few minutes we found a rubber hose that was leaking water (reminds me - still need to buy a new top hose) - Out with the Stanley knife and after brief open-hose surgery the hose was shortened by four inches and refitted. No problem!

Mark Summerbee, who was leader for the day, looked at the assembled group of just four vehicles and decided that all displayed battle scars. OK, No nice shiny vehicles - let's do some crazy lanes.

We started with Oughtonhead Lane in Hitchin - A nice easy, tame lane just to warm up the engines. Nothing exciting would happen here… After I had dislodged the tree (log) which has got stuck in my Jate rings, we came across a small group of people out for a Boxing Day walk. Amongst them was a father carrying his injured daughter the two miles back home after she had badly hurt her leg. Having the only car with a backseat my Rangie was commandeered as an Ambulance and we carried the girl and father back to their home in Hitchin. (Just remember this story when you come across the 'anti' brigade of ramblers!)

Amazingly the rest of the group actually waited for me to return.

Mark selected a number of lanes that managed to remove most of the remaining paintwork on the cars. Lets just say that the brambles and bushes were so overgrown that you drove with the wings on both sides buried in the undergrowth and the driver leaning over to the centre of the car so you could see where you were going.

After working our way from South of Hitchin we ended the trip over by Cottered, East of Baldock. Mark left the worst (best) lane until last and by this time it was also dark. The lane started with about quarter of a mile of heavily rutted muddy track. Mark S struggled though first - just. Russ followed, got stuck after a few yards; was towed by Mark; Unhitched; Stuck after a few yards and eventually tugged the rest of the way.

By this time Mark G and I were wondering whether driving around this lane was a better idea. Oh, what the hell, you can't let the side down! Mark floored his V8 and flew down the lane (literally flew in places) - cleared in one! My turn. Foot to the floor and got half way then with the lower ground clearance of the Rangie we were 'bellied out'. Mark S reversed up and towed. "Turn your lights off as I cant see where I'm driving" he said "they blind me when towing". Obediently I obeyed. I couldn't see a damn thing or where I was supposed to be steering. Imagine sitting in a roller coaster whilst wearing a blindfold and then someone says "you've got to steer as well" and you're pretty close to the experience.

All the vehicles got home under their own steam - somehow. Mark G had ripped his speedo cable out and wrecked his handbrake unit underneath. The Range Rover ended up with a steering damper which resembled a block of 3"x3" timber rather than a nice circular shock absorber.

A couple of days later I took a 'get well' card from the BHCLRC around to the young girl who we had carried home on Boxing Day. She, Emma, had suffered a fractured ankle and was expected to be in plaster for two months. An invitation was extended to her, a friend and father to join us on a green laning trip sometime later in the year.

Oughtonhead Lane, Hitchin. Waiting for the 'Ambulance' to return

Towed out of the last lane