A Winter’s Day Out with Vintage Land Rover Tours

Saturday morning arrived early. The kind of early that is exciting when you know an adventure is waiting! We set off from rural Leicestershire at a time when the roads are empty, heading west and gradually leaving the familiar urban tracks of England behind as the landscape begins to open up to glorious Wales. I will never get old of that feeling of heading over the border into peace and tranquility. Today was about stepping back in time, and spending a full day immersed in the Welsh countryside with Vintage Land Rover Tours.

I had invited my sister along to act as co-driver, which gave me the freedom to properly document the day with my camera. We pulled into the farm where the day would begin and were greeted by Sally and Jonathan, who I had been speaking with over the past couple of months while arranging the visit. The welcome was exactly what you hope for in rural Wales. We were invited straight into their home, greeted by the glow of a real fire and a huge farmhouse kitchen table that instantly became the heart of the morning.

A cup of tea in hand, we sat down and talked through the day ahead. There was no rush, no ticking clock, just a relaxed sense that today would unfold at its own pace. Two other groups joined us. One was a family from the north of England celebrating two generations of birthdays, a 50th and an 18th. Wonderful! The other, a group of friends from the south of England, all celebrating a 40th birthday and a friendship that had started back at school. It was one of those mixes that worked instantly. Different people, different stories, all here for the same reason.

Before long, we were allocated our Land Rovers. Each vehicle came with a basket of essentials tucked inside. Water, crisps and a thick warm blanket, which immediately felt like a thoughtful touch given the time of year. We met our tour leader, Jimmy, who ran through a clear and reassuring safety briefing. Calm, experienced and quietly confident, he was exactly the sort of person you want leading you out into the hills.

Then came the moment. Climbing into the Land Rover and turning the key.

Instantly, I was transported back to childhood. Holidays spent on a friend’s farm, muddy boots, open fields and being piled into the old Land Rover to head up into the hills and check on the lambs. The smell hits you first. Warm oil, engine heat, aged leather. Then the noise. A mechanical clatter that feels honest and alive! The vibration through the seat and steering wheel. It is not refined, and that is exactly the point. There is something deeply comforting about the simplicity of these vehicles. Everything you need, nothing you do not. A wonderful concoction of sights, sounds and smells that modern cars have long since filtered out.

We set off along narrow single track roads, winding our way towards the Elan Valley. The weather was doing what February in Wales does best. Occasional bursts of sunlight pushing through thick cloud, followed by spells of rain drifting across the hills. Winter was still very much present, and that only added to the atmosphere. Waterproofs on, collars turned up, blankets pulled tighter around our legs. This is not a season to avoid. It is a season to get stuck in!

Our first stop was lunch in the village of Rhayader. There is no shortage of good local pubs here, and we found ourselves settling into a cosy traditional Welsh pub with the fire lit and a warm welcome waiting. Drinks were ordered, the conversation flowed, and the group dynamic really began to settle. Good food has a way of doing that. By the time plates were cleared, we were fuelled and ready for the afternoon ahead.

Lunch at The Crown, Rhayadar.

That afternoon began with a shift in gear, literally! We arrived at one of the green lanes in the heart of the Elan Valley and followed Jimmy as he led us away from the tarmac. Not off road in the reckless sense, but onto ancient tracks that have carried vehicles for generations. Ordinarily, this route would deliver vast views across the valley. On this day, the cloud had other ideas. We drove into mist and low cloud that wrapped around. Visibility dropped, but the joy and excitement roared! These machines were in their element, with us at the controls. So much fun!

We took turns behind the wheel, and it was pure joy. No speed, no rush. Just careful progress and constant engagement. The manual gearbox demanded attention, the steering required commitment, and every input mattered. Even the windscreen wipers had their own character, operated independently on either side with small switches that felt delightfully eccentric. Simple engineering, built to last, proven over decades.

The Land Rover we were driving dated back to the early sixties. Over sixty years old, and yet entirely at home here. Capable, confident and endlessly charming. Eventually we returned to the road and followed the valley alongside the reservoirs. After weeks of heavy rain, the dams were overflowing, and the sight was genuinely breathtaking. Water cascading over stone and concrete in powerful sheets, framed by dark hills and low cloud. When the rain eased briefly, I managed to get the drone into the air and capture the scale of it all. Moments like that feel like a gift.

Jimmy produced flasks of tea and coffee, and we stood together, warming our hands and taking it all in. No phones, no distractions, just shared appreciation of a place doing what it has done for centuries. The journey back to the farm took us along more quiet roads, past farmland and open countryside, the light beginning to fade as winter afternoons do. By the time we arrived back where we had started, it felt like we had been away far longer than a single day.

It was, quite simply, a brilliant experience. We met fantastic people, laughed a lot, and spent a day immersed in the character of these wonderful old Land Rovers and the landscape they were built for.

Leading the tour… Jimmy!

This is exactly the kind of experience we look for. Thoughtful, authentic and fabulous fun. We will absolutely be back, and we will be sharing this with our clients, incorporating into our self drive and group Wales Grand tours! So if this is something you’d like to experience, get in touch today and let’s make it happen.

Wales Grand Tour 2026 - SOLD OUT

Some days remind you why you love what you do. This was one of them.

Cheers

Will

UDA Travel Expert

Join us in 2027…