Frequently
asked questions

What is overlanding?

Overlanding is vehicle-based adventure travel where the emphasis is enjoying the journey not just the end destination. The intention is to be as self-reliant as possible, carrying everything you need for your trip along with camping out in the wild when the opportunity is there.

Typically overlanding travel involves off-roading but can also just as easily include on-road travel.

Is wild camping legal?

Broadly speaking the answer is no, it’s not legal. There are certain regions and areas where wild camping is permitted such as our local Dartmoor and up in Scotland. However, these only allow wild camping for those who are travelling on foot, not with vehicles.

Here at Torr Overland we do our best to partner up with perfectly legitimate camping spots that provide an experience as close as possible to wild camping.

Is my 4×4 suitable for a tour and event?

We do require all vehicles that attend our tours and events to have full-time 4×4, low range gearing and all-terrain tyres. This automatically weeds out the ‘soft-roaders’ that aren’t true 4×4’s, and predominantly leaves us with very capable vehicles, whether that be a classic Land Rover or more utilitarian pickup.

All vehicles that attend must have a valid MOT, road tax and insurance. We also ask for you to sort out any maintenance items you are aware of before you attend. We want to minimise the chances you experience a mechanical breakdown on the tour and event.

If something does happen to my vehicle what will happen?

In the unlikely event that something does happen to your vehicle such as a mechanical breakdown, we will make our best efforts to help with bush repairs to get you and your passengers either fully operational or back to the highway, from where you will need to make arrangements to get your vehicle recovered. Please ensure you have appropriate recovery assistance such as with the AA, RAC etc.

In the highly unlikely event that your vehicle cannot be repaired and recovered from an off-road location, we will help by taking you and your passengers to a location you have mobile phone signal. From here you will need to make arrangements to have your vehicle recovered.

It’s blowing a hooley will the tour and event still go ahead?

The benefit of travelling by vehicle is only the most extreme weather can stop our fun. As we’ll be driving in more remote and wild parts of the countryside, particularly bad weather may mean we need to adjust our route on the day.

For a camping tour and event, what do I need?

In true overlanding spirit, you should be aiming to be as self-reliant as possible. This means making sure you have sleeping equipment, some basic cooking and water supply and sufficiently warm clothing if the night temperatures plummet.

Can I cancel or change my booking?

If there is less than one month before your originally booked tour and event, no-refunds are due. If there is more than one month before the tour and event we can either change you onto another tour and event or give you a full refund.

Please send an email to [email protected] and clearly state the tour and event you are booked on and the one you wish to change to or reason for cancellation.

What should I bring?

Bring along your mobile phone and charger, a full tank of fuel, a camera and water bottle(s). For tours and events where we provide the food, you may wish to bring some snacks along for when you’re driving. For tours and events where we are not proving food, you will need to bring along the food to sustain you and your passenger(s) for the duration of the tour and event.

I’m in the UK, what are green lanes?

Green lanes are the colloquial term we use for unsealed or unclassified country roads (UCR) and byways open to all traffic (BOATs). All of these routes are legal highways and can be found on good quality OS maps.

Green lanes are only found in England and Wales. Scotland operates different laws which is why you see far less guided 4×4 tours there in comparison.

As a business we at Torr Overland are registered members of the Green Lane Association (GLASS) and follow their code of conduct as well as that of the Countryside Code.

I haven’t driven much off-road, can I still take part in a tour and event?

Absolutely you can. If you’re new to the world of 4×4’s and off-roading, join one of our tours and events that are labelled as suitable for novice and intermediate drivers. We know how daunting it can be and we are here to help you understand and experience exactly what your vehicle and more importantly you, are capable of.

Our LANTRA 4×4 approved guides will be able to talk you through the core concepts of good driving when off-road, as well as being there to support you when needed. We want to make sure you enjoy your vehicle as safely as possible whilst we have fun getting a bit muddy!

Will my vehicle get damaged?

Combining our curated routes with careful driving, it is highly unlikely your vehicle will sustain damage. However, due to the nature of the activity and differences in driving styles, this can never be fully guaranteed.

As we’re often driving in over-grown and unmaintained tracks, an acceptance that some light scuffing is likely is needed from those that attend.

Our mindset is that of an overlander rather than a hardcore “Let’s go off-road”. With that in mind, we always want to make sure our vehicle not only drives off-road but gets us to our destinations and back home.

How long are the routes we’ll be driving?

Mileage will vary depending on the tour and event but we can safely say we’ll be driving between 6-7 hours in a day. It’s a fairly long day in the saddle but the majority will be spent at slow speeds and the beautiful scenery and driving challenges will keep us more than interested!

On a typical tour and event we will schedule in stops at regular intervals to give ourselves a chance to stretch our legs, eat and drink and have a good chat.

Are the tours and events suitable for children and dogs?

Children are very welcome. In fact you may get to meet Dan and Jana’s three kids on some of the events. We’re experienced with long distance and off-road driving with three little ones in the back. We understand the challenges to keep them entertained particularly during a long day in the car. With that in mind, we recommend being armed with activities and games for them.

Well behaved dogs are also welcome. We do require them to be kept on-lead when out of the vehicle. We’ll be traveling in areas where livestock reside, so all dogs must be kept under close control along with always picking up any mess they leave behind.

What should I wear?

We’re going to be outside in some dirty, muddy and wet places. As such we recommend wearing more hiking style clothing. Stuff that is hardwearing and dries quickly. Firm boots or shoes are a must, seriously, don’t wear your pristine white trainers! Make sure to have additional layers packed for if the temperature plummets.

How many people are included in a tour and event?

All of our tours and events assume two people per vehicle but more passengers are very welcome. For tours and events that present an option for additional passengers, there will be an additional charge. This is to help cover the cost towards food, drinks and prep included within those tours and events.

For each additional adult we charge £40 and each additional child aged between 11-17 we charge £20. Children aged 10 and under are free of charge.