so with my arm thouroughly twisted i got straight on the blower to Gibbo and Zebadee and we decided to take a drive up to Fernaux Pelham and have a look at the ford up there, (It's the longest in Britain at 1/2 mile long).I've wanted to do this ford for ages but would not think about attempting it on my own.
We got there just as the sun was going down and you can only see down the ford about 20 or so yards before it bends out of site. So seeing as mine is raised and has a snorkel, i made sure all recovery shackles were in place and tow rope and set off first.
The water levels are in sections of about 100 yards each and the first section was not bad at all, only reaching the number plates. I called back on the cb that section one is fine. At section 2, the level rose abit to about 2-3 ft and the river bed was very loose with hardly any traction but made it through safely enough and radio'd back.
Section 3 was where the brown trouser moments came. from a gradual desent into about 2 ft of muddy water it suddenly stepped down to over the bonnet and because there are so many trees over hanging, it wasw pitch black as the headlights were under water so i quickly put the roof lights on to be greated by water lapping my windscreen wipers
I immediately got on the cb and told zebadee not to attempt it as he doesnt have a snorkel and it would deffinately kill his truck so he backed up and made his way around the lanes to meet us at the other side.Section 4 was even worse and we must have been the first do do the ford for some time as there was so much tree debris on the bed that forward movement was very slow indeed which meant hardly any bow wave and a lot of water coming in through the door seals and where i didnt seal the gear stick tunnel propperly.
Thankfully we made it to the end safely and without stalling or sucking up water but i think i may have popped a hole in my rad or dropped a pipe somewhere cos i was dropping a lot of warm fluid (and in my pants too
) but i'll have to check propperly in the morning as it was too dark to see and temp stayed fine all the way home.I am so pleased that i've finally managed to do this ford but will not be doing it again any time soon especially in the winter months when water levels are high, may be next summer when apparently the levels are safe to do in a standard 4x4.
Unfotunately there are no photos or vids because it was dark and there is nowhere for snappers to stand unless they want to wade in to there chest
but Gibbo says that next time he does it he will have a bullet cam fitted 
Many thanks to Phil and Stace and Daz, I had a great time, if not nerve wracking
Ian
welcome to the "ohhh Jesus" club. Especially reseved for the nutter that says, "i'll lead".
