Green Lanes & Good Times – Inside the First UK INEOS Grenadier Meet!
Held at Ivy Bank Campsite, just outside Ripon in North Yorkshire, the first UK INEOS Grenadier weekend gathering promised plenty – and delivered even more. Hosted by Russ from Ardventures, the event was free to attend (apart from camping), with voluntary donations collected in support of Mountain Rescue England and Wales. In total, £1,200 was raised over the weekend, an excellent effort from everyone involved and a very worthy cause.
I rolled in early on Saturday morning and, for mid-March, the weather couldn’t have been kinder. There was still a bite in the air, but the sun was out and the atmosphere more than made up for the temperature. You could feel it as soon as you arrived, that familiar buzz of a proper enthusiast meet.
It reminded me of the old Land Rover rallies from years gone by: friendly faces, good humour, and the unmistakable smell of bacon and barbecues drifting across the campsite. Rows of Grenadiers stood proudly on display — some factory-fresh, others already wearing mud, battle-scars and accessories like badges of honour.
The itinerary was refreshingly simple. There were guest speakers, green-lane runs, plenty of time for a good natter, and a few well-chosen trade stands and displays tempting owners to open their wallets for useful kit and shiny upgrades.
One of the speakers I was particularly keen to hear was Ian Brown. I’ve known Ian for a good few years now — he was responsible for driving one of the first Grenadiers in the UK down from Scotland to London for the initial launch, and he had some cracking stories to tell about how that journey unfolded. Like Russ, Ian still owns one of the earliest UK launch vehicles, which continues to soldier on strongly.
There was plenty more to enjoy on the speaker front. John Horne gave a fascinating talk on life as an overlander, full of real-world experience rather than glossy brochure fantasy. Philip Bond from APD Trading offered practical insights into overland builds and equipment choices — the sort of advice that could save you both time and money.
Gary Hedges also took to the stage, heading up blue-light and military development work, and as Russ joked, “he’s a complete INEOS geek!” It was a genuinely interesting insight into the specialised side of the Grenadier’s development and deployment.
Darren James from INEOS also spent the weekend onsite, not only delivering an informative talk on understanding your Grenadier, but also working tirelessly behind the scenes. Throughout the weekend, Darren was busy carrying out software updates on owners’ vehicles, answering questions, and helping diagnose issues. His presence, along with a visit from some of the senior INEOS team, was genuinely appreciated by owners. It showed that the brand wasn’t just talking the talk, but was actively engaging with and supporting the people who have bought into the Grenadier story. That kind of interaction goes a long way.
Later in the afternoon, just before the hog roast, the man behind the event, Russ Dykes, took centre stage. Russ has spent a huge amount of time living with, modifying and exploring in his Grenadier, and his enthusiasm for overlanding, and for building a community around these vehicles, was obvious.
Throughout the day, several green-lane runs headed out into the surrounding countryside. Demand was high, so groups were sensibly split and staggered to avoid overwhelming the lanes. The routes weren’t especially challenging, but they didn’t need to be, North Yorkshire’s scenery did all the hard work. Rolling hills, stone tracks, wide skies, the sort of driving that reminds you why you bought a vehicle like this in the first place.
For me, though, the real highlight was simply wandering around the campsite. Owners chatted openly about their vehicles, their setups, and their adventures. Doors were open, awnings deployed, ideas shared freely. With more than 70 Grenadiers parked up, there was no shortage of inspiration — or opinion.
A huge amount of credit has to go to the Ardventures team for pulling this together. For a first attempt at running a gathering of this scale, they kept the weekend running smoothly, the atmosphere relaxed, and the organisation on point. A special thanks also goes to INEOS Grenadier, Ivy Bank Campsite, the trade stands, displays, and everyone who gave their time and effort to help make the event a success.
As I write this, Russ is currently in Morocco, scouting routes for future tours and already planning an autumn Grenadier gathering. If this first event is anything to go by, the next one is going to be very popular indeed.
