LAND Rover is a familiar brand among the sights and sounds of the rural roads around Malvern and Ledbury.

Farmers use their Defenders for chugging round fields, well-off parents herd the kids off to school in the Range Rover.

Well, I turn up my nose at such banalities. Having experienced what these vehicles can do off-road, anything else is dull. The Range Rover drivers of Chelsea and Kensington may think that just because they've taken their vehicles on to the lawn at Aunt Constance's polo event, they've been 'off-road'.

However, the staff and patrons at the Land Rover Experience would disagree. In the wooded hills of Eastnor Deer Park, mud, ruts, water and obscenely steep hills beckon to those foolhardy enough to attempt the course.

My guide for the day was Neill 'Alf' Bates, an ex-soldier who seemed barely able to contain his glee at what is, for jealous petrolheads, a dream job.

Before climbing into a vehicle, Alf sat me down for the safety talk. This was an overview of each vehicle and its respective gadgets, quirks and set ups. Techniques for driving on different surfaces were covered, so that hapless first-timers like me didn't end up with water in the air intake, stuck on a large rock or sliding sideways down a hill.

As a novice to off-roading, I had been expecting a battered old farmyard Land Rover to learn in. So it was with a large grin on my face that I climbed into the passenger seat of a 2003 Range Rover Vogue, all £55,000 worth.

While I gawped at the in-car TV and several cows' worth of leather upholstery, Alf drove the short distance to the off-road track. A quick check under the bonnet and a brief run-down of the emergency equipment in the boot and it was my turn.

I fought the urge to laugh maniacally as I climbed into the driver's seat. In front of us, an identical Range Rover was beginning to climb up what looked like a muddy staircase. Alf indicated that I should follow. So, after a flick of a switch to raise the air suspension, off we went.

While not as powerful as the top-spec 4.4-litre V8, the Range Rover's 187 bhp 3-litre turbo diesel did an admirable job of hauling the three-ton car up the sludgy bank. As well as brute force, it has a phenomenal array of technical trickery to ensure your £55,000 doesn't hurtle uncontrollably down a mountain.

Should one wheel spin uncontrollably among the ruts, the car's computer detects the problem and re-routes power to the rest of the wheels to get you out of trouble. Another button activates Hill Descent Control, a handy feature that limits the car to 2.5mph down steep hills, leaving your brake foot free to roam.

The Range Rover's automatic gearbox can be switched to low-ratio when crawling up steep inclines, which made life a lot easier. I particularly liked not having to worry about clutch control, which judging by the terrain would have been a bit of a nightmare.

So on we slogged, up hill and down dale in a roaring blur of metal and mud. Water proved an interesting obstacle, coming three or four feet up the door at times. I was warned not to stop while submerged, as starting again with no momentum is somewhat arduous.

The drive took about two hours and covered a plethora of scenarios, from traversing across a 30-degree slope to charging full pelt up a mud-covered cliff face. It's immense fun and very exhilarating, particularly when the car ends up at strange angles and blue sky fills the windscreen.

Alf declared that I had done very well, tactfully glossing over the large scratch on the Range Rover's bonnet. The car's technical wizardry meant the ride was always comfy. While I appreciated the pampering, I did feel a bit of a fraud, as if I'd climbed Everest using a Stannah stairlift. There were times when Land Rover's gadgets did so much of the hard work, all I had to do was sit there.

Nevertheless, I would jump at the chance to do it again. Commanding such a formidable vehicle over challenging terrain is well worth the £140 asking price for the half-day course. Other options are available, including full-day courses, an instructor's course, winching and trailer handling. For more information on the Land Rover Experience, call 01531 633906.