By Simon Ward-Hastelow

Land Rover has opened its first Adventure Zone at Bluewater in Kent, Europe’s largest retail and leisure destination. The attraction, which is a unique and extreme off-road riding experience, opened to the public on 27 June, 2002.

Bluwater was opened to pretty much universal praise for both its stunning architecture, huge range of facilities and good shopping! Luckily for us we live just about 20 minutes drive from this Ex-Chalk pit turned retail empire. It's not very often you would hear a man say that, usally they dread the thought of shuffling from store to store being steadily laden with bags of all colours but Bluwater is different. They have taken the concept of 'Leisure & Retail Complex' to it's ultimate conclusion and it's very easy to stay there for a whole day.

Now there's even more of an incentive! The Adventure Zone offers a truly exhilarating attraction to Bluewater’s visitors and is based on Land Rover’s established Experience Centres, where guests can savour first-hand the capabilities of their world famous 4x4 vehicles.

With a track covering seven acres of Kent cliff-side and boasting four different themed zones, the Adventure Zone is one of the best and most challenging off-road demonstration facilities in the world. Each themed zone places obstacles of varying severity in the vehicles’ path, including an abandoned miners’ shack, a jungle bridge, railway sleeper steps and a collapsing pier. The circuit also features a 42-degree downhill slope, the steepest on any of Land Rover’s courses.

Other permanent activities include Rock Climing

Bluewater is already home to Land Rover Gear, where branded clothing, tailored off-roading adventure holidays and vehicle sales information are available, they have a permanent display of three vehicles, another first for a UK retail outlet and a permanently running video wall showing them in their natural habitat. Adventure Zone tickets cost £10 for about an hour’s trekking. The experience starts at Land Rover Gear in the mall, from where visitors are ferried to the cliff-top to an awaiting fleet of expedition-ready Discovery vehicles.

Land Rover UK managing director, Mike Wright, said: "The sales growth that Land Rover has enjoyed in recent years proves there is a growing appetite for vehicles with all-terrain capabilities, and through this fantastic new venture we hope that both owners and non-owners alike will learn that off-roading is more than just a great pastime; in many environments, it is a necessity. Off-road driving must be conducted responsibly, in correctly configured vehicles and with skill, as our vehicles and instructors at the Adventure Zone will demonstrate. This new attraction is also an unforgettable way to spend an hour or two during a family day out at Bluewater."

Boating on one of the SEVEN lakes on the complex is yet another 'must do' activity.

General manager at Bluewater, Paul Lucchinelli, added: "This venture between Land Rover and Bluewater has created an exciting and different experience for our guests to enjoy. The cliff-top Adventure Zone is a great way to experience Land Rover’s most extreme off-road course and get some stunning views of Bluewater at the same time."

A team of expert off-road drivers has been employed at the facility to share driving tips with visitors and demonstrate the vehicles’ technical attributes and all-terrain capabilities.

Land Rover has been aware from the outset of the presence of special natural interest in some areas of the Bluewater site, and has worked with local experts throughout the construction and establishment of the Adventure Zone to ensure that this wildlife habitat remains undisturbed.

www.BlueWater.co.uk