For sake of this article, let's say that your choice of vehicle has been a 4x4.

The next stage is to prepare it. Again, depending on your route and final destination, you will have to decide on whether you need road, all-terrain or off-road tyres (usually known as Mud Terrain). The latter tend to wear quicker and make the vehicle more difficult to drive on wet asphalt, but with their 'open tread' are great for ploughing through the mud and snow. Road tyres are just best used for that - long term use on roads, with little grip in off-road conditions. All-terrains are a compromise between the open tread of mud terrains and the slow-wearing road tyres.

Some people use a set of road tyres, then change to a set of mud terrains, just before they are really needed. This, of course, means carrying a set of at least four extra wheels and tyres - and you really do need at least one spare.

Now, when you load a 4x4, or any other vehicle for that matter, you need to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible, so if you really need a roof rack, you should only use it for light items. Although a row of full jerrycans and spare wheels may look 'cool' on your 'Camel Trophy' roof rack, handling will be similar to having an elephant on the roof of your 2CV. Not recommended.

By all means keep empty jerrycans on the roof, but keep the full ones inside the vehicle, as low as possible, along with the spare wheels and other heavy stuff.

Which brings me logically to the next point - make sure the heavy items are properly secured to the floor. If the vehicle is involved in a frontal impact the unrestrained items will carry on at the speed that vehicle was travelling, until they meet something that will stop them, like someone's head. Think what being hit on the head by a wheel and tyre or a full jerrycan at 45 mph would be like. On the other hand you probably wouldn’t know much about it after the initial impact.

Now consider the vehicle rolling. Doesn’t bear thinking about. There are specialist expedition preparation companies that can supply restraining equipment to suit most vehicles.

If your route or final destination includes rough terrain, you may consider some underbody protection. Depending on your vehicle choice, the axles, differentials, steering, engine sump, gearbox, exhaust - or all of them - may be vulnerable. Again, there are many specialists who can supply the advice and equipment for most 4x4s. Look in the specialsist press or on the internet.

If your destination is in an area of conflict, you may decide to invest in armoured protection, which can range from bullet-proof glass to total blast protection. Again there are specialists who can advise. Once you have prepared your vehicle(s), the drivers also have to undergo training. Although the adverts for 4x4 vehicles normally claim they will go anywhere, they usually can’t and if they can, only if driven by skilled drivers.

Some 4x4 vehicle suppliers give off-road tuition when a vehicle is purchased as part of the 'package' and there are many off-road centres if you’re based in the UK, which offer varying degrees of tuition. As there is no overall 'off-road driving test', virtually anyone can set themselves up as an off-road centre, so talk to a few and find out their backgrounds.

Even better if you can find an instructor who has worked in the area you intend to operate, as he/she will be more aware of local conditions. For example wading into a river to attach a towrope is probably quite safe in north Wales, but say in Africa, you need to be aware of what might be in the water first! The same goes for areas of conflict.

The basics of off-roading are fairly simple. First you need to get familiar with the vehicle and find out what it has or hasn’t got. Some 4x4s run in two wheel drive most of the time and four wheel drive has to be selected, sometimes this can be done on the move and others you have to bring the vehicle to a standstill before pulling a lever or pressing a button.

Others are permanently four wheel drive and some do not have low ratio gearbox, while some have a computerised system to combat this. Others don’t. So you see why you have to know precisely what you are driving before you get into a problem situation.

Assuming you have a permanent four wheel drive vehicle or one that you can select four wheel drive and low ratio gears, you need to be in four wheel drive and low ratio (low box) when you are approaching ascents and descents . If you are making a descent select first gear and move the vehicle slowly towards the edge. Stop a reasonable distance from the edge and get out (if it's safe to do so) and have a look what you may encounter on the way down.

If you have a choice of routes, pick the easiest and DO NOT try to drive diagonally down (or up) a steep bank. Face the hill edge on and with the engine on tickover let the vehicle go down the hill. Keep your thumbs out of the steering wheel (if it kicks back, it can break them) and now for the difficult bit - KEEP YOUR FEET OFF AND AWAY FROM THE BRAKES AND CLUTCH. Yes, it’s against all reason, but after doing it a few times, you’ll realise, it’s better to let the vehicle do it!

If the vehicle does lose grip and start to toboggan, then a LIGHT blip of the throttle will get the wheels turning and gripping again. If you practise this on nursery slopes with plenty of clear run-off, you’ll quickly gain confidence.

Ascents are usually done in second or third gear (dependent on vehicle and steepness of the hill), again in low box. If a hillclimb fails you need to bring the vehicle to a standstill.

There are two trains of thought here. I prefer to hit the brakes before the vehicle stalls, declutching at the same time and selecting reverse. You can then take your feet off everything, look over you shoulder and steer the vehicle in a straight line back down the slope again.

Don’t attempt to turn as the vehicle could end up rolling.

The other method is to let the vehicle stall. Hold it on the brake, declutch, quickly select reverse and use the starter to get the engine turning and steer the vehicle down the hill as before. Again, if you practise this on nursery slopes with plenty of clear run-off, you should avoid any potential problems.

So, that - very briefly - are the basics of off-roading, but there is no substitute for practice in the field. Wherever you are, drive safely.