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Good morning, Swansea!
A Swansea student has built a growing community that takes miniature off-road vehicles onto the city's walking trails and outdoor spaces - and he wants more people to give it a try.
We caught up with Mohamed Ashfaq from Scale Trail Adventures to find out how the hobby works, what it costs to get started, and how a group that began with just two people has grown into a thriving community.
Catch you on Sunday!
Andrew.
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What is scale trail driving?
Mohamed explains that scale trail driving is where people use highly detailed, hobby-grade remote-controlled crawler vehicles to explore real outdoor trails.
These rigs are miniature versions of real off-road 4x4 vehicles designed to climb rocks, cross mud, navigate uneven terrain, and tackle obstacles just like full-size off-road vehicles - but at a small scale.
Unlike racing, the focus isn't speed. It's about control, patience, creativity, and enjoying nature. It's a relaxing, social, and family-friendly activity that combines engineering, outdoor adventure, and creativity while showcasing the natural beauty around Swansea.
On starting Scale Trail Adventures
Mohamed moved from India to Swansea in 2022 to study international accounting and finance, but his connection to RC cars goes back to his childhood.
He started Scale Trail Adventures to combine two things he loves: realistic RC vehicles and Swansea's incredible outdoor landscapes. Through his social media pages, he showcases how these scale crawler rigs perform on real terrain, while encouraging people of all ages to step outside, stay active, and discover a creative outdoor hobby.
After moving to the UK, my love for outdoor exploring and cars naturally merged into scale crawling. My first crawler was the FMS FCX18 Toyota Land Cruiser LC80 - I later upgraded it extensively, and soon after tested a 1/10 scale vehicle at Kilvey Hill, which was an experience that fully drew me into the hobby.
On the beauty of scale trailing
For the uninitiated, scale trail driving might sound like a niche pursuit - but Mohamed is quick to explain why it's more accessible than people assume.
One of the best things about scale trail driving is that it can suit almost any budget, he says. Beginners can start with reliable hobby-grade crawlers for around £200–£300, which already perform very well straight out of the box.
Upgrades are usually optional and often cosmetic - such as tyres, wheels, lights, bumpers, or winches - allowing hobbyists to personalise their rigs over time rather than spending everything at once.
What makes the hobby exciting, Mohamed adds, is that no two builds are ever the same - every rig has its own personality, performance style, and engineering.
Some people enjoy building highly customised vehicles, while others run completely stock setups and still have just as much fun. The hobby grows with you, depending on how far you want to take it.
On rebuilding the local community
When Mohamed first got involved with the Swansea RC scene, the frequency of its meetups had fallen, so he decided to start organising his own. What happened next surprised even him, and now there are regular meet-ups around Swansea, including at Kilvey Hill and Clyne Valley Country Park.
After organising the first crawl with [fellow RC enthusiast] John Lawrey, we began hosting consistent weekend trail sessions regardless of weather or terrain. What started with just two people has grown into a welcoming local community - the Facebook group now has over 300 members, with a growing number of active crawlers regularly attending events.
On plans for the future
Beyond the weekend meetups, Mohamed has bigger ambitions for Scale Trail Adventures, including an online outlet offering reliable and affordable scale accessories and aftermarket parts, and more.
I'd love to develop Scale Trail Adventures as a dedicated content and review platform where I explore different crawler rigs, test their reliability and performance on real terrain around Swansea, and break down the components in a way that helps both beginners and experienced hobbyists.
Interested in getting involved?
Anyone interested can join in scale trail driving can following Scale Trail Adventures or the RC Swansea Facebook group, where upcoming events are regularly posted. Scale Trail adventures is also on Instagram.
Newcomers are always welcome - whether they own a crawler or are simply curious about the hobby. Expect a casual walk-through nature, plenty of conversation, shared learning, and a lot of fun!
Big thanks to Mohamed for sharing his story!
Got a Swansea story you want to share? Reply to this email and let us know!
I’ll catch you on Sunday!
Andrew.
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