DRIVING big and powerful off-road vehicles over rugged countryside may sound like a typically male thing to do. But these days more and more women are trying their hands at activities like 4x4 driving, quad biking and clay pigeon shooting.

Reporter USHMA MISTRY decided to put the fad to the test and opted for a day being as hard as nails.

WHO said women can't drive big cars? And to prove that they can, I was invited to try my hand at some proper off-road driving in a powerful Jeep.

Many women are now owners of off-roaders so I joined a group of invited female journalists to take part in a day of testosterone-fuelled joy.

The fun-day, appropriately named Hard As Nails, was set in the lush green surroundings of Cranford Hall in Kettering. On arrival we were given a quick briefing and then split into teams of four.

"Everybody will get the chance to drive either a Jeep Cherokee or a Grand Cherokee over a fairly tough track," driving expert Roger Blake-Jelley told us. "Just a word of advice while driving either of the cars – remember to keep your thumbs on the steering wheel.

"Do not be tempted to wrap your thumbs around the steering wheel because if it spins round with force it will break your thumbs."

With a look of sheer horror on our faces most of us began to wonder what we had let ourselves in for.

I was teamed up with my friend Sangita. We were collectively known as the Green Team. Our first activity was clay pigeon shooting and although it was extremely fun it was also very painful.

After spending an hour shooting, or in my case trying to shoot, we moved on to our next activity – the one I was really looking forward to, 4x4 driving.

We had a choice of two brand-spanking new Jeeps, a Grand Cherokee and a Cherokee with two instructors – Owen and Chris. I opted for the beautiful Grand Cherokee to begin with and Sangita took the Cherokee.

"As long as you do as I say you will be fine. You've got nothing to be scared of – it's a piece of cake," said Owen. Once I was adjusted and ready to go we set off along the set route.

Our first challenge was to steer the Jeep with half the wheels on a raised bank and the other half through water at an angle.

It was the scariest driving experience I have ever been through and I was convinced the car was going to roll but amazingly it didn't. It just gracefully drove itself smoothly along the bank with my face inches away from the water.

I was told that the Jeep can drive at an angle of 15 degrees without the risk of toppling over. We were driving at an angle of 30 degrees but it still seemed dangerously close to the water.

Owen managed to instruct me through the rest of the track, up and down dams, in and out of water and over the roughest terrains possible but I loved every minute of it.

Sangita and I then swapped Jeeps half-way through so we got a feel of what both were like.

Mr Blake-Jelley said: "Beyond a shadow of a doubt it's true that women make better off-road drivers because they are more concerned with making safe progress, they listen, while men assume they know it already."

Off-road driving is better than any theme park I have ever been to. The adrenaline rush and feeling of power is second to none but it is a shame that most 4x4s are used to ferry children to and from school by their mothers.

After lunch it was our turn to do the quad bike safari and then a peculiar-looking kart called a Powerturn. Although we were battered and bruised from all the activities it was one of the best days my friend and I have had.

Sangita even won a bottle of champagne for her fantastic shooting skills and we were all given a certificate to show the boys how tough we really are.