Brittany and Somerset

A few words on recent visits to Brittany and Somerset for our ‘annuals’ this year. Together as a family for a week, then a follow-up week for ‘Er and me in case we needed it. In the event, and even with another rural retreat in France, all was well and a second complete holiday following immediately on the tail of the first was a complete bonus. Highly recommended. Rural locations in Brittany and Somerset meant visits to out-of-the-way locations that would not normally expect a visit – such as Brest, Lesneven or Kingsbury Episcopi – each with its own attractions. But we also went to the more popular attractions including Mont St Michel, Rennes, Sparkford and Yeovilton.

Ferry – off to France

Meneham

Self timer

Mont St Michel

Rennes

Restaurant La Coniche

South Petherton

Aston Martin Lagonda – Sparkford

Concorde 002 – amazing from any angle

Burrow Hill

The secret of a successful holiday (with offspring)

 

 

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Cars in Monaco

I think it is more of a bloke thing, but I could have sat all day in Monaco just looking at the machinery driving round the Principality. Perhaps more comfortable would have just been to sit in the Café de Paris watching casino patrons come and go (with their accompanying valet parking). All this on a Sunday when I thought things closed down.

Money speaks round here.

Where it all started

Fiat 500

Fiat 500

Rolls and others

Rolls

Astons

Cobra

R & B taking coffee

Wyke Down Spring Vehicle Meet 2014

Another year, another excellent Easter Monday Wyke Down vehicle meet. This year it was back where it belongs at Picket Piece and the excellent weather brought the cars and assorted vehicles out in their droves. This year we took two wheeled transport to the event, enabling us to sneak past all the queuing traffic and get onto the site, parking next to an assortment of two wheeled finest that put ours to shame. Not too long before our every day transport will be able to get on the field in its own right…

A very tidy 101

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For ever blowing bubbles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More commercials this year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bikes and traction engines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moving from ‘Grandpa had one of those’…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…to ‘Dad had one of those’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just don’t look at what we drove up on…

Wyke Down Spring meet

The 2013 Wyke Down Spring Car meet this year took place slightly later than usual and in a different location. Held at the old RAF Greenham Common GAMA site and in front of a number of the old bunkers, the usual collection of interesting (and no so interesting) vehicles gathered. Rather more American machinery this year and a few old commercial vehicles (perhaps drawn by the concrete hard standing). Interesting to see the massive bunkers that the peace protesters spent so much of their time fighting to get rid of. Nowadays it is just a rather depressing ex air field.

Fins on a major pink Cadillac

Yellow D type Jaguar replica (with peg on choke!)

V10 8 litre (Viper) bike and V8 trike

Phew – the Benford dumper made it again!

Car, cars and more cars

Continuing the birthday theme, we visited the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu to look at the various exhibitions, including the house and Abbey. Although very out of season, we were accompanied by a several school children (well behaved, it has to be said). No queues and cars in abundance.

Lotus from the Bond exhibition

’61 was a good year…

Top Gear Toyota – recognise it?

Norton Commando – perfection on two wheels

Visit to Morgan Factory

In advance of the time I get another Morgan (presumably in the next life, or when Livi becomes a superstar and buys her old man one) said daughter and I went to Morgan in Malvern to see the factory and where these excellent cars are built. Last time I went was pre John Harvey-Jones, sans visitor centre, sans 3 wheeler and sans aluminium bonding. It is brilliant to see the cars taking shape down the factory line, following a path their predecessors have taken for many years.

Plus 8 in first stage at factory – 2 weeks at this stage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Classic roadster in wood shop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 seater in trim shop after paint shop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surprise hit of 2012 – new 3 wheeler

Wyke Down Car Meet

At the end of a busy Easter weekend we made it to a very wet Wyke Down Car meet. The Vespa stayed in the garage (until Milly took it off elsewhere) and we made it to a slightly depleted car meet. Still plenty of cars to choose from with the great joy that most of them at some stage were ‘owned by Grandpa’. Orange Mini now Livi’s top car…

Livi's new favourite car

Grandpa used to have one of those (but not an estate)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He had one of those too...

Wyke Down car meet

The Bank Holiday Wyke Down car meet duly took place on Monday 25 April. Blessed again with wonderful weather, this time we had to park in the public car park… The great thing about this car meet is the run-of-the-mill cars that regularly attend alongside more exotic fare. Here’s looking forward to next year.

Wyke Down Car meet