NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2024
DESIGNER DASH TO WHITBY RUN
KEITH LEA & ANDY HENWOOD
SUNDAY AUGUST 18TH
On a nice but chilly morning 18 cars met up at the York Designer Outlet at 9.30am to head towards Whitby. After the briefing by Andy Henwood who stepped in to the breach due to Keith Lea’s indisposition with yours truly driving (that’s the other Keith) we set off through some great Yorkshire roads to our first stop at Thornton le Dale.
From there we made our way to Whitby Park & Ride. We had heard in advance that it was Whitby Regatta weekend so we knew the town would be busy and it was, but the Park and ride is a big area and we parked up no bother. Some went for fish and chips and others to have look at what was going on. Yours truly sat in the car and had a rest with a bottle of Lucozade. Much as I love Whitby, I knew there would be a rather large number of people wandering about.
We then set off on the next part of the trip or into the unknown. We encountered a single-track road with a rough surface, a single track with grass growing in the middle of the road and then the worst road I have ever seen in my life that we played dodge the potholes on and no joke, some were very deep, and it went on for about a mile. It was a case of driving with extreme care. Back onto normal roads we headed to the next comfort stop at the picturesque Hutton le Hole.
The last part of the run was on familiar roads back to our finish at Burger King at the Clifton Moor Retail Park in York. A great day out with lots of familiar roads and some very interesting ones. Great to see some new people on the run as well.
Thanks to Keith Lea for the planning and to Andy Henwood for stepping into the breach.
Credit: Keith Coutts
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LORDS & LADIES RUN
GILLIAN ELDERS
SATURDAY AUGUST 24TH
An early start for us, up at six am and away at seven for fuel and a nice run over to the NY500 at Pickering. Getting there first meant first stab at the full breakfast and what a treat that was. Gillian arrived a few minutes later and then a steady trickle of fives meandered into the car park. Twenty cars all told and they looked well all lined up.
This was Gillian’s first attempt at a run and I’m pleased to say it was well attended. After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, we had a quick safety briefing outside as it was a fine day. It transpired that there was a large Steam Rally on in Kirkbymoorside so a route recalculation was called for. Thankfully a new member for the run, Steven Goodfellow, lived up to his name and guided us around the tailbacks, local knowledge at its finest. Even with a few miles extra and no tulips we all managed to reach Helmsley together and regrouped just beyond. I was just checking numbers when two more MX5s came from the other direction, Steven and Ruth Clay and John and Dawn Leggott on their own little jaunt.
The next step was 12 miles to the next turn off for Lord Stones Country Park for refreshments and a few of us walked up to look at the view over towards Middlesborough, getting caught in a shower. Fortunately, it was a warm one and short lived
Off again on the road overlooking Teesside with excellent views of Roseberry Topping and into Great Broughton before heading off via Ingleby Greenhow and up to Blakey Ridge where the views are impressive especially as it was sunny and clear. Just on the road up to the ridge the other two cars appeared again going in the opposite direction, obviously lost! Blakey Ridge took us ten and a half miles through Hutton-le-Hole and back to the A170. Another seven miles and we arrived at our finishing point, Cedarbarn in Pickering.
A big thank you to Gillian for showing us this route and to Peter & Maureen for the tulips. Nice to have Ken and Carol Carter join us again who, along with Janice Thomson and Ralph Shepherd left after Lordstones with other commitments.
We must mention and welcome new members, Ian & Chris Barnes, Mark & Caroline Judson, David & Charlie Holmes and Gordon & Lyndsey Smith who normally get out with Tyne Tees. Last but not least a special mention for new member Steven Goodfellow, without whom we may never have got off the starting grid.
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A GRAND DAY OUT IN THE DALES RUN
DARRELL & ALISON STOREY
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 8TH
This run was the winner of Run of the Year for 2023 and deservedly so. However, I doubt if it would have won this time as the weather was atrocious and a fairly poor attendance. Ten MX5s racked up at Abbey Tea Rooms in Bolton Abbey plus one Dacia Duster. Our car is out of commission at present so we couldn’t do the run. Instead, we did a mileage check for the October run. Several of us had food and drink in the café but as the place filled up, we went out for the briefing. Darrell suggested crossing the road to shelter under the trees but the rain was so heavy it was decided to wait in the cars and Darrell visited each driver. The run left on time and we followed in the Dacia, as the next run follows the same road as far as Hawes. Heading up out of Kettlewell Steven Bassett had a funny noise so some of us stopped to help. Just as I got out of the car, he set off again so nothing serious. In Hawes the run turned left and we turned right on to our route.
The run headed into Dent where a stop for refreshments was, I am sure, very welcome. From there it was back on the road for Hawes Creamery on slightly less daunting roads for another comfort stop.
Drivers and cars were put to the test on the next stage along the B6255 and over Blea Moor towards Ribblehead before heading on through Stainforth to Settle. In Settle the route went up through Upper Settle which is very narrow and partly cobbled before travelling over the tops via Scaleber Force waterfall to Airton. This took the route down through Bell Busk to join the A65 for a short stint to the Premier Inn in Gargrave and journey’s end. We bumped into Steven and Kirsty Bassett in Hawes as our run crossed theirs and he was heading home to save his car. Other casualties included Jim Collin, with a puncture and damaged wheel and three more who gave it up as a bad job.
Darrell and Alison deserve a big thank you for organising the event in the face of such terrible weather and those of you who missed the original please keep your tulip maps and try it again when you have a free day with some sunshine.
We also welcomed new members Stewart and Michelle Beswick: I hope the experience has not put them off!
As one member said to me afterwards, “In spite of the weather, it was just good to be out driving an MX5”. Says it all really.