| Here we are at the tail end of the
season for the last F register run of the year and the weather
is still fine , if a little brisk. The sun was out and the skies
were blue when, after driving around in some small circles, we
pulled on to the lawns in front of Walton Hall in Warwickshire.
The F register had arranged the parking in a large crescent with
the new banner fluttering away at one end. It was good to see
over 50 F's stretching from the lake to the driveway (plus a
couple of interlopers in the form of a few B's and a midget !).
The traditional start of warming coffee and custard creams was
followed by a short briefing and the raffle draw. Despite
needing some new car mats I didn't win them and my raffle ticket
did not have cause to leave my pocket. We headed for the cars
and set off in convoy across the estate bridge and into the
small lanes heading for the Cotswolds. Unfortunately we all
snaked past an early casualty as the crew of a Green F were
busily putting their spare tyre on after an early puncture.
The lines of F's crowded the narrow hedge rowed lanes and
cruised past tiny pale stoned villages . An hour or so later and
we were all ready feeling peckish so an obvious stop was the
town of Stow on The Wold. Our convoy of about ten F's pulled up
in the small car park at the entrance to the town and promptly
double parked in the coach bays as there was only one coach
there. A Z3 later joined us as did at least two coaches who were
no doubt cursing those pesky sports car owners as we enjoyed our
lunch in The Bell pub just across the way. Incidentally The Bell
turned out to have been John Entwistle's old local and when he
died he left some Who memorabilia which now adorn the walls.
Suitably refreshed we set off for the second stop at
Snowshill Lavender Farm where we had our after dinner coffee
whilst the ladies were attracted by the magnet of the shop
selling all kinds of lavender based products - you could even
get Lavender Scones which we didn't dare try.
Having bid farewell to "Thelma and Louise" in their silver TF
pointing them in the direction of Oxford we were slightly
surprised some twenty minutes later to see them driving back up
the lane to Snowshill their sense of direction having failed
them ! The rest of set off for the final stop at Broadway Tower
with it's fine views over the Cotswolds and towards the Welsh
Mountains. At least Dave Morris could feel at home ! Just prior
to the Tower there is a fine set of sweeping uphill bends on the
A44 and most F's took full advantage of their cars power to
climb them (and some took a little too much advantage !). By
this time it was getting chillier as the afternoon drew to a
close but there was another chance of a warming cup of tea and
more custard creams in the cafe just below the tower.
Not all the F's seem to make it to the finish , whether they
got distracted by other Cotswold lures or are still driving
around the lanes trying to decipher their tulip diagrams we just
do not know.
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