WESSEX LOTUS



The Wessex Lotus trip to Normandy was a great success with seven cars and their crews meeting up at Portsmouth Ferry terminal at a truly enthusiastic and committed time of 6am!!!!! Yes you are right, it was an early start but soon we were on the SeaCat heading for Normandy.

Our four day trip will be recounted more fully at a later date but some of the more memorable experiences were Monet Gardens, The Bayeaux Tapestry and the very emotional visit to the American Cemetery and memorial on Omaha Beach. All in all it was a great success and our thanks go to Jacki for making all the arrangements.

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Our May run was, weatherwise, third time lucky for our visit to the Eling Tide Mill being blessed with lovely sunshine. The drive took us over some perfect Lotus countryside along Cranborne Chase towards Salisbury then over the New Forest to the Tide Mill.

It was good to meet new members Rod and Lyn with their red M100 Elan and Mark with his red Excel. Some of us enjoyed a picnic while others took advantage of the food and drink in The Anchor. After lunch we had a guided tour of the Mill and watched as the mill was activated by the movement of the tide and ground the corns of wheat into wholemeal flour.

Eight Wessex Lotus cars went on the Mencap Classic Car Run in May. This was another early start as we met in Blandford at 8.30am for our run to the start at Lufton College near Yeovil. On arrival we were joined by Bill and Mary with their series one Elise who lived locally and had decided to also take part in the run. We collected our rally plaques and road books from the organisers and headed into the college for a refreshing tea/coffee as most of us had missed our first ‘fix’ of the day due to the early start. We were soon joined by a wonderful mix of classic cars ranging from a Model “T” Ford to a very large and exuberant contingent of Subaru owners who made the journey from Essex wearing their very bright ‘dayglo’ tee shirts! This enthusiastic group have been regularly supporting the Mencap charity run for several years and brought with them a sense of fun to the event.

Soon it was time for the off and each car was flagged away by “The Stig”. The chosen route visited most of the least used country roads in Somerset and ended for a lunch stop at Haynes Motor Museum where we all completed a lap of their private test track. The weather was just warm enough for us to enjoy a picnic on the grass verge of the track and watch as the Subaru owners showed the prowess of their very quick but also very loud machinery. After lunch we had a scenic run back to the college led by our new friends Bill and Mary who knew the roads better than we did. On our return we all congregated in the grounds and decided to partake in the refreshments on offer as we admired the huge variety of cars taking part in the event. In the evening there was a presentation and charity auction where Angus and Shirley were given an AutoGlym prize for having the oldest Lotus at the event. We finally departed for home and can reflect back on a long but satisfying day out with the added bonus of helping the Mencap charity.

Our next Club run will be on Sunday 6th July to the Hawk Conservancy Trust near Andover (sat. nav. SP11 8DY). The Conservancy is a registered charity committed to the care, conservation and rehabilitation of birds of prey throughout the World. The Trust is set in 22 acres of grounds including 7 acres of wildflower meadow. There are over 150 birds of prey to view from the tiny Pygmy Owl to the biggest raptor in the World, the Andean Condor. There are flying displays where Eagles, Kites and Vultures will fill the sky and in the afternoon you can witness a unique display of Woodland Owls and Hawks flying in their natural habitat. If you feel brave enough you can also hold a British Bird of Prey or even fly a Harris Hawk!

Some of us will be taking a picnic or you can eat at Duffy`s Coffee Shop where they have home made soup or hot dish of the day, all made from local produce.

We will be meeting at a different starting point than usual so please take note as I will say this only once!! The start venue on this occasion is The Sir Walter Tyrell Pub in The New Forest. (Address: Canterton, Brook, Lyndhurst, SO43 7HD). Please arrive by 10am so that we are able to leave at 10.30am.



Forthcoming Events:-

June

Friday 20th June will see our second Friday evening meeting congregate at The Sir Walter Tyrell Pub in the New Forest (address as above). This is a casual affair with food available at the pub and we will be there from 7.00pm onwards if you want to join us.

Thursday 26th June has been chosen for our day out to Silverstone to watch the top Formula One Teams testing in readiness for the British Grand Prix in July. Silverstone will be opening the spectator terraces to ensure fans get the best possible views of the on-track action. With tickets available from just £12, there has never been a more affordable opportunity to experience Formula One up close. We will be meeting at the Little Chef, Picket Post, Poulner Hill just East of Ringwood on the A31 (sat. nav. BH24 3HN). We will be leaving at 9am so please ring me if you are interested and want to join us.

July

Friday 18th July – Evening gathering and chat at The Sir Walter Tyrell Pub in the New Forest (address as above) from 7.00pm onwards.
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25 / 26 / 27 July – SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

This is one of Europe`s largest classic motor sport events with a selection of classic road and racing cars at the home of the British Grand Prix. Cars from the 1920`s to 1990`s will be in attendance at this historic circuit with over 600 cars expected and driven by some of the worlds most famous drivers. Contact Ian for more information.
Also, on the Saturday from our region Ed & Lena will be taking part in one of the Silverstone Classic Rally Retro Runs in their Essex Blue Lotus Elite which I am sure will be great fun! On the Sunday they will be driving 2 laps of the Silverstone circuit as part of the Retro Run parade so cheer them on if you see them.

August

Sunday 3rd August – Monthly Club Run to Bennetts Water Gardens near Weymouth in Dorset. These are some fantastic gardens set in 8 acres with a Monet style Japanese bridge as a centrepiece. (Further details to follow next month).

Friday 15th August – Evening gathering and chat

Sunday 24th August – Bank Holiday. Hampshire Pageant of Motor Sport at Broadlands near Romsey


September

Sunday 7th September – Club run to Laycock Abbey and photographic museum

Sunday 14th September

Lotus are celebrating their 60th birthday this year and are holding a Diamond event at Lotus Headquarters in Hethel, Norwich opened by Hazel and Clive Chapman. It promises to be a fun filled day for all the family and at the moment we have seven cars going. We intend to make a weekend of it so if you are interested, please contact me - you are more than welcome to join us.


See you soon
Ian and Dee


 

This page was last modified on Saturday, August 02, 2008 10:08:02 AM