Cheddar Gorge runSept 10th

[andyf]

Our route from today

[martinq357]

Thanks for a great route David. That first section before the Henge was stunning, bits of Wiltshire i've never seen before. Also managed to just miss 3 Pheasants(?)

Pheasants (2).jpg (58.55 KiB) Viewed 3354 times

Museum was interesting, especially as the guy on the till had technical issues and after a bit of a faff gave up and let us in free . Simon & I were the last to leave so headed straight back on the 303 and into a Stone Henge mega jam....in the rain. Also had a bit of a fuel crisis and ended up putting 23.5l into a 26l tank...

[andyf]

We came up on the traffic jame from the side road and did a cheeky u-turn and went via larkhill camp... which we probably shouldn't have done!!!

[nelmo]

Many thanks for the route Dave - worked fine once I realised that CoPilot gets upset if you don't go exactly to every way point, so by Haynes, it was still redirecting me back to Blackbushe!

I thought the museum was great - great variety and this little chap - a Rover 8 which is about half the size of the original Mini

Never been to the Gorge before - very nice:

Great run back along the A30 (runs parallel to the A303 but no traffic) and the rain for the last 30 miles was... er.... interesting. I discovered that not having a roof isn't a problem as long as you keep moving BUT having wipers that don't work is v. bad

Thanks all for making it a grand day out...

[David T]

Sorry, been offline with family and work since rolling into the garage at 15:30 yesterday.

Well, I think we managed to stay as a group for perhaps 15 miles, which is not as impressive as it sounds because there were few turns in the first section to get us to the other side of Basingstoke. It started to unravel quickly when on the A303, just before the Michel Dever turn South, Mark and I think Jay, sped past in lane 2 heading for the Henge. Little did I know, Mark was routing direct to Haynes! Maybe just get the National Express next time.

So, after departing the A303 I lead us on a little tour of the local houses while CoPilot worked out what to do with a errant waypoint that was working at least twice when tested beforehand. Must be some element of rounding in the Lat/Long figures.

Once re-established on the A30 down to Stockbridge, the fun proper could begin. Always a great section down to the Porton Down turn. Seen the great views at sunset before, so was nice also to experience it with a sunrise. Well it was there somewhere behind the mist.

Things, or rather we, didn't sty on track for long. At the Porton Down turn, Tony, Mike and myself were met by umpteen cars coming back towards us. Everybody seemed adamant that this was the wrong way. I knew it wasn't, but was worried that as it's a restricted access military road, the gate might be shut. But no, all clear. The three of us sailed through and up to the Shell meet point on the A303. That was a quick 50 miles.

Some ahead of us did a lap of the roundabout and continued with route. I think due to two reasons: first, the petrol station's main entrance is on the wrong carriageway (East) of the A303 and second, it is not visible from the roundabout. So we carried on too. Ooopps. Sorry to Mark who waited there some time, but saw nobody.

Back on the second half of the route, Mike and I lost Tony when we stopped at a hill-billy petrol station just opened at 08:00. My fuel bill was like a rounding error on Mike's! On we went, empty road, after empty road. The one passing the tank playground being a particularly good one.

A bit later I stopped to return one of Mark's calls and lost Mike. Then a few more uneventful, but joyful miles before arriving at Haynes only to meet Mark turning in from the opposite direction.

Ignoring fuel and phone stops, it was almost exactly 2hrs door to door. Not a bad way to dispatch 100 miles - I don't think I got held up at all.

As others have said, the museum was enjoyable, but a little weird. All super, Mercedes Benz world shiny on the outside, then when behind the curtain, its like a large version of last weeks Bently wildfowl museum's car hall. At this point I was suffering from the early start and daugther was complaining of feeling ill.

After the museum tour, five of us grouped to do the cross country route to Cheddar Gorge. This was via the many 'Droves' and passing close to Glasto. Mostly good progress, just the odd Sunday driver, but it was around midday, so not so bad. We did the obligatory photo stop, see further above for pics. At this point daughter was really suffering so we decided to set Waze direct to home.

It took forever to get to the M4. It had started to rain. My goggle's kept misting up. Arrrgghhh. We stopped at every red light. Then at one particularly long red light wait daughter's stomach decided it no longer wanted to home the full English What can you do? We're both strapped in, stuck in a jam. People looking down from their SUVs started casually taking in the 'pretty little car', but ended staring with morbid curiosity as the rug on her lap filled up with scrambled egg and fried tomatoes. I'll spare you further details, but after a clean up we continued on to the M4. The weather was terrible. The third time I've got drenched on the M4 heading East in the Tiger. Must be jinxed. Could have been about 3 hours to get back. I was shattered, so glad there was a roast awaiting.

A couple of low points on the way back, but we both said we'd enjoyed the day very much. Thanks all for coming along. Especially those who'd made a trek from and to the Far East.

Will definitely do that Westward leg again. Andy, perhaps you can help string a return route back via the Mendip Hills. Something to clear the cobwebs when Spring arrives.

Cheers all,

David.

[David T]

Thanks for a great route David. That first section before the Henge was stunning, bits of Wiltshire i've never seen before. Also managed to just miss 3 Pheasants(?)

Pheasants (2).jpg

Museum was interesting, especially as the guy on the till had technical issues and after a bit of a faff gave up and let us in free . Simon & I were the last to leave so headed straight back on the 303 and into a Stone Henge mega jam....in the rain. Also had a bit of a fuel crisis and ended up putting 23.5l into a 26l tank...

Glad you enjoyed it.

PS a real fuel crisis is getting 26l into a tank that you thought only held 23.5l.

Hope to see you (and Simon) soon.

[andyf]

Will definitely do that Westward leg again. Andy, perhaps you can help string a return route back via the Mendip Hills. Something to clear the cobwebs when Spring arrives.

Hope the wee one is feeling better. Certainly up for helping with a route back from the gorge. We set copilot to shortest route and found some interesting roads. Some fast and flowing as well as some tight technical stuff. The section between Andover and Whitchurch was a nightmare tight single track with potholes and rough as hell in places I must check the roadster for damage after that!

Oh and managed to do the whole day with the vacuum advance pipe disconnected from when I checked the timing... duh! I thought it was a bit dead at the top end...

[b33fy]

Oh and managed to do the whole day with the vacuum advance pipe disconnected from when I checked the timing... duh! I thought it was a bit dead at the top end...

bit like mine, anywhere between 10-20 degrees to hold a tick over, the rest doesn't seem to matter.

[robert]

Thanks to David and every one of a great day..
I'm sorry I did see the last car.. after I had passsed the turning...
Did a u turn but could not find you. SORRY.
Robert

Cheers Guys - and of course, the route to Haynes would no doubt have been good ----if i'd loaded it and not the wrong itn..,.which took me straight there. What a cluster ....

Chris and I were mulling over whether 'to do' the museum or cut and run for cheddar, then Jay spilled the news that everyone else seemed either a/ keen to do the museum b/ were going straight home. My agenda was to do some new roads in a fresh area, so we ( including Robert )popped up and saw the Gorge and then had a brilliant 100 miler across country. Somewhere along the line we lost Robert, or he lost us, not sure which as i was at the front ( that's my excuse Guvnor and i'm sticking to it ).

Grabbed a pint part way back in a nice little juicer, and then stopped again for fuel ( food ) just up the road from Basingstoke. Did the m3/m25 from there and got back about 5pm....perfect.
thx for arranging.......

[Kitnet]

Some of our guys went & met up with a few of you. They had a good time too. Lots of good things said.

Hopefully we will do some more events together again.