Shropshire Group's Report for TR Action 346
As mentioned in our last report, the Shropshire Group’s unsuccessful “Daffodil Run” was recycled as the “Drive It Day Run”. 15 cars met in Oswestry and followed a circuitous route through some of the lesser-known villages in the Welsh Marches to Powys Castle, Welshpool. Whilst the castle was originally built in the 13th Century as a medieval fortress, it will always be linked with Clive of India. Many artifacts from this period are on display. The magnificent gardens were just acquiring their Spring colours.
Another roundabout route took us to The Horseshoes Inn in Berriew. Twenty-seven members sat down to a late lunch. This popular pub had already hosted a Classic Car Breakfast and a Porsche Club meeting that morning.
At the time of writing, the Shropshire Group has just returned from our Spring Tour of Dumfries and Galloway. The group consisted of 17 cars and 33 people and we occupied the whole of the scenically located Balcary Bay Hotel, Auchencairn. The hotel is situated at the end of a 2-mile single track road and stands on the shore of the Solway Firth. An hotel to be recommended!
Most of the Group travelled North on Saturday. Six cars travelled together to stay overnight at The King’s Arms Hotel in Temple Sowerby. Temple Sowerby is a vey charming village and is worth visiting. Many thanks to Alan Edwards for arranging this leg of the journey.
Everybody met at the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum, just outside Dumfries, for a convoy run to the hotel. Unfortunately, an error in Roger’s route instructions led to an impromptu tour of Dumfries. It is always fun seeing another group car coming from the opposite direction!
We stayed at The Balcary Bay Hotel for 4 nights. This gave us 3 days for runs. Detailed instructions were supplied for 6 driving routes (one incorporating a 5½ walk along the shore of Loch Trool) along with details of 2 other walks. Some drives were led and others were designed to be self-guided. Also, members were free to do whatever they wished. The result was that the number of cars on a run was quite small, so much more fun than a convoy of 17, and this proved to be very popular and successful. We will do this again.
One of the advantages of taking the whole of an hotel is that we don’t need to consider the other guests. Therefore, hilarious entertainment could be provided each evening. Many thanks to our Master of Ceremonies, Roger Boxall.
Some members travelled back to Shropshire on Thursday but most went on to do other things. Helen Beresford and Ann Hazledine joined the TR Scottish Weekend.
A few of us stayed on at Balcary Bay and drove down to the lighthouse at the Mull of Galloway. Helen Critchley’s Great-Grandfather was the Principle Lighthouse Keeper for 16 years from 1889. Because of this connection the lighthouse was opened specifically for us.
Feedback from the members and the subsequent WhatsApp traffic shows how much everybody enjoyed the tour. Thanks must be given to my fellow organisers Malcolm Lainsbury, Peter Napier, Gordon Grant, Greg Washington and Roger Boxall. All we have to do now is to repeat the success next year!