Shakedown Run & Credit Crunch
Six Burnley and Pendle members entered the Chesterfield MG Group Shakedown Run on April 7th. Roger tells us about it.
A gloriously sunny, but breezy, Saturday morning saw us head around the M60, over the tops to a lunch stop and a bit of retail therapy – for the ladies – in the beautiful Peak District town of Buxton. Despite a hearty “brunch” we still managed a Bakewell Tart and coffees by the river in the town that is its namesake.
We left on Sunday morning, after our overnight stop at the Premier Inn Chesterfield, to start the run at Clay Cross where we joined around 105 cars, mostly MGs of all eras.
The run was of around 91 miles, taking us through the Peak District of Derbyshire and Staffordshire. We passed through Wessington, Matlock, Wirksworth, Llam, the Manifold Valley, Axe Edge Moor, Longoria and Cromford, among others, as well as two small fords. The run finished at Carsington Water Visitor Centre, which is the ninth largest reservoir in England, and a major centre for walking, cycling, fly fishing, bird watching, sailing, canoeing and windsurfing.
Many thanks to the Chesterfield Club for an excellent day; and to the weather, with most cars “tops down”.
While some of the Club went south to Chesterfield, others went north to the Lakes and Country Lane Tours’ “Credit Crunch” outing, centered on the Grange Hotel in Grange over Sands. Fifty five cars, ranging from a 1926 Delage up to more modern Bentleys – well, 1951 – Morgans, Jaguars and, of course, a sprinkling of MGs took in the delights of the Lake District: its heritage steam railway, Windermere “steamer” (converted to Diesel in 1956) and that pinnacle of the motor museums – the Lakeland Motor Museum. And, of course, what else was there? Why, climb Wrynose and Hardnott! Happy times.
