It was a cold grey December dawn as we pointed the 71GT Westwards to the Lake District again. This time it was to the Rheged Discovery Centre to join Wigton Motor Club for their annual Christmas Cracker Run. This is a tremendous run of about 75 miles in some beautiful countryside, which we didn't see much of because of the weather, but we still had a great time. Thanks to Graeme and his band of helpers for such a good day.
As there is a prize for the best decorated car, we spent part of Saturday afternoon doing the B. I'd bought what I thought were stickers, but they turned out to be the sort of plastic that tax disc holders are made of. We stuck them on regardless but on arrival at the start we discovered that quite a few had vanished on the way across.
As there is a prize for the best decorated car, we spent part of Saturday afternoon doing the B. I'd bought what I thought were stickers, but they turned out to be the sort of plastic that tax disc holders are made of. We stuck them on regardless but on arrival at the start we discovered that quite a few had vanished on the way across.
We didn't win and the prize went to a superbly turned out Subaru.
There was also a prize for the best dressed crew and keeping in the spirit we dressed for the occasion and won!
There was also a prize for the best dressed crew and keeping in the spirit we dressed for the occasion and won!
After coffee and biscuits and time to study the route, we set off and soon ran into snow. This turned to rain at lower levels but snow again as we climbed the passes. All went well until on the approach to Honister Pass we met some cars coming towards us and they told us that because of ice the road ahead was impassable. We did consider giving it a go, but as a rally prepared Mk2 Escort and a Mini had failed to make the climb, we decided againt pressing on and turned back to head directly to the finish where a super lunch awaited us.
This short video shows the conditions.
This short video shows the conditions.
After lunch we travelled back in convoy with good friends Don & Eileen in their GT. On the approaches to the Pennines was saw cars coming towards us covered in snow and we became a little concerned about what lay ahead. The Stainmore area of the A66 is quite often closed because of snow, but we were lucky and we got home with no problems.
All in all we put 230 miles up and used 7.9 gallons, which by my reckoning is just over 29 to the gallon. I was well pleased with that considering that I don't hang about.
All in all we put 230 miles up and used 7.9 gallons, which by my reckoning is just over 29 to the gallon. I was well pleased with that considering that I don't hang about.
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