The Three Grand Tour.
#1
07-08-2018, 01:12 AM
The Three Grand Tour.
My wife and I recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary with a tour of England and Scotland. I have posted this elsewhere, but reading about another member's proposed road trip has prompted me to adapt it here too.
In common with many others, I have taken countless foreign holidays, lived and worked in several other countries, yet not seen, at least for many years, all of my homeland. This, coupled with being married to an Anglophile Hungarian, has led me to make a round the mainland tour this year, starting yesterday.
Despite the wife remaining in the bath until an hour after our planned departure, and some heavy traffic around Southall, we arrived some two hours ahead of schedule for our first overnight stay at Lydford Country House Hotel, after 307 miles.
Despite the wife remaining in the bath until an hour after our planned departure, and some heavy traffic around Southall, we arrived some two hours ahead of schedule for our first overnight stay at Lydford Country House Hotel, after 307 miles.
En route, we noted the following vehicles apparently stranded at the roadside: one Peugeot, two Mercedes-Benz, two Renaults, one Citroen, and an XK convertible. If the XK driver is reading this, apologies for not stopping to offer assistance; the wife was driving far too fast.A wholesome and inexpensive dinner in a local (walking distance) pub where several dogs befriended us, one of which stole some of my beer, completed the first day.
Day # 2.
Dinner in what claims to be the most unusual public house in Britain; The Highwayman Inn, Sourton:
I have no reason to doubt the claim. The couple running the place are fantastic characters, the food simple, very well prepared, presented, and priced; nobody could grumble about two rounds of drinks, and a meal for two at £31.50.
Staying a second night at the Lydford.
Day # 2.Ambled around a few places that I visited while on Summer camp as a teenager during the mid 1960s, including Lydford Gorge where we racked up five miles of walking, and one hundred and ninety five metres of climbing. The last time I was here, the wife was minus ten years old.
Dinner in what claims to be the most unusual public house in Britain; The Highwayman Inn, Sourton:I have no reason to doubt the claim. The couple running the place are fantastic characters, the food simple, very well prepared, presented, and priced; nobody could grumble about two rounds of drinks, and a meal for two at £31.50.
Staying a second night at the Lydford.
Land's end and a couple of dash shots as we shared driving and played a game of "Who can average the highest speed, and lowest fuel consumption" on the route to the Peak District. I won on pace, but she bettered my fuel consumption.
21st / 22nd June.The Peak Edge Hotel where we stayed for two nights.
Heights of Abraham cable car; a spectacular way to ascend to the top of the mine.
Old lead mine.
On to the Hardwick Estate;The "New" Hardwick.
The Old Hardwick.
21st / 22nd June.The Peak Edge Hotel where we stayed for two nights.Heights of Abraham cable car; a spectacular way to ascend to the top of the mine.Old lead mine.On to the Hardwick Estate;The "New" Hardwick.The Old Hardwick.Saturday.
The journey from the Peak District to the Lakes was fine, except for the idiot driving the Range Rover below
BR11DLY)
who drove so close behind us, while we were held up in an overtaking queue, at eighty-something mph, that all I could see in the rear view mirror was his windscreen. Andi was able to take this, as I slowed a little, and then out accelerated him so that she could get his registration number in the shot. As the traffic cleared, he ran out of pace long before we did.
Hopefully someone on here may recognise the car, explain to the driver that he is a complete ******, and that should he ever do that again, I will simply call old bill and make them do their job.
Outside the Lakeland Motor Museum, where we bought tickets for the following day, and for a Windermere cruise, this was spotted.
Accommodation for two nights is here:
Broughton House, Cartmel; utterly charming, as is the lady who owns and runs it.
The aforementioned lady drives a Landie, and this 2CV, which she drove through several South American countries last Winter:
Dinner in The Mason's Arms a few miles distant; nice staff, good food, including speciality pies, mine was chicken and mushroom, but others are readily available:
The journey from the Peak District to the Lakes was fine, except for the idiot driving the Range Rover below
BR11DLY)who drove so close behind us, while we were held up in an overtaking queue, at eighty-something mph, that all I could see in the rear view mirror was his windscreen. Andi was able to take this, as I slowed a little, and then out accelerated him so that she could get his registration number in the shot. As the traffic cleared, he ran out of pace long before we did.
Hopefully someone on here may recognise the car, explain to the driver that he is a complete ******, and that should he ever do that again, I will simply call old bill and make them do their job.
Outside the Lakeland Motor Museum, where we bought tickets for the following day, and for a Windermere cruise, this was spotted.
Accommodation for two nights is here:
Broughton House, Cartmel; utterly charming, as is the lady who owns and runs it.
The aforementioned lady drives a Landie, and this 2CV, which she drove through several South American countries last Winter:
Dinner in The Mason's Arms a few miles distant; nice staff, good food, including speciality pies, mine was chicken and mushroom, but others are readily available:
Sunday 24th June.As I celebrated my twenty-third birthday (version forty-six) today, we crammed in a fair bit: Firstly, a wonderful breakfast prepared by our host Cate at Broughton House www.broughtonhousecartmel.co.ukEggs from her own hens, fresh local sausages, bacon etc, home baked bread, home made marmalade, jams pastries and suchlike, the equal of any, and far superior to most. Any time we are back in the Lake District, this will be # 1 preference for somewhere to stay, regardless of cost.Yesterday we had bought combined tickets for a cruise of Lake Windermere, which we took immediately;www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk/and the Lakeland Motor Museum, our first port this morning;www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk/Next up being suckers for anything old / mechanical, and better still both;www.lakesiderailway.co.uk/Ice creams at;oldhallfarmbouth.com/we felt the farm entry price a bit heavy, and the place was teeming with screaming things, so we did not venture further inside.Final visit prior to showers in preparation of a meal out this evening;www.lakelandminiaturevillage.co.uk/
A few shots from the Lakeland Motor Museum; well worth a visit:
Andi's first car was one of these:
Haverthwaite Railway locomotives etc:
Read more: The Three Grand Tour. | JagChat
A few shots from the Lakeland Motor Museum; well worth a visit:
Andi's first car was one of these:
Haverthwaite Railway locomotives etc:
Read more: The Three Grand Tour. | JagChat
Monday 25th June.After breakfast we started heading for Scotland, via Fell Foot, the grounds of a mansion long since demolished;
It seemed that the further North we were, the lower the traffic density, and the standard of lane discipline; these were but two examples. The Range Rover driver did eventually decide that one lane would suffice, and the bod in the Vauxhall, after two and a half miles of sitting in the outermost lane, at around seventy, with absolutely nothing in the other two lanes, pulled one lane to the left, allowing us to pass, immediately resuming his previous position in the rightmost lane.
Abbotsford lodge, Callender is our hotel for the night, remarkably, the lady wife of the owner remembered us from another one night stay a year ago.
After dumping bags and a quick freshen up, we visited Doune Castle where Monty Python And The Holy Grail was filmed
It seemed that the further North we were, the lower the traffic density, and the standard of lane discipline; these were but two examples. The Range Rover driver did eventually decide that one lane would suffice, and the bod in the Vauxhall, after two and a half miles of sitting in the outermost lane, at around seventy, with absolutely nothing in the other two lanes, pulled one lane to the left, allowing us to pass, immediately resuming his previous position in the rightmost lane.
Abbotsford lodge, Callender is our hotel for the night, remarkably, the lady wife of the owner remembered us from another one night stay a year ago.
After dumping bags and a quick freshen up, we visited Doune Castle where Monty Python And The Holy Grail was filmedWe took a cruise of Loch Katrine on the Sir Walter Scott, the only remaining steamship on the Loch:
The far end of the Loch:
The engine room:
Engine room safety notice:
Local geography:
We then drove North mostly on the A82 through Fort William to Invergarry, where we are staying at the Glengarry Castle Hotel, a very impressive place, and not at all expensive. Afternoon tea, dinner, and the room, all superb; this is another for the list of places to return to:
From the library:
The "standard" room allocated:
From the room:
Recorded 1,502 miles since leaving home, and a few bob on fuel.
Breakfast, the local area, then on to the North.
On Wednesday we took a Loch Ness Cruise to see the Urquhart Castle ruins as twice now we have been unable to park in the car park.
Heading North for our next stopover near John O'Groats, we were caught in the jam described in jagchat.net/thread/1089/road-closures
Staying at the Olrig House Country Estate promised to be one of the highlights of the tour:
Apparently a very upmarket "boutique" establishment, it was in fact a glorified, and extremely expensive (£245.00 per night), B&B, with bizarre features such as the "private WC" not being en suite, the bath and unusable shower being located in the room, but not behind walls, blankets serve as curtains, the heating left on, despite 30 degree ambient temperature, presumably in an attempt to beat the dampness very apparent. The owners have a significant property portfolio, but seem to have bitten off more than they can chew with this place; it has wonderful potential, but needs about £2,000,000 spent on it, right now, to make it acceptable. It is dirty and down at heel with pieces of floor and plaster missing entirely. The (temporary) American manager was really pleasant, however, and the vegetarian breakfast, although not expected, was very good indeed.
The far end of the Loch:
The engine room:
Engine room safety notice:
Local geography:
We then drove North mostly on the A82 through Fort William to Invergarry, where we are staying at the Glengarry Castle Hotel, a very impressive place, and not at all expensive. Afternoon tea, dinner, and the room, all superb; this is another for the list of places to return to:
From the library:
The "standard" room allocated:
From the room:
Recorded 1,502 miles since leaving home, and a few bob on fuel.
Breakfast, the local area, then on to the North.
On Wednesday we took a Loch Ness Cruise to see the Urquhart Castle ruins as twice now we have been unable to park in the car park.
Heading North for our next stopover near John O'Groats, we were caught in the jam described in jagchat.net/thread/1089/road-closures
Staying at the Olrig House Country Estate promised to be one of the highlights of the tour:
Apparently a very upmarket "boutique" establishment, it was in fact a glorified, and extremely expensive (£245.00 per night), B&B, with bizarre features such as the "private WC" not being en suite, the bath and unusable shower being located in the room, but not behind walls, blankets serve as curtains, the heating left on, despite 30 degree ambient temperature, presumably in an attempt to beat the dampness very apparent. The owners have a significant property portfolio, but seem to have bitten off more than they can chew with this place; it has wonderful potential, but needs about £2,000,000 spent on it, right now, to make it acceptable. It is dirty and down at heel with pieces of floor and plaster missing entirely. The (temporary) American manager was really pleasant, however, and the vegetarian breakfast, although not expected, was very good indeed.
Last edited by Etypephil; 07-08-2018 at 01:17 AM.
The following users liked this post:
rzimonjic (07-10-2018)
#2
07-08-2018, 01:16 AM
John O'Groats:
1765 miles after leaving home. Apparently we could have stayed closer to John O'Groats, and saved £220:
A quick visit to Duncansby Head, and off to Edinburgh sharing the driving and playing a game of average speed and average fuel consumption, which I won by 0.2 mpg, and 13.5 mph.
1765 miles after leaving home. Apparently we could have stayed closer to John O'Groats, and saved £220:
A quick visit to Duncansby Head, and off to Edinburgh sharing the driving and playing a game of average speed and average fuel consumption, which I won by 0.2 mpg, and 13.5 mph.
28th - 29th June.
The Wick Lighthouse, Duncansby Head, and adjacent rock formations.
Next stop, The Dunstane Houses Edinburgh:
Good room, with a free upgrade which they had previously tried to sell us by email, very pleasant and helpful staff, excellent simple dinner & breakfast:
Strolled around Dean Village in the evening, but gave Edinburgh Castle a miss owing to the difficulty of driving around, parking, and almost universal 20 mph speed limits. We won’t bother to return, for the same reasons.
Our final overnight stay of the trip is at The Ellerby Country Inn:
Goathland, otherwise known as Aidensfield, just a few miles distant:
Home safely around 16.00 on 30th June, having covered 2,572 miles at an average speed of 51.5 mph, and average fuel consumption of 26.8 mpg.The Wick Lighthouse, Duncansby Head, and adjacent rock formations.
Next stop, The Dunstane Houses Edinburgh:
Good room, with a free upgrade which they had previously tried to sell us by email, very pleasant and helpful staff, excellent simple dinner & breakfast:
Strolled around Dean Village in the evening, but gave Edinburgh Castle a miss owing to the difficulty of driving around, parking, and almost universal 20 mph speed limits. We won’t bother to return, for the same reasons.
Our final overnight stay of the trip is at The Ellerby Country Inn:
Goathland, otherwise known as Aidensfield, just a few miles distant:
Naming the trip The Three Grand Tour was an underestimation; between us we spent £3,423, and a few pence all told.
The following users liked this post:
rzimonjic (07-10-2018)
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Jaguar Forums Editor
Jaguar Press release
0
12-23-2016 07:58 AM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)