MGOC Iceni Run

We had a run out a couple of weeks ago with our friends in a Lotus, this was the MG Owners Club Iceni Run. Starting near Bury St Edmunds, the run, on a nice hot Sunday travelled around Suffolk and into Essex, before returning to Rougham Airfield. There was the usual selection of narrow lanes, through pretty villages, and a choice of pubs for a drink or a meal. I think about 80 cars took part. Some of the places visited where Fornham, Glemsford, Cavendish, Clare, Long Melford, Kentwell and Melford Hall, and Lavenham. Before returning via Shimpling, Bradfield, Stanningfield.

At the start.

Narrow Suffolk Lanes followed by our friends in the Lotus Elan SE Turbo.

Convoy developing.

As usual we had an excellent easy to follow route book, with a choice of routes, one long, one short. We took the long one to Lavenham, not far as the crow flies, but a rather roundabout route to get there. A break for a nice cool drink at a pub in Glemsford, before carrying on to Lavenham.

Glemsford

We stopped at the lovely village of Lavenham, but as it was a hot, sunny Sunday the place was heaving so carried on with the return route to arrive early back at Rougham for a picnic.

Back at Rougham.

Picnic Time for Richard and Lou.

We all enjoyed the run, though Lou was a bit surprised at the narrowness of some lanes and worried about ground clearance on the Elan, especially when there was grass growing in the middle.
A couple of photos of some of the other cars at the end of the event follows.

Llangollen Canal - May 2014 Day 6 and 7

Day 6 . Awoke to a blue sky for a change today. Enjoyed a fry up for breakfast, before heading off to the top of New Marton locks, a couple of boats had preceded us, however at the locks they where taking on water so we had a clear run. We carried on down the canal past Frankton Junction and on towards Ellesmere.

Blue Sky's near Frankton.

Quiet canal near Tetchill

We had expected a lot of boats around heading back to their bases but it was reasonably quiet. We topped up with water at Ellesmere and shortly after stopped just before the Ellesmere tunnel for lunch. After lunch we went past Blake and Cole Mere's, past Hampton Bank and Bettisfield before the long straight near Pree's Junction. I hopped off to lift the bridge at Pree's Junction and later at Fenns Wood.

Heading for Pree's Junction.

Negotiating Lift Bridge.

After a couple more lift bridges we went into the arm at Whitchurch, the arm was busy and there was no room to moor a 62 footer due to some inconsiderate moorer's with spaces between them, so we reversed and moored on the on line visitor moorings. Late afternoon we had a look around Whitchurch before a nice meal.
Day 7: Another nice day to wake up to, blue sky again, no wind, perfect for a slow cruise back to Wrenbury. First stop was a very quiet Grindley Brook Locks. The lockie told us he had 26 boats downhill the previous day, by no means a record.

Approaching Grindley Brook locks.

Multi national flags of visitors on the lockie's hut at Grindley Brook.

Would not do to get hung up on that cill in the staircase lock.

After a quick trip down the locks we headed onto the single locks at Poveys, Quoisley, and Willeymoor, still in the sunshine. In no hurry we just pottered along at just over tick over before reaching the final lock at Marbury. After the notorious lift Bridge at Wrenbury Mill we reversed into the basin and moored up.

Passing a converted working boat near Willeymoor lock.

Gill closing the last lock of the trip at Marbury.

Nearly back at base, Nursery lift bridge at Wrenbury.

We spent the next few hours cleaning and packing up. Later we headed for a meal in Wrenbury, we ended up in the Dusty Miller, which was very good, the other pub had some kind of Ukele convention, so no way was I going in there, hate Ukele's as much as Morris Dancers.
All in all a good week, despite a couple of rainy, drizzly days.
Sadly no more canal fix now until July when we will head all the way up to Llangollen.