15
cars arrived at the start with several first timers coming along. There was n
excess of Silver ones for some reason, but that got Martyn' snapping away with
the camera.This year's January run didn't quite fall on Dwynwen's Day, but we decided not to let that get in the way of a nice tag line. Michelle and I planned a route starting from Sarn Park Services and ending up at Margam Park for a walkabout visit for those interested in the planning for the May Rally.
15
cars arrived at the start with several first timers coming along. There was n
excess of Silver ones for some reason, but that got Martyn' snapping away with
the camera.
Our
run took us through Coity near Bridgend and then on via a roundabout route to
Ewenny where we stopped for a drink and a chat in the cafe near the old pottery
(now a pine furniture shop). It was a very tight squeeze getting all the cars
into the car park and en even tighter one fitting ourselves into the cafe.
On leaving Ewenny, it was off through the lanes past Merthyr Mawr before joining the A48 for a short time and then on to Porthcawl. We deliberately took a posing route along the promenade before arriving at Rest Bay. The idea was to stop for another short break, but Rest Bay turned out not to be as restful as we hoped as they very large car park there had been turned into a sea of mud by some ground-works and we decided to turn around (easier to type than do) and go on.
We decided at very short notice to stop at the visitors centre in Kenfig Pool nature reserve for a short break. This turned out to be a bit of a difficult one because we had managed to get split up into several smaller groups on our way through Nottage. Michelle and I hung around on the corner to catch anyone going past, but Bev and Denise were going so fast that they just whipped by and I wasn't able to stop them. We eventually caught up with them at lunch.
Our lunch stop was at the Abbot's Kitchen near Margam Park. It was here that we found Bev and Denise waiting for us after their mad dash past Kenfig Pool.
The difficulty again was the size of the car park. Peter and Anne decided to avail them selves of a parking space marked "Parish Priest Only" and were just about to be very embarrassed when the Parish Priest came along and very graciously told them to use his space as he didn't need it. Congratulations Reverend Peter.
After another excellent lunch, several of us decided to go into Margam Park to recce a few things relating to the May Rally. Michelle decided that it would do us all good to walk in rather than take the cars through (as I had arranged to do) and we all trooped through the gate marked "No Public Access" into the park.
After we had all had a look around and Ray and I had gone back and got our car to do a radio check of the farthest reaches of the park, it was time to go back to the Abbot's Kitchen car park and jump into the cars for the drive home. Unfortunately, the "No Public Access" gate was now locked!! So we did a shuttle service with first one car, then two etc. before everyone was back in their cars and off home. Special mention to Bev and Denise who decided to walk back to their car.
It was a great day and Martyn had again arranged the weather for us. It was great to meet so many new faces and I look forward to seeing everyone on future events.
Thanks to Martyn and Anouska for the pictures
Hi Ho Silver