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So with The Legendary Grand Tour being cancelled along with many events in 2020 due to COVID-19 we decided to still have a long weekend away.

Meeting at Rachel's house in Bristol Rich Clark and Nick arrived around 10.00am on the Saturday and we made a sharp departure, stopping at the usual haunt just as we got off the motorway and Burger King and Costa Coffee before heading along the Atlantic Highway.  When we arrived we headed straight to the hotel to check in before going on a run in the afternoon, we were unable to check in until 3.00pm so we had a few hours to kill and the weather was good so we wandered down in to Bideford as we had a couple of hours to kill, what to do?  Shops were shut, to be honest shopping did not appeal!!  Well in that case it would be rude not to go to the Spoons for a pint!!  Well after a pint and still time to kill a decision was to make a call to Dawn and Rob as well as Luke and Len asking if they wanted the run in the afternoon, they were not fussed so it was another pint or 6!!!  At 6.00pm we all met up for fish and chips and a chat on the quay before Nick, Rich and myself stumbled back to the hotel to check in, check out our rooms and reconvened in the bar for a few more pints!!!

Sunday morning 8am Nick, Rich and I met for a hearty English breakfast and pastries before heading to the Atlantic village to meet up with the others for a drive out to Tintagel, on route all of a sudden Nick pulled in to a layby and started driving backwards and forwards quite randomly, I got on to the walkie talkie and asked him what on earth he was doing the reply had us all in tears of laughter . . . my speedo is just about to clock over and I want a photo!!!  Finally it clocked over and we set off again, still laughing!!  We arrived in Tintagel and we all eventually found a parking space relatively close together.  now what to do . . . yes you got it - to the pub!!  The weather was fantastic and we enjoyed the sunshine in the garden.  One pint trying to avoid the number of wasps later we headed to the ice cream shop and then back to the cars to reconvene and take a different route back  to Bideford to try and find a spot to have a BBQ, a spot was found on part of the Tarka trail and we enjoyed fine grub and company.

Monday morning the three of us met again at 8.00am for another full English and pastries before meeting the others on the quay in Bideford for a slightly shorter run than we would normally do on the LGT but taking in most of the same route to Ilfracombe.  Obviously we had a stop at the valley of the rocks which was very strange to see the road empty, no minis parked up causing bedlam or marshalls running around like headless chickens trying to get members of the public up and down the road one at a time!!!!  Unfortunately Rich had a call at this point from home and had to cut the day short.  At Ilfracombe it was a pint for me and Nick (are you surprised) and a coffee for Dawn and Rob!!  Dawn and Rob were bearing some fantastic cream teas in a box so after our pints Nick and I hunted down the shop and we got a bargain of 2 cream teas for £7.00, both comprised of 2 very big scones, a pot generously filled with Jam and another pot also generously filled with cream, mmmmmm!!!!!  We then made our drive back home.

A fantastic weekend was had by all and the weather also made it as it was glorious all weekend.

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Nick was going to this one on his own, I showed a bit of interest on going but was not going to commit as I was not sleeping too well and was not fathoming early mornings at this time so I made arrangements that if I was feeling up to it then I would attend in the Citroen and park in the general parking.  I was up early and the weather was sunny so I set out with a stop at Tesco express to grab a meal deal for lunch to go to the Three Counties Showground where this event was being held, it was all outdoors and was well attended with show cars, traders and food stands, there was also a flea market but this you had to pay entry to separately.  After a look around the trade stands and the show cars and having a chat with a few mini owners we headed back to the car for a bite to eat.  After our stomachs were full another look around the traders and enquire about entry to the flea market, as it was late in the day they only charged us £2.50 each so we went to have a look, it was huge, in the outside as well as in the hangers, these had one way systems in / out and around them.  A cake stall took my fancy so we had some sickly sick (huge) slices of cake!!!  Then it was time to make a move home, it was a nice day and for me it was good to get out and do something and get my mind off my troubles if only for a few hours!!!  The good weather helped as well of course.

Rachel

Attended by Len and Nick

Attended by nick, Jean and Len

Myself along with Nick, Jean, Len, Dawn and Rob met up at Nick's house in Wootton Bassett mid morning, after a chin wag and a catch up we set off.  From Bassett we headed a scenic route to Marlborough then through to Salisbury, on route we stopped at a roadside cafe for a comfort break, drink and a bite to eat.  After a well deserved break and more 'chin wagging' we set off and drove through some very idyllic villages and eventually dropped in to Devizes where there was an event on the green.  After even more 'chin wagging' we said our goodbyes and mooched of to our homes!!

Starting at Nicks house in Wotton Bassett mid morning, Nick, Len, Dawn, Rob, Iain, Jean, Rich Clark and his son gathered for another drive out around the countryside.  This run took on the scenes to Dursley, through the Stroud valleys and up through the downs of Mitchenhampton.