Rented a cottage in North Devon the other week. Porlock Hill is quite fun!
6 Likes
Spending some time in the Netherlands and Germany (Eifel region). First time back over here since 2019. Only a couple of pics of the car - waiting to get on the Harwich/Hoek van Holland route (where they kindly put the car on the lower deck to avoid any issues with the ramps) and in a colourful underground car park in Delft. The other pics are from a church tower in Delft (376 step climb to the top) and some places in the Eifel region - Monschau, Monreal and Burg Eltz plus a nice little collection of cars in a private garage in Blankenheim. The roads in this area of Germany are quite an experience - mostly beautifully smooth, pretty quiet (away from the autobahns and the Nurburgring) and with enough twists to keep anyone happy - definitely worth a visit. And there’s the Nurburgring too if that’s your thing.
10 Likes
Just back from our trip with Scenic Car Tours to the Picos de Europos (northern Spain and Portugal).
Fantastic trip covering over 1,100 miles in Spain and Portugal, staying in Paradores in Spain and a vineyard in Portugal.
Our travelling companions were driving a Bentley Speed convertible, a Porsche 911 convertible and a Morgan Plus 4. In this company the MX5 was far from overshadowed and drew many complements (they don’t seem to sell the MX5 in Spain or Portugal).
Driving through the mountain passes in the Picos in Spain was challenging with spectacular views thrown in. Unfortunately it was impossible to take your eyes off the road for even a second with narrow twisting roads lined with armco on one side and rockface on the other. Glad I was driving the MX5 and not the Bentley.
It was red hot on the trip (up to 42) so top down was limited to the morning and then it was roof up and air-con on full blast. The car didn’t miss a beat and the engine temperature never budged from 100 degrees.
Finally the vital information you’ve all been waiting for (drum roll) we got 43.3 mpg!
Many thanks to Scenic Car Tours who organised a fantastic trip.
10 Likes
Just a few final pics from our short trip to the Netherlands and Germany. Arrived home today - about 1750 miles in total and 45.6 mpg overall which is pretty good considering the trip covered motorways/autobahns and some lovely twisty roads in Germany where the revs were used in abundance. Didn’t see many MX5s but the few we did see certainly were very enthusiastic with their waves - this enthusiasm also included an S2000 Honda and some classic cars. Fuel prices varied from 2.35 Euros in the Netherlands to 1.74 Euros in Germany. The pics here are all from the Netherlands - Amersfoort and Utrecht (with a beer delivery boat on the canal) plus the MX5 hiding under its half cover at our hotel in Amersfoort - this cover is normally used to keep rain and leaves off but it certainly worked to keep the inside a lot cooler when it was about 38c. We used the Stena line Harwich/Hoek van Holland ferry for the trip. We have used this quite a lot over the last 10 years or so and even though Harwich is quite a trip from Northumberland, we prefer it to the much nearer Newcastle ferry (DFDS). If you do use the Harwich crossing, I’d advise telling the staff that the MX5 (especially if lowered) may have trouble getting over the ramps to the upper decks - they will put you on the lowest deck. Whilst it means that you will be later boarding, the plus points are that you will be off the ship more quickly and the parking lanes are much wider so there shouldn’t be the normal issues of a lack of space between vehicles on the decks - I could almost open both doors fully without a problem on the lower deck. I’ve added a pic showing this on the way back to Harwich.
8 Likes
Deepest Dorset. South of Shaftesbury on the edge of Cranborne Chase. Looking out over Melbury Abbas nature reserve. In the distance is Melbury Hill, elevation 263m, where an Armada beacon was sited in Elizabethan times, one of a chain that stretched from London to Plymouth. I lived close by here in my 20s back in the early 1970s and it’s hardly changed.
3 Likes
First ever track day for me and my baby was on monday but had to post it
1 Like
Been for a fab catchup at the monthly NEM meet
Went to the Car Crowd Cafe near Newark yesterday… This 1970 Vortz Mini Cooper S turned up… Very nice it was too…! 
Rob
5 Likes
Blimey.
What price that particular example being a rare development car?
40/50k plus likely.
Drove the 200 yards to the local garage today for an MOT on my NB. Passed first time - no advisories! Now going out for a spin to celebrate!
12 Likes
A great drive today to family in Upper Booth, Edale. Kinder Scout in the back ground. Possibly one of my favourite roads, out of Sheffield via Stanage Edge and down into Thornhill and on to Winnats Pass and then down Mam Nick.
11 Likes
View from the Lammermuirs in East Lothian yesterday. Firth of Forth with the Bass Rock in the centre and North Berwick Law just to the left. Fife away in the background. This small unclassified road goes from Duns (Scottish Borders) via Longformacus to Gifford (about 1350 feet at its highest point) and the views at both ends are terrific. As well as what is shown in the photo, away to the left is Edinburgh, Arthur’s Seat, the Pentland Hills plus the Forth Bridges and onwards well into Fife. From the southern end of the road near Duns, you can see way over the Tweed valley to the Northumberland coast and westwards to Kelso, Jedburgh and the Cheviots. Worth a little detour if you are in this area and you can take in the Jim Clark museum in Duns itself. Even if you don’t go all the way to Gifford, there is another small road (B6355 I think) that takes you back to Duns via the Whiteadder Reservoir so a circular route is possible. For those cyclists among you, this is a great (though challenging) route - I can confirm this having done it a few times on two wheels.
8 Likes
Dropped my daughter (21) off in town to meet a few friends. My condition was that I could have the roof down 
.
On the way home, stopped in front of somewhat famous landmark.
7 Likes
That looks ‘The Dogs’
1 Like