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Ancient History and not quite so ancient cars

Dear All
Our outing this spring is a little different from those past, we will be having two stops and will have a run of approximately twenty miles altogether.

The rendezvous is at 10.30 at Marlborough Golf Club, just north of the historic market town of Marlborough, Wilts. It is located on the right before you enter Marlborough on the A346 from junction 15 M4.

http://www.marlboroughgolfclub.co.uk/

The Club has a large car park and the bar will be open selling hot drinks and light snacks including bacon sarnies for those in need.

Leaving the Golf Club at 11.30ish we head up and over the historic Ridgeway Path (there is a small car park on top of the Downs where the Ridgeway crosses the road which has a fine view) and down into Avebury for our first stop. The National Trust car park is just through the village on the A4361 on the right, parking £2.00

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-avebury

Avebury is a magical place, a huge stone circle that you can walk all around and with unlimited access, unlike Stonehenge. We can stay for an hour, giving time to take some photos and take in the atmosphere. There is a museum and a couple of shops etc. though they may be a bit "touristy". Nearby and within walking distance is Silbury Hill.

From Avebury we move on to Calne and the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum.

http://www.atwellwilson.org.uk/

This place really defies description. Set behind an unassuming bungalow in a quiet suburban street is an eclectic collection of old motors including several Jags. As well as the fifty or so cars there are motorcycles, bicycles and some memorabilia. The collection is the life's work of Richard and Hazel Atwell (Hazel died last year) and has to be seen to be believed.
We can arrive at about 1.30pm, the Museum is expecting us and we will park in their assembly ring. Entry to the Museum costs £5.00 per person.
Unfortunately there are no refreshments available at the Museum so a picnic lunch is the order of the day.

Timings are still subject to fine tuning, I will provide details of the route shortly, though I'm sure you can work it out for yourselves.

Please Note. The run cannot be a convoy.
The distance is too great and there are junctions and roundabouts en route. However, I'm sure that we can travel in "loose formations".

En-route we will pass close to some White Horses - see if you can spot them

Let's all pray for sunshine

As usual, please post your interest below so that I can get an idea of numbers.

Best Wishes
Tony

This looks good. It's a bit of a trek for us, but please count Sue, Joseph and I in on this please Tony.

I understand some of the issues around a convoy over a 20 mile distance, but would like to try at least for "big groupings" ... if only to get a local newspaper headline along the lines of "Wildlife Outbreak - Pride of XJS take over local A road"

Rich.

Tony, sounds like a lovely day out to Cat and Me.

Count us in!

Cheers...

Tony.
Thats a great itinerary. We were at Avebury on boxing day and its a magical place. We also visited the Atwell museum last year. Its a real treasure trove with a slightly hillbilly aire about it. Well worth a visit.
April 11th clashes with an MG event and I have divided loyalties but subject to wifes opinion we'll join you.
David

Sounds good Tony, pencil me in assuming I have some MOT and tax on the day!

I will confirm later..

Sounds like a nice little run, count me in please.

P.S Washed it for the first time since Gaydon today!

Hi Tony
I mentioned this to wife who said we need a weekend away and promptly booked hotel on Marlborough High Street so you can put us down as a definite to go.
Best Regards Mark.

Mark

That's doing it in style! Marlborough is a very pretty Wiltshire market town.

TRIVIA - If you remember the episode of Top Gear where they drove three £10K supercars from Bristol to London the parallel parking scene was filmed in Marlborough, see here.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSQENCXWHXc

I look forward to seeeing you both on the day.

Best Wishes
Tony

Hi Tony,

Sounds a great day out count us in, it will be my second time out in our new XJS Convertible having said goodbye to our Coupe.

Peter

You can count us in for this event, quite often run up there for afternoon tea, we love going to Polly’s Tea Room in Marlborough. Only had the Jaguar since December, used to have a Morgan now travel in sheer luxury.

Hi Helene and a warm welcome to the XJS BB

You and Christopher will be very welcome to join us, we look forward to seeing you on the day.

If you put a "signature" on your posts it helps other members to easilly recognise your model of car (see bottom of my post here). Also, please can you enter the details of your car on the Forum Register.

Here's hoping for good weather - only a month to go now

Regards
Tony

For Mark P. Which hotel have you booked? Looked at the reviews and they are confusing, Ivy House varying from 'friendly' and 'good value' to being likened to the former GDR. There seems to be a good one at Ogbourne St. George - The Parklands, a bit dearer. Paul.

Hi PaulE

We booked the Ivy House House hotel.

You pays your money and take your chance it can't be the worst hotel I have stayed in............................surely not?.

We probably will start our night there go out and end up back there but we will ask what time the hotel curfew starts just in case.

Best Regards Mark.

Hello,

We would love to attend this event - members since 2008 but have never attended until now due to professional commitments etc, so it will be a real first.

We live on the outskirts of Swindon which is pretty local to Marlborough/Calne and if any members are staying at hotels in the area for the night and would like to meet up on the Saturday evening: we would be pleased to accommodate or join/facilitate dinner/drinks please contact on 07946 647976.

Re: Mark’s hotel booking at the Ivy House Hotel – been there for corporate meetings etc and it’s always been ok. I am also a semi-professional toastmaster and I have officiated at several events there. Whilst I have never experienced a problem at the hotel it’s not five star but represents good value for money. Unfortunately I’ve never stayed there so I cannot comment on the bedrooms

If you are not familiar with the county of Wiltshire – it is a stunningly beautiful County and this is a lovely itinerary, so for anyone with any doubts about coming – it is one of those places you must visit.

I have to confess I am very much a fine weather JEC/MG enthusiast – so let’s keep our fingers crossed for good weather. If it is raining we might not take the XJS – being a newcomer is it OK to bring the XJ8?

Look forward to seeing you all; please contact us if you wish to meet up on the Saturday.

Kind regards

Graham Dowling

Graham,

If it's raining, you won't be the only non-XJ-S there... mine is only a fair weather car and hides in the garage if there is any heavy rain about.... I sometimes wonder if rust proofing was an optional extra on 1980's XJ-S.

Yesterday was the first day that the Cat has been out since last November.

Looking forward to the 11th and hoping for good weather.

Regards, Richard.