The 3rd SDC South West Day Tour took place on Sunday 27th September, and of course, with about five months of glorious sunshine, we were rather optimistically expecting the same as we arrived for coffee at film producer Guy Ritchie’s airfield, Compton Abbas. Situated in the gorgeous Cranborne Chase near Shaftesbury for what was to be their final Fly-In weekend of the season!
Nigel Edwards, who organised the tour, had thought it would be brilliant to start and finish at the airfield so we could all be entertained by a succession of Spitfires, Mustangs, Tiger Moths and the like, all filling the clear blue skies with iconic sights and especially sounds of bygone eras.
It was not to be, as low clouds prevented any historic planes from flying in, but this did not stop the enjoyment of 14 stoic Salopians and partners with their eclectic mix of 8 lovely cars from thoroughly enjoying the 50-mile route through the most beautiful countryside in the South of England- the Cranborne Chase.
High up above the North Dorset boundaries, everyone arrived in good time for the 10.30 am start. We had the two superb 1930s 20/25 Rolls-Royces of Miles Preston and John Stuttard, Bill Dornan’s Austin Healey 3000, Jonty Hollinshead’s Saab 93 convertible, Doug Thring’s BMW E92 M3, also his Alfa Romeo 159 Q4 driven by his son Finlay and our ex-Headmaster Mark Turner as navigator. Paul Taylor, with his classic Jaguar Mk 2 navigated by his Salopian daughter Gabriela (furthest travel award, all the way from Estonia and Dublin respectively!) and lastly the organiser’s rare Alpine A110.
So a great mix of classics of numerous eras set off from the already busy cafe/ restaurant, clutching their two-page comprehensive route planners!
We went through wonderfully named villages that were full of historic and gorgeous houses and cottages interspersed by vast estates (landed gentry, not Bovis!) belonging to the likes of Lord Rothermere, Guy Ritchie and William Fox- Pitt. Only England can come up with Tollard Royal, 6d (Sixpenny!) Handley, Ebbesbourne Wake, Berwick St John and Fontmell Magna as village names!
This tour was not for the nervous driver as lanes got narrower and narrower, twisted and turned and culminated in one of the great driving hills in Britain, the (in)famous ZigZag Hill, with so many steep and sharp bends it seemed like the Stelvio Pass!
Everyone survived, of course; we are a Drivers’ Club!, as they rolled into the specially set-aside car park back at Compton Abbas Airfield for Sunday lunch around a table reserved by the window for the 14 participants.
Lots of interesting nattering and catching up took place despite the restaurant being absolutely packed to the gunnels making conversation challenging with the poor acoustics! No one even mentioned the lack of aerial entertainment as they enjoyed spending time with regular and new SW tour attendees. A great day in the great countryside and with lovely participants (and cars!).