Autumn Weekend – Swindon

20th to 23rd October

When is a Morgan weekend away not a Morgan weekend away? Answer, when you don’t take the Morgan?.

The Donmog Autumn Weekend away. Firstly, our thanks go to Jan & Paul for organising this event. The weekend started with Storm Babet on the Thursday. So, there was the dilemma. Our small brook at the bottom of our road became a very deep flooded area. What car do we go in to visit Swindon? After a few phone calls it was decided that we would pick up Nev & Mary Topp from Barton in the Beans. We could then travel in one car – our Tin top. Morgans were not the car of choice this time. There was flooding everywhere along our route, so we chose to travel along the old Roman Road, The Fosse Way towards Stow and then onto Burford along the A 361.

Arriving at our hotel in the wonderful parkland setting we noticed two Morgans in the car park? How did they get there? By helicopter? Answer NO – Ian and Barry just drove them there after the storm. Other motoring guests arrived in their Tin tops also.

The Hotel was the very nice Stanton House Hotel at Stanton Fitzwarren. Our Friday evening meal was excellent in fact all our meals and accommodation for the whole weekend were all very good.

After breakfast on the Saturday, it was decided that we would go to Bibury village and then on to The Classic Motor Hub. What a nice place to visit with friends on a Saturday morning for coffee? It’s situated next to the village and well worth a visit.

In the afternoon, we called in at Cirencester for a shopping trip. Back to our hotel for drinks and dinner again, all with very good company. Chatting away it was time for an early night.

On the Sunday Morning after another nice breakfast we set of to visit a Motor Museum in Calne. Also on arrival we spotted Jan and Paul who decided to do the same trip as us. We had been to this Museum before and so had Jan & Paul, so we discovered. After a wonderful time spent at this venue, we drove over to NT Lacock. This place is very famous for its film settings but, more importantly, for the man who was the inventor of photography in c 1835 Mr W H Fox Talbot was believed to be the first man to produce images on paper. A Frenchman also tried to claim he was the first in 1840 something.

Anyway, back to our hotel again, on arrival and after a few glasses of wine we change for dinner again. Another nice meal then bedtime after another long day out.

Breakfast on Monday morning was as always good. We set off in fine weather to go back home via Stow on the Wolds for Lunch. A nice walk around Stow became a shopping trip, followed by a visit to a Famous Farm Shop belonging to The Bamford’s, of JCB fame. We then drove back along The Fosse Way towards Hinckley then arriving at Nev & Mary’s house for a cup of tea. We got home at around 4pm. Our exciting Autumn Weekend trip away with friends was just the ticket.

Our thanks go to all of the people attending the weekend. Thanks for putting up with us Nev & Mary.

Gerald & Mary Ladkin