Classic Car Road Trip

Classic Car Road Trip: A 1974 Mini Authi on a road trip from the Netherlands to England to attend the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Mini at the International Mini Meeting (IMM) 2019. The IMM took place at Washingpool Farm in Easter Compton, a small village situated about 15 km north of Bristol in Engeland. A special guest at the IMM was Paddy Hopkirk (1933-2022), he is most famous for winning the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally in a Mini Cooper S. In a few hours, we drove from the Netherlands to Dunkirk in northern France. We crossed the English Channel by the Dunkirk to Dover ferry. From Dover, we drove along the south coast of England to the small village of West Lulworth to visit the Jurassic Coast and Durdle Door, one of the most iconic landmarks of Dorset. On our way from West Lulworth to Easter Comptone, we visited the City of Bath. The city is known for its Roman baths and well-preserved Georgian and Victorian houses. On eight August, we arrived at the IMM in Easter Compton and stayed there for a long weekend. During this weekend, heavy rain showers and a severe storm passed over the IMM camping. The paths on the camping already turned into mud baths, we drove through the mud to reach our tent. Many tents did not survive the storm. For safety reasons, the huge festival tents were closed or dismantled, also the tent containing the original Mini of Mr. Bean. Despite the rain, we went on a day trip to Bristol and crossed the Clifton Suspension Bridge, we also drove through the Cheddar Gorge. After the IMM, we spended some time in the Cotswolds to visit the gardens of Blenheim Palace and some villages in the Cotswolds. After visiting several pittoresque villages in the Cotswolds, we drove to Dover and took the ferry to Dunkerque. In France, we ended up in a long traffic jam. Near Antwerp, we drove straight into a severe rain shower. Despite the dynamo stopped charging, due to the extreme wet weather in the last days, we returned home safely. Despite the rain, we had a great IMM and a nice road trip through the South of England.

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1. 

   Classic Car Road Trip: Our own Mini Authi on board the Dunkirk to Dover ferry, the Mini made the crossing on a steep slope on the car deck. Fortunately, the parking brake of this 1974 Mini works great and also a set of wooden wheel chocks were used to keep the Mini in place. After a rough crossing, the Mini arrived in Dover without a scratch.

2. 

   Classic Car Road Trip: From Dover, we drove along the south coast of England to the rural village of West Lulworth to visit the Jurassic Coast and Durdle Door. After a long drive in the Mini Authi, we enjoyed an evening walk on the stretch of the South West Coast Path from West Lulworth to Durdle Door. The Jurassic Coast is a popular name given to the Dorset and East Devon Coast.

3. 

   Classic Car Road Trip: Durdle Door is one of the most iconic landmarks of the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. The natural limestone arch is situated close to the village of West Lulworth. The Jurassic Coast streches from Exmoor in Devon to Swanage in Dorset. A great number of fossils was and still is found in this part of the coast.

4. 

   Classic Car Road Trip: We visited the City of Bath on our way road to Easter Compton, we drove in our own classic Mini across the famous Royal Crescent, one of the greatest examples of the Georgian architecture. The semi-circular row of terraced houses was built in 1767-1774 and was the first crescent of terraced houses in England.

5. 

   Classic Car Road Trip: On our way to the IMM 2019, we visited the Roman Baths in Bath, a great city to explore. The King's Bath is one of the Roman Baths, it was built in the 12th century, the Grand Pump Room is situated in the background. The Romans used the water from the nearby natural hot water springs to fill the huge water basins.

6. 

   Classic Car Road Trip: The city of Bath, the fountain in the Grand Pump Room. The 18th century Grand Pump Room is adjacent to the Roman Baths and is now a restaurant. The novelist Jane Austen used the Grand Pump Room as a romantic setting in two of her novels. After visiting the Roman Baths, we enjoyed our afternoon tea at the Grand Pump Room.

7. 

   Classic Car Road Trip, IMM 2019 Bristol: The Mini of Mr. Bean and his teddy bear at the IMM in Bristol. Three Minis were used in the TV series Mr. Bean, and another two for stunt work. The classic Minis were painted Austin Citron Green with a matte black bonnet. Another Mini of Mr. Bean (STE 952R), used in the TV series, is exhibited at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu.

8. 

   Classic Car Road Trip, IMM 2019 Bristol: The Mini of Mr. Bean exhibited at the IMM in Bristol, the 1977 Mini 1000 was used in the making of the famous TV series Mr. Bean, from the episode 'The Curse of Mr. Bean' until 'Back to School, Mr. Bean'. In real life, Mr. Bean, Rowan Atkinson, enjoys racing in historic motor cars.

9. 

   Classic Car Road Trip, IMM 2019 Bristol: The IMM took place at Washingpool Farm in the small village of Easter Compton, situated about 15 km north of the town of Bristol in England. From all over Europe, thousands of Mini owners came to the IMM in their iconic classic Mini or New MINI to attend the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Mini. 

10. 

    Classic Car Road Trip, IMM 2019 Bristol: Paddy Hopkirk and his co-driver Henry Liddon won the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally in a Morris Mini Cooper S, known as 33 EJB, this Mini is an exact replica, it is owned by Paddy Hopkirk. The original 33 EJB is on display at the British Motor Museum in the English village of Gaydon. Hopkirk was one of the people who made the classic Mini famous.

11. 

    Classic Car Road Trip, IMM 2019 Bristol: A special guest at the IMM was Paddy Hopkirk (wearing a baseball cap). Paddy Hopkirk is still a legend and most famous for winning the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally in a Mini. Paddy Hopkirk and his co-driver Henry Liddon started at Minsk, the capital city of Belarus, and crossed the European continent to the finish line in Monte Carlo. 

12. 

    Classic Car Road Trip: Driving in our own classic Mini through the historic hedgerow landscape of Somerset. Hedgerows are characteristic for the English countryside. Some of these hedges were planted hundreds of years ago. Some hedges are more than four metres tall and have a thickness of more than two metres. The hedges are a haven for wildlife.

13. 

    Classic Car Road Trip, IMM 2019 Bristol: After a severe storm and several heavy rain showers, the paths and some parts on the campsite were transformed into a muddy mess. Most of the Mini drivers only could reach their spot on the campground skidding through a layer of mud, sometimes a dangerous situation.

14. 

    Classic Car Road Trip, IMM Bristol: Our own Mini Authi approaching the toll gate at the eastern end of the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Since the opening of the bridge in 1864, it has always been a a toll bridge. August each year, over hundred hot air balloons float over the Clifton Suspension Bridge during the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

15. 

    Classic Car Road Trip: From Washingpool Farm in Easter Compton, we went on a day trip to Bristol and crossed the Clifton Suspension Bridge in our own Mini Authi during a rain shower. The towers are made of stone, the chains and suspension rods are made of wrought iron. The total lengt of the bridge is 412 metres. The bridge deck is about 101 metres above water level.

16. 

    Classic Car Road Trip: The Clifton Suspension Bridge is spanning the river Avon and the Avon Gorge. The bridge was opened in 1864. The bridge is a symbol the city of Bristol, it is depicted on postcards, in advertisements and other commercial material. The suspension bridge was also depicted on the stickers of the IMM 2019.

17. 

    Classic Car Road Trip, IMM 2019 Bristol: After heavy rainfall and a severe storm, the sand roads on the campsite turned into a mud bath. The organization of the IMM provided the extremely slippery roads with straw. Also many tents were damaged or totally destroyed by the storm and a large number of Mini fans left the IMM before the meeting was ended.

18. 

    Classic Car Road Trip, IMM 2019 Bristol: After a severe storm and heavy rainfall, a magnificent rainbow appeared over the campgrounds at Washingpool Farm in Easter Compton. After the storm, our own tent was still standing, but many other tents did not survive the severe storm.

19. 

    Classic Car Road Trip, IMM 2019 Bristol: One of the many piles of destroyed tents, badly torn canvas or other tent material and a tangle of broken tent poles. Many tents were blown down, others were damaged or destroyed by the severe storm. For safety reasons, the huge festival tents were closed or dismantled.

20. 

    Classic Car Road Trip: In our own Mini Authi we drove through the Cheddar Gorge, the deepest natural gorge in England. The spectacular Cliff Road from the village of Cheddar to the villages of Oakhill and Green Ore is winding through the gorge, the road has some breathtaking curves. The imposing limestone cliffs rise almost 150 metres from the floor of the gorge.

21. 

    Classic Car Road Trip, IMM 2019 Bristol: The exact replicas of the five classic Mini Coopers which have participated in the Monte Carlo Rally between 1964 and 1967. The replicas were made by Mini Sport in Padiham. In the background, a long queue of people in front of the tent, waiting to meet the legendary rally driver Paddy Hopkirk himself and to receive his signed photo.

22. 

    Classic Car Road Trip: The Mini Authi in front of the Broadway Tower, a folly on Broadway Hill in the village of  Broadway. The twenty metres high tower was built at the second-highest point of the Cotswolds in 1798-1799. Close to the tower is a memorial to the crew of a RAF bomber that crashed here in June 1943. A Cold War nuclear bunker is also situated close to the tower. 

23. 

    Classic Car Road Trip: Driving through the Cotswolds in our own classic Mini, Upper Slaughter Manor in the background. The gardens include a lake, a rose garden and a reconstructed 18th century folly. The house is usually closed to visitors because it is a private home. The house and gardens are surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the Cotswolds.

24. 

     Classic Car Road Trip: Horses in the river Eye, the Old Mill in Lower Slaughter in the background. In the 14th century, the mill became known as Slaughter Mill. Lower Slaughter is a small village at the heart of the Cotswolds. The river Eye flows through the village and a number of tiny stone footbridges serve as crossing points.

25. 

    Classic Car Road Trip: Horses in the River Eye at the Old Mill of Lower Slaughter, our classic Mini in the foreground. Slaughter is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word 'slothre', which means wet place, Slaughter has nothing to do with a cruel event. Nowadays, the Old Mill of Lower Slaughter houses a museum and tea room.

26. 

    Classic Car Road Trip: In our own Mini Authi driving through the ford on the river Eye in Upper Slaughter. The village is built on both banks of the river Eye. There are only footbridges over the river, cars have to drive straight through the water. A ford is a road crossing that runs through a shallow stream.

27. 

    Classic Car Road Trip: A New Mini and our own 1974 Mini Authi aboard the ferry. After visiting England and the town of Bristol to celabrate the 60th anniversary of the Mini, we took the ferry from Dover to Dunkerque in France. The crossing of the English Channel took about two hours. On our way back home, we drove through France and Belgium.

28. 

    Classic Car Road Trip: On our way home we were overtaken by heavy rain showers. In France, we ended up in a long traffic jam. Near Antwerp, we drove straight into a severe rain shower, the motorway was flooded with a few cm of rain water. Despite the dynamo of the Mini Authi stopped charging, due to the extreme wet weather in the last days, we returned home safely.