The 2022 Wolseley Register’s Spring Tour was based at the Fat Lamb Inn at Ravenstonedale in Cumbria, over the long weekend of 24th April, which therefore also incorporated the 2022 Drive it Day. The Fat Lamb is a superb venue, serving excellent food, and is full of automobilia, as the owner is a classic car enthusiast himself, owning a lovely Austin Healey.
14 of us enjoyed the weekend, driving various routes in 6 Wolseleys and one modern car. Our Wolseleys ranged from a 1935 New Fourteen to a 1971 1300, with John and Yvonne driving the furthest, all the way from the Netherlands in their beautiful 6/90. (John is certainly not afraid to use his Wolseley, driving 350 miles from Maidenhead to the Fat Lamb in a single day!)
Members arrived on different days, choosing their own routes from the many options provided by Paul, our host at the Fat Lamb. On Saturday, several of us chose the 90 mile round trip to Alston, the highest market town in England. This was a fantastic tour, driving along river valleys, over moorland, and then over the famous Hartside Pass, which averages a 5% incline over 5 miles. Certainly a test for some of our cars, with Bob’s 14/60 radiator boiling, although Peter’s New Fourteen plodded on upwards with seemingly no ill effects, an obvious testament to Peter’s thorough maintenance! A welcome lunch stop in Alston allowed the cars to cool down before heading on.
Sunday was the main day, it being Drive it Day, and everyone agreed to take the tour to the Lakeland Motor Museum, a round trip of about 70 miles. Paul, our host, also joined us in his Austin Healey, regularly overtaking us to take “action” shots along the route. He kindly gave us copies of all the pictures whilst also keeping a set for his own website. A couple of “hiccups” on route increased the journey time, where a country lane, blocked by roadworks, forced a U turn and small diversion, and then an accident further on completely blocking the road, forcing a long trek through the lanes to eventually get to the museum.
At the museum, there were dozens of other classics in the car park, including more Wolseleys from the North West region. It is a brilliant venue, with an excellent array of vehicles, toys and automobilia, and it has a great café! In very close proximity to the museum is a preserved steam railway which takes people up to Lake Windermere where cruises over the lake offer people superb views of the mountains of the Lake District. John and Yvonne chose this option, only to return to their car to find a 2nd flat tyre of their trip! However, with plenty of help from both Register members and museum staff, the wheel was swapped (again), with no further problems on their trip.
All in, the 2022 Wolseley Register’s Spring Tour was another great success, with everyone looking forward to next year’s rally! Perhaps you should consider joining us next year?