Take a very old car and drive it to the ends of the Earth. The increasingly popular phenomenon of classic-car rallies is opening up a whole new world of adventure motoring, as dedicated participant Paddy Walker reveals
A Briefing note to the author from Country Life’s Travel editor ends ‘and is it like The Wacky Races?’. i grew up on a Scottish hillside where grampian TV’s tea-time staple was endless repeats of the wonderful Hanna-barbera slapstick cartoon. The Wacky Races ran on America’s CbS in the late 1960s. it involved 23 characters (some people, but, i recall, quite a lot of animals) spread among 11 race cars, all whizzing through the badlands of America in search of glory. Is there really any connection between Muttley, the Ant Hill Mob and, of course, Penelope Pitstop with the growing hobby sport that is long-distance adventure driving?
Of course there is. The TV show might have finished in 1969, but, nearly half a century later, any would be Dick Dastardly now has several ways to take part in his or her own endurance rally. Long or short, fearsomely How to blend competitive or simply a leisurely tour, in (at high rallies of all shapes and sizes now speed) in offer classic-car owners ways to use the Gobi their machines all over the globe. Desert
Founded in 1987 to organise the first Pirelli Classic Marathon to Italy and back, the Endurance Rally Association (ERA) (01235 831221; www. endurorally.com) is the daddy of the sport. ERA director Nikki Bannister reckons that she has some 3,000 names from 26 countries on her database and these enthusiasts have multiple vehicles sitting in their garages, so the universe of participating classic cars is considerable.
Denne historien er fra August 31 2016-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra August 31 2016-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
