The Bentley Boys are on the road again, this time taking part on the 'Britain by Bentley Tour'. Thirty-one days of magnificent driving, travelling some 3,000 miles throughout England, Scotland and Wales. There are a hundred participants from 13 different countries, celebrating 75 years of the Bentley Drivers Club.

Started our tour at the newly renovated Savoy Hotel in London. Very nice, all the staff are 40 years or younger (no sedate old butlers left!). The clients are mostly 30-year-old Asians. At every step a staff member approaches you, a bit too much service.The highlight in London was a dinner at the Royal Automobile Club – impressive entry hall with stairs leading up to galleries which are decorated with vintage car racing scenes. Downstairs a large swimming pool with Turkish baths etc. The dining rooms are very elegant, everything wood paneled, unchanged since the 1920s.

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Kurt & Roger at the Savoy in London with the 3-litre team car	One of the many mansions we visited	Scenic B roads

After two days of sightseeing in London, we took the train to Bedford where we were met by our "garagier" who took us to the Bentley and we took off to our first stop in Lavenham. On the way we met up with the group of 40, mostly vintage, Bentleys at a firm where a BDC member hosted a lunch. The entertainment was local dancing and a Tiger moth flying overhead. The car needed a new battery, supplied by AA which has special Bentley line. To our amazement they showed up within an hour; so very good service.

The first rest day was spent in Lavenham, a well preserved medieval town. We did join a guided tour and I had the patience to follow for one hour and then disappeared discreetly. In the evening we were joined by Sally and Max our long time friends who live near by.

After two days of driving, and visiting many castles including Sandringham and noble houses, we are now in Yorkshire where Heather was born. I am writing this note sipping a Starbucks after visiting the railroad museum and the cathedral. As you can see this is a very social and cultural trip! We usually depart by 8.30 am, stopping every two hours for a visit or a lunch at the pub. The route selection takes us on B roads and even single lane roads. The average speed is about 30 mph with all the roundabouts and stop lights in town. So very relaxed but scenic driving. We arrive around 5pm, just in time to check over the car, get unpacked, get ready for cocktails and dinner at 8pm. As we are about the average age (mid-late 60s!), after dinner at 10 everybody disappears, too tired for a drink at the bar. The weather is typically English – sun, rain and clouds, temperature between 12 and 18 degrees, hot when the sun is out, cold in a windy rain.

We are having a good time meeting up with old friends from all over the word and meeting some new faces.

Spent a free day in Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city, taking an open-top bus tour to get an overview of the city surrounded by water. The UNESCO World Heritage Site at the heart of the city combines the medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town which, with its neo-classical architecture, became known as "the Athens of the North". The streets are steeped with history. Visited the castle which sits on its own volcanic rock at the top of the Royal Mile. The best view of Edinburgh is from the castle ramparts as nothing in the city can be higher. We then toured the war museum. Quite a few of the older buildings are still covered in soot from smoke from the many chimneys and look grey. Our tour guide says things are brightening up a bit now, but they cannot wash the old buildings as it would damage the stone??

The morning sun woke us up at 5.30 am. – a good start for our trip from Edinburgh to Loch Lomond. Crossed the Forth bridge, 2.5 km long, the world's first major steel bridge. Begun in 1883 and completed on 4th March 1890 when HRH Edward, Prince of Wales tapped into place a "golden" rivet. Construction involved the employment of 4,000 men at times. During operations rescue boats were stationed under each cantilever, saving at least 8 lives but still 57 lives were lost. The painting of the bridge for years proved legendary. As soon as the painters reach one end they would have to start again at the other. Painting is now being done using a state-of-the-art regime with at least a 20 year life span. It was very impressive.

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Whiskey factory in Scotland	W.O. line up

Some of us stopped at the Gleneagles Hotel for coffee, the world famous haunt for golfers. Crossed the Tossachs National Park which separates the Highlands from the Lowlands of Scotland. We decided to take a 45-minute walk just outside Aberfeldy and then stopped for a pint of shandy and a cigar in the sun before proceeding to Loch Lomond. Loch Lomond is the largest fresh water lake in Great Britain, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is a popular leisure destination and of course well known for its "bonnie, bonnie banks". Enjoyed a very entertaining evening starting with a boat ride and champagne, followed by dinner at the boat house. A Scottish piper presided over the haggis (the Scottish version of a blood and liver sausage) ritual. We retired about midnight after good scotch.

The next day was a free day. We usually stay two nights at one hotel, which reduces the number of times we have to pack and unpack and allows us to do some quick washing. Our free days seem to start wet, so our planned seaplane flight was delayed for two hours. We eventually took off and could enjoy a bird's eye view of the many lochs, castles and golf courses. We later visited a local distillery, further improving our taste buds for the single malt. Ended the day with an informal dinner with some friends, as usual a bottle too many but we slept well! We experienced Scotland as very pleasant with beautiful scenery, a bit too laid back in some areas, when waiting for service at some hotels and restaurants one has to be a little patient!

As to the cars, most seem to be running well. A Mark Six Bentley needed new springs (hard to find on the road) but luckily a garage in Edinburgh took some springs from another car (with the understanding that they would be eventually returned) thus allowing them to continue on the tour. A modern Bentley had some typical electrical problems, the car was towed some 60 miles to Glasgow only to find out that a fuse had blown.

Left at 8 am next morning to cover some 240 miles through Argyle Blue from loch to loch and over rolling hills (they call them mountains here). The roadsides were covered in moss and the rhododendrons in full bloom. A magnificent ride for our last day in Scotland before we headed back to England. Took a ferry across one of the lochs allowing us take some more pictures. Stopped in Gretna Green, the world's most popular lovers elopement destination. Tonight we are staying in the Lake District, very pretty with mountains surrounding the lakes, and very, very green as it rains a lot here! We are near Keswick at the Lahore Falls Hotel, an old fashioned but comfortable establishment serving excellent food.

We have now completed 1000 miles and surprisingly only had a couple of sprinkles while driving. The temperature is around 18 centigrade which does require a leather jacket and hat while driving, but warm enough to sit in the sun in a tee shirt. The teamwork with Roger, my co-driver, is still working well. We are driving and navigating to perfection!. On a long day we need some 60 liters of petrol, costing us over 100 pounds or 150 dollars, but the car does not use any oil or water!

Today another free day in the Lake district, light rain start to with, the locals say more rain is coming in and as I am typing these words the rain is getting much heavier, I guess we are going to be grounded. There is a local bus into town, we will probably venture out with our rain gear on...

Left the beautiful lake district on a rainy morning, put on all the rain gear to start with, then it brightened up and got warmer as we drove further south. Stopped at the Gibbon Bridge Hotel in Chipping for lunch sponsored by a BDC (Bentley Drivers Club) member. Another popular wedding destination with beautiful gardens in the forest of Bowland. Quiet country roads lead to many scattered, unspoilt villages and hamlets. Drove on to Wales and stayed in Llandudno for two days. Llandudno is Wales's largest seaside resort, boasting two wonderful beaches. The town has kept its Victorian and Edwardian elegance and splendour, despite its modern attractions. The "Summit Complex" - hotel and golf resort built in the 1900's - was requisitioned in 1941 by the RAF and became a radar station during the war. In 1952 Randolph Turpin, a champion middleweight boxer, became the resident licensee until 1961 when he got into trouble with the Inland Revenue. He ended his life with a single bullet in 1966. At dinner the Welsh Choir joined us with some 30 singers, the performance started at 9 pm and lasted until 11 pm, with many of the BDC members falling asleep!

Party time

Next morning Roger and I went to visit the impressive Caenavon Castle some 30 miles away. Caenavon castle is the most famous of Wales's castles and also a World Heritage Site. Construction began in 1283 by King Edward 1 as the definitive chapter in his conquest of Wales. It was designed to echo the walls of Constantinople and was not only a military stronghold but also a seat of government and royal palace. In 1969 the castle was the setting of the Investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales. The castle also houses the Regimental Museum of the Royal Welch Fusiliers - Wales's oldest regiment. From there we took the Welsh Highland RR to Bedgellert; the vintage wagons were pulled by steam engines which were brought back from South Africa some 15 years ago.

The following day we drove from Wales to Crewe using the motorway between Liverpool and Manchester. This is one of the most densely populated areas in Europe and the only way to make good time was to use the motorway, something we try to avoid in a vintage open car!. Stopped for lunch at another BDC members estate. Fortunately the marquees did not have to be used as the sun was out and we could relax in the wonderful gardens. We spent the night at Crewe Hall, where we were treated like royalty. The stately Jacobean mansion, located on extensive grounds, dates back to 1615. It has one of the most beautiful staircases in England, exquisite marble fireplaces, ornate plaster work and carved wood. It has its own chapel complete with stained glass windows. We were served champagne again before dinner, sponsored by Bentley Motors.

Next day we visited the Bentley factory in Crewe, one of the highlights of the trip. Dress code was strictly jacket and tie, so we drove our Bentleys with ties and goggles! They still utilize the old brick stone factory buildings from the 1930's, but the insides have been modernized. They produce some 4000 cars per year here, producing the flagship Mulsanne and the cheaper Continental GT, with 4000 employees. Which means a lot of work is still done by hand and the lines are moving very slowly, giving the workers time to focus on quality and have a chat in between. The factory has the capacity to double and produce up to 10000 cars a year. We saw electronic specialists, paint experts and cabinet makers, copper smiths alongside trim specialists. 90 per cent of the Mulsanne cars are personalized, i.e. you choose your own colour, trim, wood inlays, family crest etc. Beautiful cars for some three hundred thousand dollars. We spent several interesting and happy hours here, fortunately we were able to resist the temptation of placing a special order!

We are still trying to keep fit which is getting harder by the day as the food is generally very good and every evening meal is started with drinks, then wine and finished off with an after dinner drink.


After Crew we stayed in Buxton for two nights. Buxton lies just outside the Peak District National Park. It was founded by the Romans, who were attracted to the site by the warm springs (constant temp of 28 degrees Centigrade) which emerge near the River Wye. In the 18th - 19th centuries the spa attracted royalty and gentry and over the years many magnificent buildings were constructed and the town prospered. Limestone quarrying became a major industry in the immediate area and, with the advent of the railroad, stone was easily transported across the country. Quarrying continues to be an important industry still today. After the First World War the spa industry went into gradual decline and by 1950 Buxton was a backwater. Recovery began in 1980's with the reopening of the Opera House and festivals and relocation of the university of Derby.

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Welsh Highland RR	Visiting the Bentley factory at Crewe

We then went on to visit Chatsworth House, the magnificent estate of the Cavendish family for 16 generations and where the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire still reside. The original house was the work of Sir Wm Cavendish in the mid 16th Century. He was a crown commissioner responsible for dissolving monasteries and his reward was a gift of land here. The park covers some 400 hectares and is enclosed by a nine mile long dry stone wall and deer fence. The old hunting grounds are beautifully landscaped, ground work being planned by Lancelot "Capability" Brown in the mid 1700's. The house is filled with baroque art, the ceilings painted with voluptuous scenes, the walls decorated with paintings covering a period of 400 years. The current Duke collects contemporary art, so in between the collections of old dutch masters and Chinese porcelain one can enjoy modern sculptures; a true treasure trove of modern and historic artifacts. Over the years many famous people have stayed in Chatsworth, including Mary Queen of Scots who was imprisoned here. Another was Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire who lived here in a famous "menage a trois" in the late 18th Century. This visit allowed us to burn off some calories as we walked the grounds and gardens extensively.

The next day started wet again and we drove to Ironbridge, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution some 300 years ago, where the first commercial foundry was constructed and first cast iron bridge in England was built over the river Severn in 1779. The town is now a World Heritage site with a collection of well preserved brick buildings. The weather improved gradually and we arrived in sunny Stratford-upon-Avon where the forecast is warm and dry for the next few days, i.e. 21 Centigrade, about 72 Fahrenheit with an occasional shower! (I have been advised not to use the word "sprinkle" as it has a different meaning in english!!}. Stratford is a town small in size but large in history. Birthpace of William Shakespeare, it is set on the banks of the river Avon. Flowers abound everywhere and there are many parks and green areas. There are still a large number of Tudor styled thatched cottages - most famous being Anne Hathaway's, a thatched farmhouse with stunning grounds and which still contains many original items of the family. It was here the young Shakespeare courted his future bride, Anne. Being a favourite tourist destination, Stratford has a rich programme of events and activities. In addition to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, which is celebrating it's 50th birthday season, there is music in the park, river racing and river cruising and always walks along the river banks. Wonderful old pubs such as the Black Swan (aka the Dirty Duck) and English cream teas (scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam) served in the afternoons. Our hotel is located on the river just a few steps from everything so we don't need to use our car.

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Early morning drive	Lovely English village

The first day in Stratford we spent walking around checking out all the important sites. In the evening we drove to close by Royal Leamington Spa to see family there. We had a quiet dinner with Olaf & Caroline (sister-in-law taking care of some much needed laundry for us) and at 9.30 we had to make a quick exit as it was raining quite heavily. Put on our rain gear (again) and drove back to Stratford on slick roads, getting back to the hotel safely before it got dark. Driving at night in the rain is no fun as glasses, goggles and windscreen all get fogged up! The rain stopped early in the morning, just as we were getting ready for the Annual Concourse d'Elegance to be held at the Bentley Club House in Wroxton. Some 350 Bentleys joined the event, quite a sight to behold! We were able to meet up with some old friends from previous tours and got a few laughs reliving car stories. The morning was as usual cool and in the afternoon the expected heat wave started allowing me to change into shorts - finally! Tonight we have our second black tie event, some 140 people will attend, tables of 12 - will see what the noise level will be trying to shout across the tables.


Drove through the lovely Cotswold's from Stratford to Bath. The Cotswolds are without a doubt one of the prettiest areas of England, well known for its gentle hillsides ("wolds"), river valleys, water meadows, beech woods and dry stone walls. Ancient honey-coloured limestone villages and historic market towns are scattered throughout the countryside. Decided to skip the hotel breakfast this Sunday morning. The sun was just starting to penetrate the mist (it was like reading Brigadoon - with the Scottish mist), no traffic and no noise. We drove through quiet Chipping Campden and stopped for breakfast in the market town of Broadway, where we could sit outside! By 11 am the crowds arrived and we sprinted on. I was navigating and we took a wrong turn and ended up in Bourton-on-the-Water (where we were supposed to be later in the day after visiting Prescott). The town was absolutely packed with people sitting on the lawn having picnics on this most beautiful day. We enjoyed our pint of shandy and cigar sitting on a river bank outside a pub. Parked the car in front of the local Motor museum where Roger got nostalgic. They had a 1937 Austin Clifton with a dickey seat (exterior passenger seat located in the rear/boot), the same car he owned some 35 years ago. Then went on to Prescott where the Buggatis have their home, there has been top flight motor racing here for almost 80 years. The famous hill climb had very tight corners, not so good for the Bentley, so we did not use the track but we watched some cars racing up the hill in 42 seconds (world record is 31 seconds). The smell of hot motor-oil, hot tarmac and the sound of a well tuned engine, who could ask for anything more?!. Motored on and eventually arrived in Bath in the sweltering heat, one car had a broken half shaft/rear axle, probably from the Prescott Hill climb, while other car troubles included radiators, brakes, magnetos etc. Most of the cars got fixed on the free day in Bath.

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W.O.s in the Stratford	With Jenny Ford our tour organizer and the Mayor of Bath	Driving through a gorge

The next day we spent in Bath and were received by the mayor in the city park, followed by a lunch in the County Club. The mayor, the President of the County Club (a retired Air Marshall), the vicar and the organist joined as well and they all gave speeches, quite an affair! In the afternoon we took a guided tour through this beautiful city. The Romans built a settlement around the thermal springs here some 2000 years ago and a vast complex of baths was constructed, defining its spot in history. They are fuelled by mineral springs, outputting over a million litres of hot water each day. It was also a prosperous city during the medieval period, the site of an Abbey and Cathedral, and during the Georgian period the city was laid out with stately avenues, streets and crescents, massive structures were built which still exist today - extremely impressive. The nobles came here in the 19th century to heal and relax with their wives (or mistresses!). Beautiful parks and botanical gardens were conceived for relaxation, today they are ideal for picnics but local by-laws prevent the drinking of alcohol outdoors, (however topless bathing, I was told, is frowned upon but not illegal - get our priorities right!). Jane Austin also knew Bath as a thriving spa resort and lived here from 1801-1806; she set two of her novels in Bath. During World War 2 the city suffered a significant amount of damage during air raids. The prestigious crescents and terraces were relatively unscathed and later restored but large sections of more minor Georgian and Victorian areas were demolished and replaced by modern buildings, which now look out of place. The town centre is mostly traffic free with lots of coffee houses to sit outside, lots of young people roaming around as Bath is also a University town. So we did find the English summer after all - it lasted two days!

Our next stop was Torquay where the Atlantic ocean and the English channel meet. Lost the starter motor. When we arrived in the Hotel parking lot in Torquay I took the starter motor out and saw that one of the bolts holding the spring on the Bendix shaft in place was sheared off. An Australian colleague had a spare set and this was fitted with the help of our Belgium friends. Two hours later the car was starting again with the replacement unit. Collateral damage included minor burns and a blue finger nail trying to refit the five pound starter motor. The Australian colleague wants the spare kit back, so I ordered a unit from my mechanic which hopefully will arrive tomorrow. Then we have to replace it again, by that time I will be an expert in replacing starter motors. Luckily we were able to meet up with great-niece Natasha and boyfriend Richard after worries that we weren't going to make it in time.

Torquay lies on the "English Riviera", the waterfront is the focus of life in the town with a lively harbour and palm tree-lined promenade, giving it a Mediterranean feel. From a background of pirates, smugglers and honest fishermen, the town developed into a fashionable haven for tourists. Beacon Quay, now a bustling tourist haunt, was developed on the site of World War 2 slipways. Agatha Christie enjoyed bathing at Beacon Cove which became one of the original "ladies' beaches". And an eccentric hotel proprietor was the inspiration for John Cleese to create Basil Fawlty and Fawlty Towers when he and the Python team stayed at a Torquay hotel. We had very nice rooms overlooking the water. As today is a free day we set out to find a quiet spot to enjoy a lunch of english fish and chips. We landed in nearby Dartmouth, set on the banks of the estuary of the river Dart. It was of strategic importance as a deep water port for sailing vessels. It was used as the sailing point for the Crusades of 1147 and 1190 and was a home of the Royal Navy during the reign of Edward the third and was twice surprised and sacked during the 100 years' war, after which the mouth of the estuary was closed every night with a great chain. The pilgrim fathers put into Dartmouth en-route from Southampton to America. They rested a while before setting off on their journey to America in the Mayflower and the Speedwell on 20 August 1620. About 300 miles west of Land's End they realized the Speedwell was unseaworthy and returned to Plymouth. The Mayflower departed alone to complete the crossing to Cape Cod. In the latter days of World War 2 the town was a base for American forces and one of the departure points for Utah Beach in the D-day landings.

We returned to our Torquay hotel for dinner, which was a fun affair with magicians and card sharks entertaining us. A very relaxed atmosphere which we thoroughly enjoyed after a busy day of sight-seeing. Tomorrow we set out for the New Forest and our next adventure...

Left Torquay for the New Forest. A busy day. Met up with Richard (who came to visit us at the Imperial Hotel with Natasha the night before) and a couple of his work colleagues just outside Exeter. Took Richard for a spin and he piloted the 6.5 litre easily through 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear with 4th still a work in progress. Then drove down the Devonshire coast and checked out all the chisel beaches - sand the size of marbles! Every where we stopped there were school children as the teachers were on strike. Parents and non-striking teachers took the kids out for a hands on cultural field trip. In the evening we met up with Roger's friends from Switzerland at Rhinefield House where we were staying, a beautiful Gothic building set on 40 acres of gardens and woods in the heart of the New Forest.

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Half shaft repair in the parking lot	Fishing village, Dartmouth	WO U-turn manouvers

The following day we went to see Lord Montagu's world famous National Motor museum in Beaulieu. The museum houses a collection of over 250 automobiles and motor cycles telling the story of motoring on the roads of Britain from the dawn of motoring to the present day. Lord Montagu's father owned a Rolls Royce in 1908 and thought it would be nice to have a mascot that "belonged to the Rolls Royce car as much as a carved wooden figurehead belonged to a sailing vessel". In 1910, Claude Johnson, the Managing Director of Rolls Royce, commissioned Lord Montagu's friend, Charles Sykes (a sculptor), to design the Flying Lady - the Spirit of Ecstasy. The model for the flying lady was widely believed to be Lord Montagu's mistress, Eleanor Thornton. The Spirit of Ecstasy mascot has adorned the radiator of every Rolls Royce since 1911. Eleanor never lived to witness the global success of the emblem made in her image. While travelling to India on the P & O liner SS Persia with Lord Montagu in 1915, the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Eleanor lost her life but Lord Montagu survived and returned to England. The secret love affair was also immortalised in another mascot Sykes designed for Lord Montagu. It was christened "The Whisper" and depicts a young woman, believed to be Eleanor, in fluttering robes with a secretive finger to her lips.

The New Forest is also home to ca. 3000 New Forest ponies and foals that can be found wandering freely in the Forest and surroundings (and in the middle of the roads!). There have been ponies running wild here for hundreds of years. Canute's Forest Law confirms their presence as early as 1016. Although they may appear wild they are in fact owned by the 400 or so "commoners" who have ancient rights to allow animals to graze in the forest. There have been many attempts to improve on the breed. In the middle ages Henry the Third introduced Welsh ponies to help strengthen the stock and Henry the Eighth (not content at just his wives) had smaller ponies killed. Queen Victoria lent the Forest her Arab stallion.

Then went on to visit Buckler's Hard on the Beaulieu river where warships for Nelson's Navy were built, three of which took part in the Battle of Trafalgar. Some 2000 oak trees were required to build frigates so in 1800 the British government ordered a reforestation programme to guarantee enough trees for future ship building. However 100 years later steel was the material of choice so the majestic oak trees remain standing to this day. There can be few other places in England where the ancient landscape has remained so unchanged as here. In 1079 when William the Conqueror named the area his "new hunting forest" little did he know that nearly 1000 years later the "Nova Foresta" would still remain much as it was, making this a unique place. Another little tit bit of information, Alice Liddell, Lewis Carroll's inspiration for Alice in Wonderland is buried here. In the evening Abigail and Rob (newly betrothed niece and soon to be nephew-in-law) joined us for a BBQ dinner. We were slightly delayed as the repair of the starter motor was a little more complex than we expected...!

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Starter motor repair	BBQ dinner in New Forest	Jazz entertainement at Leeds Castle

Push started the car for the run through Sussex into Kent. The re installation of the starter motor was not successful. With all the handling of the unit it now has a loose connection in the housing. We pushed on anyway to visit Winston Churchill's home at Chartwell where we had a picnic lunch on the lawn. Then drove to Maidstone - our last destination. Sat next to Jimmy Medcalf for dinner, he did an apprenticeship including (amongst other things) starter motors and said it should not pose a big problem. He now owns the most original Bentley team car from the 1920's. Next morning we had an appointment with him at 9.30 am. He immediately saw where the problem was - ripped the unit apart and soldered the broken connection. It was my duty to refit the unit onto the chassis, laying on my back for the third time. One hour later we drove off to Dover, under our own steam, to visit the white cliffs of Dover and the Castle where one could easily see the European continent.

The next morning, our last day with the group, we went to see a BDC members automobile, clock and vintage musical box collection, going down memory lane listening to old songs. Drove back to our hotel and put on our tuxedos for the final dinner at Leeds castle. The castle dates back to 1119, although a manor house has stood on the same site from the 9th century (at that time home of the Saxon royal family). It is set on 2 islands on the river Len and absolutely spectacular. Surrounded by water in a beautiful setting and perfect weather we sipped champagne and listened to a jazz band conducted by a nephew of Glenn Miller. As it was 4th of July the band dressed up in American uniforms. The final dinner with lamb chops, speeches and gifts recognizing the tour organizers wrapped up a very successful and enriching tour.

Next morning it was time to say good bye. Roger took off for Switzerland and I drove the car back to Bedford for a complete service and storage.

This was a very well organized tour allowing us to meet lots of new BDC members and seeing the best of Britain.

Cheerio and Happy Motoring!