A Report by Bernard and Clare Jones

After a pleasant run from Broughton just north of Preston in Lancashire, apart from the delay caused by the mile long traffic queue at Newtown, we arrived at the Metropole Hotel around 4.00 pm. After checking in and finding our room we adjourned to “Spencers” Bar to have some liquid refreshment and meet up with some old friends and some new. We also took time to visit and check in with Alan & Pam Tomkins and collect our welcome folder.

Saturday dawned slightly dull and overcast with the occasional rain shower so we decided to keep our roof up, much to the disdain of one or two of the “Roof down all the time brigade”. We didn’t need any fuel having filled to capacity shortly before arriving at Llandrindod Wells on the way down.

 
                     
                                                                                                                 Photo by Bernard Jones.

 

Our route took us in a northerly and easterly direction to the quaint old town of Presteigne where we parked up on the out of town centre car park. Walking into the town we commenced to attempt to answer the treasure hunt questions handed to us by Alan before we left. Half way up one side of the main street we located a café and decided to have a coffee and a trip to the toilet. Leaving the café we attempted to complete the treasure hunt questions along with other entrants wandering up and down the main street.

Our route now took us through some very pleasant country side and through the villages of Byton, then Lingen and eventually to Lentwardine and the lunch

halt at the “Lion Hotel”. By this time it wasn’t raining and as the dinning area within the hotel was quite crowded we made our way to barbeque tables located in the garden and by the side of the river. After ordering some food we had a very satisfying lunch and some liquid refreshment together with a group of our friends from Northern Centre.

Departing the lunch stop we headed to Clun, then the villages of Bicton &  Skyborry, then on to Knighton. After Knighton we drove in the direction of Llanbister and then returned down the A483 to Llandrindod Wells. By this time the weather was intermittent sunshine and showers. A few miles from the hotel we topped up with fuel for tomorrow, but that is another story.

Our thanks must be expressed to Alan & Pam Tomkins who prepared the route for what was a very picturesque run  which made up for the disappointing weather.

  A selection of photos taken by Bernard Jones and John Ridyard in and around Llandridnod Wells
           (Click on thumbnails to enlarge.)
 

 
If anyone has any photos of our Healeys in action, please send them to me to add to the above.