It's almost 7 years...

....since we placed our order for the Morgan and I thought that it would be a good idea to post a few photographs taken during those years of the memorable drives and special moments we have enjoyed.

....

And there are hundreds more, taken during 24000 great, fun-filled miles in the UK, Ireland, France and Spain. Long may it continue.

Happy Anniversary

Forty eight long years ago on my wedding morning, I was awakened at 6.30 am by my apologetic newsagent father who told me that I would have to get out of bed to complete a newspaper round, because one of the Deliverers hadn't turned up!

I was delighted!!!! Anyway the rest of the day went well and as my lovely wife has put up with all my many foibles throughout the whole period, I decided that this year we would go away for our Anniversary and for once she wouldn't have to do any cooking.

A very murky Windermere

We decided that we should visit an hotel that has been recommended to me regularly by an old business acquaintance, the 'Gold Rill' in Grasmere, Cumbria,www.goldrill.co.uk, some 60 miles away from home.

The Gold Rill Hotel

View from our bedroom window

The wonderful spell of weather that we had enjoyed for most of September had changed for the worse and so it was with some surprise that a couple of days of good dry weather was forecast for our night away, which meant that we could go in the Morgan.

Grasmere Church and the Wordsworth family graves in the churchyard

We set off in glorious sunshine which we enjoyed until entering the Lake District National Park, when the sky became overcast but thankfully dry and it was top-down all the way, indeed it remained down for the whole period.

The River Rothay, Grasmere

We have been visiting the Lakes since childhood but it is always lovely to return and reaquaint ourselves with its many charms. So we spent a lovely afternoon with the large weekend crowds looking around Grasmere village, visiting the church, the Wordsworth graves in the churchyard and 'Sarah Nelson's celebrated Grasmere Gingerbread shop' www.grasmeregingerbread.co.uk

Reflections

Later, having checked in to our hotel, we walked along the road skirting the western shore of the lake, meeting countless fellwalkers returning from the peaks, before returning for a swift G&T or two before dinner. Prudently, we never have our evening tipple before 6pm, but our well established policy is, that regardless of the actual time, it is always 6 o'clock somewhere!!!!

Towards our hotel with Helm Crag (Lion and the Lamb) on left in distance. This was the scene of a mighty family climbing expedition in the 70's.

 

 

After a beautiful evening meal and wholesome breakfast, we said our farewells and drove to meet friends of ours in the village of Finsthwaite near Lakeside, Windermere, travelling via Tarn Hows, a beauty spot that we hadn't visited for years.

The Langdale Pikes in the distance

Tarn Hows

Our final assessment of the hotel is that it is a lovely place to stay, although we both commented that, even allowing for our advanced years, we felt that we were too young to be there! The staff are wonderful and the food exceptional although an uplift to the existing smart, though somewhat dated, decor would improve the place immensely.

Broadland Memories.

Broads minded!

It was in 1954 that a young chap aged 9, stood with his family and gazed across Oulton Broad to a beautiful motor cruiser moored at one of the boatyards. Its varnish gleamed in the Spring sunlight and he could scarsely believe that he was to spend a week on board that beautiful craft, cruising the Norfolk Broads.

Our boat was hired from Jim Hoseason, who had taken over this small boatyard at the southern end of the Broad, from his father Wally B. Hoseason, and was in the early stages of developing further the family firm's hire fleet and booking agency, now a household name in the field of boat and cottage rental in this country and abroad.

The first sight of 'Mary Bridget' moored at Jim Hoseasons yard at Oulton Broad

Built by Herbert Woods in Potter Heigham, the 'Mary Bridget' had been privately owned and we were the first people to hire her since her acquisition by Mr Hoseason. To this day I can remember the excitement I felt on going aboard.

1954.....9 years old

I have always had a keen interest in boats,  I guess, springing from the fact that all my family on my father's side were from Brixham in South Devon and were closely associated with the sea, either working on the Brixham sailing smacks or in the navy, and it was at that moment, in 1954, that my love of Norfolk and the Broads was kindled. And it is to the Broads that both my wife and myself have returned regularly.

A peaceful afternoon on Belaugh Staithe by the River Bure

The last occasion was a week ago when we spent a delightful week in Barn House Cottage in Belaugh (pronounced 'Beela') between Wroxham and Coltishall on the River Bure. We chose the cottage from www.ownersdirect.co.uk as an alternative to our usual practice of hiring a motor cruiser and it proved to be delightful, providing a good base to visit parts of the region we had not visited before.

Coltishall Common...a short walk from our cottage

However, we did get afloat on two occasions during the week by hiring a Day Boat from Martham to cruise Horsey Mere and Hickling Broad and a second craft to cover the River Waveney from Burgh St Peter to Beccles.

Our Day Boat moored at the 'Pleasure Boat' staithe, Hickling

View of the River Ant from How Hill

We had a wonderful time and were able to view the Broads from a different perspective. It was while doing this at a well known house called How Hill overlooking the River Ant, on which we have cruised on countless occasions, that we spotted a lady painting the scene. To cut a long story short, we are buying that painting, once the paint has dried and it is framed, providing a lasting memory of that special moment in yet another wonderful return visit to my beloved Norfolk www.jennyshawbrowne.com 

Back in Action!

What a great spell of weather we are having in the UK, almost an Indian Summer, following the excellent weather we have enjoyed for most of the year.

The lure of the Morgan, plus the additional incentive of spending a couple of hours in a brewery, celebrating one of my oldest friend's 70th birthday was just too much to resist.

National Trust property, Sizergh Castle.

First stop was the National Trust property of Sizergh Castle where we each enjoyed an indifferent coffee, which, in view of its quality was exorbitantly priced. We don't mind paying for quality, although it has to be said that we do wish outlets would serve coffee in smaller sized cups.

Lakeland Headquarters, Windermere

On to Lakeland Plastics Headquarters in Windermere, a frequent stopping place when we are in the Lakes, where my lovely wife wanted to buy some indispensible kitchen items!

Almost in Staveley

Then to the main event which was being held at the 'Hawkshead Brewery' in Stavely, just a few miles south of Windermere. They have an incredible range of super beers that were tackled with gusto by the members of the party who had travelled by train but alas I was somewhat restricted by my self imposed limit.

The Brewery

A tight fit in the Car Park

I must admit that I am not particularly fond of lunchtime drinking or eating for that matter , no matter what quantity, as it leaves not just me, but both of us, feeling somewhat bloated and sleepy. Not an ideal state for a drive down the M6 on the return journey.

My pal had booked a table for eleven upstairs in the restaurant which was ideal.

We started the meal with two giant sized 'Huntsmans' pies, followed in our case by a regular and a large sized fish and chips which were superb. The batter was perfect and the chips delightful, crisp on the outside and soft in the middle...yummy!

As expected, after what was a delightful occasion, we emerged bloated but happy for the return journey.

I have survived!

As you all know, I am quite a shy, retiring sort of chap and tend to keep a low profile as far as the blog is concerned, unless I have something truly interesting to write about.

However, I have been driven to pen this little item following an urgent call from one of my Morgan chums, who was actually quite worried about me, because I had not informed him about the success or failure of my recent operation, convened in order to return a part of my innards back to its original position, it having decided to force itself into an area of my body where it had no right to be! I was quite touched by his concern and realised that it might be mirrored by my worldwide readership.....who am I trying to kid?!!!

Additionally, I was also inspired to put finger to keypad by another Morgan chum, who writes a highly recommended, excellent blog  www://moggo-blog.blogspot.co.uk who has also been hit by a problem in his nether regions, but in a different locality to mine. He, quite properly and thoughtfully,  felt that he should let all his readers know that he had survived by informing them on his blog.

Both of them have shamed me into doing the right thing and I am now  letting everyone know that I am recovering well from the op., but it will be another couple of weeks before I can inflict the tender area of my lower body, to the cruel, unyielding confines of the Morgan cockpit!

A new image!

Can't wait to wear my new kit! (Brooklands)