What a cracker!

There are some days in winter when you just have to get out and enjoy the weather.

Just warming her up!

This was one of those days and it would have been criminal of me not to get the Morgan out and revel in a glorious drive.

Across the Bay towards the Lake District

No wind, loads of sunshine and the Morgan at 27300 miles on the clock, just 'run in'!

In front of the 'Mount' at Fleetwood.

So back to the sea I went, 15 minutes away from home, Fleetwood first with its fabulous views across Morecambe Bay to the Pennines and the Lake District.

A calm and peaceful sea at Cleveleys

Secondly I motored farther south along the Fylde coast of Lancashire to Cleveleys and there enjoyed views at high tide across the Irish Sea and in a southerly direction towards Bispham and Blackpool.

The view south towards Bispham and Blackpool.

What a fantastic enhancement to our retirement this little car has been.

On a cold and frosty morning....

......I drove the Morgan out of the garage for a quick spin.

This was having first started the engine and turned the heater and fan on full  to warm the hood before I lowered it, being worried that I might cause damage, particularly to the rear window because it was so cold and the vinyl material so stiff.

Anyway, the Morgan heater being particularly effective, this did not take long and I was soon on the road for my first drive of 2019.

Living close to the sea I am drawn to it and this morning was to be no exception.

My target, a few miles away was to be Wardleys Creek, which for hundreds of years since medieval times, was a major trading port, together with Skippool Creek just across the River Wyre.

As well as serving British trade, ships from the Baltic transported flax and ships from Africa brought  guano for use as fertiliser.

In the 30's, mussels from Wardleys were highly sought after and prior to that visitors came in the 19th century for 'Hambleton Hookies', large mussels that often contained a pearl.

There are many more fascinating facts about this port including smuggling and sadly slavery connections.

It was a lovely short drive exploring some back roads that I have not visited before.

  A Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year

                      to all my readers and followers.

                                   Roll on Summer !!!! 

No matter how painful.....

.....you just have to keep the wheels rolling in winter!

So I decided to bite the bullet on this very cold November morning and go down to the sea again.

How lucky we are to live so close, just 10 minutes away by Morgan to Fleetwood, the place that has featured so much in my life.

Looking east with the Lake District to the right across Morecambe Bay.

This is the place where I started my working life as a bank clerk at District Bank, Wyre Dock branch, situated directly behind the fish dock. This was at the time when Fleetwood was a major fishing port and it was delightful for me to wander around the dock viewing all the Icelandic trawlers moored there and then occasionally receiving fresh fish from the fish merchants who banked with us....happy days!

Mother, child and dog waving goodbye to their relative on his way to the fishing grounds.

Promotion brought daily trips across the River Wyre by ferry to Knott End and Stalmine branches.

What a frightening 'selfie'!!!!!!

Working for the bank also brought the opportunity to take part in the vote count for general and local elections and it was at one of these counts where I met my future wife, the most beautiful girl in Fleetwood.

The fact that she could count as well as look so gorgeous sealed the matter for me and the rest is history!!!!!

So Fleetwood is a place close to my heart and this morning it did not disappoint. Blue sky, sunshine and as it was early, very few people, lovely.

When I was downloading my photos from this morning I found this much better 'selfie' of my favourite grand daughter Olivia and me so I am including this.

A cloudless blue sky.....

.....in early Autumn, with a temperature of 20+ means only one thing, Helen and Chris are Morgan motoring!

My wife suggested a tavern, one we hadn't visited before, where we could have a light lunch after a little pootle around the Duke of Westminster's garden, the Bowland Forest. Interesting that en route we spotted a rather new Range Rover or Discovery with the registration 'DW' !

The 'Fleece'

I aimed the car at the village of Dolphinholme where the hostelry is situated and then drove slowly around the area which, with the early autumn colours beginning to show in the trees was very beautiful.

'The Shepherds Church' in the distance.

We are so lucky to live where we do, often forgetting that countryside like this is just 35 minutes away, with the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales around one to one and a half hours distant.

Fabulous rich scenery.

By the River Wyre, a wonderful spot for paddling grandchildren and picnic in the future

The 'Fleece' pub with rooms is excellent. I had Whitebait with my wife choosing the soup, all washed down with Bowland Brewery Hen Harrier....yippee!

Returned home to give our Volvo a wash, in part to keep myself fit as I have recently fallen into the easy option of having it washed at a splendid facility in Blackpool, near my favourite 'Shell' garage.

Both cars are now impeccable!

Our little foray came after an interesting period with one of Nellie's tyres. When we had returned from our Lake District trip I checked the car and found that the rear offside tyre was as flat as a pancake, what is more I had a heck of a job getting my trolley jack under a suitable jacking point on the chassis because of the Morgan's low ground clearance. Oh joy!

Anyway, with the help of another standard type jack that was my father's I think I lifted the front of the car sufficiently to lift the rear and got the wheel off and down to my local Tyre dealer, 5 minutes walk away.

To cut this saga short, they could find nothing wrong with the tube after having it overnight, so back on the car it went. Checked after our return from a week in Norfolk and it was down again. Same procedure as before to no avail, so a new tube has been inserted but as far as I know the original remains fully inflated at the repairer.

Good test today and I am pleased to report all appears well.

Keswick, Whinlatter and the Honister Passes.

It was while watching the Tour of Britain and particularly the Whinlatter Pass stages 5 and 6, that a germ of an idea began to form in my mind, not as a budding cyclist (my wife and I only watch for the scenery!) but as a possible drive in 'Nellie'.

It also offered the chance to get away for a couple of days and use a further dollop of the childrens' inheritance!

Our 5 star accommodation

With accommodation organised in a rather nice 5 star B&B in Keswick, my plan was to travel to the village of Braithwaite, just outside Keswick, drive through the Whinlatter Forest and Pass to Lorton and then drive to Loweswater, Crummock Water and Buttermere, up the Honister Pass and then down into Borrowdale and thence back to our lodgings.

First we visited two old friends who were caravanning at Pooley Bridge, Ullswater, had lunch with them and then checked in to our lovely hotel for our first night.

Ullswater in the background

Morning dawned and after a substantial breakfast we headed for Braithwaite where we found signs suggesting that the road was closed and there was a detour in operation! The best laid plans and all that!

Keswick Market Place.

Anyway, just outside Cockermouth !!!!!!! I realised that some oaf from Cumbria County Council had not removed the signs from the Tour of Britain event and the oaf driving the Morgan only twigged what was happening until it was far too late, necessitating a swift change of plans that meant us approaching the Forest from Lorton, having a quick reconnoitre and then turning around and continuing with the original plan.

Heading towards the Whinlatter Forest

The relationship within the narrow confines of our conveyance was somewhat strained to say the least!

En route to Loweswater

Thankfully the weather stayed dry apart from the odd drizzly bit so we were able to travel top down and the glories of our surroundings soon made up for the initial hiccup.

Crummock Water

Buttermere with Fleetwith Pike in the distance.

It had been some 50 odd years since my wife and I had visited Crummock and Buttermere in my first car, a 1936 Morris 10/4 fixed head coupe (now an exhibit in the Lakeland Motor Museum), so it was good to return after a long absence and enjoy once again the majestic scenery, albeit with much of it shrouded in cloud and mist.

Approaching Honister Pass

Posing again!....

.....Well at my age you are considered invisible, so the only way that I can get any semblance of interest now is to get out in the Morgan!

The Wyre Estuary Country Park, not exactly reminiscent of the Costas especially with the tide out!

Having said that, up 'ere in deepest Lancashire the vast majority of the population haven't a clue what sort of car I am driving, at best probably regarding it as some type of kit car.

However, there are a number of more sophisticated, well read individuals, like me, who do appreciate it and shout, 'ooh it's luvely, I bet they're not building those anymore'.....to which I reply ad nauseam my well rehearsed response. It's a 2008 4/4 (4 wheels,4cylinders), the longest running production model in the UK, built in Gt Malvern etc.,etc.,etc.,etc!

Although when the car does get some attention I thoroughly enjoy it and it does enrich the driving experience.

Today, nothing happened at all and I put it down to the fact that it was a bit cloudy, keeping most residents indoors and particularly where I was, it seemed that most of the people were giving more attention to their pooches, totally ignoring the fabulous car and driver pootling passed them!

Almost home!

Ah well!