Sunshine Coast

Destination

Essex Sunshine Coast

Sunday 7th May

Picnic Lunch at The Naze

The forecast was for rain and that’s what we got. At the start point, the showroom of Underwoods Mazda in Colchester, we were fortunately able to shelter inside whilst we waited for people to turn up. But who’s coming out on a day like this we thought? Well no worries there as 23 5’s eventually assembled for our first tour of Essex for several years.

The first part of the route took us to Mistley with the promise of an ice cream by the riverside. Due to a little navigational error the back half of the convoy arrived at Mistley several minutes ahead of the front of the convoy but we were a bit disappointed as no ice cream van today. Could possibly have had something to do with the weather although by this time it had eased up quite a bit and roofs were dropped for the next stage of the run. The route through to Dovercourt was successfully navigated by everyone but not without risking several sections of seriously flooded road with the more adventurous charging through with great plumes of muddy water in their wake.

A stop on the sea front at Dovercourt was planned so we could admire the fine Victorian lighthouses and it also saw most people, but not all, put the roofs back up as the rain started to come down a bit heavier again.

Plan A was a picnic on the cliffs at Walton on the Naze and on arrival this looked unlikely but with the help of a few umbrellas and the official ER gazebo the picnic still went ahead and by the time we were ready to leave the rain had just about stopped again.

The picnic was supplemented by the cakes Liz W had brought along which we had started eating after the disappointment with the ice cream van at Mistley. There were over 40 of us on the run and Liz managed plenty of cake for us all, thank Liz, your a star.

The last section of the run, with one extra car which had joined us on the Naze, was via Clacton on Sea and back inland to Great Bentley where our last stop was the village green which our route notes informed us “is the biggest village green in England”. Plenty of space to park in any case. So after another eventful and very successful Eastern Region run we all headed home but we will be back for a rerun in the sun.

Big thanks to Gary for organising the run and for producing some of the nicest route notes we have ever had. (and to Tom and Smiffy for assisting). Thanks as well to Underwoods Mazda in Colchester for providing the venue for the start and a nice dry showroom to shelter in, we will be in touch again.

Download your directions here.

Martin's Photo Gallery or Watch the movie! by Michael Allen.

Many thanks to the contributors of the above photographs.