15/16 November 2003

If the weather could be made to order then this weekend obliged the organisers, John and Sandra Grainger, and those lucky members who attended what turned out to be a suburb, well organised "caper" at both the historic National Trust house "Monk Coniston" and the surrounding South Lakes area of the Lake District National Park.

In attendance were :- Brian and Pauline, John and Jessie, Frank and Jean, Keith and Gill, Gideon and Yvonne, Ken and Anne, Colin and Pat and of course the organisers John and Sandra Grainger; and not forgetting Tess the Labrador.

Monk Coniston is owned by the National Trust and is situated at the northern end of Coniston Lake with access from the hill which leaves Coniston for Hawkshead.  Situated in expansive grounds filled with over 60 varieties of rare trees, with spectacular views of Coniston Water and the surrounding fells,  the building dates from an original 13th century farmhouse with additions in the 16th century and again in the Victorian era.  Famous guests have included Alfred Lord Tennyson, Lewis Carroll and perhaps Beatrix Potter who also owned land in the area.  Solway Jaguar Club members John and Sandra Grainger live on the premises, Sandra being the manager responsible for the day to day running and upkeep of the property which is managed overall by H.F. Holidays.  The exterior of the complex of buildings is impressive as is the interior which has been tastefully restored to reflect it's history.  In keeping with the Jaguar theme, John has a splendid display of quality Jaguar models, pictures and memorabilia strategically placed for maximum impact.

After arriving and booking in at around 1pm on Saturday, we were able to relax, take in the surroundings and then after a freshen up, sit down to view some videos of the Great Australian Bathurst 1000 motor race of 1985.  This year was particularly appropriate as it was when Tom Walkinshaw mounted a three car Jaguar XJ-S challenge in an effort to defeat the Australian and New Zealand contingent in their much loved cast iron USA V8 powered General Motors Holden and Ford Falcon cars.  Tom's flying lap in the TWR V12 Jaguar was a joy to watch and hear and had his luck held he would have no doubt been the winner of this testing classic race.  As it was, the race was won by the No. 10 TWR Jaguar driven by John Goss with Walkinshaw a creditable third after losing 2 laps through oil cooler failure.  Brian Green also showed his video of the club year with members locked in battle at the Go Kart races, in attendance at the Newby Hall classic show and at other memorable days on the road including the trip around the Yorkshire Dales.  Brian must have a touch of film director in him as he edits very well indeed.

At 3.00pm the male members went off to view Bill Bateman's classic car collection in Coniston while the ladies visited Coniston village and the local beauty treatment salon.  The collection of cars, motorcycles and memorabilia was a delight and few members even knew of the existence of such a rare collection, many of which were both old, rare and in some cases quite unique cars. The damp surroundings gave food for thought and the dreaded "Tin Worm" would be at home in this environment.

After gathering in the bar for pre-dinner drinks we sat down to a lovely meal, after which we moved into the lounge for the evenings entertainment.  We did not have a resident comedian but Gideon conjured up some classic jokes.  John and Gideon then quizzed us on both automotive issues and general knowledge, suffice to say that some of us were lacking in both areas and would not be candidates for either Mastermind or Millionaire.  Retiring after a nightcap we were all anticipating the following day, both in the weather stakes and the trials of a two stage treasure hunt.

Sunday dawned and what a day it turned out to be.  The weather was just "made to order" the autumn colors were just perfect with the sun shining and warm enough for short sleeves.  The start took us down the eastern side of the lake past John Ruskin's Brantwood home with many drivers taking time out to photograph the magnificent scenery.  We traversed the southern lakes area finishing up for lunch at the Rusland Pool Hotel on the A590 Barrow to Kendal road.  Part two of the treasure hunt took us through Cark, Flookborough, Grange over Sands and along the A5074 to Bowness and Windermere.  Moving on then to Ambleside and a stop at the Hayes garden centre to view the traditional Christmas display before the final leg back to Monk Coniston via the Drunken Duck pub and Tarn Hows.  Finally a cream tea and the marking of the treasure hunt scores.  All scores were decent but Pauline and Brian Green took the prize with a total of 36 out of a possible 37.  All agreed that this was a super day and one that could be taken at leisure.  The clues were clear but not always that obvious for drivers, certain passengers should in future remember to take their reading glasses, no names mentioned, this would also help marriages and relationships to survive the drive.

Many thanks must go to both John and Sandra Grainger for the effort and thought they put in to make this a memorable weekend "Caper" , it is just a pity that more members can not find it in themselves to participate in club events as this type of event is a joy and has something for all, not just men and their Jaguars.  So if this article whets your appetite then do "make the effort".  This club is yours to enjoy and participate in and events like this can only make the Solway Jaguar Car Club a strong family club with something to interest both male and female, young and old.

Col Murray

Photos