Bakewell Tart Run Report
Sunday 25 th September 2011
Report by: Angela McNeela
Normally the domain of walkers and pedal cyclists the landscape of Derbyshire was transformed on September 25 th when the Bakewell Tart XK run took to the roads of the Peak District.
A welcoming and briefing session given by John Brennand to the 22 drivers and navigators taking part in the XK8 Forum Run was swiftly followed by the obligatory photograph and then each of the participants were given a lovely homemade mini Bakewell tart from Pauline Thorley,
3 XKs at a time were marshalled onto the road at 60 sec intervals. The uniform procession of XKs soon left the built up areas of Leek and the surrounding towns behind following the precise, very precise navigation notes that dared anyone to get lost!. The countryside soon beckoned but unfortunately so did low cloud cover sometimes leaving entrants to rely on the photographic evidence rather than the promised far distant views of Shropshire and beyond.
The route passed through well manicured villages where leather clad bikers congregated to enjoy a mid morning breakfast of bacon butties and the like whilst watching with interest the passing traffic, but interest turned to intrigue and open mouthed stares when not one, not two but 22 preened and polished Jaguars passed both serenely and respectfully through the picture post card village. And whilst the distant views were often negated by low cloud cover the clouds did not deny travellers the nearer panorama of rolling countryside with navigation notes pointing out rural features such as the medieval strip fields as they drove past tidy scattered farmsteads and hamlets with their flower bedecked stone cottages.
After 31.5 miles, precisely! the village of Hartington beckoned with the promise of cosy tea rooms, and an opportunity to stretch the legs around the village green and pond, the pubs, the excellent cheese shop and the very varied and well stocked Heart in the Country shop whose tills certainly welcomed the passing trade of the XK enthusiasts. The retail therapy had seemingly left some participants disorientated about the departure route with some taking in several rounds of the Village Green before navigators and drivers could agree a route out of the village.
Bends and hills were followed by straight runs enabling drivers to open up throttles to the characteristic purr or sometime roar of the majestic Jaguar. We were pleased to be following John in WIGJH who set a tidy pace in his Silverstone XK, the Silverstone, and the first 8 cylinder vehicle introduced at the Geneva Show in 1996 to replace the XJS and first to develop the V8 engine. Only 100 Silverstones produced – 50 Coupes and 50 Cabriolets but WIG JH was the first of those 50 to be produced.
Throughout the journey XK8 Forum member, and trigger happy, Ian Smith, hmmm in a Triumph Stag would regularly appear camera in hand to snap the transient XK8's at well chosen vantage points.
Travellers were rewarded with post card vistas, as we descended along the B5056, a picturesque panorama was opened up of ancient oaks, deciduous trees in every autumnal shade one could imagine.
From the A515 we passed through the grand stone entrance gates to Tissington
A lovely village and it's easy to see why it's so popular with tourists. At the centre is Tissington Hall, which is some 400 years old and is still the family home to the Fitzherbert family. The Church of St Mary's dates back to the Norman era, and the village holds its Well Dressing celebrations on Ascension Day.
We continued on the historic trail and at 56 miles in to our journey, entered the Chatsworth Estate built by Sir William Cavendish in 1549 and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Derbyshire however due to refurbishment its splendid façade was on this occasion shrouded by scaffolding and plastic sheeting.
The route notes had warned us to beware of sheep on the road but several cars ahead of us, the vibrant red SGH 633 XK8 no doubt benefited from its advanced braking system developed at Jaguar's research facility at the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany with its four-channel ABS (anti-lock braking system) supplemented by Emergency Brake Assist, designed to automatically activate the ABS if it senses a sharp application of the brakes. This can stop the car, with more steering control – a feature most welcome when seemingly from nowhere three deer's crossed the road just meters in front of us .…. where is a photographer when you need one!!?
In places cloud cover lifted and we were rewarded with the splendour of the Derbyshire countryside, however, as we left the spectacular Chatsworth estate dark rain clouds were evident and when we approached the Spa town of Buxton we were welcomed with heavy rainfall.
We were now very near our journeys end, and at 75.9 miles “precisely”, and with impeccable timing the 22 Jaguars one by one made their entrance to the grounds of the Palace Hotel Buxton with participants all ready for a hearty exchange of conversation over lunch.
Unfortunately, the impeccable organisation of the XK8 team was not reciprocated by the Barcelo hotel group when it soon became apparent that they had mislaid or forgotten the XK8 Forum booking – fortunately the conversation flowed and participants were more than happy to meet new friends, exchange stories, contacts and information and often realize that they had more in common than just cars when one group realised that they had both Jaguars and caravanning as a joint, common if not incongruous interest.
They say every cloud has a silver lining and how apt this proved to be – the delayed lunch resulted in the XK8ers departing for home at nearly 5pm by which time the Peak District was bathed in blue skies and sunshine and travellers were therefore treated to views in abundance across the Cheshire county, Jodrell Bank, Shropshire and beyond along with the Mancunian city scape to the North.
Contrasting light and shade made awe inspiring reflections on the hills and along with these more reflections of a super day in England's most green and pleasant land.
Angela C McNeela |
