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Yorkshire Dales Classic Car Club

 

Event Report

 

2021 The Black Smith’s Arms Swainby
 

Report by John Gill and Sheila Mason

 

On the 6 June 2021 twenty six YDCCC members turned up at Applegarth car park for our first run of the year. It was a glorious summers morning, much better than the windy, wet weather that greeted the brave soldiers 77 years ago as they approached the Normandy Landing Beaches on this very day. We were looking forward to a relaxing drive in the country followed by a pleasant lunch, we were not facing a battle hardened foe trying to prevent us landing on a small strip of beach.
I do not think any of the cars present at the car park on Sunday are 77 years old or older, although at times ours certainly feels like it! It must have been a daunting prospect with the equipment they had. The father of a colleague of mine landed on the beach in his tank and managed to travel 50 yards before it broke down! He abandoned the tank and fought on, on foot for the rest of the day. This is beginning to sound like one of my ramblings but we should not forget them. Back to the YDCCC run or even better I will hand over to Sheila.


How lovely to be standing in The Applegarth Carpark on a sunny Sunday morning and seeing fifty four happy faces including Tony Pratt who had come to wave us off and twenty six shiny cars. We were pleased to welcome some new members—Howard and Dee Chadwick, Alan and Margaret Graham, David and Norma Williams, Owen and Sue Robinson and Richard and Pat Greaves.


Dave welcomed everyone and gave out the route, a gentle trip of 48 miles. Howard and Dee asked if they could follow Tony as it was their first trip, we said it would be a pleasure and I kept my fingers crossed that Tony was not too fast for them and my navigational skills would be impeccable, I thank fully only failed once but we had only arrived at the Thirsk roundabout when I instructed to go left and it should have been straight on but arriving at The Blacksmiths Arms they forgave me.


The route took us on the outskirts of Thirsk, through Coxwold, passed Byland Abbey and onto Helmsley which was very congested and then through Great Broughton and heading for The Blacksmiths Arms in Swainby. The estimated arrival time was 12mid-day and most of us arrived just before with a small convoy arriving a few minutes late. Caroline, the land lady had everything organised and we were seated in our own dining room, there was much chatter and everyone appeared to enjoy their food. Caroline had requested that only one person paid, by card at the bar , the money was collected in but not counted and I went and paid with my card. I am pleased to report that the bill came to £903.90 and when home, after a cup of tea, I counted it with a quick check from Tony, total £ 906.70, I shall pay the £ 3.20 into St Theresa’s charity box on our charity run in September.


Thank you to everyone who attended and so pleased that you appeared to enjoy yourselves. Sheila Mason