The Easter Tour

Happy Easter to all.

My thoughts on this Good Friday have turned back in time over a few years to my participation in the Green Belt Motor Club annual three-day treasure hunt event known as the Easter Tour.

During the year a number of Sunday afternoon treasure hunt events would be organized in and around Hertfordshire, Essex and Bedfordshire, most notably in Herts, The Holiday Express and Christmas Tree events, in Essex the Last Chance and in Bedfordshire The Old Fox.

The Easter Tour though was a special event insofar it would take treasure hunt teams further afield, my first in 1983 was into the Lake District. Starting in Bakewell, home of the famous tarts, through the Peak District and north into the Lakes. All previously uncharted terrority but areas that over the years I would revisit on other motorsport activities.

Wales was a popular destination, as was the south of England. Over three days each team would notch up at least 500 miles by the time they returned home, many over the old highways and byways in search of the answers to cryptic clues and navigating on Ordnance Survey Maps using tried and tested forms of navigation like map references, tulip diagrams and herringbones.

Britain by the backroads is stunning at Easter and I wish to salute my former team mates on these adventures over the years including, Trevor Williams and Nick Grout, David Howe, Colin Anthony and on one year, Robert Taylor and the first I was navigated by Kevin Scanalan.

I had swapped seats driving on some events and navigating on others. I have very happy memories of these events, stopping at some neat little country bed and breakfasts to hotels such as the Chainbridge Hotel outside Llangollen in northern Wales. But of the memories I hold dear include, following Colin Anthonys Lotus watching it bottom out along narrow country lanes, a tight right over a small bridge yump in the Mini of Nick Grout with Trevor holding onto the roll cage in the back - a classic 1973 Orange Mini. Renting a Ford Orion with Dave Howe, and having muy brakes go a little soft over the Hardnott and Wrysenose passes in the Lake District to the east of Ravenglass in the Lake District in a Ford Cortina. Not the only time that brakes got a little too warm driving down twisting mountian roads.

Of course it was all about finding the clues, and keeping one step ahead of the competion. Jim Perkins, Adrian Gladwin, Tony Strong, Robin Rushforth, Dave Howe, Ian Davis, Robert Taylor, Des Meldrum and Wally Cenick to name but a handful of the regulars who treasure hunted on the Easter Tour over the 80's and 90's.

I have no idea if Green Belt Motor Club continue to organize this fun event, although to enter was serious and all wanted to win.

Happy Easter and my heartfelt thanks to all those who made these easters past an experience I will never forget.