Following previous successful runs around South Shropshire, North Wales and the Peak District, Chris Langford took the North West Midlands area back out for this year’s Drive It Day run on Sunday 26 April, this time around the roads of south Lancashire.
We convened for breakfast at the excellent Mill Café at Lostock Hall just south of Preston before our convoy of 24 cars set off in a south easterly direction into the hills between Blackburn and Bolton. Our route lapped Winter Hill and offered some fun driving roads with spectacular views west across Lancashire and south across Manchester and beyond.
Our first stop was at Smithills Hall, a charming old country house where we enjoyed ice creams from their own dairy and lunch on the lawn, served from the café in the house.
Onwards our route continued in an easterly direction across the hills and through the valleys towards Yorkshire to our second stop at the Riggs Motor Museum at Walsden. This quirky museum, housed in a former mill, houses a large collection of relics from the area’s once prominent cloth industry as well as several French commercial vehicles (many in dire need of restoration) and some rather lovely cars in superb condition.
After further refreshment in the café of the adjacent garden centre we set off on the final leg of our drive. The route skirted Hebden Bridge before heading west across the hills towards Blackburn and our final destination of the Clog and Billycock pub at Pleasington where we enjoyed dinner in a private dining room.
Thanks to all who attended to support the event
