LATEST
NEWS & INFORMATION NOTES |
Le
Mans 24Hrs 2007
The Le Mans 24Hrs and Classic Tours have moved under
the new banner of le mob.com, which will also feature
some exciting new "Escape to France" Club Weekends
to Le Mans. With no Classic race in 2007 the Le Mans
24 hrs looks like it's going to be exceptionally busy
so early booking is advised.
Full details on www.lemob.com
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25th
Anniversary Callander Classic Weekend
The Callander Classic Weekend National Concours, arguably
the most prestigious and best organised concours event
in Scotland, now carries a prize of £500 to the winning
car and possibly will have a new sponsor by the time
the event takes place. Matching the prize for the
concours will be no less than six exclusive Le mob.com
Le Mans 24hrs or Le Mans Classic château camping packages
awarded to members of the winning team in the Team
Driving Challenge.
The main event will be held over Saturday and Sunday
and include a Classic & Sports Car Sale Enclosure
Saturday. The Auction on Sunday will include auto
memorabilia, auto spares and equipment sections as
well as classic and sports cars. It is planned for
the Trade and Auto Jumble Village to be increased
in size to embrace a covered section. The MGOC from
Northampton have volunteered to run a new version
of the Mini Highland Games to be held on the Saturday
afternoon with finals on Sunday and the traditional
Highland drive on Saturday will incorporate a photo
quiz and treasure hunt.
Full Details and booking forms can be found on
this web site. |
Callander
Classic Weekend 26th 27th August
With the weather
having been very unkind to us the last two years it
was a relief for everyone when the sun shone on the
Sunday and the Callander Classic Weekend brought back
the memories of how good an event it is. The concours
was as usual keenly contested with the honours going
to Jim Scott with his well known Ford Cortina just
ahead of Tom Shanks with the Hudson Sport 8 . Dick
Swindle a well earned third place in his Lotus Elan.
The Club Lotus team took the Team Challenge honours.
It will be interesting to see all these winners competing
next year when the prizes are £500 for the winning
concours car and six Le Mans Tour packages for the
Team Challenge winners.
The auction provided great interest as usual along
with a selection of motoring memorabilia. We shall
be concentrating on the auction next year and hopefully
we can encourage more entries for the Auto Spares
and Accessories Auction.
Thanks go to all those who helped with the organisation
including all our regular team. We all appreciate
your efforts and input.
Roll on 2007 and our 25th Anniversary which promises
to be something special.
Callander Classic Weekend
Sat 28th Sun 29th August 2004
We received over 600 entries
for this year's Classic Weekend. With lots of attractions
on offer including the Concours D'Elegance, Driving
Challenge, Classic and Sports car Auction and Sale
and model helicopter displays and real helicopter
flights to name but a few it all added up to what
promised to be a great weekend. All we needed was
half decent weather. We didn't get it. The heavens
opened and it simply poured none stop for almost
the whole weekend. It just goes to prove that no
matter how well organised and planed an event is
you need half-decent weather for it to be a success.
Conversely there are poor events which are deemed
successes simply because they have been lucky with
the weather. We can only say that despite the inclement
weather many of those attending made the best of
it proving to be true enthusiasts and we have to
admire and thank them for that. We received a number
of very kind letters of appreciation despite the
dreadful conditions including some from regular
entrants who had travelled hundreds of miles from
England to be with us. They promised to be back
next year. It is letters like this that are the
icing on the cake for us and make it all worth while.
Photos of the Callander Classic
Weekend can be seen on our Recent Events page and
on our official photographers web site www.nexus-photography.co.uk
Highland Tour 15th
- 24th October 2004
Our tour commenced
with the arrival of the advance guests in Ayrshire
on the Thursday in anticipation of joining others
the following day for the sail to Mull. An excellent
dinner was enjoyed by all at Wildings Hotel &
Restaurant fronting the picturesque shoreline at
Maidens, some guests staying there overnight.
Many of the guests on this first part of the tour
to Mull were first timers but everyone joined in
the fun so typical of the Highland Weekends and
it was soon clear we had a number of real characters
amongst them. On Saturday we drove over to the island
of Iona for lunch at Martyrs' Bay Restaurant - You
have got to sample Sheila's Fish Chowder, surely
the best in the land and to die for! The sail to
Staffa with our usual skipper Davie from Staffa
Trips was a great success and included sailing our
small boat right into the mouth of Fingal's Cave.
Sunday's visit to Torosay Castle via the miniature
steam train, brought out especially for us, was
as enjoyable as ever. Torosay Castle has to be one
of the best castles to visit in Scotland, visitors
are made to feel almost at home by the relaxed informal
atmosphere and the train journey to get there is
a must. We left the castle and after visits to the
"Wings of Mull" birds of prey sanctuary
and Duart Castle for a photo shoot, both venues
making us most welcome we journeyed back to our
the Western Isles Hotel. Teatime each day meant
a visit to the famous Mishnish Bar on the front
a Tobermory. A fantastic pub atmosphere made more
enjoyable by the free bowl of locally caught mussels
served up on the bar counter. Monday, and after
farewells some guests departed for Oban and home
whilst others sailed north from Fishnish en route
for Loch Inver. One worthy guest was enjoying himself
so much he decided to leave his wife to travel down
home with another guest whilst he continued on to
Loch Inver. His delightful and understanding wife
had important appointments to keep I hasten to add.
The Western Isles Hotel had done us proud yet again
and remains one of the best hotels on the West Coast
of Scotland. It won't be long before we are back
in Mull.
Our journey to Loch Inver was via Loch Carron, stopping
for coffee at another not to be missed favourite
the Carron Restaurant near Strathcarron. Excellent
food including grilled fresh prawns and home baking
served by hosts Peter and Michelle. Peter is a big
Porsche enthusiast with a preference for 928s so
he is obviously someone with good taste like myself….
smile! Over a gloomy but awe inspiring "Pass
of the Cattle" into Applecross for a light
lunch and then on round the peninsula towards Torridon
gave us our first breath taking view of Wester Ross
and the Western Highlands.
By the time we had checked into the Inver Lodge
Hotel at Lochinver we were all ready for a drink
at the bar and to meet up with our new guests joining
us for the second leg of the Tour. The Inver Lodge
is another firm favourite with us. The friendly
welcome, the service, the rooms and the food are
simply excellent and there is no better base to
explore arguably the most beautiful remotest part
of Britain! Guests were mesmerised as they toured
amongst the majestic highland peaks of Suilven and
Stac Polly, walked the deserted white sandy beeches
near Kinlochbervie. We shopped away in Ullapool
and enjoyed our tea time walks to another great
pub next to the "Pie Shop" at Lochinver
each day. It was a perfect haven and we were in
perfect company. Everyone was sad when it was time
to leave but all departed with fond memories, not
least of the fantastic last night's dinner when
we sampled the locally caught fresh lobster and
venison.
A spirited drive south to the Pine Trees Hotel Pitlochry
to meet up with more arriving guests was followed
on our first night by a visit to the Pitlochry Festival
Theatre. For the next few days we toured Loch Tummel
Loch Rannock and Loch Tay. We made a memorable short
visit to the lonely tiny Rannock Station and it's
tearoom on the edge of the world … sorry Rannock
Moor, and promised ourselves to return one day to
catch the train across the moor.
When the tour finally came to an end everyone, although
exhausted agreed they had had a fantastic time.
The Pine Trees Hotel at Pitlochry, as with the other
hotels was as superb as ever and the staff couldn't
have been more helpful and attentive.
Photos of Highland Tour be seen on our
Recent Events page
See details of 2006's visit to the Outer Hebrides.
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Selection
from the many letters received from Callander Classic
Le Mans guests. |
Tony,
I just wanted to drop a quick note of thanks for your
unbelievable hospitality. How we would have made it
without you is unthinkable. I hope all goes well for
you and if you should ever make a trip to the States
please let us know.
Doug Dwyer
KN Filters Saleen Racing Team California USA
Hi Tony & Josie
What can I say other than a huge thanks for making us
so welcome. Both George & Fergi, I think you saw, had
a brilliant time also. I have a lasting image of the
cars passing the restaurant window, and that sound of
the cars was just awesome. Special thanks for arranging
the weather, spot on even though we had to hide in the
fridge on Monday for a short time.
Allan H
Club Lotus Scotland.
Tony and Josie,
Thank you very much for the marvelous time at Le mans.
It was far more than I would have expected. The fellowship
was great, the accommodation superb, and the race -
well what can you say!!!! Thanks again for a great time.
John B
Porsche Club America Arizona USA
Dear Tony
Once again thank you for organising a wonderful week
at Le Mans we thoroughly enjoyed the event even though
it was a German walkover. It would have been great to
have had a few screaming Ferrari V12's competing and
a if only the MG's hadn't broken we might have had a
more interesting race. Still great crack anyway, and
please pass on my thanks to Josie who so ably supports
your efforts.
Brian G
PCGB & MGCC Bucks England
Hi Tony,
I just wanted to send a very warm thank you for a grand
time with you and your group at Le Mans. I thank you
for all the hard work you put in to making everyone
happy and comfortable, I know it's not an easy job.
Thanks for giving me some very special memories. I know
that Jerry and Pat had a fantastic time with you also.
Please give my best to Josie.
Jan D
California USA
Dear Tony and Team at Callander Classics,
Just a note to let you know how much we enjoyed our
stay at the Camp site with you for the Le Mans 24 hour
race. We all had a memorable time over the weekend,
so many thanks to you and your staff. Please pass on
our thanks to the owner and staff of the chateau for
their hospitality. Well done from the MG owners. Please
let me have details as soon as they are available as
we hope to be back next year. Love to Lulu the Goat.
Jon T
Solent MG Owners Club England
Tony & Josie
Just spoke today with Jerry and feels that you two are
super! And made their stay extremely enjoyable and can't
wait until next year. As it looks, Rodney is planning
to race again in 2003 and will be coming in May during
the Le Mans practice sessions to qualify. I think you
two have made more friends for life.
Steve & Gail
Las Vegas USA
Dear Tony & Josie,
Thanks for what I can only describe as one of the best
away events I have ever been to. The farm house and
facilities surpassed our expectations and the company
was brilliant!!! I will definitely be coming next year,
hopefully with the 'Dorm boys'. Very memorable, got
lots of top pics to send to you.
Simon B
356 Register PCGB London England
Dear Tony and Josie
This is just to thank you both for acting as our hosts
and guides last weekend. Will and I thoroughly enjoyed
our first trip to Le Mans. Now that we know a little
of what it is about I am sure it will not be the last.
Mone seems an excellent venue and I am sure the chateau
would be an experience. Particularly we would both like
to thank you for making us feel so welcome as soon as
we arrived and throughout the weekend. It was also a
pleasure to meet such well known characters.. Best wishes
and regards to you both.
Tim and Will C
356 Register Derbyshire England
Tony/Josie
Just a note to greet you on your return, we arrived
back on English ground at around 6 am Monday. Sun seemed
to have followed us from France. Thanks for a great
week-end and especially the extra hospitality shown
to Jack and Delwyn which was much appreciated. In particular
the culinary efforts on our behalf by Josie and Diana
yesterday evening.
Fred H
Porsche Club GB London England
Tony,
Just a brief note to thank you both for all your efforts
in making it such an enjoyable event for us and the
rest of the group. The setting and the company were
excellent and your assistance with the geography of
the circuit and the AOC carpark were invaluable . I
also made useful contacts whose acquaintance I look
forward to renewing at some future date. Only regret
was having to leave so early on Sunday. Please bear
us in mind for future events and if you do get your
Marcos out you know you will be most welcome at any
of our CMI Scotland division meetings.
David A Angus
Club Marcos International Scotland
Hi Tony.
Just to say thanks for organizing a brilliant trip down
to Le mans, we got going straight after the race to
avoid the Monday slog. I was very impressed with all
that you and Jose did for everybody at the farmhouse,
fantastic, please thank her for me, I was only sad to
miss out on Sundays fun. Thanks again to you both, you
make an excellent team.
Bruce and Deb
Sportswagen Kent England |
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