The Panther Car Club Events Calendar 2020:

TECHNO-CLASSICA ESSEN Germany

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Peak District Tour

For May next year we are organising a 4 day trip to Derbyshire and the Peak District.
Hotel and final Itinerary are still to be finalised, but as well as driving on some of the best and most scenic roads that England has to offer, we are hoping to take tea at Chatsworth House, take a cable car to the Heights of Abraham and explore some dramatic caves.
Arriving at our hotel at your leisure on Monday 11th we will have 3 days to explore before heading home on Friday 15th.
We hope to bring the package for 4 nights dinner, bed and breakfast for about £600 per couple, but this will be confirmed once all the bookings have been made.
Space will be limited, so if you wish to join the tour please let Sue or myself know as soon as possible.
John and Sue Morrissey Email; jandsmorrissey@btinternet.com

>>> more at the magazine issue 222 in the members area

“BRAVISSIMO” ITALIAN TOUR JUNE 2020

By the time you read this I should have the exact dates and those booked I will have notified already, the earliest I can book our requested date is the 12th December. When dates are confirmed I will publish asap. The plan is to book the train from Dusseldorf to Innsbruck departing on the 8th June and anticipate we leave on the 7th and stay overnight on route to Dusseldorf although possible to drive direct to Dusseldorf on the 8th . Numbers are limited as convertibles have to travel on the lower deck, so with most places already gone it’s imperative you let me know if you want to join us. At the moment everything is quoted in Euros and with a fluctuating exchange rate the final cost will be advised. At this present time the price for the hotel accommodation B & B from Day 2 until and including Day 15 is costing in at approximately 1035 Euros per person(todays rate =£877.50) in a Twin/Double room, but this may vary slightly up or down when final dates are available. To be added to this will be the cost of the Motorail which will include a private compartment for 2 with some facilities, Breakfast and the car transportation at again an approximate cost of 466 Euros per car each way (todays rate = £395)

Route Map in Italy https://goo.gl/maps/Mz9FhXADNkpudci18

Day 1 - June 2020 Leave UK for Dusseldorf to board train to Innsbruck
Day 2 - Innsbruck/Brixen From Innsbruck head south into Italy over the Brenner Pass. - Arrive at our Brixen hotel for 1 night
Day 3 - Brixen/Verona southwards to our Verona hotel for 1 night
Day 4 - Verona/Chianti Depart Verona and head south to Florence then we join the highly scenic Via Chiantigiana/SR222 road into Chianti. Arrive at our Chianti hotel for 5 nights
Day 5 - Florence Day.--A Full Day excursion to Florence by coach to Poggibonsi/San Gimignano Station return train tickets to/from Florence’s Santa Maria Novella Station in the city centre. About one hour each way.
Day 6 - Chianti Towns & Siena. A day touring Chianti, Greve, Panzano, Castellina ending up in Siena Overnight Chianti
Day 7 - Day at leisure in Chianti or -optional excursion. - Overnight Chiamti
Day 8 - Chianti Towns & San Gimignano Day - tour the scenic country lanes of Chianti, taking in Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, and ending up in Tavenelle Val di Pesa, - Overnight Chianti
Day 9 – Chianti to Bagnone via Pisa & Lucca -Depart Chianti and head west to Pisa, then Lucca and Bagnone. Depart Lucca and head north towards Bagnone via the coastal autostrada/Via Aurelia and the Versilian Riviera towns of Viareggio, Lido di Camaiore, Marina di Pietrasanta, and Forte dei Marmi. - Arrive at our Bagnone Area/Villafranca in Lunigiana hotel for 1 night
Day 10 – Depart our hotel and head to Bagnone after which to Salsomaggiore. Morning: time spent displaying cars in Bagnone .- Afternoon: depart Bagnone and head to Salsomaggiore – with a stop en route in Parma for leisure time? -Arrive at our Salsomaggiore Terme hotel for 2 nights - Overnight.
Day 11 – Morning: leisure time in Salsomaggiore Terme and or afternoon: optional excursion to Modena + balsamic vinegar or hams or cheese tasting + Ferrari Museum at Maranello. - Overnight in Salsomaggiore Terme
Day 12 – Salsomaggiore/Sirmione via Cremona for stop and leisure time?- Continue north and - Arrive at our Sirmione hotel for 3 nights - Sirmione
Day 13 - Morning: at leisure in Sirmione and - Afternoon: optional excursion, one of which could be an olive-oil tasting at Cisano di Bardolino or a boat trip on Lake Garda. - Overnight Sirmione
Day 14 - Valpolicella - A day spent touring the scenic countryside, and vineyards, of Valpolicella via lovely towns as Sant’Ambrogio and Negrar. - Overnight Sirmione
Day 15– Sirmione/Bolzano Depart Sirmione and head up the eastern side of Lake Garda through Bardolino, Malcesine and Torbole/Riva del Garda to Bolzano. Arrive at out our Bolzano hotel for 1 night
Day 16 – Bolzano/Innsbruck Depart Bolzano and head north to Austria over the Brenner Pass. Arrive and evening departure from Innsbruck Station
Day 17 - Arrive Dusseldorf optional stop over on route to Dover or drive direct.

If you would like to join us on this, in what I can only describe as an amazing trip, please contact me asap to put your name down and save disappointment. All prices as mentioned are only a guide and of course the Euro - GBP rate will play a part which today was improving!

Val Bridges Chairman 07971 866829

Spain 2020

The cruise ferry Pont Aven should dock in Santander around noon time, after disembarking we head via the A67 for the Tordesillas parador for one night. After our stopover in Tordesillas, our next venue is Toledo for three nights. This city has a huge history especially with regard to the Spanish Civil War, and its association with El Greco the painter. When at the Toledo parador (which has a superb position overlooking the river Tagus), apart from visiting the city itself, we can drive to La Mancha - Don Quixote country and visit the still standing windmills near Conseugra, there’s a lot more in the area such as the Palacio Real de Aranjuez, it’s a miniature Versailles on a short drive towards Madrid. Following our sojourn in Toledo we then take a scenic drive to the Ciudad Rodrigo Parador, which is in a castle – the Castillo de Enrique II. Ciudad Rodrigo still has its 12th Century city walls. (Celtic name Mirobriga) has a Mediterranean climate and it was sieged twice – by the French in 1810 and by Wellington in 1812, this cleared the way for a very bloody rout of the French from Spain. We are not too far from the Portugese border and a similar distance to the medieval villages of Mogarazz and La Alberca, there is a countryside drive to this village, which is also a national monument, passing Monasterio Pena de Francia (for lunch?). They are both in the region of Batuecas-Sierra de Franca, a Spanish national park.
Toro beckons after Ciudad Rodrigo, we are staying in the Juan II hotel for four nights, it’s two minutes from the town centre and tapas bars. Nicola Thornton lives near here with her two daughters and her winemaker husband. She owns an unmissable bright yellow Kallista and has already arranged trips for us during our four night stay. One visit she has suggested is to the village of Pozos where we can have a go at Spanish cooking (?). It’s a delightful 90 minute drive and not on motorways.
We then finish off the tour in the Picos de Europa with 5 nights at the Del Oso Hotel. This hotel welcomes us as if we are long lost family members.
As a Canadian visitor said “This hotel is a destination all of its own”.
The Picos provide unrivalled scenery and open roads, where we always seem to find new views and bars. In fact relatively open roads with very little traffic outside of the cities is one of the great attractions for going on a tour in Spain.
The cost per car with two people includes a Club4 cabin both ways, B&B in all the hotels and with the 20% discount will be £2267.20 I’ve reserved 6 rooms, but it can be increased for this holiday, please book with Kathy Venn at Brittany Ferries on 01752 635324 during December or January.

Spanish route on Google maps https://goo.gl/maps/gQui39VXDecMhDVD6
total distance 771 miles with another 70 miles from Potes to Santander GPS co-ordinates to the hotels are provided by Brittany Ferries.

Bookings to be made in December with Kathy Venn on 01752 635324.

Andy Graves 01752 778415 editor@panthercarclub.com

>>> more at the magazine issue 222 in the members area

Suffolk Trip

To include Helmingham Hall Classic Car Show

I am putting together a trip to Suffolk with a few days exploring the area and on the last day we will attend the Helmingham Hall show. This is a really nice show with lots of things going on.
Mick & I will shortly be doing a recce of the area to sort out interesting and exciting things to do. I do have some ideas but I need to check them out first.

Here is what is already confirmed.
The date. Thursday 30th July to Sunday 2nd August. (some may wish to stay over till the Monday).
We will be staying at “The Ufford Park Golf & Spa Hotel” Woodbridge.
£110 per room, per night B&B. based on two people sharing a classic double/twin bedroom.
£95 for single occupancy.
Current prices in the Park restaurant are £25.95 for a 3 course meal or £19.95 for 2 courses.
If you are interested in joining us please let me (not the hotel) know
by email - terrylaplain@btinternet.com or call or text to 07952836663.
Terry Laplain

>>> more at the magazine issue 222 in the members area

Silverstone Classic 2020

>>> more at the magazine issue 222 in the members area (with Club Code!)

2020 Grand Gathering

Grand Gathering @ Prescott Hill Bugatti Club & Hilton Puckrup Hall, Tewkesbury GL20 6EL

The weekend of the 4th -6th September has been ear-marked for our Annual Grand Gathering and Dinner Dance followed by the AGM on Sunday.

As reported in the magazine we have once again booked the Bugatti Club at Prescott Hill for the 5th September 2020 for the British & Midland Championships event featuring rounds of both the UK’s Premier Series & the British & Midland Hill Climb Championships.

>>> more at the magazine issue 222 in the members area

Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show