Following last year's highly successful and enjoyable Easter run, Geoff Hagman was prevailed upon to organise a repeat performance this year. Last year, Easter was very early, but we were lucky with the weather - I think it was mainly cloudy but I seem to remember we had the top down nevertheless so it can't have been that bad.

Particularly as we now know this April has been the wettest since 1820, we were even luckier this year - Easter Monday dawned bright and clear with blue skies and sunshine, and although some clouds appeared later, it stayed fine all day.

Easter Monday dawned bright and clear with blue skies and sunshine!

The Easter Run is now becoming something of a tradition - for most of us it marks the first event of the year - the start of a new season of motoring, and I for one, look forward to it enormously.

The run started as last year, from the car park on the Common at Saffron Walden. About 14 MGs turned up, including at least 3 MGFs, the rest being mainly MGBs of various types and vintage and Derek and Lesley's MGC. They were a fine sight as everyone had obviously had at least three days prior to to Easter Monday with nothing better to do than polish the MG.

Geoff issued everyone with beautifully printed instructions and a detailed map for Part 1 of the run which took us on a fairly circuitous and scenic route via Ashdon, Steeple Bumpstead and Finchingfield to Thaxted.

The instructions were set out very clearly - even noting that in Steeple Bumpstead the road signs had been turned the wrong way - presumably to confuse the invading hordes of foreign tourists in the summer. In spite of this most people went straight on instead of right - "wus just following the car in front" they said in unison.

This time lets turn left, I'm sure thats right!

Finchingfield came next - and this certainly did seem to have been found by the tourist hordes - but nevertheless proved to be another navigational disaster area for some. Must have kept the busloads amused anyway as MGs roared through once, then returned with tails between their wheels at somewhat reduced pace looking for the way out.

All round here we kept meeting Geoff in his black GT furiously waving and pointing as we came past, rather like a shepherd rounding up a flock of wayward sheep. Quite a responsibility letting aherd of MGs loose in rural Essex. The village and countryside scenery by the way, was fantastic for those who weren't just following the car in front.

Finally on the dot of eleven we arrived at Thaxted and drove up the main street to be welcomed by a troupe of pipers and Morris dancers, while crowds lined the streets on both sides. Don't know how you do it Geoff.

An hour long rest stop had been thoughtfully arranged here, and if you weren't tempted by chatting to the others, watching the Morris dancers, going to the pub, or finding bargains at the bring and buy sale, there was a quiz to do. This involved following a map of Thaxted, and finding clues on the various buildings in the town. This really made you look at them and for those of you who were tempted in other directions, you should really go back to Thaxted and look at the buildings - there are some fascinating bits of history to be found. Did you know Gustav Holst lived there? Do you know who Gustav Holst is? (was) Oh well...

MG's rest a while in Thaxted.

Part 2 took us from Thaxted to the pub at Debden via lots of pretty villages like Ugley Chequers, Henham where the Cock Inn looked a good bet, Furneaux Pelham, Stocking Pelham, Rickling Green, Wicken Bonhunt and other dormitories for City stockbrokers. Places you only ever see on a map normally or in dictionary of place names.

The narrow, but beautiful back lanes of Essex.

So at last to the Plough at Debden in time for lunch. I didn't count the cars, but there seemed to be a lot of people in the pub, so I guess everyone completed the run. We had at least one guest couple who had seen the run advertised on the Internet and they seemed to enjoy themselves. They were actually one of the few cars to have run the whole way with their tops down and hats off. Mind you they both had plenty of hair.

Journey's end!

The Thaxted quiz was won hands down by the 'Cowpers' (Mr & Mrs) who have the white MGF, (not that that had anything to do with their success). Congratulations to them.

Congratulations to Geoff too, who again excelled himself in organising a really enjoyable and well thought out run. Can he keep it up? We'll see (I hope), next year.

Jeremy Mustoe
Cambridge MGOC

All photos by: Mike Barnes (Guest)
MikeB4@compuserve.com

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