Retropower’s base in the middle of England means that we’re within tantalising, near-touching distance of the Peak District, and with it some of this nation’s most spectacular roads and hill passes. Factor in the glut of high-quality eating and drinking establishments nestled within the same area, and the idea of a Retropower Club driving tour of the Peaks became very much a no-brainer.
Given its relatively close proximity to Retropower, the decision was made early on that this event, now christened the ‘Derbyshire Dash’ for obvious, alliterative reasons, should be a single-day affair; effectively a swift blast around the Peaks, taking in some of the area’s most beloved and spectacular roads. It’s a proven recipe for old-car-based bliss, and one we were all champing at the bit to experience.
The day selected for the event, Saturday September 12th, dawned overcast and a little drizzly, which, as anyone who’s experienced the Peak District at this (or indeed most) times of year will attest, is pretty much par for the course! Nevertheless, with brighter weather forecast – and a hearty three-course ‘feed’ booked in at the end of the tour – spirits were high amongst the Retropower Club faithful as they assembled at the official starting point, the ‘Great British Car Journey’ exhibition just outside Ambergate, Derbyshire.
As is always the case with a Retropower Club event, the sheer variety of cars forming up on the day was staggering, and gave lie to the notion that you need to arrive in something old school to enjoy this particular brand of automotive endeavour.
Granted, some seriously cool old-school machinery was present and correct – the lime-green Jensen Interceptor of Paul Briscoe, the Opel Monza of Matt Young and the Honda Integra of Michael Paddock, to name but three – but there were also plenty of more modern attendees, covering a broad spectrum of the 21st-century automotive world. A Yaris GR, ideally suited to this sort of work, lurked with menace, as did an Aston Martin DBS, an M3 and a smattering of Porsches. It all made for compelling viewing as the Derbyshire Dash attendees formed up that Saturday morning.
For the uninitiated, the ‘Great British Car Journey’ is an interactive exhibition with the stated aim of helping its customers rediscover the cars they fell in love with growing up. That’s not mere window-dressing, either; this place really does live and die by its mission statement, which in practice means that those visiting can, providing they’ve booked in advance, drive one of dozens of old-school heroes from ‘back in the day’, many of them prime ‘dad car’ fodder.
Thus, the Club attendees found themselves poring over a veritable Tesco car park circa 1988, populated by the sort of cars most of us quietly assumed would be part and parcel of the British automotive landscape forever, but which have now become rarified classics in their own right. Memory banks were ransacked and school commutes recalled as Club members inspected, amongst many, many others, a Ford Sierra, a Mk1 Granada, an MG Montego Turbo, a Rover SD1 and even a DeLorean.
You could never accuse the folks behind the ‘Great British Car Journey’ of being overly conservative in their choice of cars!
As for our Club, two lucky members were selected from a hat and presented with a choice of cars to sample on the day. The duo, Ian Mitchell and Julian Guanaria, were drawn and opted to sample a Hillman Imp and a 2.8-litre Ford Capri respectively, which naturally resulted in much old-car-based mirth as our heroes ‘hooned’ around the car park, all while recounting childhood recollections prompted by these achingly nostalgic and lovingly presented motors.
Having left the ‘Great British Car Journey’, we started out on our road-trip ‘proper’. We began by taking the A6 past Chatsworth House – a place with more than a few motoring associations of its own, as anyone with an interest in rallying will confirm – and on towards the picturesque Ladybower Reservoir, our form-up point before a climactic ascent of the ever-stunning Snake Pass.
Here our assortment of car-folk were ‘snapped’ by Bruce Holder, our resident snapper, before continuing onto the equally jaw-loosening Winnats Pass, taking the A515 down towards the town of Ashbourne and finally dropping into the heart of the southern Peaks and the Hope Valley.
Here our day trip concluded, and concluded in fine style, with a slap-up meal at the Oakover Arms in Mapleton. Because really, is there any better way to round off a day of driving than a prime slice of beef cow and a couple of ales? We think not!
As ever, we at Retropower wish to offer our thanks to everyone who attended the Derbyshire Dash on the day. We hope you all enjoyed the experience, and that the route we traced and the places we stopped at met with your approval. Certainly, we all had a marvellous time and ended the day with a reinvigorated appreciation for the Peak District and its spectacular routes, views and passes.
We plan on being back before too long.
