Picture above shows cars lined up before the start of the Hardy Country Classic Tour.
Hardy Country Classic Tour 2016.
This year broke all records with 101 entries !
Our start venue was again Hampton Farm Business Park courtesy of Alan Matthews of Autopassion, this is a perfect start point just yards away from ' Hardy's Cottage ' at Higher Bockhampton just outside the county town Dorchester.
The vehicles started to arrive shortly after 8.30am, and our friends 'Just Good Food' had the coffee on as well as delicious bacon rolls etc. Dorchester Mayor Tim Harries and Anita joined us and representatives from Weldmar Hospicecare Trust . The late entries were flooding in throughout the early morning and the sun was trying to come out !
At 10.15am the Chairman Carle Grahame welcomed everyone to this years HCCT and welcomed the Mayor.
He thanked our sponsor Ron Coleman and Alan of Hampton Farm for this start venue for us. Carle reminded everyone of a raffle we are holding today with all proceeds going to Weldmar also, it will be drawn at the finish later in the day. At 10.30 Tim Harries was handed the start flag and the first cars were waved off from the business park.
Our start venue was again Hampton Farm Business Park courtesy of Alan Matthews of Autopassion, this is a perfect start point just yards away from ' Hardy's Cottage ' at Higher Bockhampton just outside the county town Dorchester.
The vehicles started to arrive shortly after 8.30am, and our friends 'Just Good Food' had the coffee on as well as delicious bacon rolls etc. Dorchester Mayor Tim Harries and Anita joined us and representatives from Weldmar Hospicecare Trust . The late entries were flooding in throughout the early morning and the sun was trying to come out !
At 10.15am the Chairman Carle Grahame welcomed everyone to this years HCCT and welcomed the Mayor.
He thanked our sponsor Ron Coleman and Alan of Hampton Farm for this start venue for us. Carle reminded everyone of a raffle we are holding today with all proceeds going to Weldmar also, it will be drawn at the finish later in the day. At 10.30 Tim Harries was handed the start flag and the first cars were waved off from the business park.
This year the route took in the Bridport / Beaminster area before stopping off at Melbury House for our lunch stop.
Lady Charlotte Townsend welcomed us there for the third time and chatted to many of the drivers during our stay at Melbury. Once again our caterers Just Good Food provided a catering unit and this was well supported.
The cars continued the route back along the coast road to Weymouth and to our finish destination The Riviera Hotel at Bowleaze Coveway. This was again well received from our drivers / passengers. The hotel warmly welcomed us there for the second year running. The Deputy Mayor of Chickerell John Dean kindly presented the drivers with their finishing certificates as they arrived on the grass lawn in front of the iconic hotel.
Lady Charlotte Townsend welcomed us there for the third time and chatted to many of the drivers during our stay at Melbury. Once again our caterers Just Good Food provided a catering unit and this was well supported.
The cars continued the route back along the coast road to Weymouth and to our finish destination The Riviera Hotel at Bowleaze Coveway. This was again well received from our drivers / passengers. The hotel warmly welcomed us there for the second year running. The Deputy Mayor of Chickerell John Dean kindly presented the drivers with their finishing certificates as they arrived on the grass lawn in front of the iconic hotel.
Everyone enjoyed the sun and a drink and food until the raffle was drawn at 4.30pm, Carle thanked both Nick and Will Aplin the organisers for their work today.
It was a wonderful day, our furthest away entrant was from Essex with a London Taxi cab who actually stayed at The Riviera for the weekend, cars also came up from Exeter to take part in this years Tour. A couple of minor break downs during the day, but nothing too serious.
Next years Tour will be on Sunday 4th June 2017 !
Nick
Pictures of the day can be found on the following pages.
It was a wonderful day, our furthest away entrant was from Essex with a London Taxi cab who actually stayed at The Riviera for the weekend, cars also came up from Exeter to take part in this years Tour. A couple of minor break downs during the day, but nothing too serious.
Next years Tour will be on Sunday 4th June 2017 !
Nick
Pictures of the day can be found on the following pages.
Cheque Presentation To Weldmar Hospicecare.
Left - Matt Smith fundraising Manager Weldmar Hospicecare Trust and Nick Aplin HCCT Organiser / Vice Chairman of TOY presenting the cheque from this years Tour, £1,075.00 taken on August 9th 2016.
Left - Matt Smith fundraising Manager Weldmar Hospicecare Trust and Nick Aplin HCCT Organiser / Vice Chairman of TOY presenting the cheque from this years Tour, £1,075.00 taken on August 9th 2016.
Pre-tour Information
Latest News about this years tour - 2 June 2016:
As of today we have 69 booked in entries, with plenty of entries booking in on the morning of June 5th. We look forward to welcoming our regular entrants and new ones to this years Hardy Country Classic Tour, this year is our 17th one and our friends at Weldmar Hospicecare Trust will be with us throughout the day.
We would like to thank our Sponsor Ron Coleman ( Weatherbury Roofing ), Autopassion at Hampton Farm Business Park for a superb start venue, Just Good Food for supplying our catering needs, Sherrens Printers for the Windscreen numbers, Melbury House for our lunch stop venue, The Riviera Hotel Bowleaze Coveway for our finish venue and anyone else who has helped in anyway to make this years event possible.
Report and Pictures will appear here on our Hardy Country Tour pages.
As of today we have 69 booked in entries, with plenty of entries booking in on the morning of June 5th. We look forward to welcoming our regular entrants and new ones to this years Hardy Country Classic Tour, this year is our 17th one and our friends at Weldmar Hospicecare Trust will be with us throughout the day.
We would like to thank our Sponsor Ron Coleman ( Weatherbury Roofing ), Autopassion at Hampton Farm Business Park for a superb start venue, Just Good Food for supplying our catering needs, Sherrens Printers for the Windscreen numbers, Melbury House for our lunch stop venue, The Riviera Hotel Bowleaze Coveway for our finish venue and anyone else who has helped in anyway to make this years event possible.
Report and Pictures will appear here on our Hardy Country Tour pages.
Latest News about this years tour - 24 May 2016:
Entries stand at 65, and we are expecting a number of late entries on the day.
The start venue has confirmed that everything is in place for this years Tour.
Entries stand at 65, and we are expecting a number of late entries on the day.
The start venue has confirmed that everything is in place for this years Tour.
Latest News about this years tour - 17 May 2016:
As of 16.5.16 we have 63 entries booked in, with high numbers of late entries expected on the day, so we could easily be over 100 this year !
Final instructions and windscreen numbers will be sent out from 23/5/16 to all entrants.
Route details will be issued on the day as in previous years.
As of 16.5.16 we have 63 entries booked in, with high numbers of late entries expected on the day, so we could easily be over 100 this year !
Final instructions and windscreen numbers will be sent out from 23/5/16 to all entrants.
Route details will be issued on the day as in previous years.
Latest News about this years tour - 9 May 2016:
We have 58 entries booked in to date for this years Tour.
Confirmed today is the price of a Carvery lunch available at The Riviera Hotel - £10.50 per head.
NEW THIS YEAR: We will be running a small ' raffle ' to raise a few more pounds for the WELDMAR charity. The raffle will be drawn at the finish ( The Riviera Hotel ) at 4.15pm.
Late entries are welcomed as in previous years !
We have 58 entries booked in to date for this years Tour.
Confirmed today is the price of a Carvery lunch available at The Riviera Hotel - £10.50 per head.
NEW THIS YEAR: We will be running a small ' raffle ' to raise a few more pounds for the WELDMAR charity. The raffle will be drawn at the finish ( The Riviera Hotel ) at 4.15pm.
Late entries are welcomed as in previous years !
Latest News about this years tour - 18 April 2016:
We are pleased to report 49 entries booked in so far for this years Tour, we are on course for a record year, as we always receive quite a few late entries on the day as well !
Yesterday both Nick and Will Aplin checked the route and everything is in place for another good day,
We are pleased to report 49 entries booked in so far for this years Tour, we are on course for a record year, as we always receive quite a few late entries on the day as well !
Yesterday both Nick and Will Aplin checked the route and everything is in place for another good day,
Latest News about this years tour - 06 March 2016:
Now at 30 entries, latest one is a 1955 Jaguar XK140 !
Now at 30 entries, latest one is a 1955 Jaguar XK140 !
Latest News about this years tour - 23 Feb 2016:
We have 23 entries so far for this years Tour, and more entry forms have been printed ready for some PR at the Gillingham Gathering on February 28th.
We have 23 entries so far for this years Tour, and more entry forms have been printed ready for some PR at the Gillingham Gathering on February 28th.
Latest News about this years tour - 08 Feb 2016:
This year's event will be starting from our popular start venue of HAMPTON FARM BUSINESS PARK at Higher Bockhampton near Dorchester by kind permission of the owner of Autopassion Alan Mathews. Vehicles start to meet from 8.30am and we will have
' JUST GOOD FOOD ' there serving breakfasts / drinks should you require refreshments before the day gets underway.
We are hoping to welcome either the Mayor of Dorchester or the Town Crier to officially start the Tour off at 10.30am.
As in previous years we have a short briefing at 10.15am in front of the booking in area by the Chairman of Transport Of Yesteryear.
As of 8th February 2016 entries are up by 10 vehicles on this time last year !
We are expecting higher number of entries for this years Tour, forms are available.
This year's event will be starting from our popular start venue of HAMPTON FARM BUSINESS PARK at Higher Bockhampton near Dorchester by kind permission of the owner of Autopassion Alan Mathews. Vehicles start to meet from 8.30am and we will have
' JUST GOOD FOOD ' there serving breakfasts / drinks should you require refreshments before the day gets underway.
We are hoping to welcome either the Mayor of Dorchester or the Town Crier to officially start the Tour off at 10.30am.
As in previous years we have a short briefing at 10.15am in front of the booking in area by the Chairman of Transport Of Yesteryear.
As of 8th February 2016 entries are up by 10 vehicles on this time last year !
We are expecting higher number of entries for this years Tour, forms are available.
Latest News about this years tour - Jan 2016:
The entries are coming in well for this years Hardy Country Classic Tour, we are delighted to announce this years Lunch Stop will be at Melbury House, a venue we last visited in 2013.
2016 ENTRY FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE, PLEASE CONTACT NICK TO RECEIVE A COPY.
01305 260038 / 07880916657
The entries are coming in well for this years Hardy Country Classic Tour, we are delighted to announce this years Lunch Stop will be at Melbury House, a venue we last visited in 2013.
2016 ENTRY FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE, PLEASE CONTACT NICK TO RECEIVE A COPY.
01305 260038 / 07880916657