Our Summer's Day Out at Blenheim Palace started at the Bystander (Hungry Horse) at Wootton near Abingdon. Over the next few hours we were to see some of the most beautiful of Cotswold Countryside in the most glorious of summer sunshine. A journey of some 68 miles would take us through Brize Norton, Burford, Taynton, Great & Little Rissington (didn't see the Red Arrows though), Bourton on the Water, Westcote and Nether Westcote, Charlbury and Woodstock before our final destination at Sir Winston Churchill's birthplace of Blenheim Palace.

The Summer Day Out was organized by the Abingdon Works Centre MG Car Club and was their second event. The event incorporated the MGB Register's Summer Run, the National MGA Day and the Midlands Centres Chairman's Picnic. Support was also given by the F, C, T, Y, SVW, FWD and MMM Registers of the MG Car Club. The weather certainly helped the proceedings but 400 MGs packed into the grounds for a superb day out in terrific company. 

To start the day, MGs gathered at six different start points for the drive to Blenheim Palace of approximately 65 miles. The road runs started at Abingdon, Longbridge, Southampton, Tetbury, Princes Risborough and Guildford. Each start point flagged away their first cars at 10.00am with the first cars expected to arrive at Blenheim at 12 noon. The confusion for many arose when the routes started to converge with MGs going in opposite directions, sowing seeds of dought on the passengers ability to navigate a route!

When we arrived at Blenheim, the field was already two-thirds full and the Stonesfield Silver Band was in full swing. Picnics were open on the grass, even tables and chairs set up with all the refinement that the stately home required. I understand that at one picnic a bottle of Chardonnay was being passed around - not in our direction, more's the pity. Owners of the earlier vintage MG Saloons took the trouble to attire in period costume: straw boaters and cloche hats were abundant, as were stoles and head-bands.

An informal Prizegiving concluded the day's events with awards for the 'Biggest Mascot', 'Worst Painted Bonnet', 'Most Un-original MGA Colour', 'Oldest Vehicle' and 'Farthest Distance Travelled' - which nearly went to a guy on holiday from New Zealand. He only lost out because he hadn't come in his MG! Now that we are back safely in Cornwall the bottle of wine has gone down very well.

Many thanks to John Venables and the Abingdon Works Centre MG Car Club for providing a wonderful Summer's Day Out.

Robert Lynex