Two Castles in one day

The weather was settled and club members rendezvoused at one of our favourite spots – Carrick  Castle. For those who fancied some breakfast before the drive Papa Browns was a popular choice. Clearly the concept of a “quick breakfast” was lost on our members – we were due to leave at 10.45am to embark on our route but lo and behold those who had indulged in a hearty breakfast sauntered across the carpark at about 11.30am.

After a well deserved scolding for looking our for their bellies rather than their fellow club members we set off in convoy. Some members had other commitments so headed their separate way but as you can see from the photos we had a very impressive array of cars on display in the carpark. We always admire the timeless styling of the Bertone GTVs and it was pleasing to see the Alfa Giulia saloon parked alongside the Lancia Fulvia – two classics which drew many admiring glances. We can’t forget Alan’s Ferrari 308 which looks better for its age than Alan does and also a rare Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro, recently purchased by its owners Derek and Linda.

The roads that we used for our route were stages from the Ulster Rally and from Carrickfergus we went to Glenoe, Raloo, Cairncastle, Feystown and eventually we ended up at Glenarm Castle. At this point the appeal of our Italian motors was clearly recognised and we were invited to display our cars in the same area of the Castle grounds along with the NI Vauxhall-Opel club who were also out on a run.

For a change of scene we took the coast road home and enjoyed the views and the sun glistening off the sea.

Everyone enjoyed the drive and thankfully although we managed two Castles in one day we didn’t have to endure four seasons in one day!!

Tim Logan

Club Chairman