2023
Dawlish 12th – 14th May
(Photos courtesy of Mike Huish, Rod Graham, Mike Shaw, Chris Selley and Peter Taylor)
The Club held its annual International Healey Meeting in Dawlish, Devon, over the weekend of the 12th – 14th May. On the Friday members drove over Dartmoor to visit The Garden House with its wonderful gardens, followed by a visit to Buckland Abbey. A 13th century abbey which was later converted to become the home of Sir Richard Grenville, and eventually that of Sir Francis Drake.
Saturday saw a drive to Arlington Court in N Devon, which houses the National Trust’s Carriage Collection, and was for many years the home of the Chichester family.
A visit to the Moretonhampstead Motor Museum was arranged for the Sunday morning for those with a
Australian Tour 2023 – Barns UK
On the 18th May, a group of Australian Austin-Healey owners on their way to Norway, visited Mersea Island. They were welcomed by members of the Healey Drivers’ Club and Mersea Island classic Car Enthusiasts (MICCE) at Mersea Barns and enjoyed afternoon tea and cakes before leaving to catch the ferry at Harwich.
Norway 2023
The 6th European Healey Meeting took place during June 2023 in Geiranger, Norway, with over 250 Healeys in attendance, including 34 entrants from Great Britain.
Many took the opportunity to extend their trip in order to explore more of this Nordic country’s stunning scenery during the unexpectedly good weather, and Healeys could be found queuing for E5 fuel at the few pumps available.
The photos below were taken of fjords, ferries, and waterfalls, and of the snow fields even though these were melting fast in the heatwave. Some are overlooking Bergen in the evening sun from the top of the funicular railway, before a visit to a Stave church and then heading north to the Union Hotel in Geiranger.
During the EHM there were opportunities to take in the Waterfall Walk, the Dalsnibba Skywalk, the Trollstigen (mini Stelvio), Andalsnes with lunch at the top of Nesaksla Mountain, Alesund (Unesco Heritage town), Loen with lunch at the top of the Hoven, and a boat cruise along the Geirangerfjord. A barbecue was held one evening in the hotel rooftop garden, and on the last night a gala dinner was provided for all 500 guests. The hotel also had a small car museum – the collection of the owner.
We returned via Copenhagen and enjoyed their mid-summer celebrations which included the traditional ‘Bonfire of the Witches’.
An excellent EHM and a fabulous three week trip.
Norway 2023
Le Jog (Lands End to John O’ Groats) Endurance Rally 2023
Once again Southwest members of the HDC marshalled two timing points for the rally as it passed through Devon. There were only 48 entries this year and owing to the icy and snowy conditions throughout the country only 27 of these finished. One of the toughest years ever!
Photos by Haydn Davies and John Vosper.
