Travelling in a Cortina Mk.I Super, registration No. GMA 137C, rally Car No. 3 - more about this trip can be found at this site.

Saturday September 12 - Stockport to Dover - 246 miles

We left home 10.40 am wondering what the next two weeks would be like! We travelled through Chesterfield and onto the M1, stopped near Leicester for lunch, passed another Mark 1 Cortina. This was Mark, Carol and Holly from Warrington. We had to slow down near Luton for a cloud burst on the M25, carrying on to the Dartford Crossing and arriving in Dover at 4.30 pm.

After checking in at the Churchill Hotel we met the other travellers at a meeting conducted by Conrad who had organised the Rally. We then all had an enjoyable evening meal and retired early to bed for an early breakfast to be on the 6.00 am ferry.

Sunday September 13 - Dover / Calais to Mulhouse - 414 miles

20 people travelling in 9 Cortinas were on the ferry for just over an hour. Then our watches were put forward another hour. So we left Calais at 8 o'clock. We hadn't travelled very far when it started raining. It rained all the way, 400 miles to Mulhouse with a detour to look at General De Gaulle's Monument. A rather depressing day, Linda did a super job navigating especially when we got into the centre of the town. She led us straight to the Mercure Hotel, and because it was still raining we decided to have our evening meal at the Hotel. All the cars were garaged under the Hotel.

Monday September 14

We had our breakfast about 9 o'clock. Then we met in reception and walked to the Schlumf Museum. This was a massive warehouse full of cars, veterans, classics, racing, Rolls Royce, Ferraris, Daimlers, and most prominently Bugattis - we must have stayed there about 5 hours. Then we walked back to the Hotel looking at William Tell Square on route. It still kept raining, so we had our dinner in the Hotel again.

Tuesday September 15 - Mulhouse to Como Cadenabbia - 219 miles

We left the Mercure hotel about 9.00 am and travelled into Switzerland. The sun came out and it was very scenic, we climbed up and over the St. Gothardo pass with a scattering of snow at the sides of the road. After lunch at the bottom of the pass, I persuaded Stephen to detour into Lugano and look at the lake. It was now very hot, so I changed into a sundress.

We then carried onto Como where nobody had heard of the Hotel Brittania. Finally it was realised the Hotel was back along the side of the lake in the village of Cadenabbia. (I think this was an initiative test). The Hotel was very old fashioned, pre-war Italian-Style, but very comfortable with a lovely outside swimming pool. We had a substantial meal of spaghetti, veal stew and tiramasu. Then we had an evening stroll along the lakeside with Conrad and Barbara. It was still warm. We met other groups who had had meals at cafés and restaurants along the lakeside.

Wednesday September 16

Sunny and warm all day, we took the ferryboat across the beautiful, peaceful, still lake to Belligio, where we wandered through alleys and shops and a small market. Had cream cakes and coffee and omelettes for lunch with more cream cakes and coffee. Strolled into a wine cellar where you could taste whatever you wanted and buy wines and spirits at very low prices. Returned to Cadenabbia for a swim in the pool with Linda. Then we walked along the lake to a restaurant called 'Bella Isola', where we sat outside and had a delicious meal of rump steak, one of those meals you always remember because it was all perfect. Strolled back and packed ready for morning to continue our journey.

Thursday September 17

Crossed the lake on the car ferry and journeyed along the eastern (very beautiful) leg of Lake Como to Lecco. We then made a detour to look at Monza Grand Prix Circuit. We stood in the stands looking down over the pit lane. Monza was quite a surprise when we got there. As it happens the race circuit is in the middle of a public park. When you stand in the Grand Stand and look back down the start/finish straight you can see the banking of the old circuit. I really like the old circuits, which are full of history, so I really enjoyed my few hours at Monza.

We left Monza and followed Geoff and Linda through quite heavy traffic with lots of lorries. Passed Verona temperature 27oC, but it didn't feel too hot. Carried on to Lido Di Jessolo having a pizza on the way. Lido Di Jessola is 10 miles of sands with umbrellas and tables, 10 miles of hotels, we eventually four 'The Europa'. All the bedrooms had a balcony with table and chairs, there was an outdoor pool and Jacuzzi. Behind the Hotel was 10 miles of Nick Nack shops, restaurants, café's and bars. Good place to buy presents in the evening after your meal.

Friday September 18

Twelve of the party going to sight-see in Venice met together and walked for the bus which took us along the coast past many camping and caravan sites all dotted amongst the trees. This area around the lagoon is all very flat. We then transferred to a ferryboat and sailed across the lagoon to Venice's landing just in front of the bridge of sighs. Conrad and George were our guides and led us into St Mark's Square, past the shops under the arches some with blinds down to keep out the sun.

A party of six went on a gondola on a circular tour, which took us out onto the Grand Canal and past Rialto Bridge. We met the rest of the party after and all had a pizza in a restaurant. Then we walked through a market, over Rialto Bridge and back to St. Mark's Square where we had ice creams and listened to the Orchestral Music being played on violins and piano, outside several restaurants. We boarded the ferry back to Lido with memories of a wonderful day.

Saturday September 19

The morning was cloudy and we had planned to spend the day on the beach. After some more present buying, the sun came out and most of the party spent the rest of the day under the umbrellas on the beach and in the sea, thinking about tomorrow when we go to Cortina, the purpose of the Rally.

Sunday September 20 - Lido-de-Jessolo to Cortina - 105 miles

Brilliant sunshine again and into the Dolomites' fantastic dramatic mountains, we arrived at the Cortina Europa Hotel with its traditional balconies and hanging baskets about 12.30. We took the cable car to Falories and had lunch in the café perched on the cliff edge high above Cortina, everywhere was so still and quiet. Some of the party walked further up the mountain and two ladies used the Land Rover service. All too soon we had to leave this fantastic place and return to the village via the cable car. We had our dinner in a nearby empty restaurant but suddenly it was full of whole Italian families all eating their Sunday evening pizzas.

Monday September 21 - Cortina to Innsbruck - 93 miles

Left Cortina 10.15 am after a stroll through the village to buy a Cortina badge for the car. It was still sunny and warm, and we drove through more magnificent scenery into Austria via the Brennan Pass arriving in Innsbruck around 2 pm. Had a look round the town, the building with the Golden roof was being repaired and was covered by a plastic sheeting which was painted to look like the facade. There was a building like this in Venice and one in Brugges. We all retired early to face tomorrow, 500+ miles.

Tuesday September 22 - Innsbruck to Heidelberg - 274 miles

Breakfast and out of the underground car park by 7.15 for the journey to Heidelberg. Some of us missed a turn and nearly ended up back in Innsbruck, but eventually came on the right road, and everybody arrived at the 'Isis' Hotel Heidleburg at 2-3 pm, and realised 500+ miles was really only 274 miles. A nice surprise, poor Conrad. Thank goodness, it wasn't 200+ miles turning into 500 though.

Wednesday September 23 - Day Trip to Hockenheim - 32 miles

Four cars and eight people decided to visit the Hockenein Ring, just about 10 miles away. There we met a Japanese Photographer doing a promotion for BMW cars. He was very interested in our four Cortinas and took photos of them by the gates hoping to sell them to an Auto Magazine.

We went through the dining area and out onto the balcony to look at the racetrack, then we went to the museum. In the museum there was plenty of cars downstairs and motor bikes up stairs. The building was a purpose built museum, the vehicles were well spaced out and well lit. There was a few F1 cars, a couple of German touring cars, dragsters and some single seater racing cars of various formulae. Also there was a film video show in one corner of the building showing the history of the circuit. In one part of the museum there was an article about Jim Clarke, but it was all in German. On the whole an excellent museum.

After, we went onto the grand stand and listened to and watched cars being tested. We managed to blag our way onto a balcony (thanks Ron) to view the circuit while some cars were testing. There was two Nissans touring cars, a couple of Porsche 911's, also a supercharged BMW 325, a new model, being thrashed round the circuit. We sat and watched them for about half an hour, then made our way back to Heidelberg.

Back in Heideleberg we went on a funicular rail car to the Konigstual Tower where there were good views over the town and surrounding district, and walked back to hotel through the old town. In the evening we had another meal not to be forgotten at a Chinese restaurant called 'Lotus'. We met an East German who escaped on a bicycle to England when he was 17, in the early '50s. He worked on a farm in Lincolnshire, and because he was a good runner he got a scholarship to Oxford University and studied economics and now worked in the travel business. He could speak many languages, he was very interested in our venture, nice man. When he stood up he was about 6'4" - lots of tall people here.

Thursday September 24 - Heidelberg to Boppard - 104 miles

Left Heidelberg 9.15 am, the sun still shining, arrived at Boppard 12.15 after following the Scenil Rhine Valley Road. Booked in at the Spiegal Garten Hotel, bought a snack then boarded the boat for a 3-hour trip on the River Rhine to the Lorelie Rocks. They played the Lorelie Music and all the Germans joined in as a helicopter flew above us. After our evening meal we had a stroll around the town full of old buildings.

Friday September 25

Everybody made their way to Koblenz to the Mosel-Rhine Eck, a monument at the meeting of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers. All nine cars lined up for photos, and we left there about 11 o'clock.

The route to Hasselt in Belgium took us past the Nurburg Ring where we could hear them practising for the weekend's Grand Prix. Audrey, Ron, Linda, Geoff, Graham and Simon managed to get across a field and viewed the last 10 minutes of this practice session. Others just heard it. At Blankenheim our lunch of chicken and chips was cooked just like being in England and the cup of tea passed 10/10. Arriving in Hasselt we looked round the town and decided where to go for our evening meal. Barbara and Conrad came with us and we had another good meal.

Saturday September 26 - Hasselt to Calais - 176 miles

Our last day driving on the wrong side of the road we decided to detour into Brugge. We parked the car at the railway station free and got the bus (park and drive scheme) to the city centre. What beautiful buildings, squares, canals, and horse drawn vehicles. We listened to the 29 bells playing a tune on the hour, and ordered scampi at an open-air cage. The plate came, 4 prawns and half a tomato each. What a laugh! We went back to the car for crackers and jam out of the cool bag. We then carried on to Calais and sat by the beach before we joined the others on the quay for the 8.45 p.m. ferry, where just like when we came to France two weeks before, it poured down.

We all arrived back at the Churchill Hotel safe and sound with only one minor incident: an exhaust had to be welded en route.Our many thanks go to Conrad for a wonderful well organised trip, for this we had all contributed and presented him with a cuckoo clock which he had always thought of buying but never done so. What a wonderful holiday, one we will never forget.

Mary & Stephen Tonge

Last Leg - Dover to Stockport - 246 miles

IN TOTAL 2279 MILES

© 1998 Mary Tonge