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We are going to do a sponsored road trip in Doris. Driving from the farthest east point in England - Lowestoft to the most western - Lands End, using mostly B roads, but first we have to get to Lowestoft and once we reach Lands End, we head back towards Colchester taking in some of the Southern coastal roads.

The total mileage for the trip will be an estimated 1100 miles, passing through 17 different counties! Though we will have to use GPS to measure the final total as the tripometer in Doris hasn't worked for 30 years!

We are starting the trip on Saturday 12th of June, we think it will take us 6 days. 

We are doing this road trip in order to raise money for the Stroke Association. My mum has a stroke in November last year. She has since made a full recovery and is doing extremely well. The advertising campaign shown in national newspapers and on television definitely saved her life, the window cleaner had found her and realised she was having a stroke and dialled 999. The combination of his quick actions, the ambulance and the Colchester Stroke Unit 's expert care were the reasons my mothers life was saved, and I would like to thank everyone involved.

Doris is my 1958 Morris Minor, a 4 door saloon. I have owned her since 1973 and yes, she was my first car. My mum lent me £25 to buy her, she had failed her MOT and needed a new engine.

Doris has been in almost constant use over the past 37 years, only being off the road during various repairs; ranging from the minor to spectacularly major (her floor was replaced in 2004!)

Anne and I have been friends for over 30 years, we met when we lived near each other and our children were just babies.

Please sponsor Anne, Doris and I on the trip so other lives can be saved like my mums was.

A stroke can strike at any time, to anyone, at any age. It is the third biggest killer and the leading cause of severe disability in the UK. Over 250,000 people live with disabilities caused by strokes. 

She has received such wonderful help and support that myself and family would like to give something back.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.

 

Day 1 - Left Colchester at 12:45 and arrived in Lowestoft at 14:00 hours. We took lots of photos and then drove to  Cromer on sea for ice creams. Now at wells on sea. On the gin and off to the quay for fish and chips. No problems with Doris. Done 170 miles so far. X x X x

Day 2- Stayed at a wonderful bed and breakfast in Wells called The Cobblers. We are now leaving to attempt the drive to the Cotswolds. Left Norfolk 09.30 stopped at Ramsey Cambs though East Northamptonshire stopped at Olny then on to Gloucestershire. Arrived 18.00 at a lovely B&B called Fairfields in Cold Aston in the Cotswolds 190 miles.

Day 3. Left Mr Alan Gordon at  fieldways in cold Aston after a delicious breakfast at 10.45 and visited Maggie in her beautiful mill side cottage. We were finally on the road at noon. Drove to cheddar gorge and booked into b and b at 16.30. Doris was having a  bit OK a struggle with some hills. OK going down but getting a bit hot and slow going up. Only done 90 miles today. Hope to do more tomorrow and get into Cornwell.

Day 4. We left Cheddar at 9am and got as far as Porlock Hill in Somerset but Doris's clutch burnt out :-( AA Man towed us to Exeter where a new clutch is being fitted. We will resume journey asap.

Day 5. Doris still in garage. The wrong clutch was ordered! Typical. Fingers crossed it will be done tomorrow and we will be heading along the Dorset coast. We had a train trip to Torquay from Exeter where the track runs alongside the sea. It was strange for us not to be driving or reading a map!

Day 6. Visited Doris at the garage then went shopping and looked at the Cathedral in Exeter. Yippee Doris is ready with a new clutch. Left Exeter at 3:45 and drove along the beautiful B3157 coast road. Stayed at a lovely farmhouse B&B in Abbotsbury. So pleased to be driving Doris again with Anne map reading.

Day 7. Left Abbotsbury after a great breakfast at 10:15. Drove to Portland Bill lighthouse past Chesil Beach, then onto Topuddle and lunch in the Martyrs  Inn. Headed for home stopped at Jane Austin s house and Lullingstone Roman villa and castle. Made it home at 22:15 after a heart stopping few miles on the M25 to use the Dartford tunnel.  

Facts.

Miles covered 838 over 6 days

Hours driving 39 hours over 6 days.

Petrol £197

Oil  £25

new clutch £310

Counties passed through 19.

In order,  Essex.Suffolk,Norfolk,Cambridgeshire,Northamptonshire,Bedfordshire,Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire,Warwickshire,Gloucestershire,Oxfordshire,Wiltshire,Bath and Somerset,Somerset,North Somerset,Devon,Dorset,Hampshire,Surrey. Kent and back into Essex.

Places visited, Lowestoft,Cromer,Wells next to Sea, Ramsey,Olney,Burford,The Cotswolds,Cold Aston,Lower Slaughter,Chew Valley lake,Mendip Hills,Cheddar Gorge,Minehead, Porlock Hill toll road,Exeter,Debenhams and cathedral in Exeter,Lyme Regis,Cogden Beach, Abbotsbury,Portland Bill lighthouse,Tolpuddle,The Martyrs  Inn, Jane Austin s house in Chawton,Lullingstone Roman villa and castle, Dartford tunnel. Plus lots of stops on pretty country roads.

 Special thanks to Russell the AA man who rescued  us and towed us to KMJ Restorations garage in Exeter where John put a new clutch in Doris.

Thanks to Michael at Cobblers guest house Wells next to sea. Alan at Fieldways bed and breakfast in Cold Ashton, Maggie for her tour of her cottage in Lower Slaughter, Wendy at The farmhouse  bed and breakfast in Abbotsbury. You all made us feel very welcome and feed us extremelly well..

All in all we had a great trip, it was both relaxing and sometimes hair raising. Doris was amazing and went even faster after having a new clutch fitted!!! Anne is a brilliant map reader and she navigated me and Doris through the most beautiful English countryside.The weather was kind, no rain which it just as well as the window wipers only work intermittently.

Newer Photos can be found here: http://tempuri.org/tempuri.html