Figaro Hertfordshire Day Trip – Sunday 10th July 2022

Words, Pictures and Video by Adam Woods

As the Eastern Chapter includes Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, it was about time we did an event over on that side of the region rather than Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex as we have before! As usual, I set about planning with the original aim to find a decent venue to meet for Breakfast, a nice place to stop en route, and then the final destination. The final destination was always Knebworth House, a beautiful neo-gothic mansion just outside Stevenage. We had secured a real rarity – access to park up (and take lots of photos!) in the House Courtyard, so that was a done deal… we had also sorted a nice farm shop to stop at on the way, so it was the starting point we needed to sort – however an impressive hotel for breakfast with sufficient parking for everyone just wasn’t available.

So, we thought again, consulted with some local area knowledge (thanks Jules and Tracylouise!) and we returned to a previous consideration Dunstable Downs, and decided to start the day trip from there.

Risk assessments completed, website content prepared, the event announced, members emailed, registrations received, route checked… and the day arrived!

We had arranged our own exclusive Figgy Parking at Dunstable Downs, and one by one our 12 cars arrived, with a lovely mix of long-term members and new owners. We had decided to spend longer at Dunstable Downs as our meeting place, and with gorgeous weather, we are really glad we did – the setting looking out across the gorgeous rolling countryside was incredible, and of course, other visitors and their inevitable questions made a beeline for our line of Figgy’s! And because we spent a little more time at our meeting place than normal, it was really nice to have a little more time to chat and catch up.

At 12 noon we were ready and having done on our traditional beep beeps we started out from our amazing meeting place, heading off in convoy, along the carefully selected route that would take us through towns and villages as well as across the country, doing our best to avoid busier roads. Also, when chatting with members Nigel and Julia, they mentioned some friends of there’s would be along the route ready and waiting for the beeps and waves!

We managed to stay in convoy pretty much all the way, had a fair few beeps and waves, and of course, also enjoyed the glorious summer sunshine!

Upon arriving at Knebworth, one by one we drove through the entry gate and prepared to drive up to the manor house, while the team radioed ahead to the House to let them know we were on our way. And so we set off, heading up the sweeping drive across the extensive grounds, and on towards the house where we were greeted with the gates of the Courtyard swinging open, allowing us entry to park up in front of the neo-gothic manor house! What an amazing setting, made even better by the amazing weather, and the lovely team at Knebworth allowing us to access up one of the towers to take some amazing photos!

And from here we had our own Figgy Parking a short distance from the House, with Figgys sheltering from the sun, picnics out and some nice chit chat and time to relax! From here the time was our own, with the opportunity to go and see more of Knebworth like the formal gardens or tour the house.

Thanks as always to everyone who joined us on our Hertfordshire Day Trip… next up, we’re planning an event in the Cambridgeshire area for September!

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