After a pleasant little stay at the East End Arms we rose and headed down the road a bit, past a few more scenic cottages and ponds and landscapes and through herds of donkeys and horses... I quickly noticed there were no fences anywhere, generally meaning you are driving across somebody's estate... And ended up at our primary objective of the day, the Beaulieu Motor Museum...
Now anyone who has read anything I have written in the past several years is going to know how this is going to go, so whether you carry on or not is up to you... Basically Beaulieu is the estate of a rather well off family by the name of Montagu and they are car fanciers who have amongst other things set up a rather decent branch of the British National Motoring Museum there, which is jolly good of them. As I am finding in Britain they have again gone for quality over quantity, but in saying that it is certainly not lacking in size.
Where to start really... They have the whole 'evolution of the motorcar' thing as most places do, with some incredible old vehicles of two, three and four wheels from the first cycle cars and steam wagons and all that super-vintage stuff... All very fascinating... But really at the end of the day everyone really just wants to know about the really good bits... The bits that leave you standing there walking around and around one car with your mouth open... The bits that find you taking 50 photos of the same car from every conceivable angle (yes, yes this is what I do on holiday...). And even then there are too many to cover here. As such I am not going to waffle I am just going to say -
The Bugatti Type 15 of 1910, the second oldest Bugatti in existence -
A 1907 Itala
A 1902 Napier D50
A 1935 Auburn 851 Boattail Speedster - ever since my childhood one of my favourite cars of all time, and sister to the one I saw in Vegas... Quite simply one of the most beautiful things in all creation
But wait, right next to that, a Cord 810 of the same era... I mean just look at the two together. Words fail me...
And just a few cars down, a 1928 Mercedes 36/220... Just stunning
BLUEBIRD!!!
Another of my 'Greatest Ever', the Blower Bentley
And on...and on... And on... And then there way a whole other area with all these odd bits...
Needless to say, pretty awesome. Plus a massive motorcycle display... Many, many more cool cars... Many, many, many more photos of every hinge, bolt, door handle, gas cap... The Ducatis... The Veyron Super Sport... Etc etc
From there it was all kind of a happy blur. With full camera and dosey satiated look on face I ended up at another very lovely English pub boutiquey hotel place courtesy of my ever-organised guide/minder... Which I should take the time to tell you about... Tomorrow... Now, sleep.
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