Drive it Day 2024 was quite a day. Over 20 Jaguars at the café and several "other" cars giving us 44 at breakfast. Great to welcome Richard Llewelyn, Steve's friend Linda and Esther and Brian Nolan on their first meets with us. Was great to have the JEC North Wales Region members who ran a parallel event to us there as well. We got a great welcome at Plas Cadnant (Hidden Gardens) from Anthony and we had time to explore before setting off to our second venue at the impressive Penrhyn Castle outside Bangor. The weather was just about good enough for the group to have the first picnic of the year, with the usual chat and banter, before going around the truly amazing house and grounds.. Many thanks to all those who came along, was a bit of a stretch to do 2 venues but we just about made it. We managed to drive over both bridges and have a drive around Beaumaris to boot!!!

NORTH WALES REGION VISIT TO GREAT ORME COPPER MINE AND LUNCH AT THE MAGIC BAR IN LLANDUDNO.
A big thanks to all those who came along today. 14 cars and 27 people for breakfast before heading to the amazing Coppermine on the Great Orme.
The Coppermine was discovered by accident as they cleared land for a new car park. The mines date back 4000 years and caused UK and world history to be rewritten when discovered. They showed metal working in Britain as early as 1500BC. Going underground in the tunnels and caverns was quite an experience.
We then took advantage of the good weather to visit the summit and see the spectacular views of Anglesey, Snowdonia and the coast.
A drive around the Orme took us to the Magic Bar in Llandudno where we enjoyed lunch as we were entertained and bamboozled by some stunning card tricks.
Great to have new member Steve Clayton along for his first outing.

Great turnout to day for breakfast then on to the National Slate Museum that turned out to be a hidden gem. Very interesting and great forethought to keep it all as it was for future generations. The water wheel was amazing, one of the largest working wheels in the world and the largest in mainland Britain. At 50ft, 5 in in diameter it generates 80HP and powered the whole site.
Then a good dash up the Llanberis Pass, over Pen Y Pass and to the viewing point and back down reversing the route to the Royal Victoria Hotel. Good to give the Jags their first burst of the year over some proper mountain roads... Amazing how different the view is when you reverse the route! The hotel looked after us well, had allocated us our own room, the food was good and the chat flowed. We had 28 people all together and ad was great to have Ian and Jo come to the café, next month they will have their first XK with them.

What can we say, a hardy bunch these North Waleans!!!
After the previous lunches being on Anglesey we tried a different venue to the East of the Region.
Great turnout for our annual "Not the Christmas Lunch" gathering, 26 brave souls ventured out in the grips of Storm Isha to meet at the Bod Erw restaurant in St Asaph...
The Hawaiian shirt theme was all the more ironic given the weather conditions!!!! Big shout out to Imelda for providing the garlands and glasses.
Have to say a place I would recommend to everyone, great food, superb service and a pleasant environment to dine in. They gave us our own room and the conversation and banter flowed throughout.
Having people turn out and support the region and club in conditions like today really make it all worthwhile, you are very special.
Adrian and Denise scooped first and second in the best dressed competition which was very well deserved.

Great turnout of 27 today on a very wet and blustery day in North Wales. After breakfast we went for a visit and tour of the Penderyn Distillery in Llandudno given by the incomparable Jed...
This was followed by a very convivial lunch at the Gwesty Links Hotel. Apologies for the time it took to serve but the food was good when it came.
All in all a good way to complete the year, in 3 years of visits this was our first wet day so cannot complain.
Great to have Paul and his friend Nick along for their first visit plus Roy who came and found us at the cafe.
The Region made a presentation to newly weds Rachel and Roly, our first club wedding.

Was great to welcome 7 members from the Midlands Region who joined us for the day as part of their weekend in North Wales. Namely, Bob, Alan, Mike, Tony, Wendy, Lawrence and Chrissy. We also welcomed new members to the region, Janet and Keith Carter for their first time with us.
The day started in lovely sunshine with breakfast at the café which was gruesomely dressed for Halloween!!! En route to Moelfre we stopped at a viewing point to see the Menai Bridge and Snowdonia in all its glory.
The we went to the RNLI Seawatch Centre at Moelfre to present the club donation of £400. We were given a fascinating and inspiring tour and talk of the Tamar class boat "Kiwi" in her purpose built house.
Then we went on to the Breeze Hill Hotel in Benllech for a fabulous lunch before disbanding for drives home and to accommodation.
Many thanks to all who attended, especially our visitors from the MIdlands who made it a special day and Phil Hen and the crew of the "Kiwi" who made us so welcome.

Hi . On behalf of all at Moelfre, I would like to thank all your members for your recent donation of £400. I have no other way of contacting you so please excuse me for contacting you this way.
Kind Regards
Andy Hoyle Moelfre RNLI Operations Manager

Our long awaited visit to the Ironworks took place today and it was great that we were joined by several members from the Midlands region who travelled up from their own breakfast meeting.
A group of us met for breakfast in Llanfairfechan then headed down the A5 to the Works via a stop at Rhug Farm. Several members travelled direct to the works due to the distance and location.
I do not think I exaggerate when I say this is a fantastic place, fabulous metal sculptures based in many acres of green pastures, there were too many to mention here. My recent hip operation prevented me from walking the whole site but we will be going back.
A place many of us mentioned we had driven past hundreds of times and never visited, we had no idea of the scale.
Matthew Davies, MD, of the JDHT brought along the Austin Powers XK8 to add to the display of 20 cars.
The Works Chairman made us very welcome and granted all of us free entry to the park. He is a car buff and there were 2 Jaguar cars included in sculptures there.
Many thanks to all those attended and supported the activity, apologies I was not as mobile as usual but hope you all enjoyed yourselves.

We had 18 cars at the Breakfast in Llanfairfechan We then we had a 1 3/4 hour drive on some lesser known roads in Eyryri (Snowdonia) through Ysbyty Ifans, across to Llan Ffestiniog with stunning views and on to Porthmadog. We then travelled on to the lovely home of David and Helen Eynon who had generously made their beautifully located gardens near Criccieth available for our annual picnic. David has every mans's (and woman's) dream garage/workshop.
A big thank you to David and Helen for not only letting us tromp around their garden and house but also providing superb home made cakes and drinks. Many thanks to Valentina Drewitt as well for sharing a lovely cake to an old Irish recipe, it was really, really nice...
Brilliant to have Judy and Peter Armstrong back with us today, sometimes no words are enough......
The previous wet weather had curtailed our plan to park in their field but we managed to park 18 cars on the driveway, getting them out again was a lot easier than we thought..
The weather cooperated fully , we had no rain and plenty of sun.

Well that was a bit different... North Wales Region visit to the Unity Car Show at Anglesey Showground.
Good turnout of 11 Jags, looking good all lined up together. Many thanks to all those who attended. Despite the forecast the clouds parted and we had lovely sunny afternoon. I very much appreciate the support as i Know it was early starts for a lot of people to get there for 9am.
This was not a classic car show but our line up attracted a lot of interest and potentially 3 new members. A positive element was to witness the next generation of car nuts very involved with their passion.
There were some amazing vehicles and music too plus radio controlled drifting cars!!!

A great turnout today for the annual BBQ and 2nd anniversary of the Region.
We had 15 Jaguars at the café for breakfast as we set off for the coastal drive and a spot of Porpoise watching at Bull Bay (does anyone have any pictures from there as my eyes were glued to my binoculars.). Once we reached the BBQ site at Melin Llynon the number had swelled to 20 cars (38 people). Despite the weather forecast as we sat to enjoy the BBQ the sky turned blue and the sun came out.
A big well done to Imelda and our good friend Gaynor who put on a tremendous spread of BBQ meat, and salads, they did a brilliant job.
Margaret Smith made some lovely very special 2nd anniversary cup cakes and Helen Eynon added a delicious chocolate cake, sponge and flapjacks.
The Mill is a very special place, fabulously restored and now milling flour once again, a real credit to the Holt family. They generously allowed us to use the venue free of charge for our event.
All in all a special day, I hope you all found your way back off the island this evening....

Great turnout in gorgeous weather today, over 20 of us for breakfast in Llanfairfechan before we drove down past Snowdonia to the Pant Du Vineyard just south of Caernarfon. The setting and the views from the vineyard were just beautiful.
We were then given a tour by Richard, the current owner and learnt about the history of Pant Du, built in 1603, with its links to the famous Artist Richard Wilson. Wilson, the father of British landscape paining, stayed at the house during the time of his famous painting of Snowdon.
Richard then told us about the native apple trees they grow for cider and juice and the vines they grow to produce the welsh wines, red and white. We then had a tasting session of the excellent white and reds plus sampling the cider and apple juice.
The lunch that followed was excellent (albeit with pedestrian service!) before we all left to journey home in the glorious sunshine.