25 Years of the Mendip Tour
The Classic & Historic Motor Club of Somerset was founded in 1977 with the aim of creating an interest in and catering for the needs of classic and historic motor vehicles. Its membership is currently around 500, for whom the club organises a number of events every year.
Perhaps its most famous annual event is the ‘Mendip Tour’ which in 2019 celebrated its 25th running. The tour is open to non-members who top-up the total entrants to the limit of 175 cars. This is the only car event that is allowed to finish by parking on the lawn outside Wells Cathedral, a truly spectacular sight in a glorious location.
It’s not surprising that there’s never a problem filling the entry list!
Each year sees a different selection of fabulous machinery cruising the roads of Somerset and absorbing some of the local history that is published in the navigator’s notes. Cars (and motorcycles) dating from the Edwardian era mingle with 30’s to 80’s classics, many of whose occupants dress appropriately for the period of their vehicle (and in an attempt to win one of the many prizes on offer).
A few of the Petrolheads Welcome team have been lucky enough to be involved in many of the Mendip Tours. We can confirm how smoothly the tour is organised, from the pre-event admin to the sweeper at the back of the field and the many marshals and other volunteers in-between.
Here is a small selection of photos from this year’s lunch stop at the Ston Easton Park Hotel. We’ve also included a couple of pictures from previous years.
If you have a car tour/event that’s worth a mention on our site, please let us know!
