Everything is coming together. We just hope that lots of you out there will come to camp. If not please come on Saturday or Sunday for a bit of fun.

We have plenty happening to interest any 2CV fans out there. Friday night we will have a disco and of course the bar !

The main event during Saturday is the convoy to Brooklands Museum where up to 60 privileged spaces have been reserved for us. Before that you will find trade stalls, flea market and ‘organised’ children’s entertainment. Early evening will see the communal barbecue lighting - bring your own food - or you can visit the travelling burger van etc. Later in the evening the disco will fill in between live music from the ‘Jump Leads’ - with a bar extension to 11:45 what more can you want ?

This Duck race is a long-standing annual event. For the past 3 years they have combined it with a camp at the Red Shoot Inn at Linwood. I decided to go this year. Bill was busy (to say the least) with Royal Ascot, so I set off from home to meet the Macdonalds in Guildford. I was a bit late but on reflection this may have been a plus because we missed all the traffic jams on the motorways. Heather came with me - at least she is more interesting than their sleeping bags which I have carried before !

The route through the forest on a lovely sunny evening was so peaceful and beautiful that we were really relaxed by the time we arrived. We were shown to the end of a crowded campsite to be greeted by Dave & Louise who were the early birds ! A lot of the Ducks were there but they did not have far to travel ! I gravitated to the pub after getting my tent set up. I had a lovely meal and a natter before returning to my tent.

Early in the morning it began to rain - a drizzle really - this was not the weather forecast. However, Bill & I had bought a gazebo .... so with Dave’s help I put it up and solved the problem of cooking and eating breakfast with only a small tent. I think the Madhatters were consumer testing gazebos. We now had three between us. The rain stopped by 11 am and blazing sunshine was the order of the day. I stayed on site and sat and read a book. Others went sightseeing or walking to a pub. Later I went to Ringwood (got a bit lost) and then returned to find more 2CVs had arrived and a boules competition organised.

Dick & Yvette then arrived sans camping gear because the weather forecast was not good. (How wrong can you get) We had a pleasant afternoon, Madhatters won the Boules and we had a communal BBQ. As usual this drifted on to chats and drinks - so relaxing.

Sunday saw the sun again and relaxing times before striking camp. Bill & Kirsty arrived - they had both worked on Saturday so came to relax. We made our way to the pub for lunch and saw lots of 2CVs converging to join the race in the afternoon. A convoy of more than 30 cars left the campsite to wend its way to the stream. We turned quite a few heads in the forest.

Those people in the Forest who had come for a quiet afternoon out soon were in for a surprise. Ducks of all sorts, shapes and sizes were launched into the stream. Louise in her enthusiasm found herself in the stream, a ‘duck keeper’ releasing caught ducks and making waves in sluggish water. The Madhatters did not win .... never mind we went back to Rhinefield Lodge gatehouse for a curry/chilli feast - thanks Jeff and Adrienne for the magnificent food. Bill’s fuel pipe was causing problems at this point so Jeff and John helped to rescue him. We then set off through the forest to miss the traffic jams. Our convoy was about six or seven cars at one point but we lost quite a few on the way. (I nearly knocked down a pony - James’ brakes are good !) John Rooney also led us to the M3 avoiding the Winchester jams, so we had a good journey up the A31. It was along this road that some of the ‘lost souls’ of the convoy reappeared. They had taken a slightly different route. The good news is that all the Madhatters met at the Macdonald house. Lynne was relieved - all her children were safely back. Coffee and tea was provided - thanks - and a good weekend came to an end.