Circumstances dictate that many of us will travel at different times but for those who would like to convoy, I have obtained the necessary permissions for a cross country route which starts from the Zeus hotel in Baldock High Street and includes a lunch stop at The Red Lion at Little Compton which is midway between Chipping Camden and Moreton in Marsh.

A leisurely start to the morning exploring Montgomery might include a walk to the castle.
The main event is a trip to Powys castle to see the house and gardens. This is a National Trust property and has a restaurant suitable for lunch. The gardens, coach house, shop and restaurant open at 11.00, the castle opens from 1.00 – 4.00 p.m. I have devised a short but dastardly scenic run that takes in some of the local hills and crosses the Severn Valley to arrive at the castle via the back road.
If you have been or prefer not to visit Powys, a trip in to Welshpool or Newtown is an option. Another lunch option is to visit one of the pubs in Beriew before arriving at Powys.
Steam railways are another local speciality if that is your preference. Today you could do the Welshpool and Llanfair light railway.
A local jazz quartet has been organised for this evening from 7.30 – 11.30 pm

Anyone need petrol? - pump looks a bit rusty though.

A slightly earlier start leaving about 9.30 for a scenic run westward over the Cambrian mountains to Machynlleth where nearby we find the Centre for Alternative Technology. We have chosen this venue because 12 months after Herstmonceax, you may be getting technology withdrawal symptoms and slightly more practically, we could not find another venue that could cater for 38 people at lunch time. Where do all those coach parties go!

 
The Centre is “green” and probably does not encourage the use of gas guzzling sports cars. They have requested that all car seats are occupied, so giving a lift to a stranger might be the order of the day! Just up the road towards Dolgellau at Corris there is a craft centre and also an opportunity to take a trip into an old slate mine by boat. This experience is known as King Arthur’s Labyrinth and I am told it is better than it sounds.

Other options are coastal areas for walks and scenery. We are on the edge of the Snowdonia national park and I am suggesting an extra 30 mile run which, weather permitting, affords views of Cader Idris from the south and takes us to Cardigan Bay, but you might want to explore more of the national park. I said there were steam railways and here we have the Tal-y-Lyn railway. 20 miles north is the Ffestiniog railway and 20 miles south is Aberystwyth with the Vale of Rheidol railway. These are all options if you prefer the past to the future.