Pendine Sands

Backblipped for 10th April

This vast stretch of level beach is where Babs, the car developed by John Godfrey Parry Thomas, made land speed record attempts, in 1927 attaining a speed of 171mph. In competition with Malcolm Campbell, when one took the title the other made further attempts but, tragically, in 1927 Parry Thomas was killed when the car overturned; Babs was buried where she lay in ruins, on the beach.
In 1969 Babs was exhumed from the sand and has been restored by Owen Wyn Owen to running - though not racing - condition. Although resident at the Museum of Speed  at Pendine she makes appearances at ralleys around the country (as, indeed, she was at the time of our visit, although we have seen her at the Goodwood Revival) but is expected to drive on the beach at Pendine on Thursday 28th April. Sadly, we will be 400 miles away by then!

My extra is the free-range ducks settling down for a nap among the primroses, cowslips and fritillaries at nearby Colby Gardens - well worth a visit even though the woodland walks were closed owing to the high winds today. The cafe is superb.

Then to Saundersfoot for another walk on sands and poke at the rocks and back to our base before the rain began.