Rotarystock 1st July 2023 -

[ChrisHolmes]

Kees has confirmed that this year's Rotarystock is still taking place on Saturday 1st July.

We are looking at going, maybe travelling down on the Thursday 29th June, Friday free, attend Rotarystock on the Saturday and drive back on the Sunday.

If you are interested maybe worth booking this hotel with the cancellation policy

https://www.booking.com/hotel/nl/city-l ... hotelTmpl

We have stayed at this hotel before and it is convenient for trains into Amsterdam and it also has a covered car park opposite the hotel.

Anyone else thinking of attending?

[HarSc]

Ooooohhh.... Maaaybe? Haven't ever ventured onto the continent before (driving I mean) so that'd be fun will look into this. Be cool if we could drum up a group to go under the OC banner

[qwakers]

or fly up and enjoy the schnapps

[Dr. FrankenRex]

I may be tempted by this...

[ChrisHolmes]

1st July is my wedding anniversary so I cannot make this unfortunately. It will a great event to attend and drive over in convoy will be epic.
Enjoy it everyone.

[Lemon]

this is tempting, i could even head down sound and bother people in head office...

[350matt]

Is it a good event? can't say I've heard of it before but sounds intriging?

[ChrisHolmes]

I went to this event with a small group organised through the MRC in 2017 and had a great time. Some idea of the event can be gleaned from this topic on the MRC forum, with pics and videos:

https://mazdarotaryclub.com/forum/index ... ic=84109.0

or, for a very quick taste, this is a excellent video that Aston at Essex Rotary compiled of the 2017 event:



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[Metelyk]

Malcolm - are you a time traveller. Wow!!

EDIT (casey) - So this comment makes sense - Andy had spotted my mis-type of 2017 as 2027 I corrected it immediately, but not before Andy had spotted the error!

[Dr. FrankenRex]

For me it's a circa 900 mile round trip... 3 tanks for fuel if I behave the whole way there and back. Not as bad as I expected to be honest

[casey]

It was a very enjoyable social event too. We had a meal at a restaurant on a pier near our hotel and no-one spoke English (very unusual in Holland!) and the menu was only in Dutch. Cue auto-translation on phones with some hilarious translations. It was a memorable night

Pic at the restaurant with Aston and Crissy

I went over with Gwyn - she wasn't much taken by the car event, but the social side and a train day trip we took into Amsterdam was fun. We had been before, but not for a a long time.

[casey]

I'm hoping to go again this year, but only if I can persuade Gwyn to accompany me and maybe add a few days extra to explore.

[HarSc]

For me it's a circa 900 mile round trip... 3 tanks for fuel if I behave the whole way there and back. Not as bad as I expected to be honest

Question being... You're closer to the nurburgring than ever before.... slight detour maybe in order? I looked at the hull Rotterdam ferries to shorten my drive time being up north, but with the price difference in the height of summer I'm probably better going ferry/tunnel and round that way with you southern folk

[Dr. FrankenRex]

Dunkirk ferry is the best option.

I'm unsure about the 'ring, but I'd be tempted by a Zandvoort track day...

[casey]

I'm going to look at this ferry option too: https://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferries-to- ... lsrc=aw.ds

Harwich is only 20 minutes from home and the Hook of Holland port saves a lot of mileage in Europe too. Need to get my calculator out......

RX-8's are not that common in Holland, so our cars were very much in the minority at the event (look at Aston's video), so creating extra interest in our cars. To our embarrassment, the vast majority of people at the event spoke brilliant English too

EDIT: Cost for a return trip from Harwich looks to be in the order of £300-£400.

[Dr. FrankenRex]

Zandvoort doesnt have any track days around that time... Sigh

[Dr. FrankenRex]

I'm going to look at this ferry option too: https://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferries-to- ... lsrc=aw.ds

Harwich is only 20 minutes from home and the Hook of Holland port saves a lot of mileage in Europe too. Need to get my calculator out......

RX-8's are not that common in Holland, so our cars were very much in the minority at the event (look at Aston's video), so creating extra interest in our cars. To our embarrassment, the vast majority of people at the event spoke brilliant English too

£283 return on that route...

compared to £155 for the same(ish) times dover-dunkirk

[casey]

So, £128 extra, or about 85 litres of fuel = 400 miles (ish), or 200 on outward and return legs. I think that's slightly in favour of Harwich, and saves a lot of driving, at least for me anyway! Need to consider all options in more depth.

A much longer sea trip, but that could be part of the fun

[nightfire10]

Shame no ferry from poole!

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[Dr. FrankenRex]

So, £128 extra, or about 85 litres of fuel = 400 miles (ish), or 200 on outward and return legs. I think that's slightly in favour of Harwich, and saves a lot of driving, at least for me anyway! Need to consider all options in more depth.

A much longer sea trip, but that could be part of the fun

Yeah, Harwich is further for me, so the saving is lower :-(

[nightfire10]

444miles each way


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[Lemon]

cut the tunnel out of that, it adds it as driven miles.

[casey]

I've just worked out my driving miles from home to Lelystad via the Harwich-Hook route is only 100 miles (19m to Harwich and then 81 miles Hook to Lelystad), so 200m return. Ferry leaves at a civilised 9am, arriving Hook at 5.15pm. Return is cheaper via a faster ship, departing Hook at 2.15pm and arriving Harwich at 7.45pm, so we can be home for an evening meal

Driving distance via Dover-Dunkirk (return) is 684 miles (114 to Dover and 228 from Hook, x2)

So a massive mileage saving of 484 miles, equivalent to about £160-£170 of fuel saving.

Fare via Dover (using Dan's figure) is £155 return
Cheapest fare e via Harwich is £290 return (out Thurs 29 Jun, back Wed 5 July, to allow some touring time), non-refundable.

So, the extra fare cost for Harwich is £135.

I'd possibly need to stay overnight somewhere near Dover too, if using that route, due to the risks of delays over the Dartford crossing and A12/M25 (both notorious), so further tipping things in favour of Harwich for me

Another factor on the 2017 trip, when I used the Dover-Dunkirk crossing, was the horrendous traffic around Antwerp. It was a nightmare, taking a long time stuck in queues, and taking diversions, so more time and fuel than anticipated.

Hmm, will have to check if ground clearance is OK though. Stenaline claim 30cm minimum is required However, Pistonheads (posts March 2022) reports cars with 10cm have boarded OK by taking the ramp slow and at an angle...............

[Lemon]

see my plan is to tunnel it (same as i would if i was heading over to head office) so i can easily smash the journey out in 1 day

[ChrisHolmes]

Looked at the Harwich route but don't think I could sit still for 8 hours. Also more expensive that the shuttle

Booking summary
Short Stay Saver£111Outbound
Folkestone to Calais, Thursday 29 June 2023, departing 12:20, arrive 13:55
Short Stay Saver£108Return
Calais to Folkestone, Sunday 2 July 2023, departing 16:36, arrive 16:11
Total£219

If any one is serious about going it might be best to book a room at this hotel, and only a short drive to the circuit on the Saturday www.midland-circuit-lelystad.nl/

https://www.booking.com/hotel/nl/city-l ... #hotelTmpl

its in the town centre, easy access for trains into Amsterdam, and a nice hotel, secure undercover parking opposite. You can always cancel if you do not go.