When someone mentions driving down to the West Country for the weekend, you probably start to imagine overheated camper vans from the 60s and bumper-to-bumper traffic and for the most part, you’d be correct. So when I signed up for the ECC summer road trip to Cornwall I was a little dubious. However, the Extraordinary Car Club had an ace up its sleeve and it wasn’t just the postcard destination, it was the promise of adventure.

Once the convoy had smashed its way through the A303 and A30, the roads started to clear and with the Celtic Sea on the horizon, we had a great little drive through the winding roads to the coast. Our hotel was perched on the rocks overlooking the beach and after a swift check-in, we regrouped on the private deck. Bathed in blood orange hues from the lavish sunset we soaked up the moment, accompanied by an unconventional, yet dare I say it extraordinary dinner consisting of the finest Champagne and traditional Cornish fish and chips. This was shaping up to be something very special indeed.

After Dinner, we took a short stroll down to the sand dunes and like a scene from Lord of the Flies we built a roaring fire and enjoyed our primeval handy work with a few rounds of whisky and a Cuban. The perfect end to the evening and a perfect start to the weekend.

The next day as the early morning sun crept across the beach and the waves rolled into the bay, we met up with the guys from the surf school and squeezed ourselves into wetsuits. I’ve only ever surfed a handful of times and I’m certainly no Kelly Slater, so the prep work with the instructors before hitting the water was more than welcome. The surf school were brilliant and made sure everyone had an absolute blast, regardless of ability. Several hours flew by and despite enjoying every second, my tolerance for drinking seawater was at its limit, so I decided to call it a day. Back on the warm sand, it wasn’t long before everyone trickled out of the water, buzzing from the surf. Then, as if perfectly timed, a round of ice-cold local ciders arrived on the beach along with hot Cornish pasties.

Dinner that evening was a hidden gem, a local restaurant bursting with character and charm. The food was incredible and the drinks flowed well into the evening. Having shared such an epic day together the conversation flowed just as easy, I couldn’t tell you what time we finally made it back to the hotel, but I can say with certainty we had a great night.

The following morning was a leisurely start, a few coffees and a long hot shower later we loaded up and hit the road. The drive back to London was the polar opposite of our journey into the West. We cruised upcountry with very little traffic, hugging the coast and taking in some amazing driving. It felt like a different country following the long winding roads that weave across the beautiful landscape of the Exmoor National Park, Quantock Hills and Mendip. We brushed past the historic city of Bath before arriving in the stunning village of Castle Combe and a waiting table at the famous 12th-century Castle Inn. The coastal cruise from Bude to the Cotswolds was an absolute joy and drifted by in the blink of an eye.

Lunch did not disappoint. The food was outstanding, but more importantly, we got to share and relive the adventure of an incredible weekend with old and new friends alike. The Extraordinary Car Club is something very special indeed and I couldn’t think of a better excuse to drag that classic from the garage and start making some memories.