Haddenham Classics' tours

by Lee Jones

On Sunday 25 May, the rolling hills of Buckinghamshire and the Cotswolds provided a glorious backdrop for the Spring Tour 2025 – a 130-mile navigational rally co-hosted by Haddenham Classics and the Hellfire Motor Vehicle Club. This unique partnership brought together classic car enthusiasts from across the region for a day of scenic motoring.

A joint effort with a shared vision 

Haddenham Classics and Hellfire Motor Vehicle Club have a longstanding friendship based on more than just their admiration for vintage vehicles. Through their joint venture, Men With Machines CIC, the clubs strive to promote mental well-being by encouraging social interaction, inclusivity, and shared interests. This Spring Tour event perfectly reflected those aims – combining mechanical passion with community spirit. 

  An exciting start
 

The event officially began at 9am with a tour briefing and then all the participants gathering at the start location, engines purring and anticipation in the air. The start had a ceremonial feel: one by one, the classic cars were waved off at 30 second intervals using a Union Jack flag, adding a sense of theatre and tradition to the occasion. It was a proud moment for many drivers, some of whom had spent days preparing their cherished vehicles for the tour.

The weather was generally favourable throughout the day, bright and dry, if a little breezy, which added a bit of drama to open-top motoring!

A route steeped in beauty and history 

The navigational rally format, using tulip diagrams (simple directional symbols), led drivers through a stunning and diverse set of locations. Unlike a timed race, the Spring Tour focuses on enjoyment, observation, and discovery, inviting participants to immerse themselves in the scenery, history, and charm of each location. 

Lunch stop: The Classic Motor Hub, Bibury 

Midway through the journey, the participants paused at the extraordinary Classic Motor Hub in Bibury – a location that is as much a museum as it is a dealership. Set on the site of the former RAF Bibury, the Hub blends motoring history with aviation heritage. The venue houses a rotating selection of rare and beautifully restored cars, (some of which can be seen below), including vintage Bentleys, Aston Martins, Ferraris, and a variety of post-war sports cars.
 

Visitors explored the hangar-like showroom buildings, perused automobilia in the shop, and enjoyed refreshments in the café, designed to mimic an old RAF mess room. The lunchtime break provided not only sustenance, but also a chance for relaxed conversation and admiration of machinery. 

 A Journey through time

Throughout the day, the route passed through a selection of villages and towns, some of which are noted below.   

Haddenham – an ancient settlement noted in the Domesday Book, with duck ponds, traditional cottages, and a deep sense of local pride.  

 

 Chinnor – with medieval origins and once the site of a Civil War skirmish in 1643. Now known for its heritage railway.

Brize Norton – now home to RAF Brize Norton, the UK’s largest Royal Air Force base, Brize Norton’s development has long been intertwined with military history. 

Burford – the gateway to the Cotswolds, Burford is a stunning village known for its sloping high street, medieval bridge, and long history in the wool trade. 

Bibury – another stunning Cotswold village famous for its trout farm.

Bicester – once a Saxon settlement, Bicester is now globally recognised for Bicester Village and Bicester Heritage – the latter being a classic motoring and engineering centre housed in a former RAF base. 

The Bartons – Oxfordshire villages with a strong connection to agriculture, with medieval churches, traditional farms and limestone cottages.
 

Charlbury – A historic market town in the Evenlode Valley, Charlbury is known for its arts, crafts, and scenic location near Wychwood Forest.