What a lot of fun when a group of motor enthusiasts turned up for a night stay at the Philipburn with their fantastic cars. Six gents who work for the Mercedes-Benz distributor Ciceley Commercials Ltd of Blackburn came rolling in in their remarkable vehicles on a Friday evening. Talk about elevating the car park! It looked like we had been transported ourselves into a magical wonderland of rare vehicles.

What a treat it was. The love and care that these chaps put into their cars was shown by the guy who got up with a cloth to clean and polish his Porsche before breakfast. Not a spot of dirt could be seen on these shiny vehicles, cars that most of us only ever dream about, let alone get anywhere near.

And did they drink some Guinness? Clearly this is the secret of success.

When I went out in the morning to ask the gaffer if we could take some photos, the comment from behind was “usually the hotel manager only appears to throw us out”. Probably that is something to do with the said Guinness.

The Philipburn lends itself particuarly to visiting car enthusiasts; there is loads of space to park in beautiful surroundings and where everyone has the space to mingle and chat about their lovely vehicles.

Add to this the comfortable bedrooms, the well stocked bar and delicious food for dinner, this is truly a top place for a weekend getaway.

After a hearty cooked breakfast the following morning, as they rolled off with the throaty roar of the Ferrari pervading the peace, we wondered if they might choose us as their “annual venue” again next year. We do hope so. They were a great lot.