Here is Brian’s report on this year’s Raid Tan Hill - as printed in the 2CVGB Magazine.

Forty-eight hours before the event it looked as if it might have to be cancelled. A week of bad weather culminated in the Yorkshire Dales National Park being covered in a blanket of heavy snow.

We set off in our Picasso on the Friday to check out the route, put up the way markers and deliver one hundred and fifty participation certificates to the Tan Hill Inn for the landlord to sign. When we arrived at Buckden in the Wharfedale valley a large sign proclaimed that the road over Langstrothdale was closed due to snow and ice. We were just about to turn back when the snow plough came down the road and the driver told us that with care we would probably get over.

The Picasso certainly does not have the grip that the Charleston has but we arrived in Hawes without mishap. The road from Hawes to Keld over the Buttertubs Pass was ploughed and officially passable with care but the road from Keld to the Tan Hill Inn was completely closed by heavy snow. That meant a thirty mile detour and attempting to come in from the east via Reeth. Stopping for a quick coffee we were told that the beer delivery truck had failed to get up to Tan Hill but a couple of Land Rovers had come down. We decided to give it a go and eventually, after some pushing and gritting, arrived at the Tan Hill Inn.

After a quick beer and a chat with the landlady we set off back only to meet another snow plough coming up the hill. What is normally an easy two hour run from Leeds had taken us over six hours!

Forty-eight hours later and it had all changed. Torrential rain and a sudden rise in temperature meant that on the day of the event virtually every vestige of snow had gone. Not only that but Sunday morning dawned sunny and clear and at 8:15am the Lawnswood Arms opened up to host the start of the run and provide much appreciated tea, coffee and bacon, sausage and egg sandwiches and at 10am the first convoy departed.

The weather was wonderful and the whole of the way from Leeds to Tan Hill we were treated to fabulous views of the fascinating scenery and wildlife that makes up the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Stopping only in Langstrothdale to regroup and take a quick photo call we arrived at Hawes in record time. After a twenty minute break for hot mulled wine we set off to complete the journey and at almost exactly one o’clock over one hundred 2CVs and derivatives descended on the Tan Hill Inn. Including stops it had taken the convoys just under three hours to complete a journey that had taken a Citroen Picasso over six hours, just forty-eight hours earlier!
After meeting old friends, inspecting the cars and having lunch everybody congregated in the barn and all the certificates, stickers and raffle prizes were given out and it was time to leave.

The general consensus was that it was one of the best runs ever. About half an hour after the last few cars had departed it started to snow!

Thanks to everybody who turned up, all the Tan Hill team at “Les Hiboux” and especially Tony Shields and 2CV City without whose continuing financial support we would not be able to maintain the tradition of keeping Raid Tan Hill a completely free event.

Thanks again and see you all again at RAID TAN HILL 2009.