Summer Fun on Prince Bishops & St Cuthbert’s Runs
Sunday 5th July 2026 was the date for our premier road run event of the year, the combined Prince Bishops Run and St Cuthbert’s Run, starting from Stokesley and Plantsplus Garden Centre near Ponteland respectively.
Both runs this year had a new organiser with our Vice Chair Andy Clarke handling the St Cuthbert’s Run and Hon Secretary Dave White the Prince Bishops Run.
We had a total of 38 entries this year, with 16 starting from the north and the remaining 22 from the south, after suitable refreshment and drivers briefing of course! 
Both routes were approximately 100 miles and covered many of the interesting roads in our area, with lunch halts and Darlington and Allenheads pencilled in, but some cars enjoyed a picnic outside of these towns and in the scenery on route.
The Prince Bishop Run took the cars on a winding route south from Stokesley to Chop Gate and then through some very minor roads of North Yorkshire to Northallerton and onwards (with a little diversion to Scruton due to bridge closures) to Darlington.
After lunch it was off towards Bishop Auckland and the Wear Valley, before arriving in Durham at The Story.
Entrants on the St Cuthbert’s Run had a brand-new route this year, after leaving Plantsplus they headed north west towards Otterburn, before turning south back through Bellingham and Haydon Bridge towards the lunch halt at Allenheads. 
After lunch the cars had an easier route down the Wear Valley, though Rookhope, Stanhope and on towards Durham, finally linking up with the cars from the south in Willington.
The finish venue this year was new to us, The Story at Mount Oswalds, a superb venue just on the outskirts of Durham City with excellent grounds for parking and on site catering facilities.
To make things even better they had arranged for a choir and catering truck for the public to enjoy, as well as ourselves. Suffice to say we will be returning!
Cream teas were available for those taking part and were served from our own room inside the building, provided by the on-site staff and laid out ready for our arrival.
While people were enjoying their cream tea the mystery judges were hard at work deciding upon their favourite car in each category, not an easy task.
After some deliberation their choices were made and the winners were as follows:
The Van Mildert Trophy for 1924 – 1955 cars:
Stephen & Megan Lidgate – MGTC
The Prince Bishops Trophy for 1955 – 1980 cars:
Henry & Margaret Tennant – MGA Coupe
The Prebends Trophy for post 1981 cars:
Connor Armstrong – MGTF 160
Spirit of the Event Award:
Doug Carmichael for his ingenuity and determination to avoid the award nobody wants, as well as get home!
It goes without saying that these events take a lot of work and could not be so successful without the efforts of Andy Clarke, Elaine Clarke David, Lynda and Matt Alexander, Dennis Hope, Paul Anderson and Peter and Judith Bagley, thank you to everyone.
In addition, we must thank our host venues for their help and cooperation, without them it just doesn’t happen so thank you to:
Il Mulino Stokesley
North Yorkshire Council
Darlington Borough Council
Plantsplus Garden Centre
The Story at Mount Oswalds
