Pirelli Exclusive Gallery

Photographing the Turbo S ES in North Wales

Pirellli Photo Shoot 18 May
An early morning start was necessary to meet up with Adam and Alex who were directing the shoot organised by Matt Bell of Pirelli Marketing.

After joining Adam and Alex at the Ship Hotel in Dolgellau for breakfast we set off to the pre-arranged locations. I was delighted by the invitation to have the ES photographed in these special places I have known for over fifty years.

Just a few miles out of Dolgellau are the Cregennan Lakes, the half way point below the 2930 feet high Cader Idris. The views of the mountains and surrounding countryside are stunning. The well maintained single track road continues past the lakes to reveal the amazing panorama of the Mawdach Estuary with the seaside town of Barmouth and the famous railway bridge which spans the mouth of the estuary.

Below on the banks of the River Mawdach is the George 111 Hotel which is also the lowest road crossing with a wooden toll bridge saving four miles of driving. The owners of the bridge were very helpful by allowing several crossings to achieve the best shots even though it caused chaos for the other users. The hotel sits alongside the disused railway line at the water’s edge with amazing views – heaven is dining on the raised outdoor balcony on a summer evening, a simple but unforgettable experience.

Back on the road for some moving shots with Alex hanging out of the back window of a Ford Focus trying hard to focus as we headed for Bala Lake for some shoreline scenes. More of the same as we drove part of the Evo Triangle at legal speeds as the in car shot shows. Although the rev counter shows 5000rpm second gear is displayed which equates to around 45mph.

The final destination was the Victorian coastal town of Llandudno where we were allowed to take the car onto the promenade which attracted a great deal of attention in this busy area.

Matt had offered to pay expenses for the day but I requested a donation to Ty Gobaith (Hope House) Children's Hospice instead. Matt donated £500 which was a great deal more than we hoped for so many thanks to Matt Bell and Pirelli for this generous amount for a very worthy cause.