Thanks for the offers - I think the best option may be to take the Ark Royal (my elderly Volvo - about the same size) round armed with limited range of istruments (for carrying purposes, maybe just mandolin, guitar and bodhran) stay sober (yecch!) and hurtle back in the small hours watching like a hawk for speed cameras, in time to relieve the dogsitter.

Whether I can face that much hassle in pursuit of relaxation is a different balancing act...