The Quick Quacks in Lockerbie
and their further adventures in
The North May 2006
12th - 14th May Lockerbie
14th - 19th May Aviemore
The Essex mob moved North in two waves. Andy and MtSR started Thursday 11th and had a run up to Gratham where they stayed in the Travelodge. CtC and I started Friday morning and tried to pop in on Mei Ling for morning coffee, but roadworks and time restraints meant we had to give up on that as we were meeting Andy and MtSR at The Olde Punchbowl Inn (near Boroughbridge) for lunch. We had a boring but efficient ride up the A1 and made the rendevous. This is a good little pub and our second visit, shall indeavour to make sure it is not the last.
After lunch we trusted Andy's sat nav (somewhat erroneously) to lead us through the byways across country. It managed, sort of. A stroke of great good fortune struck when Andy decided he needed a "comfort stop". Amazingly it was an utterly beautiful spot. According to Andy's sat nav records it is at "B6259, NY77957 04490 " (I think that's somewhere between Outhgill and Nateby). Just as we were getting back on the bikes the occasion was topped off by us being overflown by the Battle of Britain flight. Awesome. After this we had a pleasant meander to Lockerbie where people were already in the swing of things and made sure there was beer on hand promptly! Thanks guys.
Saturday dawned and somehow we found our way into groups, eager and champing at the bit for the off. Actually come to think of it that's a poor turn of phrase because at corner one a large and unexpected pile of gravel led to an off. Bad luck Alan :( If I recall correctly this was the 90 degree right hander downhill on the B7068 as it leaves Lockerbie. We continued along here to Langholm wher we joined the A7 going north. A fine road that dropped us in Selkirk where we turned west along the A708 to Bowhill and coffee.
After coffee we turned southwest to Moffat where we picked up the A701 north to Tweedsmuir and lunch. After a fine lunch and a rest we carried on north to Broughton where we turned west one the B7016 to Biggar then turned south on the A702. We followed some obscure minor road across to the A76 then Dumlanrig Castle. This place has a fabulous driveway, I want one. The approach must be one of the finest in the country, as you crest a rise in the road the Castle comes into view looking simply superb. Here we had tea and an extensive photo shoot. Entertainment was provided by some fascinating Heath-Robinson cycles.
After tea we turned south east down the A76 until Closeburn where we went west on another obscure minor road passing through the equally obscure place of Ae (according to Autoroute....). We joined the A701 and turned northeast towards Beattock, just south of which we turned south on the B7076 which took us back to Lockerbie.
The roads were wonderful (apart from a little gravel in inconvenient places....), the stops well chosen, friendly and refreshing. The hotel was much improved on it's previous performance and the whole event well organised, thanks Robbie. The weekend was enhanced by having some new faces along. Sunday saw us conducting our usual bits of business, the most imporant bit of which I failed to do (formal welcome to new faces - sorry guys). When all was done most people went home, several of us went to visit Bonny and Jeanne (great gaff guys) and a few of us carried on to the NORTH whee...
Going over the Forth Bridge on a bike is great :) Mind you going most places on a bike is great. For me everything from Lockerbie to the A9 was basically just a way of getting to the A93 and the road to Braemar. This is a lovely road and the scene of a personal favourite overtake (on video :) ) After Braemar the B976 is a tight single track up down and sideways road, lovely jubbly. This takes you across to the A939 to Tomintoul and Grantown on Spey. Just before Grantown there is the B970 to Coylumbridge. This is my favourite road ever ever. CtC and I did this at warp factor 9. Absolballylutelyawesome....... Actually during a calm moment pootling through Nethybridge it was nice to see a fine array of Rollers at the hotel.
Shortly after Coylumbridge is Aviemore and Robbie's next triumph. The superb value 4 Seasons Hotel courtesy of Robbie's cousin (a very nice man). It is fortunate that this is close to the Cairngorm Hotel a pretty fair pub for food and drink. More importantly still the security staff at the entrance includes an indefatigueably cheerful lady from Forres, employee award of the year there I reckon. Aviemore has changed and is improving so anyone who has been put off by the mess it was in should consider a revisit.
On Monday Robbie needed a new tyre. Should learn to behave himself eh? He went to Inverness first thing and Chris Mike and I followed on shortly after. Pro-bike is shut. This was a nasty surprise and naturally Robbie wasn't there. Fortunately a friendly van driver showed us the way to the only other bike shop in town, Mitchell's. Here indeed Robbie had been but was there no longer as they wouldn't have a tyre until tomorrow. At this point we decided to join the others (Jane, Keith, Grahame, JB) at Spey Bay.
We dashed there to find .... no one. However, just before we decided to give up they rumbled in and joined us in the birdwatching. For me the highlight was the hunting osprey. However, it was chilly and it's a bit of a bleak place so we moved on. The next target was lunch which we decided to take at the Archiestown Hotel. This is a fine hostelry with good food and excellent service. After a most pleasant lunch we meandered down minor but fun roads to a childhood haunt of mine - Lochindorb, lovely place. We enjoyed a brief but pleasant break here before returning to the hotel
Tuesday and yet again Robbie needs to be in Inverness for a tyre fitting. Chris and I joined him there, the others (Jane, Keith, Grahame, JB, MtSR) started their trip to Applecross going over the Black Isle then continuing north before swinging over to the west coast, the whole way in rain until nearing Applecross. Clearly tyre changing in Inverness is done with fingernails or something, because it took quite a while, however, eventually we started out for Applecross taking the rather shorter routevia the A835 then the A832. To my everlasting shame I ran into the back of CtCs bike as we turned left onto the A832. Did a shoulder check looked back and AAARGH they guys were nearly at a standstill. Ah well.... sadly CtCs right hand exhaust demolished my radiator.
I now know there are 3 junctions of the A832 and the A835, the others being near Martybank and Tore. This led to some confusion and a minor delay in the AA arriving. Strangely I had quite a pleasant wait. The view was good and I was able to largely dismantle the damaged parts before he arrived using the tools I had with me, therapy see? The AA guy was very helpful and together we decided it was best to return the bike to the hotel as a phone call to Mitchell's confirmed they would not be able to get a radiator for me. Whilst we were driving to the hotel I was able to contact my son to pack up my spare rad and fairing, contact my surgery to be a collection point and contact DHL who assured me they could deliver the next day so long as the order was made before 2 pm. Good job thinks I.... Further therapy was provided by climbing the Craigellachie ridge in the nature reserve up (1000 feet) and down in an hour, great fun. Down in time to get ready to meet IWoo and Jackie and the others for a curry. I nagged and nagged "can't be late" then guess what? They were late :) By all acounts the trip to Applecross was a belter and a very fine lunch was had.
Wednesday and no rad, contact DHL, can't trace rad as not 5pm yet so not officially missing. For therapy today I explored bits of Aviemore I have (strangely enough) never visited before e.g. the stone circle. I also bought some more tools - always makes me feel better. Robbie, CtC and MtSR climbed Craigellachie. I provided an unhealthy lunch of scottish pancakes and shortbread from the bakers on their return. We then spent the afternoon shopping. Jane and Keith enjoyed a meander along the Spey Way, taking a picnic by the river. GG and JB went .... elsewhere... I can't remember!
Thursday, no rad. Most of the team head off to their various homes. CtC and MtSR went to one of Mike's relatives where they fixed CtCs wheel bearing and had lunch. I hired a cycle and rode to Loch an Eilean, then around the loch itself before returning to the Rothiemurchus Centre for lunch. Meanwhile over many phone calls it slowly becomes clear that both parcel numbers have been duplicated and in fact they have absolutely no idea where the parcels are.... However I finally received a message that one parcel was in Inverness, but could only get it by collecting it. As CtC and MtSR were over that way anyway I asked them to call in at DHL. They did and it wasn't there!
Friday, no rad. MtSR and CtC saddle up and head home, leaving about 09:30. Just before they go I receive news that my radiator is in Inverness! I say goodbye to the lads then catch the train from Aviemore to Inverness. I meet Les (the only helpful person from DHL so far encountered) at the station. He hands over rhe rad and I immediately join the queue to catch the return train. Back in Aviemore I fit the rad and half the broken fairing. I ring DHL Inverness once more to see if the fairing has arrived, it hasn't so I leave instructions to have it returned south. It's 14:40 and I want to get home tonight, time to go... The journey that followed was intense but effective. Old A9 to Pitlochry, new A9 to Perth, over the water, A68 all the way to the A1 at Darlington, A1, M11, M25, home . I got home at 22:20, that's 540 miles in 7 hours and 40 mins with a rain and a constant stiff side wind, knackering. Rather amazingly I beat CtC and MtSR back, though they did take a rather more tortuous and relaxed run.