NC500 Day 1 - 22 April 2023

Good evening dear reader,

I had a reasonable night at the Black rock Campsite in our Hobbit House.  We had a gentle ride north on the A9 and A99 to John O'Groats.  The weather was a tad breezy to say the least - but so far not sign of the forecast rain or sleet but it is bloody cold.  We stopped for a cuppa at the very touristy John O'Groats and met with a group of bikers; one of which had just been pulled over for speeding (94 in a 60!!!).   

From there we headed to Dunnet Head as my brother had requested a photo of the late 1800's Lighthouse in connection with a family history that he is reseaching.  So it was back down the hill from a very windy and cold hill top and on the road to Thurso for our next overnight stop.  So as we made good progress we have stopped quite early in the afternoon and will be having a meal/beer soon - we have allowed ourselves 4 day to complete the NC500 before we return to the Inverness area and then begin the ride South on Wednesday.

Tomorrow we will continue on the NC500 heading for the Ullapool area and depending on the weather we will look for a campsite. 

Night night

Black Rock Campsite - Nr Inverness - 21 April 2023

Dear Reader,

After a farewell supper at the local Gurka Restaurant last night we were are set to ride again this morning.   It did not take long to re-pack the bikes and hit the road.  We took the long route from Crieff to Inverness via Glen Coe, Fort William, and Loch Ness.  We had a good coffee stop and the Green Wellie Cafe and lunch stop just before Loch Lochy.  The roads were busy and we got stuck behind a couple off large construction site low loaders, but you get to view more that way.  

Inverness was busy as it was Friday afternoon but we soon had the behind us and motored up the A9 in every increasing winds…

Black Rock Camping Site..  and a very well appointment camp site.   We had booked a Pod for the night (see photo)… David walked down to the local Co-op and returned with wine, Apples and microwaveable Macaroni Cheese for supper.   Out with the sleeping bag and away we go…   Tomorrow we are riding to John O Groats and then Thurso on the NC500.

Crieff Day 3/4 - April 2023

Good morning dear reader,

I have just received a reminder on my phone that a year ago today I we riding in the hills of Nepal, my my how time flies.

Wednesday.  Now that the brakes on the bike are fixed, it was back on the Clover Leaf for the 3rd day - North Route over the Cairngorms/Aviemore etc.  Unusually the sun was shining as we set off from Crieff.  The views are spectacular and the roads dry and twisty.   We rode passed the Balmoral Castle turning but thought that we were unlikely to get a cuppa there, so we rode on.  We stopped for lunch at Breamar as the Glenshee Ski Centre was still closed.  We rode through Aviemore, Blair Atholl and Aberfeldy to name but a few. At one stage the road we wanted was closed and we were forced into a 60 mile diversion.  We finally arrived home a 6:30pm and a little worse for wear I must say.   Following a quick change, David and I popped into town to get some supper, we found a very pleasant Italian Restaurant.  

After a restless night sleep I decided not to ride the West Route today but would take a self imposed rest-day.  Having been riding for 6 days so far and we have another 8 days of riding ahead of us, I thought it best for me to have a day off - its an age thing I guess, plus a little H&S as well.   So today I will repack the panniers and make sure that I have the waterproofs available as the weather is on the change for the ride north west via Fort William to Inverness tomorrow and then start the North Coast 500 on Saturday.  Then back to a campsite a little south of Inverness on Wednesday, before starting the ride south, hoping to arrive home on Friday 28th.

 

Crieff Day 2 - April 2023

Good evening dear reader,

I was too tired last night to log the days event so here goes…

Monday.  We all met at 9:45 and all 6 riders rode off on the East Route.  Some very interesting roads and fine scenery, but a lot of very small B roads.  Having stopped for coffees and lunch we finally arrived back home at 6:15pm, a little bit on the tired side..   After getting change we dashed into a very quiet Crieff for a quiet pint in a "Sports Bar", followed by fish and chips from the local Chinese Takeaway, which I ate at the apartment before collapsing into bed early…

Tuesday.  After a better nights sleep we assembled at 9:30 but one rider had a puncture; so had to dash away to sort that out locally, David had a failed indicator that needed a visit to a Triumph dealership and I had a very very worn pair of rear brake pads which needed sorting NOW (I know I should have checked before to left home)..   So David and I departed from the group-ride and headed to Glasgow and Paisley….   I arrived at the Yamaha dealership only to find that they don't stock spares in their spares department.  (That will teach me to phone first….), so I then contacted another dealership in Kilmarnock and yes they had them in stock.  

So off to Kilmarnock via Glasgow's M8 again.  I arrived in good time and collected the pads and then made the return trip via Glasgow's M8 for the 4th time, but not before dropping into a hand carwash and getting all the crud washed off the bike.  No dramas on the way home and even managed to fit the brake pads without cocking it up.  All is now sorted - its odd trying to ride to 150 miles whilst trying to remember not to use the rear brake….   Clothes washed and drying and we are now off to find supper….  

Nite Nite

Matlock/Moffat/ Crieff - April 2023

Good evening reader,

We left Ringwood on Friday morning and headed to the HU meeting at Matlock in the Derbyshire Dales. Basically it rained all the way!
Once we arrived we were met by Glynn who had arranged the event. After a very welcome cup of tea at Glynn's caravan we tried to put up the tents in the rain. The grass was so wet and boggy that vehicles were not allowed on the field. So we lugged to kit over the mud. By the time we finished the tracks around the tents were very soggy. Nothing else for it but to visit the pub for a well deserved pint or two. Then back to the tents to get changed and wait for the evenings gathering - not too many people had arrived on the Friday but most would probably arrive on the Saturday. We managed to find a table near the hot radiator and had a very large burger and chips, before retiring for an early night. By the morning my trainers we soaking wet and covered in mud.

We decided that as the Saturday was going to be without rain, so we decided we would not stay in Matlock for a second mud lark but we would head north to Haggs Bank Bunk House. We had a wonderful scenic ride across the Dales and somehow manage to negotiate the Manchester Ring Road without incident (other than the Satnav shutting down and restarting whilst approaching another junction). Once clear of the chaos and on another tea break we decided that the weather was so good that we would head further north and therefore shorten the distance to ride next day (reportedly a rainy day). We checked the maps and decided on the Camping & Caravan Site at Moffett (north of the Scottish border).

A very clean site with good facilities, we walked into town for a pint but most of the eateries were full or closed, so after just the one beer we headed back to the campsite via the local Pizza shop. And yet another early night but I slept badly again but hey ho that's the way it goes - at least it stayed dry. I did have to wash the mud off my trainers so now they are clean but very very wet.

An early start (8:15) saw us on the road to Crieff - just 3 hours away at a very leisurely pace. We are now at the Guest house and have unpacked to bikes ready for tomorrow (no panniers etc). Looking forward to a proper bed for the next 5 nights. We have just walked into town to get some supplies for the breakfast etc. We are all meeting up for a meal this evening…. Note the trainers are now back on the towel rail and are drying out nicely.

Tomorrow we with be riding one of the Cloverleaf Legs (N,E,W or S)

Good night

Belgium - WW1 sites - March 2023

Dear reader,

I left home early on Wednesday to meet up with David at Clacket Lane Services, and then rode to the Eurotunnel.  After the short crossing we arrived in Calais and managed to escape towards Dunkirk without having to stop and check the maps...  and then headed for the Oud Gemeentehuis Guesthouse at Poelkeppe. It was so noticeable how clean and tidy Belgium is, having just ridden the M3, M25, M20 and French roads; God we are a messy nation.  

Eventually found the Guesthouse (which was wonderful and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone either travelling through Belgium or staying, as we did to visit a few of the WWI monuments and cemeteries.   The prime reason was to visit the grave of Private John Condon whom I first heard about from an album entitled 50:50 by Fairport Convention.  He is reported to be the youngest soldier to be killed during the war.

So, during a relaxed day we visited Poelkepple Military Cemetery, Tynecot Military Cemetery at Passchendaele (11,965 graves of which 8,369 are unnamed). We then moved to a fantastic Museum in the Town of Passchendaele in the middle of the area known for the Third Battle of Ypres (British losses are estimated to be 240,000+.  The museum is the best I have ever visited - excellent in every way and well worth a few hours if your in the area.  We even managed to visit the site of the Christmas Truce and the Football match that took place - although site seems to have been taken over by UEFA... hence all the balls at the memorial.

We also located the Monument to NZ soldiers lost during the Battle of Messines and visited the small cafe and museum at Sanctuary Wood and Hill 62.  It is impossible not to notice so many War Graves in this part of the world and that goes for Northern France too - all immaculately cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.  

This was my third visit to WWI sites in Europe and has included visits to Ypres, The Somme, Mons, and Verdun.  I have a Great Great Uncle George who was in the Machine Gun Corps and he lost his life just 3 days before Armistice Day, and is buried in a small military cemetery at Englefontaine France.

One brilliant thing we noticed was just a welcoming the Belgian people are, every time we stopped on the side of the road, passers by would stop their cars and ask if we were OK.

The ride home was very very wet to start with but it brightened up later and only started to rain again once I was safely in my garage.  Thank you David for your company and I do hope you enjoyed the trip as much I did - so good to get away.  Crieff Cloverleaf and the NC 500 next in April.

Awaiting the Eurotunnel train at Calais

Break for a cuppa at Calais on the return

Our host at the hotel in Poelkepple

Monument to NZ soldiers at Messines

Tynecot Military Cemetery 

Davis's Panoramic shot of the Tynecot Military Cemetery 

Marker for the site of the Christmas Truce Football Match - with EUFA footballs !

North Somerset - Feb 2023

Good evening reader,

I set off in the frosty cold this morning and rode to the Classic Bike show at Shepton Mallet, it was great to see Jacqui Furneaux, Derek Mansfield and Duncan Gough at their stand. Thanks for the cake Jacs. After a while I rode off in the cold sunshine to Taunton and then to this campsite at Raleigh Cross Inn.
Still sunny but a cold wind. Tent up, tea made and admin done, I'll wait awhile and see what's on the menu this evening, it turned out to have no option but the carvery.

I just needed to get out on the bike and check the camping gear before the first proper run out (Crieff Cloverleaf and the NC500 in April). Next month see a quick run over to Belgium for some WW1 visits but not camping.

I woke up this morning having hardly slept at all. So very

cold in the morning with wind driven sleet. Decided not to ride across Exmoor, and packed up and took a slow ride home for a very welcome hot bath !!!