BootsnAll Travel Blogs

A solo trip over to Norn Iron was on the cards: to see Col and Maureen and also head north to watch the NW200 motorcycle road races.
a 5am start on the bike had me heading over to Stranraer via the ‘Queens road’ which was a bit of an average idea, as the road was very wet from heavy localised rain and quite twisty, so my average speed dropped quite a bit from the earlier blast across the pennines.
Still, I arrived early for the ferry and waited patiently for boarding ……though thinking that it looked a slightly different port from the last time I sat there. The crossing was quick and easy…however it was as we approached Belfast port, hat I realised WHY the Stranraer port looked a little different: I had booked a different ferry! I thought I was booking Stranraer to LARNE, whereas in fact I had booked the Stranraer to BELFAST ferry! ..hey ho! …at least it meant my ride to Col’s house was a little shorter!
Was great to see Col and Maureen and share coffee and beers …and be hen pecked by Mrs. M 😉

The ride up to Bushmills is a beautiful winding road along the coast – great curves and straights and sensational scenery too. I arrived at the Finn McCools hostel at the Giants Causeway to be met by a couple of south african guys running the hostel (which I thought was a bit odd, but cool) I unpacked and headed to the local bar for a couple of quiet beers. back at the hostel and there were quite a few bikers come for the racing including another SA guy, a Cumbrian and a jock. We all dined on free pie and chips supplied by the hostel that night …which was nice!
The cumbrian, jock and myself set off next morning to Portrush for the racing and settled in – in the rain – at the Juniper chicane. the rain was steady and the wind howled, so we tucked in under a shop canopy and ate irish stew and drank coffee while we waited for the racing to start. After some delays for rain, the first race (supersport) got underway….the chicane proved to be a great place to watch from as you get to see the riders hard on the brakes, ‘jink’ thru the chicane and then accelerate out again…from a fairly close vantage point too.
Sadly for us and organisers, there was further delay due to a hoax bomb scare which evacuated the paddock. then on restart – again delayed for rain – Ryan Farquhar’s bike dumped oil all over the track from Portrush up to us. The organisers were woefully unprepared for such a spill and took hourse (literally) to clear the track using what appeared to be a weed spray and a big tank of detergent.
Eventually after a prolonged, confusing and frustrating wait they admitted defeat and all further racing was cancelled!!! great! …..what a waste of time
We trudged back along the road, bought a T shirt and watched a shoplifter steal a T shirt and then get chased by local ‘heavies’
Back at the hostel and we were again offered a free meal and this time even free beer!!!! AWESOME PLACE!!!!! Next morning it was time to leave, so I headed down to Ballycastle with the Cumbrian fella and after a nice coffee we fortunately met up with Colin (GS rider from alps trip 2009) a quick chat and fuel top up and we headed down te coastal route to Carnlough for more coffee…and rain.
Back to Belfast and the Cumbrian headed straight into the ferry port while I headed on to Hannahstown to see Col and Maureen again ..and sunday dinner ..mmmmmm
Next morning and we were being battered by a storm ….so bad that that early ferries were cancelled, however I rang and confirmed my ferry was OK for that afternoon and headed down there. Eventually arrived at the port – after almost being blown off the bike a fw times – to be told that the earlier ferry hdnt left yet and boarding was on a first come/first served basis!! and I was WAY down the list as the morning people were stil there! I waited and waited in the rain and howling wind until the morning ferry left and eventually the afternoon ferry arrived, we were shepherded onto the the large CAT ferry – which was out of use, to get a free meal and drink and dry off a little (thanks very much Stena! 🙂 ) but after watching the afternoon ferry STILL trying to land at the berth almost an hour later, I decided it would be a better idea to head back to Col’s for the night – pertickly as Colin was at Larne and had been told that there wouldn’t be ANY ferries out of there until the next afternoon due to damage to bikes on the earlier ferry!!!
MORE coffee and beers at chez Col and Maureen.
The wind had dropped markedly the next morning so I got the early morning ferry, enjoyed a chat with a Belfast rider and had a smooth crossing. a lovely ride home in sunshine and only slight wind was my reward for hanging about in Belfast fro an extra night!

Just back from Israel and its time for the annual Scots Memorial ride in memory of Has2 – a fallen ninja rider.
Tucker and I rode down to Middleton in Teesdale for coffee and to meet up with the suthern softies riding up from doon sooth.
they eventually arrived after we’d feasted on bacon sarnies and fresh coffee…..JUST as the rain arrived too.
We had a fairly brisk ride thru to Alston and then up to Hartside. Unfortunately we were a couple of riders short when we got there!: Gaz (bless ‘im) had run out of fuel! ….and the exhaust on Emma’s (Shezza) bike had separated into its component parts! An easy fix for both and after another coffee and lunch, we set off North past Kielder, and Bonchester bridge, to Hawick for a petrol stop, then Selkirk and the dreaded A7 up to Edinburgh.
At Edinburgh we lost a couple of riders at traffic control lights etc. but eventually – in the rain – we all managed to meet up at Davy/Grumpy and Chyrel’s house in Leith.
A goodly old night out in town that night with a smashing meal (mmmm blackpudding starter) and a bizarre cross-dressing local and it was ime to fall asleep in a chair somewhere 😉
Next morning, Chyrel produced one of her amazing breakfasts and after watching – and waiting for – Big Al to clean his rear wheel….. we set off to Stirling services to meet everyone else.
The weather was perfect and was so good to meet up with Jarse, Glenmac, Alzo, Davy and to meet Gayle.
next we were all off to the Green Welly, where we parked up in a layby and waited for nothing in particular to happen……thats when I noticed my fork seal was leaking again! …2nd one this year!!! hey ho.
Off to Oban next, for chips and for Glenmac to feed the seagulls. Tucker and I set off fairly sharply from here and rode alone to the petrol station at Glencoe. Eventually everyone arrived and after saying farewell to the masses, some of the english contingent set off further north to Eilan Donan castle. A fab and very quick ride got us there in double quick time (that road is sooo grippy) and after a petrol stop and a gander at teh castle, we headed off again north to Ullapool – our destination for the night.
Some of us were a little later than others to Ullapool 😉 but we all got there safely…complete with broken luggage rail, destroyed tyre, lost bag cover etc. etc.
Me and Tucker were in a hotel whilst most others were in the hostel and a couple were in a B&B
We had a nice evening – though I had to cut it short to sleep again 🙁 then a good sleep and great brekkie and we all met up again. I decided to hang around for a day or so, whilst the majority were heading to Inverness and then down the Lecht road to Edinburgh to stay at Grumpy’s again …one fella had to ride straight home with the canvas showing thru his tyre!
I headed thru to Lochinver and then north again to Durness right on the north coast, before having to head back to Scoura for petrol. Then a slow almost walking pace ride down some single track thru awesome scenery back to the main road back into Ullapool – great day ….fab roads…and lush coffee!
Next day I as up with the larks and had a walk around the harbour, before waiting for the petrol station to open at 7:30 and heading down to Grantown on Spey, where I HAD to stop for coffee and a hot sandwich – I was sooo cold on the bike, I hadnt put my jacket on over my leathers and paid the price dearly …. shivering uncontrollably inside the cafe.
After warming up, it was south on the Lecht road past the ski resorts – incredible road…very fast and very scenic too. I stopped at Breamar for coffee and had a chat with a lady on an SV. Then further south till I turned off for Dunkeld, where I sat at teh side of the river after dining on chicken salad and coffee.
West from there, thru Milton, Aberfeldy adn then along Loch Tay to Killin, where I found a great hotel with B&B for £43 !! … a couple of beers and a chilli later and it was time to rest up till the morning.
I decided to ride thru Dunblane next day to see what I could remember from staying there in 1985 (?) ..not a lot was the answer! ..I was thru it before I recognised anywhere!, then thru Stirling and into Edinburgh for petrol, then down the A68 towards home.
AS I crossed into England at Carter Bar, I came up on a caravan and a couple of cars …one of which looked a little suspicious – an unmarked, white Volvo. yep, the Rozzers. End of ride…I thought.
But not quite! ..at a suitably clear point in the road, the Volvo sped off. hmmm I thought …if an unmarlked car displaying “driver under training” can do that, then so can I! ..so I followed…..for the next 60 miles or so to Ponteland, we travelled at a minimum of 95mph – with the copper occasionally going over the ton (I decided discretion was the better part of valour and stayed <100mph 😉 ) was a great ride! …never thought I would sit behind a copper at those speeds!! 🙂