Organised as usual by Bill D. Most were heroes & camped, the sensible ones, JG, JH & Grumply stayed at the best B & B EVER! Thanks, Anne (Dunire B & B)

We started gathering at Calders at Erskine for a very leisurly brekkers

Then up to Glencoe, stopping at the Green Welly for a quickie lunch. In fact, we could have walked up to Glencoe faster as the “Great” British Cycle Run was taking place with 800 of the effing mobile chicanes causing misery & loss of income to hundreds of motorists, motocyclists & more importantly lorry drivers. Absolute chaos

We travelled so slowly that the damned things were overtaking us on the left!

However, Purgutory finally ended & we decamped to our various abodes

Evening meal was at the disaster, called The Gathering. Whist the food was good, the service was rubbish (some waited 1½ hours for their meals!

Up reasonably sharp on Saturday, but delayed by a puncture on Les’s bike. The rest, other than the caring JPG bu—erd off, while Les went to the garage to blow up the tyre & accompanied by the very considerate aforementioned JPG detoured via Kinlochleven & truly enjoyed themselves- a cracking road.

The rest were feeding their bellies in Ft William, that is minus Grumpy who diverted mistakenly to Mallaig & John & Shona Mitchell, who trumped Grumpy by finishing up in Oban- you couldn’t make it up!

Anyhow, we all (except John & S) ended up in Mallaig, which was hoaching. Difficult even to park a M/C. Great lunch  and great service.

The road to Mallaig was very good & the visual impact teriffic. Not as breathtaking as the road to Lochaillort & crossing the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Fab, fab views, always seeming to be going downhill, & enjoyed following Arthur, yes, Arthur on his 125 Honda. Perfect journey to the Corran Ferry.

Home to Glencoe & this time ate at the Clachaig Inn, on the old Glencoe Road. Again, so busy, we ate outside & it was very enjoyable. You could almost believe there was enough tourist money to off-set the oil revenue loss- as if! We needed the two 3 wheeler cars & sidecar outfit as well as Arthur’s car to get there, so a number built up a thirst for when they got back to Camp

Sunday morning, no crisis & went via Connel to the Green Welly, minus Graham & his Moto Guzzi powered Car, as the Guzzie lost drive & the AA had to intervene (a long way to the Isle of Whithorn).

So home in the rain thereafter, from about Tarbet. But a stonking weekend and many thanks, again, to Bill who managed to fit this in between his many overseas holidays, what with Holland, 1 day back, Glencoe, Italy a day later & back, India & awaiting story etc

I’ve included Thursday 1st September as most of the WSVMCC guys & gals sailed on the Thursday & more would have joined them if room was available at The Dunsilly Hotel

We’ve stayed there before, but the first suggestion that we stay in The Province rather than NW Castle on the Thursday (thanks Fiona/Al) was met with overwhelming support and some 18 of us took that option. Some came a few days ahead

And it sure was a great success. On the first evening’s dinner we were joined by George & June and John & Helen. A great dinner with a room solely for our use. good food & good company- no scruffs!Instructions from the Boss to ride safely.

The official event started on Friday morning at The Dunsilly, with the Ulster 30 lot & the few coming over on Friday morning joining us. A great run, interrupted by the coming together of the 2 Chairmen. No blood nor fists, nor tears detected, so mostly pride & wallets damaged.

The objective was to reach our main residence for the weekend, The White Horse near Londonderry. It’s some 8 years since we stayed there & it has grown enormously, if not to everyone’s taste.

En route we travelled partly along the coast, fantastic views morning & afternoon & again stopped at the fab viewpoint (unfortunately overcast) on Bishop’s Road

Lunch was at the Magherabuoy Hotel, where we stayed last year. i have to tell you, it was some lunch!

So plenty of chat, drink & renewing friendships until, for many, the early hours. The 2 Chairmen, dosed & dozed fitfully. More a reaction to the morning’s events, than anything more sinister.

For the Saturday’s  run, fearty Scottish Chairman decided he would prefer to be surrounded by the fairer sex in a car than mix it with crazy motorcyclists. It was an experience also abetted by the rotten forecast- which didn’t materialise to any degree. I have to say, it feels much faster in a car, especially skillfully navigated by Margaret Fenton, who kept up with the bikes, nae bother.                                                 Somewhere on route

The route was fantastic as was the corner marking with no sudden surprises this time. Again wonderful views, mainly in The Republic, with the highlight being Ft Dunree, where we lunched. The young lad who led us round, video presentation and all, was very engaging and gave an interesting description of the whys & wherefores of the Fort, which had issues associated with the English viz a viz de Valera etc. Really, not enough people are aware of Ft Dunree, it deserves more visitors

Saturday evening historically includes introduction to new visitors such as Lorraine & Dorothy from WSVMCC. absent Friends Toasted & the usual addresses from the 2 Chairmen. Of course this year, they couldn’t avoid comments of their “coming together” & various connotations thereof. This was JG’s last Irish Weekend as Chairman and he certainly went out with a BANG! In reality, the W/E was a great success, with very good organisation quite evident. Many thanks to all those involved in this & to Margaret Fenton for providing the back-up transport.

Sunday, a short day, via Limavady then country roads to Garvagh, Kilrea and an ice cream stop. By Portglenone, Ahoghill, Ballymena and down to Antrim and our favourite, the Dunsilly Hotel for lunch- again, first class. After lunch a straight run down M2 to Belfast. Fond farewells, tears exchanged- you know the rest.                                                       Heading for home.

                                                           Extra Photos

                                                 Harbour at Buncrana.                                                             Moville.                                              Fuel stops on route.