21/9/26 Start mileage 35140, End 36132 = 992 miles
Charlie, Neil, Clive, Rob, and Kate
I met Neil at 05:30 round his place, then we rode down to Newhaven to meet Clive. When they opened the gates, me and Neil got stopped for inspection, and were asked the usual questions, were we carrying explosives, firearms etc then we were asked if we were carrying any fuel, to which Neil replied he had a flask of petrol, and I told them I did too, (there have been fuel shortages in France recently) they said it would be ok just this once, and they wanted to check one of my panniers, fortunately not the one with the fuel bladder in it! then it was off to customs then onto the boat.
We had a cooked breakfast (Truckers Salad) then sat around for the four and a half hour crossing. We eventually got to Dieppe, but hovered around about 2 miles offshore, one of the engines had broken down, and we had to wait for a tugboat for a couple of hours. Never saw the tugboat, but I think they got the engine fixed, and we were onshore over 2 hours late!
As we were running late, it was a fairly quick ride of about 180 miles to our first hotel, Ibis Budget Pontorson, we got there 20:15 French time, dumped all our gear in our rooms, and the lovely hotel receptionist booked us a table at the restaurant next door, and also met up with Rob, Kate was already pushing out ZZZeds. We had a nice meal, and some beers.
Next morning was a bit more laid back, as the museum didn't open until 13:30, Neil was getting short of fuel, so we did a diversion, He was leading, but rode past a fuel station he hadn't spotted. The rest of us fueled up, expecting Neil to notice we weren't behind him, but we eventually tracked him down, and then we stopped for coffee at a nice cafe Le Cafe des Amis, We got to the Lorient submarine base, it is massive, and even survived a Tall Boy bomb
The museum we wanted to visit didn't open, but we got to go on Sous-marin Flore S645submarine, a diesel electric one
Then, after a wander round, we found another restaurant near the pens, then it was off to our next hotel, Ibis Budget Vannes Ploeren. Later, in the evening, we went to Buffalo Grill 5 minutes down the road for some food and beer, I had a dissappointing chilli.
Next morning, we headed for St Nazaire to have a look at the u-boat pens there, and to have a look at the French submarine Sous-marin Espadon, another diesel electric, but quite a bit bigger than yesterday's sub.
This submarine is still floating, and the tour was interesting. we then went looking for a cafe, and we found one that did a strange crepe like thing in a cone, Creperie Barapom Saint Nazaire
Next we headed to the pens the other side of the harbour to have a look at the museum Escal Atlantic, it was all about the old ocean liners, on the way in, you went through a door, and came to what looked like the side of a massive ship, it looked a few hundred feet long, but it was done by carefully arranged mirrors. They had various projectors showing the view of the sea from a ships guard rail, and when you got to the end of the tour, a girl made you get into a lifeboat, and lowered you down to the exit!
Then, after a few more photo's, it was time to head back to the hotel, although Rob and Clive were nearly taken out by bicycles! Later in the evening, we went back to the Buffalo grill, for some beers.
Next morning, we said our goodbye's to Rob and Kate, as they were all submarined out, and we headed to Cite de la Mer to have a look at La Redoubtable, a French nuclear sub that was their first to cross under the North Pole.
The reactor has been removed, but when it was still onboard, the crew only had a small tunnel to get past it
Next, there is a museum about the Titanic, and also mini subs to look at
then into the gift shop, where Clive gave me the last submarine sticker they had left! I was very happy!
We then went to our hotel Shelder Equeurdreville. Next morning, it was time to head to Dieppe, so we took the coast road. I noticed the compass on my phone was showing due South, but eventually we were heading North. We stopped along the way at Chez Nounoute, Fecamp for something to eat. I noticed Rob and Kate were about 30 km east of us, but we didn't meet up until we got to the port at Dieppe. We had about an hour wait, and it was very hot, then it was off to Newhaven
Excellent trip, thanks to Neil for organizing hotels and everyone else for great company!
Me and Neil set off at 07:49 for Cobham services to meet Clive, then after a quick chat, it was off to the Motorcycle museum near Birmingham. They have loads of interesting bikes there.
They even had a Norman Villiers 250, the same as I took my bike test on back in the Seventies!
(except, mine was a tad scruffier!)
Next, it was time to head for "The Bears Head", our hotel for the night, very nice place.
Next morning, we headed off to Liverpool to catch the ferry to the Isle of Man, the ferry was a catamaran, so it was quite quick, I think it was about 2 hours 45 minutes, the weather was ok in Liverpool, but Douglas was fairly damp, so it was on with the waterproofs. I discovered that my phone couldn't connect to 4g, so google maps were hopeless, as the hotel didn't show up, so we headed to Ramsey, and just by chance, I got a wifi signal, so was able to find the hotel. I discovered that if I changed settings on the phone, it would connect, but I would be charged between £91-£95 per gigabyte, so instead, I just downloaded offline maps for the whole island via the hotel wifi.
The next day, the weather forecast was for drizzle in the morning, then brightening up in the afternoon, so we went to the Isle of Man Motor Museum, I have never been to a museum like it, they had so many unusual means of transport, we could have stayed all day...
Then, it was off for a ride around the island. It's worth pointing out that most places were closed at this time of year, and the Mountain road that is part of the I.O.M circuit was closed, so we had to divert a few times, which got us onto some nice scenery
The next day, we went to have a look at The Laxey Wheel, which was very impressive
As I am a senile old fart, I may have got the time line wrong, but at some point, we went to Castletown.
where I saw a heron
Next day, I went to Ronaldsway (part of the shipping forecast, and back to Castletown for a closer look at the heron and Castletown
Then it was off to the ferry for a pleasant ride home. Thanks, chaps, for an excellent few days
Decided to go and visit my old off roading friends, Colin and Viv, who moved to Cornwall, so a nice ride of 294 miles down to the Lizard peninsula, then took a while to find their house, I went the wrong way, and ended up going along a track that had half the road missing, that then turned into a dirt track, with lots of mud etc. The bandit handled it ok, but would have been better on knobbly tires. After a catch up , we went to the beach to give their dog a run, lovely area..
Then, after a lovely meal in "The Three Tuns" and a very relaxing evening, it was time to push out some Zeds. Next morning, I set off again, and did about 94 miles exploring the area, then, going round a corner, I spotted a car being held up by something unusual.
.
It was an emu, not sure where it came from, but I am fairly certain they are not native to Cornwall. There was what looked like a farmers landrover behind me, and as he looked local, I thought I would let him deal with it. I don't think it would have fitted in my top box anyway. Next, I went looking for a campsite, I think it was called Southleigh Manor Holiday Park, mine was the only tent there
Then, it was time to head home. Great to see Colin and Viv again, they made me most welcome!
Left home at 04:30, Holly saw me off. It was raining until just before Manchester, then it dried out a bit. The sat nav told me it was 9 and a half hours to Aberdeen the previous evening, but in the morning, it said ten and a half hours, which cut down my faffage time!
Got to the ferry terminal at 17:40, got waved through to the ticket office, handed a boarding pass, and then straight onto the boat. When the bike was all strapped down I went upstairs and waited for departure. It set off at 7p.m. and we were notified that due to weather conditions, the outside decks were closed.
The menu for the restaurant had some kind of haggis curry, which was tempting, however it also had vegetables in it, so went for the chinese chicken curry, which had a thick congealed skin on it, but underneath was bright yellow (sulphides were part of the ingredients), it was delicious!, and when I had finished, they asked me if I wanted dessert, to which I replied "Yes, another chicken curry", which I soon demolished. She looked worried in case they may have to clean it up later, if it made a re-appearance.
The crossing was smooth to start with, but after a few hours, got a lot rougher. I had booked a reclining seat, but it was crap, no leg room whatsoever, so I ended sleeping in the bar, wearing my crash helmet as a pillow, and dark visor down to shut out some of the light, managed about 4 hours kip. Up at 6a.m for breakfast, then docked at 07:30, then off on the bike to see Sunburgh, the lighthouse was closed and it was a bit drizzly
There are 2 lighthouses here, this was the smaller one
the larger one is in the background. I then headed off to Lerwick for a refuel, then off to find my camp site, it is quite remote, a small field full of toadstools, 1 toilet and 1 shower, pay with cash put in an envelope.
After the tent was set up, I went to St Ninians beach, which features in a certain tv series
it was very scenic. Next, I headed to Hillswick where some of series 1 was filmed (Magnus's house) then headed to Eshaness, where the spectacular cliffs are. Next, I headed to Twatt, I have been to the one on Orkney, but someone had nicked the road sign, so I got a photo of the one on Shetland
After some more riding around, I headed back to the campsite for sone ZZZeds
I had the campsite to myself most of the time ( one camper van turned up the first night and one the second night0.
Next morning, I headed into Lerwick to the New Harbour Cafe for breakfast, very nice, then off to look for The Lodberrie for some photo's
Next, I took a ride up to the Northern Isles, but you have to book the ferries online and pay on board, when I got to the ferry, it was a long queue, so I changed my mind, and headed Northwest to Sandness and Papa Stour, then back to the campsite. That night, it really pissed it down, and the small wind turbine sounded like a steam train going full throttle. I had a lay-in until 07:30, then got ready for another explore, realised that I had done 110 miles since last fill up, and as I wasn't sure if there were any petrol stations on the Northern Isles, so filled up anyway. Got to the Toft to Ulsta ferry 2 hours early, but got let on anyway, it is a 20 minute ferry from Shetland Mainland to Yell, you buy one ticket that gets you to Yell and Unst, and return, good value.
There are lots of abandoned houses on Yell, and the roads are incredibly smooth, with lots of sheep. I soon got to the ferry from Gutcher to Belmont (Yell to Unst) 10 minute crossing
The sheep were even more numerous, and I headed up to the old radar station, passing a viking longboat on the way
which had some amazing views
Next, I headed to the Saxa Vord spaceport, there isn't much happening there, as the chap running it popped off in August!, the ride was a bit tricky, as the road is steep and muddy, not ideal on the bandit
After heading south, I had a lunch of soup and a roll in a small shop, then headed back to the ferry
The ferry was just arriving as I got there, but they let everyone off, then went to lunch for an hour, before letting us on board, then across Yell past a spooky house
then over to the Mainland on the next ferry, then back to the campsite. It was a bit cooler this night 3 degrees, I woke at 10 p.m to do some star gazing, and again at 3 a.m, beautifully clear night, fantastic view of the milky way and I found frost on the tent in the morning.
I didn't pack the tent until 10 a.m to give it a chance to dry out, then headed to the burger van in Lerwick, massive cheeseburger, with extra cheese in the middle, lovely.
I spent the rest of the day exploring Lerwick, and saw a seal on the beach
I then headed to the ferry for Aberdeen, I was the first on the boat, it's surprising how much room there is on one of these boats when they are empty. The bike was soon strapped down, then I was off to the bar. I upgraded from a reclining seat to a sleeping pod, which was a mistake, as there a lot of pods in one room, and I had a real fat git in front of me, who fell asleep almost immediately, snoring, snorting, crying out in his sleep, and many other weird noises that he was doing on a loop for 12 hours, I was expecting one of the other passengers to murder him to shut him up, but no luck.
I had a beer in the bar then a pork and mushroom stroganoff which was lovely. It was a choppy crossing, and took quite a while, as we stopped at Orkney, than got to Aberdeen at 07:00. A few people were checking the Aberdeen LEZ to avoid fines, as they had been caught on the way in.
I then headed Northwest to Inverness (110 miles) to see my old friend Pavel,
then after a couple of coffee's and a chat, I headed South. I was going to visit some caving buddies, but a large storm was heading my way, so just went into "Blat Home" mode, I did 720 miles that day, and got home at 22:15. Laura had told Holly (my cat) that I was on my way home, so she was out by my garage to meet me!
