What Duck Race ?

Thursday 9th September 2010

Up early again, and awoke to reasonably clear skies, with a 4 hour journey ahead of me, and so I watched the mornings entertainment..!!

So, having packed Wally for the road, off we set, scrupulously following the bird on the Satnav, so ended up going all over the hills, and back roads, eventually ending up in Ayr, in the direction of Glasgow...and onwards

I arrived in St Andrews in the early afternoon what time anyone ??), and having bought some bread, and cream cakes..checked in at my campsite,

described as being on the beach http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=2141 -only if you used your binoculars ! Anyway it was clean,and pleasant.

I sorted myself for the afternoon, in the hot sunshine, until Kate arrived in the evening, and took me in to Leuchars Airbase, for the 'guided tour', including 'peeking' at some planes already landed for the airshow, including a B52 Bomber ( massive) http://www.raf.mod.uk/RAFleuchars/, and then into Dundee for a quick meal at Kate's favourite -- Pizza Hut !

The sunset was brilliant as we drove into Dundee, and crossing the River Tay, spied a massive oil rig being repaired in the River, quite a site standing up on its legs, way above everyonehttp://news.stv.tv/scotland/195305-massive-oil-rig-towers-over-dundee/ and after our meal, Kate returned to Wally with me, to discuss the following days 'Top Secret' flight plans..Shhhh, don't tell anyone !!

Blue Run...blue Run, so good I did it twice !!

Wednesday 8th September 2010

Well, up bright and early to a fairly clear, bluish sky, and so I decided to treat myself to two boiled eggs...luvverly (with soldiers of course).

Then into my biking gear, and off up the road to the Glentrool visitor centre, also location of one of the '7 Stanes' bike parks ,where I decided to do the blue route, the green torr http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-73WK6E I climbed up through the forest, onto a narrow ridge,looking at the Loch below, and then plummeted down the hillside, through the forest again, and back to the start...brilliant.

In fact so good was it, and the first run had only taken me 1hr 20 mins, I decided to do it again, after some butties,and a drink.

So back up the hill and forest again, then swooping and hollering all the way back down again, like a youngster ! 2nd run completed in 50 minutes, and great fun, there being no one else on the route that morning.

So, I decided to treat myself to one of the World famous 'Haggis Toasties', and a Latte to wash it down, worth every penny of the 5 Scottish pooonds !

I had a leisurely ride around the valley, before returning to the campsite, showering...and a lazy afternoon reading...and resting for the evening sky .

Later at night, around 9-30 p.m. i ventured out to my favoured 'watch point' and was greeted by a stunning vista,the sky was clear, and peppered with stars everywhere I looked ! As time went on I saw 4 different 'shooting stars' from differing directions, brilliant...

and so to bed , satisfied..

Onwards towards the 'Dark North' ( West)

Tuesday 7th September 2010 After heavy overnight rain in Keswick, and more forecast... I decided to skip the bike trails of Whinlatter, and head North for better weather, looking forward to the starry skies I was expecting. As I travelled up North, crossing the border of Scotland,seeing the 'Last/First house' in Scotland...it reminded me of our cycle journey 10 years ago from John O'Groats to Lands End, posing on the bridge ( well Susan and Joseph did!).. As I travelled into Scotland I headed West, across long winding roads, quite pleasant, and relaxing .. My first stop was at Kirroughtree Visitor Centre, one of the Bike Centres in the area, http://cycling.visitscotland.com/mountain_biking/mb_centre/kirroughtree and where I was able to pick up some info.. No camping in the area, so decided to leave the trails for another day, and headed over to Glentrool...http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/recreation.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/ScotlandDumfriesandGallowayNoForestGallowayForestParkGlentroolVisitorCentre where the visitor centre was 'shut' due to power failure ! However the weather was picking up, so I travelled 3 miles up the valley to 'Bruces stone' http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/ourwoods.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/ScotlandDumfriesandGallowayNoForestGallowayForestParkGlentroolVisitorCentreBrucesstone a contest the Scots still celebrate winning !! Then headed back to Glentrool village, and to my campsite http://www.glentroolholidaypark.co.uk/ where for £12 a night I would be quite happy !! The weather was drying up all the time, intermittent showers , so I was hopeful for a night sky of stars ! http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-7R5HHE as I was in the right location for the stars !! Later in the evening, after it had gone dark, although it was still cloudy I ventured out with my binoculars to see what I could see....it was better than being at home, but the clouds hampered my overall view, although I still managed to see a shooting star....and the Plough, along with snatches of other views...after an hour I headed back to 'Wally' and to bed... awakening at 4 a.m. I had a look out..to see a brilliant star studded sky, but, decided not to venture out, and to save it...and went back to sleep !!

Scarred on the 'Red Run'

Monday 6th September 2010

Well, I started off the way I intended to carry on...at 'Cowboy time ' (anyone know what the time was ??) and headed off up to Ambleside, where I got to my favoured outdoor store.. Gaynor Sports at Ambleside (link already on), where dissapointedly I couldn't get my favoured 'Nuptse' down jacket at the advertised price (t'internet only !), but got an even better Mountain equipment jacket, at similiar price...hopefully this one will last out the winter, unlike last years one, anyway I've got a new down jacket for the 'cooler weather'

Funnily enough whilst in the shop, I heard an assistant, trying to impress a woman from Birmingham,about which 'wet wether' jackets to get - I told him not to be so miserable, the sun was shining and would do all week !

So when I picked the down jacket to purchase, he said ' I have made everyone miserable haven't I ?!'...

From Ambleside, and a steak pastie from Greggs ! I went up to Grizedale forest , where I ended up paying an extortionate £5 to park for 4 hours !, and £1 for a rubbish 'trail map'...however..

Then I went on the North Face mountain bike 'singletrack trail' http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/ourwoods.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/EnglandCumbriaNoForestGrizedaleForestParkGrizedaleVisitorCentreTheNorthFaceMountainBikeTrail

which actually was quite good fun...the pictures would have been great, if only I'd remembered to take it with me ,doh....

I flashed round the, for me, quite tricky course,only coming off a few times,

twice being into the thick brambles aside the track, leaving thorns in places you wouldn't want ! Going over various built up obstacles, and rocky trails.

I finished the course in a creditable 2 hours, the target time being 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours...so pretty average then, not bad for an old geezer.

Having dusted myself down on the car park.....a sparse eaxmination revealed 'only' 1 cut elbow, both forearms scraped and scratched (and a sweaty !!!)..I didn't cry though !

From there I went to Whinlatter forest, to have alook at their trails,

and then drove to nearby Keswick, to find a campsite, and got the last pitch on the CCC Keswick sitehttp://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=2951, where I convinced them I was over 55 ...and so ,finally got my 'age discount'....finally after over 5 years being a pensioner...I've got an age reduction !!

I nipped into nearby Keswick, had Cumberland sausage,chips...and 2 pints of Cumberland ale...to start the journey properly...

I just managed to get back to the campsite, before the Heavens opened,and the rain thundered down for the night !!

Me ? I slept soundly after a hard day !

The Last 'Sit Down' Meal

Sunday 5th September 2010

What more can I say,

may be a while until I return to this !

On the Road Again

Sunday 5th September 2010 Well, that's it...summers over, got the house painted, done everything I intended to do....So, off travelling again in the morning. I'm staying in the UK this time, going up to tour around Scotland. Initially I'm spending a couple of days in the Lake District, going to buy some gear in Ambleside, http://www.gaynors.co.uk/ go biking on some trails in the Grizedalehttp://www.forestry.gov.uk/thenorthfacetrail and Whinlatter forests http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-7tpbnz, then intend to travel to the Galloway Forest Park http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/space/article6887233.ece, which is a designated 'Sky park' due to the darkness of the night sky, hoping to see some great star shows... Then up to St Andrews ,Scotland http://www.standrews.co.uk/for Thursday 9th September...ready for the Airshow at RAF Leuchars on the Saturday -http://www.airshow.co.uk/ Kate has promised me VIP show tickets ( provided I don't tell anyone !).. as it's the 'Day that noone forgets,but not everyone remembers !!?? I expect to be away till end October 'ish, weather and fun dependent, could be shorter/longer... and I hope to be able to find enough web connections to keep my blog 'up to date' Send any messages you want !! Keep smiling