Sometime in May 2016
For the last couple of years, as well as the usual Aprilia Caponord meets in Wales that I attend, there has been a group of like minded individuals who have organised a Scottish meet for those in the northern parts of the UK.
I have always wanted to visit Scotland on my bike. I had spent a holiday there as a child, and visited various parts for work. But, I had not really been back for a proper exploratory trip since. During the Norway trip my friend Mark had suggested that I should try and visit at some point. It got talking to him again earlier this year at the most recent Welsh meet, and decided that 2016 would be the year.
I had plenty of annual leave to use from work. So, I booked the time off and started to make plans.
Clan Capo 2016 as the meet was to be called, was being organized by ex-Aprilia owner and Scottish resident, Robbie. I contacted him about various details of the suggested accommodation that needed booking, and what the general plan for the week was. Previous Clan Capo meets had consisted of touring around and camping at a different site each night. This years trip was planned to be a little different.
Rather than camping, Robbie had organised for us to stay at a hostel in Oban for the week. We would base ourselves there, and then take day trips to explore the Argyll and Bute region of Scotland. This would mean having to take less stuff with us, and give us a warm ( as it turned out very warm!), bed to return to each night after a good days ride. It sounded like a great plan. So, with that I rang the hostel and got my place confirmed. Now all I had to do is get myself and my trusty motorized companion to the meeting point in Dumfries for 9am, on the morning of Monday 6th June.
Being a semi-educated man, I am well aware of where Scotland is. I also had a fair idea of where Oban was. But, it wasn't until I looked at my well thumbed AA road atlas, that it really hit home quite how far away from my home in rural Essex it was. Various route planning websites confirmed this with an average travelling time door to door of around nine and a half hours! Ahh. This would be why I hadn't been to Scotland on my bike before.
Not to be put off at the first hurdle I booked a nights B&B with my parents in Lincolnshire, who were more than happy to oblige. Recalculating the route planner gave a revised travel time of just over five hours. Oh well. A second overnight stop it will be then.
Robbie had kindly offered to let me pitch a tent in his garden if it would help. He had a couple of guest beds at his home, but a couple of the other guys had already called dibs. Wanting to avoid taking a tent and all the associated paraphernalia, I looked at alternative accommodation for the Sunday night that would get me within reach of the meeting point in Dumfries.
I liked the idea of another hostel stay and spending the evening with travelers from different places. Not being the most social of people, I must of been feeling adventurous in my more mature years. I started an internet search for hostels in the Lake District, within easy access of the M6 motorway. The one that stood out in all the reviews was The New Ing Lodge, in Shap. So, I booked a bed in one of the dorm rooms for the Sunday night. This now meant that my journey from Essex was broken up into two relaxing days, with a final short dash on the Monday morning from Shap to Dumfries.
Sorted. Now all I had to do was count off the days until departure.
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