Well, now the 2010 run is over and we have all had time for reflection. It was a really good one! However there were some low points too.
We had a very bad journey to the start, due to bad weather and heavy traffic on the M4 and M25; it took us 3 hours to get from Reading to the Plough. (We're planning to go on Thursday night next time.)
We were away reasonably promptly and had a good run up the eastern side via Blyth, Edinburgh and Inverness to John O' Groats for breakfast. I always look forward to breakfast at the Seaview Hotel - they looked after us very well, as usual.
Janey by the last house
This was followed by a superb drive down the B871 and B873 to Altnaharra and the A836 to Lairg. We then stopped for a little breather overlooking Dornoch Firth.
What a view! At least the weather in the Scottish Highlands was good, and the scenery is superb - you can really appreciate it when the sun is shining.
The next bit wasn't so good - after the 'energetic' drive through the highlands a nasty vibration developed, which turned out to be the rear propshaft universal joint. There was no option but to change it - which we did in the car park at the lunch stop in Conon bridge. That took 2 hours, leaving us somewhat behind schedule; we were only supposed to stop for 20 minutes!
Anyway, having repaired it successfully we had a very smooth drive down to Stirling - although the weather was getting a bit more threatening.
Believe it or not the above photo is in colour!
We left Stirling very late, but had caught up sufficiently by the time we reached Gledrid to relax somewhat.
I understand that the drive though Wales was very enjoyable too, but I was asleep - even for the bit through the tunnel, when I'm sure Janey must have sounded superb.
The Bristol group of the Triumph 2000 Register turned up in force at Gordano services - at 4am! Now that's what I call dedication. And it was really good to know that other people valued what we were doing sufficiently to disturb their beauty sleep.
Then we really got some weather! I don't think I've ever seen rain like we had in Devon in the early hours of Sunday morning. It was reminiscent of a monsoon - but colder. And we had thought that the rain on Friday night was bad!
More to come...
Bude Castle
Loads of Triumphs in the Bude Castle car park
