Dave MULLs It Over.

Hi everyone, I am Dave Williams from York and I joined Northern Pan Riders last year, and this was my first trip away with the group. What a great trip it was, and fantastic people to be with – I would like to share the experience with the rest of the membership.

On Wednesday morning, the Yorkshire and North riders met up at Sedbury lay-by, Ken & Barbie Isherwood, Alan & Jeanette Crooks, Brian Bewley, Dave Atkin, Michael & Lisa Gray and myself. We travelled across to Gretna to meet up with the west riders, Gary Tomlinson and Alun Evans. We also met up with Dave & Barbara Hudghton who had stayed over the night before, unfortunately the organiser of this trip, Andy Brown wasn’t up to attending on the Wednesday, but came with his daughter Emma by car on the Thursday.

We had good roads and good weather all the way to our first stop over on Wednesday night at Crianlarich. Andy had booked the accommodation for the group, apart from mine, for the four nights (no fault of Andy, I was a late comer and found my own accommodation). Ken was a bit worried going up because before leaving home, Babs had forgotten to pick up the address of the B&B off the table; the only clue was that he remembered the B&B in Crianlarich had a small wall!

We arrived in Crianlarich, where I left the group to look for my B&B, two doors away from the Rod and Reel Pub. I was greeted by the host outside, and during the conversation he said he was expecting four more booked guests, in the name of Isherwood from Huddersfield. With that Alan Crooks was just riding past and I flagged him down, however, we all got our B&B’s sorted out and went to the Rod and Reel for a meal and a get together.

Back at the B&B, I was getting ready for bed, I had already familiarised myself with the fire drill, (as you do!). The instructions were as follows: 'On the sound of the fire alarm, please leave the building, do not stop for any belongings and meet in the front car park’.
You guessed it, as I was removing my underpants, the alarm went off... instantly I pulled my pants over my head and ran out onto the landing to be met by the landlady. She said, “What have you been doing?” I said, “Nothing.” She shouted down to her husband, “There is a man running around up here with his underpants on his head!” He shouted back, “It’s zone 3.” She said, “Where’s that?” He replied, “I don’t know." I knocked on Ken’s bedroom door and he opened it just a little ajar. He said, “What’s up?” I said, “The fire alarm has gone off” Before he could answer, Babs shouted, “Ahh, come back to bed” Ken’s reply was short and to the point. “Okay son” and closed the door. I then saw the landlady at Alan’s door asking if they had been using the hair dryer to warm the room up, as the previous occupant had set the alarm off the night before doing just that. I thought, what’s the point? I would have looked a right duck stood outside in just my underpants, so I also went back to bed.

The next day brought rain, and it was on and off all day - it wasn’t until I was at Inveraray that I realised that ferries, sea and me don’t mix; I needed to find a chemist for sea sickness tablets! We travelled up to Oban for lunch and while stopping for a coffee we ‘Panned the Atlantic’. We called at the ‘Tigh An Truish’ Inn for coffee on the Isle of Seil, then we crossed over a small bridge onto Seil, which in fact crosses a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean.
The first ferry was okay, a short journey between Corran and Ardgour and before I got to the next ferry, I was the first to pick up a nail in my back tyre. I would like to thank Gary for noticing it. I thought it had been the road surface that was making me slip about, not the fact that I only had eight psi in the tyre! So, the next ferry crossing between Lochaline and Fishnish, Isle of Mull, was taken up by me laid on the deck blowing the tyre up. That’s my excuse. I would like to thank the following, Brian for his bike compressor, Dave Hudghton for his power, Ken for the tyre pressure gauge and the rest for laughing at me laid on the deck! At the Park Lodge Hotel, I used their air line, and Dave Hudghton’s puncture repair kit to put a bung in the tyre, this worked and ensured that I could complete the tour.

A second mishap occurred whilst leaving the ferry and starting on the single track incline from the landing. A coach driver travelling to the ferry decided to stop, chat and shake hands with a motorist leaving the ferry. All vehicles had to stop, some quicker than others. This resulted in Ken over reaching on the gradient of the track and losing control of his balance. He laid his bike down, but Barbie was thrown some 4 feet into the road - no lasting damage or injury was done only Ken’s pride and Barbie’s sore shoulder. But as the coach started again, I’m sure I saw the passengers holding up score cards of 9, 8.7, 8 and only 5 from the French judge for Barbie’s forward twin pike roll over in double quick time!

There was confusion at the Park Lodge Hotel regarding the booking arrangements and availability of rooms. I was not staying at this hotel as I was staying at ‘View Mount.’ Remember this name. Do not stay at this place if you ever go to Tobermory. I rang up to see if they had another room for the 2 nights. Sheila the landlady answered, and said they had rooms, but they had to adhere to the curfew. I asked, "What curfew?" She replied "11.30pm." I said, “I wasn’t aware of this." Immediately she answered, “Well you don’t have to stay here, we are a quiet place." Anyway, I went to the hotel, and Gary and Alan also came along. Gary was the third rider to have a mishap on his bike. Whilst at the B&B, he dropped it on the incline to the garage as he stopped but fortunately no damage was done. That evening most of us went into the ‘Mishnish’ pub for a meal and relaxation. Before going out, had asked Sheila the landlady about the doors and the fact no one had keys. A bedroom and outside door key were needed. She stated, “There is only one key and I turn it at 11.30.” Suffice to say that Gary, Alan and I got back to View Mount on time!

The Friday ride out around the island and across to the Isle of Iona went well. Again it was in and out of the rain all day. Dave Atkin was the next rider to have a mishap. He picked up a nail on the island tour. Talking of Dave, we both went for a walk on Iona to the Abbey and Dave said, “I like it here, it’s quiet, peaceful and serene.” I said, “You will have to shout up a bit, I can hardly hear you over the squeaking of yer boots!”

On Friday night, Gary, Alan and I went to the Sager Balti house, (I think there is a clue in the title) However Gary said to me, “I don’t mind Indian meals, but I don’t like Baltis” Most of the others went to the MacGochan’s Bar to eat, we joined them later. I think Jeanette clicked with one of the drunken locals. I wasn’t too sure, because no one really understood what he was going on about!

Saturday morning arrived and we set off from the island at the Port of Tobermory to Kilchoan to visit the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, (which was built in 1849) at the most westerly point of mainland Britain. On our way to Callander, we visited the grave of ‘Rob Roy’ MacGregor close to the ruins of the Balquidders Parish Church. It was in 1734 that he was buried on this site. Coincidently, it was about 17.34hrs when we visited it. That night we stayed in Callander, again apart from me, the group stayed at the Abbotsford B&B. I stayed in the Highland House Hotel, New Church Street, off the main road in Callander. The evening meal was taken by all in the Crags Hotel restaurant area. It would be safe to say, we took over the room for the evening. We had another good night. I don’t know if it was the Magners that Alan got me drinking, or the laughing by the members at my stories, but something gave me a headache. During the meal, it was questioned whether I was in the NPR. I asked, “What do you mean?” "Northern Pan Riders" was the reply. I said, “I thought this was the annual National Power Rangers conference, I thought there were a lot of people attending, as last year it was only me!”

Once the meal was finished, the old ones went back to rest. Brian, Emma and I sampled the night life and low life in the Dalgair Bar. It was Karaoke night with ‘Herbie.’ We had been escorted to the Dalgair Bar, by a man from the Crags. He was fine until we got there, he then asked if we liked to fight. Before I could reply, Brian had his wallet out, flashing his Doncaster OAP bus pass and declaring, “This is my warrant card, will that do?” It took me by surprise, and also the man. He didn’t want to go on a bus! Here’s one for Dave to explain to Barbara. I was in the Dalgair Bar, and was approached by a man who was selling eight legs of venison for £20... I thought they were two Deer/too Dear!

Sunday morning we bid farewell to Dave & Barbara who were staying over in Scotland. Before setting off from Callander and heading for the fish and chip shop at Biggar, we made for Gretna again to bid farewell to Andy, Emma, Gary and Alan. The rest cut across country via Barnard Castle where Michael & Lisa split. The group got smaller, Dave Atkin, heading north at Scotch Corner, whilst Brian headed south on the A1 like his life depended on it. I split at the A59 to York, leaving Ken & Alan to contend with the heavy traffic on the A1.
I hope Andy’s health improves, for himself, his family and the club; to go on another of his trips would be great.

Dave Williams.

Ed. This is one of the three articles on this Mull trip. 1. I did it by car. 2. Even Ken had a good time. 3. Dave Mulls it over.