Heading North: M1 J29A to Helensburgh

Saturday

Day 1 - AM - Meeting up and Lambretta Motorcycles

Cars: Me, Andrew, Dan, David, Keith, Paul, Simon, Terry

First day of the run proper, we meet at M1 J29A, Ferrybridge and Boroughbridge services.

First glitches of the trip worked around - David's starter button decided to ignore requests to start the engine (I push started him at the hotel) & Dan had issues generally with engine setup & brakes which he would he would wrangle with the whole trip but ultimately overcome:

Heading up through the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District for an impromptu lunch at a fuel stop just outside Keswick. A local RhoCar club member drove across from Scotch Corner to meet us & accompany part of the way on.

Great country driving, but competing with what must have been a national outing of Lambretta mopeds through the Dales - they seemed to be everywhere belching 2 stroke oil and some surprisingly nippy! Frustratingly they also tended to ride in groups and long lines making overtaking challenging.

Route on Google Maps

As we ran through villages the party split into two groups; I saw the four cars ahead get stuck in local traffic and my satnav was showing an alternate - so I followed it with David, Simon and Andrew, continuing the run until a likely spot just after Hawes:

Tried to get in touch but typically no signal on mobile phones - so after some garbled texts and attempts at conversation; headed onwards to attempt a re-join at Kendal.

Arriving at Kendal we started to wonder where to meet. Kendal has a one way system around/through the town with no obvious meeting point, then coincidence struck as our group of four cars pulled almost directly behind the others in the high street - a sign of the luck to follow as issues tended to resolve themselves on the whole trip.

Day 1 - PM - The run into Helensburgh

After lunch heading north again; the party split up as some of the group ran into technical issues, their focus changed away from scenic to direct routes to get to the destination at a reasonable hour.

A few texts to check if I should wait or continue resolved I should continue, so kept moving on the original planned route taking me through Dumfries and Kilmarnock. Navigation errors, read driver failure to take notice of the satnav, taking me through the centre of Glasgow meant I also ended up behind Simon.

At the outskirts of Helensburgh Andy and Jon were waiting & after we worked out the remainder of the group took the main road in we four arrived last at the hotel.

Route on Google Maps

Travelodge is basic, but clean and good showers; right on the front so excellent views across to Gare Loch and across the Clyde. Time for a pint & food in the pub next door with talk about the journey to come:

Can't complain about the view from my window:

Numbers would be complete in the morning with Callum & a couple of Andy's friends arriving for the drive.

(Maps are not entirely acurate due to blogger/google maps embedding, some pictures courtesy other members of the trip)