Day 33 17/6/16 Day 4 Register Week.

Day 33 - Day 4 12/50 Register Week Tour

Woke today to no rain but still gloomy and grey, we were hopeful.  We were determined - today would be a hood down day (to start with anyway).  We headed out on the set route.
 

Headed out - gloomy but no rain.

Threatening but no rain...over Loch Tay

Across the Loch - still no rain....

Roman structures abound - viaduct and wall fortifications.

Passing through villages

Alvi gathering at the gate to private Military Road

Went west today past the enormous Loch Tay and then on the historic military road at Glen Coe known as “The Rest and Be Thankful” track.  This road was once a hill-climb track and there are present members who remember running at this event.  This is now a private road but has been recently resurfaced because the British Road Authority decided they would like to be able to use it as an alternative if that section of the highway had to be closed. The current owners had to think a bit before deciding that having their driveway resurfaced for free was a good thing, prior to this it was in very ordinary condition. Anyway, it is normally a closed road used by cyclists but the farmers ( it goes through 3 properties) will open it for special occasions, like having 30 or so Alvii’ driving up it. In the past it has been used as a hill-climb track and Dale was doing OK up to the last corner which was a very sharp hairpin, we got around it but not without much wild arm swinging together with several expletives.

Mike and Ian at the gate waiting to get in.

At the line Noeline queries "are you sure push starting the car is the right way to tackle this Alan??"

Ian and Joe take off from the line

Country hazards on the track.  We did need the services of several sheep shoo-ers

Start and finish line banners are still in place

It looks quite simple and pleasant!!

The road winds its way up the mountain

Hairpin at the top catches all the new drivers. 

The climb is quite deceptively steep and just goes on and on...

Alvi make it to the top - are now "resting and being thankful"

After tackling the hill climb we returned to Aberfeldy stopping first at the  Loch Fyne Oyster Bar for a fed of fresh oysters and mussels. 

Castle Taymouth. 

12/60 at the gates in Inveray

Then it was back to Moness for the Register AGM and evening BBQ.  Still no lamb......

Day 32 16/6/16 Day 3 Register Week.

Day 32 Day 3 of 12/50 Register Week Tour

We awoke to yet another wet morning.  This time we decided to spend some time washing, “blogging” and general tidy up. 

A few people decided today was just too wet to venture out....so we waited!  Cars lined up at Moness.

Alan and Noeline braved the weather in the 12/60 (with hood up) although they planned to stay close to "home". At around 2pm we decided to follow the first part of the suggested route and visited the Cluny House Gardens. 

Decided to venture out.

Promises...promises - we haven't seen one yet!

Heading for Cluny Gardens - the architecture in the area is wonderful

This is a delightful untamed garden with some very unusual trees, including two giant Sequoias and a champion Wellingtonia with a girth of 11 meters at the base and a variety of other mature exotics.

Cluny House

Walking around the pathway - flowers and plants of all descriptions....

The texture and foliage is amazing.

Wonderful mature trees from across the globe - Maples.

Massive Sequoia

Robin in the garden - small birds all about.

Our walk through the gardens was rain free (yay!) although still gloomy and quite drippy.  We then decided on a had a quick trip into Pitlockry to look at the shops before returning to Moness via Aberfeldy.  We (ie Dale) did have some excitement when the slip road off the A9 (at 50mph) suddenly did an abrupt left turn with no warning (we proved the Speed 20 does have brakes as needed) although we aged a little in the process.
 

On the road again.....and how lovely they are!

Even the gulls are fed up with the rain.

View across to Aberfeldy

We had been directed to be back by 5.30 pm for a collective photo. We arrived back and marshalled into the rear carpark.  The photo, we discovered, was to be an overhead shot - via drone.

Shepherding Alvi - a bit like herding sheep really!

Peter directing Alvi.

Finally they are together - smile......

Just a quick note - missed out on lamb again tonight.....I believe it may be a "furphy" although we have seen nothing but sheep and lamb running about in the fields!.

Day 31 15/6/16 Day 2 12/50 Register Week Tour.

Day 31 - Day 2 of the 12/50 Register Week Tour

Awoke this morning to rain, heavy rain and then more rain - but ever the optimists we hoped it would pass so we waited.

It persisted and we did consider a quiet day in and around Aberfeldy but it started to clear (or so we thought!) and after some discussion Alan and Noeline squeezed into the back seat of the Speed 20 (hood up!) and we headed off.  As it happened this was a wise decision as the day did not clear up (at all) so what could have been a nightmare became a very pleasant day in good company.

Our first stop was the Innerpeffray Chapel and Britain's oldest library with some books dating back to the 17th century and believe it or not visitors are welcome to actually handle them (carefully) and read them.

Crypt stone in the chapel

Atlas dating back to 1700's.

The library holds a wide variety of old books.

Wild flowers in the chapel gardens

Alan and Noeline settle back into the Speed 20.

We all fit quite comfortably.

One of the hazards is farm machinery on the narrow roads

Massive wall of felled timber waiting for collection and processing.

Not much room to pass!! An Alvis stand off...

We did get a late start and failed to find anywhere for lunch until very late when we came into Allansbridge. Just prior to this we had come across a small hotel on what appeared to be little more than a farm track found by our devious organizer but although they would normally have been open, today was "dog grooming" day and we had just caught them going out. The passengers in the back seat we getting "toey" for their lunchtime coffee......are we there yet??

Lunch was alittle difficult to find so "the children in the back seat" had to be pacified with a packet of potato crisps.

Lovely small hotel but closed for dog grooming appointment.

Coming into Allansbridge

Great roads and the weather seemed to be lifting

Lovely period housing

The weather closes in again....

Wonderful roads....very steep mountains!

The route took us south through rolling countryside onto Sherrifmuir where Argyll and Mar battled it out in 1715, we where supposed to go past one of the most complete Roman camps in Britain but due to the weather and the lateness of the day we headed straight for Moness instead.

It was a great day out even with 4 in the Speed 20 with the hood up.  It had been a long day for Dale and he earned his evening whiskey tonight....