The
Seventh Scarborough VMCC touring week 2009 by Terry Hopes
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VMCC
runs/events are
increasingly becoming weekend events, rather than the day runs of the
past,
this probably reflects the demographics of the club membership, with
retired
members making up an ever-greater percentage of the membership, and,
with an
increasing amount of leisure time available, it does allow us to
indulge in our
hobby of riding vintage motorcycles.
Lately there
has been an
increase in the number of vintage events of a longer duration of a week
or
more. The Scarborough
bike week is one such
event and as I now own a motorcycle more suited to this type of event,
my other
half and I, decided to enter on the Moto Guzzi.
Friday 26th
June
early morning, and on the road with our camper van and trailer. We made
good
progress, apart from the last twenty or so miles, when we encountered
thick
fog. Finally arriving at Olivers Mount mid afternoon, where the
campsite was
located.
Olivers Mount
race circuit is
a public park overlooking Scarborough,
but
only a mile or so from the town centre, which makes for an ideal
location.
However, its elevated location does mean that the weather can sometimes
be
somewhat inclement. Well it is Yorkshire.
Set up camp and
became
acquainted with, old friends from the Swansea
and West Wales sections.
Later, a
welcome and get
together held in the camp marquee, with an introduction by Colin Bell.
The organizers, Stan
Bartle and team, gave a
briefing of the week’s event followed by a light buffet.
Saturday
Signing on was
required for
each days run, normally from about nine a.m. for a non-competitive run.
Start
time was from 10.30 a.m. at your own discretion.
Today’s run was
The Forest
Run.
A run of about
85 miles
through the scenic North Yorkshire Forests the weather was fine at the
start,
but got increasing murky as the day progressed, the rain and mist
tending to
obscure the views of the scenery.
Lunch was at
the Baldersons
Welcome Cafe, in the picture postcard village of Thornton-Le-Vale.
The afternoon
run took us
through the Dalby Forest with a tea break, at the Dalby Forest
visitor centre, before returning to the campsite at Olivers Mount, to
be
greeted by Diane and Bruce Grant, who had arrived that afternoon.
In the evening,
socialising
and a film show, of the previous years run, was shown in the Marquee.
Sunday
Today’s run The
Helmsley
& Bilsdale of approximately 120 miles, through two of
the most
picturesque dales in the Moors.
Lunch was taken
in the pretty
village of Helmsley
at one the many pubs
and café’s, a motorcyclists mecca judging by the number of bikes parked
up in the
village square.
The
town is a popular meeting place for motorcyclists
as it is at the end of the B1257 road from Stokesley, which is a
favourite with
local bikers.
The return run
along the B1257
was fifteen miles of sweeping bends & hills, to a viewpoint
near Ingleby.
The route continued along a series of minor roads with an abundance of
steep
hills and, hairpin bends, across the Moors stopping only take shelter
from a
torrential thunderstorm.
The tea stop in
the village of Rosedale as
a welcome relief. We
returned to the campsite having negotiated the many-flooded roads.
Evening in the
marquee - A
free and easy night in the pub with no beer.
Monday
The Eden
Camp Run, a
shorter run today, only 84miles.
I travelled in
convoy with
Bruce on his Honda 400 with Diane riding pillion, my other half having
decided
to have a rest day, in order to recover feeling in her backside. A
slight
deviation from the route, made to visit a private museum in Thornton le
Dale. Essentially,
a garage restoring
and trading in classic cars, never the less, a collection of cars and
motorcycles were on display, albeit in a slightly chaotic manner, which
gave it
a certain charm, as did the entrance fee of one pound.
Eden camp at
Maldon was a
second world prisoner of war, now a museum, 29 of the huts have been
converted, each depicting a
different theme. The
museum uses interactive technologies and forms of
theming to educate the public. One of its buildings contains three
manned
torpedoes. Another of the buildings contains the NAFFI style café,
where we had
our lunch.
The
return journey included tea break at Fimber café, the site of a former
railway
station, closed pre Beeching, and located in a wooded clearing, a
pleasant half
an hour or so was had, seated in the sunshine observing the wild life!
Tuesday
The Original
Ultimate Hills
Run.
Bright
sunshine greeted us this morning, for
a challenging run of over 100 miles through the Dales and Hills of
North Yorkshire.
Steep ascents and descents with multiple hairpin bends, took us past
Rosedale
Abbey, and on to the lunch stop.
The sixteenth
century Lion Inn
on Blakey Ridge, the highest pub on the North
Yorkshire moors.
After an
excellent lunch, the
return trip was via more interesting roads, with a tea break at the
North
Yorkshire Railway engine sheds at Grosmont.
In the evening,
in the marquee
a film show and social get together.
Wednesday
The East
Yorkshire Coast Run-
down the coast visiting Filey, and then Flamborough, for
refreshment and photo opportunities. At
one, time famous for its “cobble boats” fishing. The 17th century
Beacon Tower
looks like an original lighthouse structure claimed to have been built
in 1673.
The run
continued through
Bridlington and on to the lunch stop at the Seaways cafe, a bikers
rendezvous
apparently. The return trip was through the lanes and villages of this
scenic
part of Yorkshire.
This evening in
the marquee
was a free fish and chip supper supplied by a local fish and chip shop
and
conveyed in by car. Giant sized portions was the order of the day it
seemed!
Thursday
Sheep
Dodgers Run to Heartbeat Country. A fine day and a glorious run through
the
hills and dales of North Yorkshire.
Our lunch
stop destination, the village of Goathland, now better known as
Aidensfield,
the setting for the television series Heartbeat. The bikes were lined
up alongside
Scripps Garage, although you would be hard pressed, to find a garage
mechanic.
Mementos and souvenirs are the only purchases available.
Lunch
in the Aidensfield Arms (Gothland Hotel) which was across the road,
followed by
one of Bruce’s five minute strolls, to the railway station.
The
return trip by a scenic route, with a tea break in the pretty village
Hutton Le Hole.
In
the evening, in the marquee, a film show was shown of the weeks runs.
Friday
A run of
91miles in total, up
the coast to lunch in Whitby,
in one of Whitby's
famous fish and
chip restaurants, after parking the bikes in an area, reserved for us
on
the West
Pier.
After an
enjoyable lunch, and
a stroll around the waterfront and town, we returned, after making a
slight
detour to visit, Robins Hood Bay.
Bruce and Diane
were making a
nostalgic return, to the scene of their triumphant finish, of their
coast to coast
walk.
A visit to the
pub in which
all who complete the walk are invited to sign a yearbook for posterity.
Unfortunately, the yearbook for that particular year was not available!
Incidentally,
BBC Two on
Tuesday nights are currently showing a series of programmes of
Wainwrights
Walks, which features the Coast-to-Coast walk.
We returned to
the campsite
and were surprised to find that a lot of the entrants, had already
departed for
home. We, as had Bruce and Diane stayed the night, for a leisurely
return drive
on the Saturday.
An overnight
stop was made at Stratford-upon-Avon racecourse, a short walk into the
town to enjoy a meal in a
Thai-restaurant
overlooking the canal boat basin.
A very
enjoyable weeks
motorcycling, in one of the prettiest parts of the country, it will
certainly
be high on my list of things to do next year.
The popularity
of the event
can be judged by the fact, that the175 entry limit was oversubscribed.
Other events of
a similar
nature, that I certainly will be considering next year, is the Weymouth
Week,
the VMCC vintage week on the Isle of Man during Manx Grand Prix week,
the
Scottish and Irish rallies and possibly others.
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