Highland Mini Meet 2019
 

Hi Folks - some of you may remember the Highland Meets of 6 plus years ago - well we have decided to give it another shot.

Angus and I have just got our heads together and set a date for a new Highland Mini Meet, and have decided on weekend beginning Friday 3rd May.

All welcome - very informal just a few tents pitched at Cannich Campsite and probably a ride out on the Saturday. The Affric bar is now closed but there is another pub in the village and a small cafe at the campsite. For those that have not been before this is not a fully organised meet - just an opportunity for a few like minded people to kick tyres, trade tales and have a few beers. Cannich is situated approx 20 mile from Inverness and would be a great starting point for anyone thinking of exploring the North of Scotland.

We look forward to seeing the return of some old friends and hopefully get to make a few more


Chizz

I'm in.

:thumbup1:

Its not my weekend off but I can easily have a run up to Cannich after work on the Saturday arriving just in time for a few beers, it will be a Monday holiday for me so I get a day to recover :-)

I'm there !!! Looking forward to it.

It's been too long. Let me know if you need help organising.

I've sent messages to a lot of the 'Old Gang' who don't use the hubb very often now. Hopefully it will be a nice re-union .

Brlliant news
 

I am packing now (not heat :rofl:) Looking forward to this. Its starting to feel like a school re-union already. Intending to arrive on the Friday. No idea from which direction as Ted is unsure of whether to do the NC 500 first or after.

Will there be a Peruvian panpipes playing troupe? :D

It's in the diary. Will confirm attendance closer to the time. Thanks for organising this :thumbup1:

Its taken something positive like this for me to re log in after a absence of 4 years .

I will dust down the bike, check that all my inoculations are up to date to head north of the boarder and I look forward to having a dram or two with you all very soon beer

Dazzer

Awww bless. Your first post Dazzer. Maybe you can work yourself to a RTW trip one day. :innocent:

I feel a little nervous of being in the presence of the likes of yourself and Chris Bright who is a LegEnd in these parts .

Bless you my child.

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Oiii! Restekp please! 'Kin Dad of the Warriors to you, buddy! :Beach:

I will be heading up early Friday and then make a few days of it after the meet touring west of the Highlands

Same here Dazzer. What bike you taking ?

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Every meet I've been to where you were there Ted, you were in a van! "Have to bring the firewood", cough, snigger, bu!!sh!t... I'll deffo come if you'll be on a bike :D

Now that's a lie oh dad of the warrior's. Or should that be grandad with your memory loss. ;)

And yes ! I'll 100% be on my Africa Twin. Or the Transalp. Or maybe the XT660. Or maybe the Funduro. Or maybe the Dommie. I could take the VT750 for a laugh too.

Or I could borrow a brand new 1250 GSA with £10,000 worth of luggage on it ;)

Or I could bring firewood and a big BBQ in my van for you ungrateful buggers !!!

I'll only come on the bike if we can take selfies and ride around the campsite standing on our pegs.

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As long as you can drop the bike on the campsite, like the one time you actually turned up on a bike :mchappy: A TDM850 if I recall correctly. At the Green Dragon a couple of years ago. Nice comfy grass, so a soft landing.

Please bring a 12.5 plastic fantastic with bling. We need a laugh. :clap:

I shall be on the Transalp. Be like old times when everyone turned up on a Bike and not in a Van :mchappy::innocent:

This is going to be a brilliant meeting... Haha. Roll on May.

This could be interest in going ..:scooter:

That's what happens when you work 10 hours a day, nail it up the M6 dog tired in the rain but still turn up !! Xxxxx

P.S. TDM900

We'll see you there !

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:innocent:

I will probably have to bring a car, we have inherited a dog since last visit up north. Also it means I can have a couple days hill walking afterwards before I have to head home for work.
Always a silver lining

if you're coming up through the south east side of the borders, remember that there's a new Forth Road Bridge and new road layout leading to it.

If you want a quieter cross country route (avoiding much of the faster/busy roads) I could recommend:

Edinburgh-ish
Forth Road Bridge (fuel, big supermarket, etc)
Muckhart
Glendevon
Gleneagles
Muthill
Crieff (fuel, cafes, etc)
Amulree
Aberfeldy (fuel, camping, cafes, etc)
Tummel Bridge
Trinafour
Calvine
Dalwhinnie (fuel, cafes)
then via Spean Bridge

this cuts out much of the A9 from Perth, which is average-speed-camera'd as well as dull.

cheers,

satnav
 

I just follow the instructions of the little lady who lives in my satnav. I tried using maps once, they blow all over the place when you are riding and turn into papier mache when wet. (my sense of direction is so bad it is legendary) :rofl:

No excuse !!!
 

Millimut, having a dog is no excuse for turning up in a van/car. It is the sort of thing I would expect Ted to say after the "it's too cold and my poor hands suffer" or "It's raining I don't want to get wet" or "My arse is too sore for that distance" type of excuse. Here is a link to riding with dogs.

https://www.bikebandit.com/blog/ridi...-with-your-dog

What's your excuse for having a five speed bike and never getting out of third ?? [emoji56]

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I'm new to Hubb but might well come along. It's the speyside whisky festival that weekend so I'll be heading up to Craigellachie for a few events anyway so might be good to detour for the Friday overnight I'd our plans allow.

Just had to get the password reset for this. We will be there, can't wait to catch up with everyone and hopefully meet some new guys and gals for a few beers. Hopefully get off work early Friday. :clap: bier:mchappy:

HI Milimut,plenty of big hills round here.Possible boat drop off available on Loch Mullardoch:thumbup1:

Bruce and Angus, I had to cancel a holiday that I had already booked for that weekend due to current circumstances, and very much depending on how things are down here around that time with stuff going on at the moment - I am trying to sort things out to come along as well now. I will see how things pan out but really could do with the break and good company. Jake.

I'm in.

Been hoping for a decent meet up , up North.

Yup :scooter:.i'm going and catch up with few heroes from hercules and others .beer

Well funny you mention that. That was going to be my cunning plan but will see if I can persuade some hiking pals to join me.

Fantastic looking forward to this meet more n more

Stan to reach the north of Scotland keep the sun behind you then your going in the right direction Easy.

I only know how to do celestial navigation. Also have sextant. Please advise which stars I should follow. Don't just say the "North Star"!

Will my tkcs be OK? Tyre pressures? What oil should I use? Will I need a visa?

:blushing:

Jake great to see you are still about. I will try and keep in mind the advise about the sun being at my back. I pray its not a cloudy day:rofl:

Chris no idea about using the stars. I went to the dark sky park once (in the Galloway forest) after an hour there were so many stars I could not find the plough. Like road signs, stars are useless unless they have a big sign saying " stan follow this one". How I ever got to some of the places I have been to is a mystery to me.

Navigation = black magic and witchcraft and is best left to special "ops" kinda guys and wizards who know how to read a chickens entrails:mchappy:


I continue to live by the rule of set off really really early and hope for the best.

Hi all a bbq will be there for all to use if you want to cook at the site also will be a fire of sorts to sit around.
There is a pub 10mins walk away for those that might prefer. Fingers x for decent weather

Brilliant news
 

Great news Angus. Is the pub under the same ownership as it was 3 years ago? I seem to recall the locals were less than enamoured with him but there was no competition?

Hi Stan aye same folks that have it,they have mellowed a bit though and food no bad. If the weather good we can sit around fire with a beer or 3 beer.Will have a gazebo to:D

Hi Bruce and Angus I am having to pull the plug very sorry to say - a bit of a complication down here . Ive messaged Angus with some information.

Hope you have a great weekend all the best Tchus Jake

I'm looking forward to this.

We should arrive early Friday afternoon and staying in the wild lands for a few days after to ride the NC500.

Nice one - look forward to seeing you . - I am heading up to Lochcarron on the Monday after the mini meet and will be at an Africa Twin Meet in Ullapool on the following Friday so may catch up with you again at some point on the NC 500.

Chizz

Hi I have a few questions
Do we need to make a reservation with the site or just turn up ?
Are the good options for food an drink or do I need to bring a supply an stove ?
Thanks kito

At this time of year, I can't see it being a problem..

There is a pub in the village.

Shops are a 15 min ride away If I remember correctly.

Once I arrive I don't plan on being capable of riding lol. The vodka and Jack Daniels is already packed

Hi Kito - no need to make reservation just turn up and pay and you will get pointed to where we are camping. Bring a stove if you want but we will also have bar b q if you want to use it. Also small cafe at campsite and a shop and pub 10 minutes walk away. Look forward to seeing you - Chizz

We are packing already and are on our way soon, it will be nice to see you all.

Good to hear that despite the chilly forecast that folks are starting to head North. Wee shelter is up and firewood at the ready - look forward to seeing you all soon. Angus and I will be on site from early afternoon. - Chizz

I would have been with you if I was in the UK, love Scotland. Have a great time.

It was a great weekend with old and new friends! Nice ride out to podda falls,good time on campsite and in pub.The area is stunning! Thanks to Bruce and Angus for organising it,a big hug for you both.Andy and Maya.

Thanks to Bruce & Angus for a great weekend! Despite the interesting ride up on Friday it was great to see friends old & new and to have fun around the fire. I had a great ride home, via the smaller roads! Beej x

Angus & Bruce, thanks for getting us all together again. Fantastic weekend even though we arrived late, on the plus side I left late as well.

I would have liked to be there and catch up but a trip to morocco over ran . hopefully next time . A meet-up in the borders was mentioned at hercules weekend, any interest ?
Iain

Finally thawed out
 

A fantastic weekend after a nightmare journey there. 3 lots of, snow 2 hailstorms and 1 rainstorm. The best thing about the rain was it washed the snow off my visor! Finally arrived and Chizz handed me a beer which slipped straight through my fingers as I could not close them. A roaring brazier and a few drams from a hip flask eventually took the numbness away and left me feeling like I merely wanted to die. A night in minus 4C left me in my sleeping bag til midday on the Saturday. By contrast -2 on the Saturday night seemed positively tropical.


Great to see everyone again and found it hard to believe it was 6 years since the last one. Would I do it again? Definitely although on the way home I may have thought about flogging the bike and getting a campervan. The rest of the journey home via Durness, Applecross, Loch Lomond and Edinburgh is the stuff of legends. If it could of gone wrong it did!!


Hopefully this will become an annual event again. Beej, let me know if the Pillars of Hercules is on again this year. I will try to get to it again.


Huge thanks to Bruce and Chizz for all the effort put in to make it such a great weekend. I know how time consuming it is to undertake.


GM

Covid allowing
 

Would it be a tad premature to ask if anything like this is/could be pulled off this year gents....??? Got a scratch that needs itching...!!!

A scotland mini meet would be excellent.

But I haven't got a free weekend until Mid August ;)

I'm up for August if someone wants to start a ball rolling up there..?? :scooter:beerbeer

21st Aug, Scotland
 

Two owld bastardo's on CRF500L's are heading up to Scotland on the 21st Aug and we'd like to know if anyone else is heading that way...???? What would be nice is to know some prime trails to head too and by this I don't mean off-road green laning type just nice easy forrestry or service roads that get you lost..???

Camp sites too look out for as well....???

School holidays on plague Island. Jeeeeeeeeeesuuus. You have my sympathy.

I would prepare for Wild camping if possible. Everything will probably be booked out or double the usual price. I did a week around the highlands in early June. I had to book in February.

But not everything was fully open then so who knows.

The Dukes pass has some light trails. If you're going that way.

Enjoy :thumbup1:

Highlands
 

The camp site Q was only really for one night and somewhere to dump the trailer + car. Me and Bill have done plenty off wild camping with various degree's of success, Hammock's and Whisky at the ready..!!! Gonna give it a bash, what could possibly go wrong...:scooter::scooter::stormy:beer:thumbup1:

We had ten days on the west coast recently in a campervan, a week or so after the Scottish schools broke up. We didn't have any problems getting space on campsites, though we tended to be in fairly remote places.

The night near Loch Lomond was a low point—we spent more on midge products that night than the campsite fees. We could have wild camped as we had solar power plus portable toilet and shower, but my better half wanted a proper shower.

:rolleyes2:Call Rob, Mez
I'm 'stuck' by a river in fab surroundings close to Bala.
Another bbq for lunch today:rolleyes2: :Beach:

You've escaped the big smoke..???!!! Enjoy the sheep....errrrm, whoops, sorry meant to say View...!!! [emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji207][emoji207][emoji207][emoji207]

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The campsite at Glen Brittle on the Isle of Skye is utterly fabulous and always seems to have space, I think it might be 'first come, first served'. I'm not sure about off-road routes around there though.