Stirling Castle Section S & T Rally
On the last day of July we loaded two bikes
into the BMP Renault Traffic van, my 1930 KTT Velocette and Pat and
Shelley Rowbotham’s 1929 Ariel ready for when I collected them from their
home the next day. So about 10.30 on Wednesday, 1st August we were
fully loaded with provisions, riding gear and other necessities and
set off up to the M6 on our expected 5½ hour, 330 mile drive
North. We skirted around Glasgow and on past Stirling Castle to
Auchterader where we were to stay, just outside the town for four nights
in self catering accommodation, essentially a log cabin with two
bedrooms and the usual facilities.
It actually took us just 4½
hours so very good going. The cabin was very spacious and
comfortable proving to be better value than any local hotel. This
was because of our proximity to Gleneagles Golf Course with an event
taking place the next weekend. The local hotels were full and also
very expensive too. The golf course was just a couple of miles away
and on our route to where the first event was due to start at Crieff
Visitor Centre, about 17 miles away the next day.
Thursday morning arrived with some cloud but no rain. We found
the Visitor centre, signed on, unloaded the bikes and were ready for
the start. This was delayed because a road we were to use was
normally closed due to winter deterioration and was opened for
entrants only to pass and were then shut again by our organisers. I
had forgotten my route holder and so had to follow Pat and Shelly as
my navigators, we passed along a narrow road with passing places to
the east side of Loch Earn to Lochhearnhead and up to Killin. Where
the “Killin Games” take place, yes really! I wonder who survives? We
then turned off the main road onto the single track road leading to
the specially opened section and for well over an hour we never saw
another rider until we got to the gated section where we were waved
through in some beautiful and wild scenery. The road surface was now
very decrepit and the reason for the road being normally closed. It
was a challenge on rigid bikes with girder forks and just a tyre
width of tarmac in some places, often in the wrong place!!
Eventually we came upon the upper end of Loch Tay and ran along side
the River Tay toward Aberfeldy. We stopped for lunch at a remote
café cum Post Office cum local shop next to the river and doing
better business than normal. Then on much better surfaced roads
towards Amulree and finally back to Crieff. We were all quite saddle
sore with some 96 miles covered riding the oldest two bikes in the
event. Pat was struggling for petrol and each time it misfired I
thought he is going to stop, but he made it on fumes.
Friday was a rest day so we decided to visit the Grouse Whisky
Distillery just on the far side of Crieff. Grouse is a blended
Whisky and the volume they produce is much larger than the
distillery output because they use output of other distilleries. I
was amazed to find they have just five full time employees on site
plus two cats to catch the mice? The Renault Traffic van complete
with smelly petrol vapours from the bikes was our means of transport
when not riding bikes. Shelly kindly drove us back to the digs,
hick, I am pleashed to shay.
Saturday we headed for Cultybraggan Camp near Comrie, a WW2 POW camp
which housed over four thousand German prisoners from 1941 to the
end of hostilities. Many of the Nissen huts are still there.
This is where we signed on and later had the Prize giving and a buffet
meal. This was the main event called The S&T Rally, which originally
stood for Strathendics and Trossachs Rally I believe. Being a timed
event early starters were flagged off at precisely one minute
intervals by the Comrie Town “Conservative” Mayor, a rare beasty. That was until his arm ached as he gave a great flourish each time
he waved the flag. There were 84 entries in the programme although a
few did not turn up. We had riding numbers 69 and 70 so were
flagged off at about 11.00 am. The route was very similar to the
Thursday run so stunning scenery but better road surfaces in the
main. We again went well over 1½ hours without seeing another
entrant until it started to rain (What!) and we missed a junction
and found two other riders looking lost coming out of the intended
road. They turned and tagged on behind us, but turned right at the
next junction where we went left followed shortly after by the lunch
stop at the Woodside Hotel in Doune where a pre-ordered hot meal
awaited us. Refreshed we set off again not bothering about the
timing and got back to Cultybraggan Camp after 84 miles and some
lovely scenery. Saddle sore again, but not quite as bad as on
Thursday. I wondered if the lost riders got back? The bikes were
then displayed until 5.00pm for any visitors to view as other
events were taking place at the Camp.
Later that evening we returned to Cultybraggan for the evening
buffet which was excellent, The Prize Presentation took place with
Pat being asked to present them, so ending an amazing couple of
rides. We had decided to hit the road home the following morning
after breakfast rather than ride in the Sunday Social run because
of the long distance. The Stirling Section of the VMCC did an
excellent job of this whole week's events and worth the trip for the
scenery alone. The VMCC camaraderie is the bonus.
The drive home was uneventful except I got caught by a camera van
going a little too fast in a 50MPH zone, all donations gratefully
received!! The van covered 772 miles and driving was shared by each
of us so not quite so arduous as it might have been. Thanks to
Pat and Shelley for their help and friendship.
John Goodall.
An aerial shot of the camp
John and Pat's bikes parked at Cultybraggan Camp.
John and Pat ready to be flagged away.
Jimmy Steel’s 1922 Sunbeam with pigeon basket and bird on
the S&T start line.
Just after the first gate on the closed road, John on his
cammy Velocette follows Pat and Shelly on their Ariel.
The huge Grouse in the car park at the Famous Grouse
distillery.
John and Pat taking refreshments. Pat seems to be holding
his head. Is this after the visit to the Grouse Whisky
Distillery?