We Went To Cornwall in SEPTEMBER

Last September we flew to Cape Town. It was Springtime down there. This year we went to Cornwall. It was Autumn. If one could afford an annual migration to the Southern hemisphere in the Northern winter it would be a no-brainer.

View Home - Bristol in a larger map.

Six of us old MotoMates arranged to rendezvous at a hotel in the centre of Bristol. My start point was Duffield near the city of Derby. An old airforce mate had invited me to call in for lunch sometime. He and his lovely wife live in the Cotswolds so a short diversion from the country road would work well.

We had decided to overnight at Bristol. The RV was at the Premier Inn at 16:00. When I had parked my motorbike next to three very familiar machines on the roof carpark and got to the bar at 16:05, TE, BG and GW were halfway through their first well-deserved pint. They had had a very wet and very traffic-jammed motorway ride from Staffordshire - Newborough and Hill Ridware. Still to come was MF who had the longest ride of all of us to the RV. He lives in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, and is one of our septuagenarians. He rides a Honda CB1000F. Maybe he is phoning to say he's going to be late - again!

MF made it. He was only 1 hour late. He did well considering the conditions. There was a beer waiting for him in the bar. It was only slightly flat. I think that GW had his eye on it.  But I was watching him.  Now we had five out of a possible six. Just AM to make the RV. 

Dr AM (of the Dental Surgeon persuasion and from Makeney) was not able to leave his practice until around 16:30, but by 16:35 he was on his BMW 1200RT braving the rain and headlights via the M42, M5, and M4 to the rendezvous. Here he is:

AM

He also did remarkably well. He arrived at 19:10 having filtered for about 150 miles - ... and God said, 'Let there be filtering' and we filtered and it was very good. And the hours became minutes.... Too bad AM has to work and couldn't leave earlier. But somebody has to work. How else does the government get tax £s to pay for pensioner bikers? Anyway we only invite AM along to get our average age down to about 67. He says that he has more fun hanging with us than with kids his own age.

Bristol is a brilliant city especially on a Friday night. When we had downed a few beers and some whiskeys we headed for an Italian restaurant that had been booked ahead. It was good fun. Good food and good wine. What's not to like?

 BG - JM - AM

GW - TE - MF

GW says, "I drink to make other people interesting!"

After a fun evening we wended our way back to the hotel. We didn't cause any trouble. We were as good as gold.

We eventually found the hotel. It was more or less where we left it. After a good sleep and a decent breakfast we set off from the roof of the Premier Inn (£39 per room for the night - not for the roof, actually in the hotel) for Cornwall. Unlike the day before, the weather was: SUNSHINE.

The plan was to keep off of the motorway and hug the north coast as far a possible. I'll try and insert another Google Map here:

 
Bristol to Lynton Note: All of these Google Maps can be clicked and dragged and zoomed in and out as required.

At about 11:00 we pulled into Porlock for a cuppa and a bacon sandwich. There was a convenient car park opposite a very pleasant little coffee shop. I left my helmet, gloves, and GPS on the bike. I am sure that Porlock is an honest town particularly when one can see one's motorcycle from the cafe.

Left to Right: AM, GW, MF, TE, BG, JM

The ride was very picturesque. We rode off the beaten track to look at the pretty harbour in Lynton. Motorbikes can get to places that cars cannot. We rode where we shouldn't have. We parked where we shouldn't have. A parking attendant ran up to tell us off.  Mike totally disarmed him by asking him to take this photo. What a nice jobsworth chap.

 GW's stickers. He is a true World Rider.

We stopped to consult the map. Straight to Barnstaple or via Lynmouth?

We opted for the climb into Lynmouth first, but had to negotiate a very tricky sharp and steep right hand turn first (sorry Barrie!). The sun was still shining and we were all enjoying taking our time and wending southwest. Here is yet another map:

Lynton - Boscastle - Tintagel - Newquay. Click and drag as required.

The sun continued to shine. We rode through Barnstaple, Bideford and Bude and diverted from the A39 for a brief look at Boscastle and to indulge ourselves with tea plus jam scones and clotted cream at Tintagel. This had taken us around Camelford but we rejoined the A39 for Wadebridge and Newquay.

At about 17:30 we arrived in Newquay and quickly found our B&B: Tir Chonaill Lodge Hotel 016 Mount Wise 01637 876492.
More coming if I can be @r$*d.