Annual Weekend Event
Aberystwyth - Wales
The Ferrets (L-R): Del (Grey Wolf), Ian (IanR), Kit (Mrs Clive), Julie (Mrs Canary), Rob (Canary), Lainey (Mrs Stuey), Stu (Stuey), Debbie (Mrs Chimes) and Clive - Simon (Chimes) was taking the picture.
This year's Annual Ferret's Weekend Event was a run out to Wales, over the two days of the 19th & 20th of August, the overnight stay being at the Gwesty Marine Hotel, right on the front in Aberystwyth. The timing may have contributed to the smaller turnout, as a lot of Ferrets were on holiday, so the final numbers were 6 bikes and 10 people. The weather could have been better, but it wasn't bad enough to dampen spirits. In fact, the run out on the Saturday was mainly dry, until the last hour or so into Aberystwyth when it bucketed it down. Although the Sunday was drier, there were the odd spells of light rain. The biggest disappointment was that visibility was too poor to fully appreciate the grandeur of the countryside.
The Saturday started very early, even earlier for some like Del and Ian who had a 150 mile journey just to get to the start. Even so, everybody gathered promptly at the start in Hattersley where breakfast was had at the McDonald's. Only a little late, we set off south into the Peak District for our first break in Bottomhouse, where the first group shot was taken - and the one of Ian in his weather adapted spectacles!!!
After this short break, we were off down onto the plains skirting south of Stoke on Trent. The roads were pretty dry and excellently surfaced, so some fun was had along the way with Stuey leading and Del Sweeping. The next stop was at Newport, with a fuel break along the way, after yet more fast and sweeping roads across a surprisingly rural and beautiful part of the country.
The lunch break was to have been in Knighton - a bit of a stab in the dark - but people's stomachs dictated an earlier stop in Bishops Castle - which was an excellent alternative, the local pub providing adequate fare. Refreshed, the slower progress than planned along with the ever-present threat of heavy rain, prompted a shortening of the route to Aberystwyth. Instead of dropping down to the Brecon Beacons we turned west at Builth Wells, having enjoyed the thrilling bends there on the A483 - what a belting road - a shame they weren't that bit drier.
The A470 and A44 were adequate compensation for this diversion, and got us heading down onto the coast and into Aberystwyth in good time to get booked in and spruced up at the hotel. But, did the heavens well and truly open during the last 30 or so miles to the coast! It was so heavy that Clive's visor insert got water on the inside. But, by the time we were drawing onto the Marine Promenade the odd patch of blue sky was showing through, and the rain had gone.
It was from here that Rob & Julie carried on the odd extra mile or so to their camp site ..... yes, they were CAMPING! And a bloody good time they had, by all accounts. For the rest of us, we had to suffer soft and warm dry beds, and the excellent facilities and ambience of the hotel.
The view from Clive & Kit's room was spectacular - the sea appearing almost to be coming into the room!
Imagine all our surprises when, as we made our ways into the hotel, we encountered all manner of characters from just about every epoch of time. No, this wasn't traditional Welsh garb, but a local's 50th birthday fancy dress party. And just about every guest had made their own costumes. And very impressive they were. The birthday gal was Cleopatra (below right), and her husband was likewise in Egyptian garb. In all, there must have been more than a hundred guests, all kitted out in fancy dress.
Having registered, deposited our panniers and the like in our rooms, and bathed or showered, it was down to the bar to mingle with the fancy dress party group, until they suddenly seemed to vanish into thin air - well, they apparently vanished off into the town, returning much later in slightly less pristine condition! Our concern centred once more on our stomachs, and it wasn't long before we were accommodated in the restaurant, being attended to with faultless service from the very welcoming and helpful staff of the Gwesty Marine Hotel - well recommended. After retiring back to the bar, we were joined by Rob & Julie from their camp site, who had popped into a bar with live music on their way to the hotel.
After such an early start, and a long and quite tiring ride down, it wasn't that late when everybody drifted off to bed.
The Saturday morning started dry but overcast, and Kit wandered off to do a bit of early morning reconnoitring, as she is wont to do. Of course, she found a dishy man in uniform, and learnt that the RAF were putting on a display just down from the hotel. She also found a drunk sleeping it off in the wind-shelter.
A belting breakfast set us all up for the return run, and with Rob & Julie joining everyone at the hotel, we were off on time, with Stuey once again leading but with Clive & Kit Sweeping on this occasion.
The first break came for fuel on the way to a snack & fag break near Dinas Mawddwy. Although the visibility was improved on the Saturday, it was still not good enough for the more distant views, and a lot of low cloud cut out the mountain peaks.
The route took us along a whole variety of roads, even forest tracks and over a log bridge, well into the Snowdonia National Park. Given how wet it was, and the atrocious cheap tarmac that they're now using in Wales (lethal is a mild word for the damned stuff) it was good to have the variety and wonderful scenery as a detraction from not being able to take full advantage of the great bends. Still, good progress was made at times, and we managed to stay on time throughout the day.
Our next stop was in Bala, where we parked up on the shores of the lake and took the opportunity for another group photograph.
The climb over the A4212, although limited by low cloud, really was exhilarating and spectacular - making you really feel that you're 'on top of the world', and provided some of the most pacey of the sections. The pace naturally dropped, as did the rain, as we made our way through Blaenau Ffestiniog. And what more perfect weather could we have had for the slate village, amidst the man-carved slate mountains? The adverse weather was just perfect for the character and feel of the place ... very apposite. And then, before too long, we were down into the complete opposite, entering the beautiful village of Betws-Y-Coed, and a great snack break at the cafe by the station.
What amazed those who have been there before, was how few bikes there were, and the fact that the road had been re-modelled to include bike-excluding bollards and fencing. Obviously being a biking meet hasn't been to the local council's liking! Still, it was a lovely and relaxing break and set us up for the remaining run back across into the Peak District.
However, it was here that Simon & Debbie decided that they would take a more direct route to get them home a little earlier than planned. And so it was that we bade them a fond farewell before following the route along the A5 before cutting north on the A543 to Denbigh - an excellently torturous bit of road, along which a good Porsche driver got in amongst us and matched pace!
It was then Ruthin that gave us our next break and refuelling stop, and from where Ian parted company with the group to take a direct route back to the Northeast. Again, fond farewells and the reduced group were into the final push around Wrexham and through Crewe before Sandbach and Congleton marked the entry onto the Cheshire Plains, with their excellent fast sweeping roads. Congleton was the last stop, where Rob & Julie peeled away to return via Buxton, leaving Clive & Kit, Stu & Lainey and Del to divert from the original route, up the A34 to Manchester and it's orbital motorway.
Clive & Kit dropped off here, as they were now home, with Stu & Lainey and Del continuing on around the M60, up the M66 & M65 to another break for Del, at the Stuey's home.
So it was, that this year's Annual Ferret's Event dissolved instead of terminating - but with everyone having enjoyed an excellent weekend. The weather could have been better (appropriate to the event dissolving, really), and the Welsh roads (particularly in the south) could be much more safely surfaced, and hence engender better confidence (there was a fair bit of stepping-out experienced), but this didn't detract from the simple enjoyment each had in the company of the others, whether it be riding as the group or socialising together at the stops and in the hotel.
Photographs courtesy of Clive & Chimes
Page Updated
28/06/2008 23:54