Tay Valley Norton Owners Club applecross Weekend 28/07/17

The Big Yam and the Street Triple were packed up with the tent and all the associated gubbins that goes with motorcycling and camping to head up to Applecross for the annual Norton gathering. Rain was forecast all weekend so we were pleasantly surprised when we had blue skies all the way up the A9 to Dalwhinnie and beyond. The weather gods must have decided that we were sufficiently fooled into complacency as approaching Loch Laggan the heavens opened making aquaplaning and avoiding gravel washed into the middle of the road an interesting way to keep your mind on the job at hand. A pit stop for food was planned at the Old Pines Restaurant along the B8004 100 yards from the Spean Bridge Commando Monument, hot soup and sandwiches were much appreciated, dripping wet bike gear made for puddles on the floor, I did ask if I could clean it up but the girl said it was fine even smiling, probably thinking thank feck she wasn't going out in that rain, well worth a visit if you are passing.
An uneventful journey thankfully all the way even drying out before a stop at Lochcarron for photos and all the way up the Bealach. It did start to rain again when it was time to put the tent up at the Applecross campsite. Gino, Fiona, David and Ann and Micky all the way from Ireland were already pitched and in good spirits, Bert and Laurenne, Phil, Alex and Ewen all arriving at various times throughout the day, all with varying stories of their journey up. Friday evening was spent drinking, eating and chatting in the newly opened Junction café/bar, great company, Toon and Elke arrived from Belgium as part of a tour of North Scotland, great to see people making the effort.
On the Saturday Lesley and I headed back down the brae to the Junction again for breakfast and were joined by Alex and Micky. Lesley and I went for a wee walk along the coast to Milton for a clear the head, meeting Phil out for a run on the Commando.
On the way back along we popped into the Applecross Inn for a beer, we were soon joined by like minded souls leading to more than a few beers. Our tea was booked in the Walled Garden, a 20 minute walk along the coast, time to clear the head again for a wee while, fantastic food was had by all, my lobster was so fresh it tried to escape off my plate, much to Lesley, Ewen and Phil's amusement, more beer and some great laughs. We rounded off the night back in the Applecross Inn before a wander up the brae to the tent. Sunday morning and the packing of the soaking wet tent, apparently horrendous rain in the night but I never heard a thing. A dry run up and over the Bealach, stopping off at the Waterside Café in Lochcarron for breakfast, having a blether with Ewan on our way out.
Some heavy showers on the way but an otherwise fine run home.
Another braw weekend in great company with folks from far and wide, cant wait till the next time.

Stone was very wet

Lochcarron bathed in sunshine bode well for the Bealach

Applecross Campsite

Beer keeps the rain away, worth a try anyway

Cracking looking Norton Metisse

Friday night in the junction

Saturday morning after the night before

Applecross bay in sunshine

Not a sprocket for the Big Yam

Phil out for a hurl

A couple of Burtons

Phil posing again

Norrie and Snibz making an appearance

Folk out wading, no my idea of fun, especially when the pubs open

The big hoose

Lesley happy in the Walled Garden

The lobster that nearly got away

Food had, now time for more beer

In the Inn

Tame deer having a rake

Ewan having a relax before the long run hame

That Castle

Backwater Resevoir Walk 16/07/17

With sunshine forecast today and after a bit of a lazy Saturday on my behalf, we needed some fresh air and sunshine, Backwater Reservoir North of Alyth was todays walk, 7.5 miles around with a mix of tarred road, forest and open farmland, it turned out to be a great walk of 3 and a half hours including lots of photo stops. The last time I was here was around 20 years ago working on the ancillary building flat roof, one very snowy day when the work couldn't be carried out, 5 of us decided to race each other down the snowy embankment slope on polythene sheets, lots of crashes and hilarity ensued.
Peel Farm coffee shop was an ideal stop on the way home to fuel up again with soup and pieces.

The project was initiated by the Dundee Corporation Waterworks in 1964 and absorbed into the newly created East of Scotland Water Board in 1968, before final completion and the official opening by Queen Elizabeth II on 9 October 1969. The reservoir's only purpose is to provide drinking water, and as such, it supplies Angus, Dundee, and parts of Perth and Kinross. Backwater, together with the smaller Lintrathen Reservoir 4 kilometres to the south, is capable of supplying some 300,000 people with drinking water.
The dam is an embankment type, measuring 42.6 metres high by 570 metres long. The reservoir extends for 3 kilometres behind the dam and has a peak capacity of 24.55 million cubic metres. An unclassified road runs across the spillway and embankment before following the east bank of the reservoir. This road runs for a further 2 kilometres before coming to an end. The dam was the first in Britain to use chemical grouting to create a waterproof barrier below the embankment.
Balfour Beatty constructed the embankment and ancillary works. Soil Mechanics and Bachy Soletanche were responsible for the chemical grouting and for tunnelling work. Consulting engineer was Babtie, Shaw and Morton.
Backwater Reservoir can be reached by taking the B951 turn-off from the A93 (around 5 miles south of Spittal of Glenshee) to the north-west, or from the A926 at Kirriemuir to the south-east.