Pointless journeys

[OriginalBigAl]

I,ve just been to my local supermarket ( 4kms return trip ) and somehow have done 50 kms. When looking at the odometer I reckon 35% of the amount has just been hooning around. So much for being ecologically minded.

 

[salty]

I,ve just been to my local supermarket ( 4kms return trip ) and somehow have done 50 kms. When looking at the odometer I reckon 35% of the amount has just been hooning around. So much for being ecologically minded.

You Hoonigan, you. ???

 

[Ian Key]

Ah yes, but you've been ecologically hooning and I'm surprised it's only 35% ?

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Taking my cue from various politicians I've massaged the figures to be more PC.

 

[Rolfe]

I forgot one. Just after new year I drove with a friend to a bookshop/café about 40 miles away, as she'd been given a gift token for Christmas. I left my woolly hat in the shop, and since that had also been a Christmas present I didn't want to abandon it.

I phoned the shop and staked my claim to the hat, which had been found. I could have arranged with them to have it posted, but I immediately said, I'll pop over and get it the first nice day next week!

 

[Adam C]

I forgot one. Just after new year I drove with a friend to a bookshop/café about 40 miles away, as she'd been given a gift token for Christmas. I left my woolly hat in the shop, and since that had also been a Christmas present I didn't want to abandon it.

I phoned the shop and staked my claim to the hat, which had been found. I could have arranged with them to have it posted, but I immediately said, I'll pop over and get it the first nice day next week!

But don’t feel guilty. Imagine they had posted it to you & it would have got lost in the post? You can’t be too careful & you done exactly the right thing & drove back to pick it up ??

 

[Archev]

I forgot one. Just after new year I drove with a friend to a bookshop/café about 40 miles away, as she'd been given a gift token for Christmas. I left my woolly hat in the shop, and since that had also been a Christmas present I didn't want to abandon it.

I phoned the shop and staked my claim to the hat, which had been found. I could have arranged with them to have it posted, but I immediately said, I'll pop over and get it the first nice day next week!

Love it. ?. I did a similar thing - given a couple of nights stay in beautiful accommodation just outside Oban and left my jersey behind. The owner phoned to say she’d found it and would post it on. I asked her to hang on to it if she could and we booked another couple of night’s accommodation with her so that we could “nip” over and collect it.
Expensive jersey !

 

[Rolfe]

Oooh, that's even further than West Linton to St Boswell's! And probably even better scenery, though it's a close call.

 

[Archev]

Oooh, that's even further than West Linton to St Boswell's! And probably even better scenery, though it's a close call.

Different scenery certainly but just as beautiful I reckon ?

Different scenery certainly but just as beautiful I reckon ?

Those Eildon hills are spellbinding ?

 

[Rolfe]

There's a particularly nice section of the Lyne valley between Romanno Bridge and Peebles, too. (B7509)

 

[Archev]

There's a particularly nice section of the Lyne valley between Romanno Bridge and Peebles, too. (B7509)

Very definitely, I’ve driven it in all weathers too, it’s grand. I was involved with the building of the original Ninemile burn Garage and used that road often to cross over to farm sites around Peebles and beyond.

 

[Rolfe]

I get to drive it a lot, because I live so nearby. I always get a lift from it.

 

[Archev]

Any time I’ve been on that B7509 road at its junction with the A72 at the triangle junction I remember scenes from my schooldays. And I mean my primary schooldays so we’re talking a good few weeks ago. ? The trip was from Drylaw school (which no longer exists) in Edinburgh to Broomlee school camp just outside West Linton off Station Road, if anything still remains of it.

We were all loaded on an ancient maroon and cream Edinburgh double decker bus. The type with a spiral stairway to the upper deck and open access at the nearside rear that brave kids leapt on and off when going slower and teachers were distracted (those were the days how we survived between those mad leaps and the plumes of exhaust smoke coming in the open doorway).

I recall the bus driver had a devil of a job getting on to the A72 as the bus kept spinning its wheels in heaps of bovine exhaust material spilt from farm machinery. How the kids all laughed as we held our noses. How the teachers kept their cool I know not. Our treat was a picnic in Peebles.

Sadly this was pre iPhone and even before I was given my Brownie 127 camera so please excuse the lack of pictorial proof. ?

 

[Rolfe]

Drylaw school may no longer exist, but the Broomlee Centre certainly does. Still hosting kids in the holidays. I saw an exhibition about the history of the camp in the Village Centre a few years ago. Very interesting.

It's likely they have improved the layout of that junction since your experience, as I go to Peebles that way often, and haven't noticed anything dodgy about the turn on to the A72.

 

[Archev]

Drylaw school may no longer exist, but the Broomlee Centre certainly does. Still hosting kids in the holidays. I saw an exhibition about the history of the camp in the Village Centre a few years ago. Very interesting.

It's likely they have improved the layout of that junction since your experience, as I go to Peebles that way often, and haven't noticed anything dodgy about the turn on to the A72.

Ah yes but that junction is so much improved these days.

Many of my journeys are pointless jollies but I’m planning a real Lulu.
I had thought to just up and head off today but failed at the absolute beginning- I didn’t get up in time ?
So, one of these days (I see next Monday’s forecast is possibly best, I shall head off to Crianlarich and park up at the railway station. The train ride over the fabulous Rannoch Moor is a joy (best on a clear day but who cares really)
Then skirting along between Loch Awe and Ben Cruachan, the hollow mountain with the pumped hydroelectric power station within its vast interior. Then arriving in Oban I shall board the ferry to Craignure on the Isle of Mull where, with luck, I should catch the bus to Tobermory. I’ll wander along and choose a lunch venue before retracing my steps, bus ride, marine cruise and train journey back to the car.
I’ll take a rucksack with a few basics just in case I’ve goofed and become stranded. If pear shaped is to be the order of the day please happen before Crianlarich and I’ll just use the car and modify the entire plan ?

 

[Rolfe]

Wow. Respect.

 

[Archev]

Ah yes but that junction is so much improved these days.

Many of my journeys are pointless jollies but I’m planning a real Lulu.
I had thought to just up and head off today but failed at the absolute beginning- I didn’t get up in time ?
So, one of these days (I see next Monday’s forecast is possibly best, I shall head off to Crianlarich and park up at the railway station. The train ride over the fabulous Rannoch Moor is a joy (best on a clear day but who cares really)
Then skirting along between Loch Awe and Ben Cruachan, the hollow mountain with the pumped hydroelectric power station within its vast interior. Then arriving in Oban I shall board the ferry to Craignure on the Isle of Mull where, with luck, I should catch the bus to Tobermory. I’ll wander along and choose a lunch venue before retracing my steps, bus ride, marine cruise and train journey back to the car.
I’ll take a rucksack with a few basics just in case I’ve goofed and become stranded. If pear shaped is to be the order of the day please happen before Crianlarich and I’ll just use the car and modify the entire plan ?

Adventure in a day (hopefully)
Monday in Oban is looking good - 7ºC - cool but bright, dry and calm.
Waze says I need to leave by about 06:20 to drive to Crianlarich in time to park up and board the train from Glasgow at 07:18. £13.55 return with OAP railcard.
Once in Oban at 08:35 I’ll need 15 mins to get to the Ferry terminal and get my tickets, £3.90 each way I think. The Ferry leaves at 09:30 and reaches Craignure on Mull at 10:20.
West Coast Motors bus #495 leaves at the pier car park at11:00 to reach Ledaig Car Park in Tobermory at 11:45 and my Scottish OAP bus pass means that should be free.
The return bus leaves ar15:50 to get to the ferry terminal at16:40.
The CalMac ferry leaves at 17:00 and arrives in Oban at 17:50.
About a minute should see me back at the rail station.
The train leaves at 18:11, arriving back at Crianlarich at 19.27.
I should be home just after 21:00.
I’ll leave home on a full, balanced battery showing circa 240 miles and it’s about a 150 mile round trip so that should work well
Being a Monday a lot of the eating places in Tobermory might be closed but I’ll wing it and can always get some food on the ferry back or a carry out once back in Oban.
It should all be OK but I’ll take some overnight stuff in the rucksack just in case.

 

[Rolfe]

Well, that's nice and have a good time. I've got one of these bus passes too, but frankly I'd take the car the whole way.

As far as I know the charger at the Oban ferry terminal is free.

 

[Archev]

Adventure in a day (hopefully)
Monday in Oban is looking good - 7ºC - cool but bright, dry and calm.
Waze says I need to leave by about 06:20 to drive to Crianlarich in time to park up and board the train from Glasgow at 07:18. £13.55 return with OAP railcard.
Once in Oban at 08:35 I’ll need 15 mins to get to the Ferry terminal and get my tickets, £3.90 each way I think. The Ferry leaves at 09:30 and reaches Craignure on Mull at 10:20.
West Coast Motors bus #495 leaves at the pier car park at11:00 to reach Ledaig Car Park in Tobermory at 11:45 and my Scottish OAP bus pass means that should be free.
The return bus leaves ar15:50 to get to the ferry terminal at16:40.
The CalMac ferry leaves at 17:00 and arrives in Oban at 17:50.
About a minute should see me back at the rail station.
The train leaves at 18:11, arriving back at Crianlarich at 19.27.
I should be home just after 21:00.
I’ll leave home on a full, balanced battery showing circa 240 miles and it’s about a 150 mile round trip so that should work well
Being a Monday a lot of the eating places in Tobermory might be closed but I’ll wing it and can always get some food on the ferry back or a carry out once back in Oban.
It should all be OK but I’ll take some overnight stuff in the rucksack just in case.

I’m sitting on the train back to pick up the car. This has been a truly wonderful if pointless trip. The timing has been pinpoint exact as per the timetables and supremely comfortable. It’s been cool - 7 deg C - but clothing chosen to suit (including some pretty natty long johns) meant I was fine and warm in the thin sunshine in Tobermory. Lunch was a beef stroganoff- meh - I’ve had a lot better, but hey, at least the weather was perfect. Pictures to follow. The Tobermory charger in Ledaig Carpark. And a Swarco installation van is on The Isle of Mull - more to come ???