This year’s Calderglen Harriers’ winter ‘social weekend away’ visited Rothesay on the Isle of Bute for the first time, after a couple of previous years at Tarbet.
The combined obstacles of forecast extreme winter weather and industrial action by Rothesay pier staff on the Friday were overcome, by taking an alternative route via Dunoon and Colintraive, with all Harriers arriving safely at the Glenburn Hotel by early evening.
After a very pleasant evening in the hotel, Saturday morning broke with a few inches of snow across the island, right down to the water’s edge. Undeterred, the main Saturday run went ahead as planned, following a circular route which took in part of the ‘West Island Way’ before returning up the east coast of the island and finishing with a sharp climb up Canada and back to the hotel via the Bogany Woods - approximately 10 miles.
An excellent lunch at the Ettrick Bay Café was followed later in the afternoon by the inaugural Harriers Rothesay Promenade Handicap Team Pursuit, where the silverware was won by the team comprising of Russell, Francis, Gerry and Graham over the 1.6 mile course.
For many, the highlight of the weekend was the Saturday evening entertainment from the Beatles tribute band ‘Just John and Paul’. The Harriers ‘sixties’ fancy dress was well appreciated by the band and the other hotel residents.
Sunday brought further excitement – a power cut on the entire island, and then the cancellation of the ferry until early afternoon due to the gale force winds. However, everyone made it back safely to the mainland at Wemyss Bay in the daylight before heading back in East Kilbride.
A big thanks to Scott Hill who organised the weekend and kept everything on track through the various challenges over the weekend…
The combined obstacles of forecast extreme winter weather and industrial action by Rothesay pier staff on the Friday were overcome, by taking an alternative route via Dunoon and Colintraive, with all Harriers arriving safely at the Glenburn Hotel by early evening.
After a very pleasant evening in the hotel, Saturday morning broke with a few inches of snow across the island, right down to the water’s edge. Undeterred, the main Saturday run went ahead as planned, following a circular route which took in part of the ‘West Island Way’ before returning up the east coast of the island and finishing with a sharp climb up Canada and back to the hotel via the Bogany Woods - approximately 10 miles.
An excellent lunch at the Ettrick Bay Café was followed later in the afternoon by the inaugural Harriers Rothesay Promenade Handicap Team Pursuit, where the silverware was won by the team comprising of Russell, Francis, Gerry and Graham over the 1.6 mile course.
For many, the highlight of the weekend was the Saturday evening entertainment from the Beatles tribute band ‘Just John and Paul’. The Harriers ‘sixties’ fancy dress was well appreciated by the band and the other hotel residents.
Sunday brought further excitement – a power cut on the entire island, and then the cancellation of the ferry until early afternoon due to the gale force winds. However, everyone made it back safely to the mainland at Wemyss Bay in the daylight before heading back in East Kilbride.
A big thanks to Scott Hill who organised the weekend and kept everything on track through the various challenges over the weekend…
1 comment:
Winning team was Russell, Gerry, FRANCES and Graham...we know you are a girl ! (really..!)
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