Paddling Ditches

Ahh, Scotland, it was probably winter 03 or o4 I first ventured north of the border to do some paddling, I remember doing the Gary and the Meig, the Meig is one of those rivers you do not forget doing, just like the Chaoruinn, you don’t forget the WTF am I doing here moments, or …

Enjoying the passage of time

ENJOYING THE PASSAGE OF TIME – Motivational Speech #jimmycarr #shorts – YouTube Generally, something will happen on a trip that will give me the title of an article, in this case it was listening to a podcast, Diary of a CEO. Steven Bartlett has been doing podcasts for a while and I had heard a …

Do I want to be here?

Is a question I am asking myself. Italy, pretty much my favourite boating trip, its always a toss up between this and the Zambezi. It’s winter 22/23 and I am pondering. I’ve just done a week in Scotland with Andy Holt, a great trip, good people and more water than we knew what to do …

Racing improves the breed.

I think a fair few of will know that Harris have been a big part of my life.  It’s 40 years since first seeing a Harris on the cover of Superbike magazine and 36 years since collecting my first frame kit from the Hertford factory in December 1987. Harris performance products have been building bikes …

My wife is American

That’s not my wife, it’s Pete’s wife Mary Beth, that is American, I just kept hearing it as Pete introduced himself to the many American visitors we encountered on our latest Scottish adventure, the isle of Mull, the Kintyre peninsula and Arran. We headed up through Yorkshire on the back roads, Masham, Leyburn, Reeth, Alston …

A Kind of Magic

Eilean Donan, quite possibly the most photographed castle in the land, featured in a number of films, but perhaps most famously, Highlander, but the kind of magic we are looking for is out in the hills and islands of west coast Scotland, and, we find it. Our highlander is Chris Gibbs, lead guide with H&I …

Roamin Round Raasay

A short drive in the van and we arrive at the Sconser ferry terminal on the Isle of Skye to catch the boat over to Raasay. This is a day of epic scenery, stunning views, riding, pushing, hike a biking, and, even a beer at the end, a proper day out. Chris promises a different …

Is there any Italian wine?

Is a question posed, whilst in a French supermarket, in France! Le Mans 23 has us travelling to Portsmouth in the worst weather I have had in all of the trips south for the 24 hour race. Although it seems we fare better travelling later from Yorkshire, leaving at 1.30pm with Les and others travelling …

Old Haunts.

I pretty much grew up on this beach, Grandma had a caravan on the site behind the beach, I spent weeks here as a kid, with gran and my parents. The old man taught us about tides and rips, how not to get cut off, and on occasion how to get cut off, safely, we …