Moderator drewpy Posted February 24, 2009 Moderator Share Posted February 24, 2009 Mate just booked the ferry from stranraer to belfast today. he has a friend racing in the NW 200 and he has a granny flat for us to crash in. He has also got us in the paddock and the evening soirees. Leaving on the bikes friday 15th comming back sunday late. anyone know of a good route to dumfries other than boring Motorway? Drewps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shed hermit Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 hi drewpy glad your coming over for the NW200. i have been going to it for the last twelve years. used to travel over from ayrshire (my home town is Beith) before i moved to ireland 10 years ago. meet up with all my scots mates every year and have a ball!! dont know about any routes up to dumfries but when you get off the ferry you can go up the coast right round the antrim coast, the giants causeway ect. or head through the country up through Balleymoney (home of the Dunlops) and on up that way. i usually watch the action from the metropole with a picnic (slab of lager, 40 fags) and head into portrush after. we stay in a BB about a mile from portrush. might meet up with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted February 24, 2009 Author Moderator Share Posted February 24, 2009 hi drewpy glad your coming over for the NW200. i have been going to it for the last twelve years. used to travel over from ayrshire (my home town is Beith) before i moved to ireland 10 years ago. meet up with all my scots mates every year and have a ball!! dont know about any routes up to dumfries but when you get off the ferry you can go up the coast right round the antrim coast, the giants causeway ect. or head through the country up through Balleymoney (home of the Dunlops) and on up that way. i usually watch the action from the metropole with a picnic (slab of lager, 40 fags) and head into portrush after. we stay in a BB about a mile from portrush. might meet up with you. cheers for the info, not sure about the itinery yet, but when its nearer the time I'll be in touch!! aparantly this guy knows and races with the Dunlop's so might get to meet them!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shed hermit Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 all the riders will chat to you. dont know the boys but robert and joey dunlop would chat away no problem. never met joey but spoke to robert a couple of times at the kells road races, he was a nice guy he was there for the racing and the spectators not the fame. true legends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gas up - Let's Go! Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Mate just booked the ferry from stranraer to belfast today. Last time I was that way, the ferry was totaly taken over with bikes, when they all start up together ready for boarding - the ground shakes, the angels cry and it's an awesome sight! anyone know of a good route to dumfries other than boring Motorway? There are loads of routes north, the A6 isn't too bad once clear of Preston, it'll get you there pretty much as quickly as the M6. How about up to Burnley then A58 & A65 -> A590 ->A591 (up through Windermere, but this get choked with rubbernecks in cages at times) -> A592 (Kirkstone Pass) to Penrith, then A6 to Carlisle before peeling off for the A75 ?? Takes your pick! A word of warning though, D&G's Finest (Police) will have a very heavy unmarked presence on the A75, from Dumfries all the way to Stranraer. If you want to make a trip of it (but at a good bit more distance), consider taking the B7076 from Gretna, it runs alongside the M74 to Moffat, then the A702 to Abington -> B7078 to Uddington then turn west on the A70 towards Air (this is another awesome road). At Air turn south on the A77 which takes you all the way down to Stranraer. The Police up there pretty much take a zero tollerance to speeding, and will take a good look at your bikes when you stop for a cuppa. They're not a bad bunch, it's just that lots of people die on that road, and when they do it causes chaos due to the ferry traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic-fzr600 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Glad to hear you're coming over! It really is an awesome sight & sound that weekend - every road in the province is swamped with all sizes & shapes of bike (and biker!), and its heaven for a bike fan. If you wanna get a ferry that weekend & have a car, one piece of advice - FORGET IT!! Can i also recommend that you arrange a trip over for the UGP later in the year? Again, amazing racing with a great atmosphere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Goff Posted February 25, 2009 Moderator Share Posted February 25, 2009 anyone know of a good route to dumfries other than boring Motorway? Drewps Take me with you - i have sat nav! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic-fzr600 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Take me with you - i have sat nav! You'd be very welcome - i know several ppl who'd have a beer & warm welcome waiting for u Goff!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gas up - Let's Go! Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Take me with you - i have sat nav! I understand it has a blokes voice though...... ..... and she doesn't listen to it......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted February 25, 2009 Author Moderator Share Posted February 25, 2009 all the riders will chat to you. dont know the boys but robert and joey dunlop would chat away no problem. never met joey but spoke to robert a couple of times at the kells road races, he was a nice guy he was there for the racing and the spectators not the fame. true legends. now I really can't wait to go Last time I was that way, the ferry was totaly taken over with bikes, when they all start up together ready for boarding - the ground shakes, the angels cry and it's an awesome sight! There are loads of routes north, the A6 isn't too bad once clear of Preston, it'll get you there pretty much as quickly as the M6. How about up to Burnley then A58 & A65 -> A590 ->A591 (up through Windermere, but this get choked with rubbernecks in cages at times) -> A592 (Kirkstone Pass) to Penrith, then A6 to Carlisle before peeling off for the A75 ?? Takes your pick! A word of warning though, D&G's Finest (Police) will have a very heavy unmarked presence on the A75, from Dumfries all the way to Stranraer. If you want to make a trip of it (but at a good bit more distance), consider taking the B7076 from Gretna, it runs alongside the M74 to Moffat, then the A702 to Abington -> B7078 to Uddington then turn west on the A70 towards Air (this is another awesome road). At Air turn south on the A77 which takes you all the way down to Stranraer. The Police up there pretty much take a zero tollerance to speeding, and will take a good look at your bikes when you stop for a cuppa. They're not a bad bunch, it's just that lots of people die on that road, and when they do it causes chaos due to the ferry traffic. I'll chack that rout on me map, cheers Glad to hear you're coming over! It really is an awesome sight & sound that weekend - every road in the province is swamped with all sizes & shapes of bike (and biker!), and its heaven for a bike fan. If you wanna get a ferry that weekend & have a car, one piece of advice - FORGET IT!! Can i also recommend that you arrange a trip over for the UGP later in the year? Again, amazing racing with a great atmosphere. No car, just me XS baby. CB750F1 and a friend of a friend Take me with you - i have sat nav! sorry Goff, the missus is already having a fit with me going without "discussing it" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gas up - Let's Go! Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 the missus is already having a fit with me going without "discussing it" We used to have that problem. Got a great solution, if it's on the calander - it's considered discussed! I have a secret calander..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted February 26, 2009 Author Moderator Share Posted February 26, 2009 We used to have that problem. Got a great solution, if it's on the calander - it's considered discussed! I have a calender and it was already on there so I sort of got my way. BTW Its bloody full and she also doing her nut about that!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulster exile Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but I have just booked a cottage outside of Hillsborough for a week for me and the oh to go home and see my family. Coincidentally this falls over the NW200 weekend so we'll be going to that. Taking the bikes over on Friday 15th Holyhead to Dun laoghaire, although we can't book just yet as I don't have a bike registration to use in the booking (as I don't have a bike yet). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted March 21, 2009 Author Moderator Share Posted March 21, 2009 Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but I have just booked a cottage outside of Hillsborough for a week for me and the oh to go home and see my family. Coincidentally this falls over the NW200 weekend so we'll be going to that. Taking the bikes over on Friday 15th Holyhead to Dun laoghaire, although we can't book just yet as I don't have a bike registration to use in the booking (as I don't have a bike yet). having a bike helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulster exile Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Working on it Not something I'd like to do on the YBR, especially as hubby has himself a nearly new CBF600 to go with me! Should be great craic either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shed hermit Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 see you there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pryda Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I'm hoping to go this year, I've never been before. Hopefully I'll go with my buddy who is on this forum, dragstar_125 I think his username is. Can't wait! I live in Belfast, so it shouldn't be hard to arrange Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted May 6, 2009 Author Moderator Share Posted May 6, 2009 only a week to go. we are travelling up on the thursday now and staying B+B at dumfries I also heard that Micheal Dunlop maybe going to ride the new Norton rotary as they officals have given Norton the green light to race!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulster exile Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 only a week to go. we are travelling up on the thursday now and staying B+B at dumfries I also heard that Micheal Dunlop maybe going to ride the new Norton rotary as they officals have given Norton the green light to race!! lol me and hubby are doing a Welsh version of that - we're travelling to Betws-y-coed on the Thursday night and sailing from Holyhead friday morning. Staying for a week. If you see a blue Hornet FS (I never got the Fazer after I got rid of the YBR) and a silver CB600 together, say hello! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted May 6, 2009 Author Moderator Share Posted May 6, 2009 lol me and hubby are doing a Welsh version of that - we're travelling to Betws-y-coed on the Thursday night and sailing from Holyhead friday morning. Staying for a week. If you see a blue Hornet FS (I never got the Fazer after I got rid of the YBR) and a silver CB600 together, say hello! will. I'm on me red xs400 with a cb750F1 and VFR750 in tow (i usually lead as they are crap navigators) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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