There being no rest for the wicked, I was off to test my tent once again. this time, north of the border… This one’s a little different, though; it’s the Vespa Club of Britain’s main event of the year, British Vespa Days.
British Vespa Days
There’s a British Vespa Days (BVD), held every year, in different places across the UK. Last year, it was in Llangollen, Wales. It was in Derry/Londonderry in 2023 (I missed that one), and in 2021, it was in Rutland. You get the drift. Anyway, this year it was due to be held in Stirling, Scotland.
Nerds and weirdos often ride scooters…
Join the jet set
Although this wasn’t my first ride ‘north of the border’, it was going to be my first on my own (generally, I ride with weirdos that prefer that scooter from Milan). With the plan being to head up on Thursday and stay overnight at Carnforth near Lancaster on the M6 and finish my ride on the Friday, I would have a bit of time to kill on the way up. Ok, so what will I do with that time, hmmm?
If you know me, you’ll know exactly what I’d do. Head to the nearest aviation museum, yes, I really am that nerdy!
Getting tyred
With an early start on Thursday and a stop at the RAF Museum Midlands at Cosford under my belt, I arrived at Truckhaven in Carnforth, where it was dinner and bed. My trip up wasn’t entirely without incident however, my stand spring snapped when pulling up in a garage, the scoot died and needed a plug change as I was coming along the slip road to Truckhaven, oh and a tyre which really should still have been on a vehicle decided to roll across the M6 in front of me, fortunately everyone managed to avoid it.
Freedom
With another early start, I headed off, not to Stirling but past it and on to East Fortune near Edinburgh. After a few hours of geeking, including boarding a Concorde, I left to head to Stirling, finally and arrived just before 6 pm. It was busy and I found a space to set up my tent (only to be evicted and made to move by another camper later, but that’s another story).
Anyway, the campsite was amazing, with the Wallace Monument towering above it, adding 100% to the wow factor.
Highland fling
Off to the bar, though that took a lot longer than expected as I kept on bumping into old VCB buddies along my way. Once at the bar, I was plied with alcohol by those same buddies!
Now, a BVD isn’t like an average rally; it usually (in between drinking) has a certain amount of local culture on display. Stirling was no different. Friday had, before the disco, a show of Highland Dancing by a young group. It sounds so dry when writing it, but it was really nice to see, and it went down really well.
Numb bum
Disco, more alcohol, more catching up with old buddies, and then it was time to get off to bed.
Saturday morning involved bacon rolls and watching the innards of a GTS being pulled apart. The ride out headed off around the Scottish countryside, though I chose to sit it out as my bum was only just getting feeling back in it after my ride up.
Custom show
The custom show was next, with a good turnout and some lovely scoots on show. It must have been difficult to choose the trophy winners.
After the custom show, there was a gymkhana held at the other side of the campsite, and typically, I missed the only crash!
Tartan army
Again, BVDs generally will have a theme on the Saturday, and Stirling’s, perhaps unsurprisingly, is ‘a touch of tartan’, unsurprisingly it may be. Still, the variations are brilliant (Andy Butler, I’m looking at you) and just add to the overall character of the rally.
Anyone seen Kaylee?
There was a band on in the evening, but this was no Madness/Jam etc. tribute. This was a ceilidh (pronounced kaylee) band, and for those who don’t know, I certainly didn’t. A ceilidh is a traditional Scottish social event or gathering, featuring dancing to traditional Gaelic folk music.
Now when I say ‘dancing’ you have to remember these are scooterists we’re talking about, even with the caller explaining the dance moves it was absolute carnage, I’ve seen more decorum at a King Kurt gig! It was brilliant to watch, although I did see my life flash before me a few times as the dancers careered towards me.
It was a brilliant weekend, and I don’t think my words do it justice. It was a definite ‘you had to be there’ (Kebab anyone?) weekend.
Words and photos: Booga
