Balhousie Castle
Ron Adam at Drivers Briefing
Monte winner - White P6
Massie burns rubber !!!
Bartniczek Spider takes off
McGarrie/Anderson Spider
Cargill Toyota waits for flag
Campbell Sunbeam on route
Dixon interesting parking at lunch stop.
Horsing around on route
Lindley RV8
Raine/Wallace MX5
Andy & Neil Thomlison
George Shand announces quiz prize
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Red Hackle Tour - 7 May 2017
Report - Jim Paterson, Photos - Andy and Neil Thomlinson, Jim Paterson
Blue
skies and sunshine welcomed the crews at Bahousie Castle in Perth for
the start of the Red Hackle Tour. Balhousie Castle is home to the Black
Watch museum and formed a stunning backdrop for our departure.
 Following
the obligatory signing on, bacon roll, tea and coffee, we were flagged
on our way by organiser George Shand. not all our crews set off in what
they hoped for. Simon Crowe brought his Porsche Cayman from North Wales
with Darren McGuinness from Manchester reading th notes. At lest that
was the plan, until it dropped a cylinder arriving in Glasgow! Not to
be beaten a hire car, in the shape of a Ford Focus ST was hired, while
the Porsche  headed
back to Wales on an AA recovery truck. Nico one, showing it takes more
than a mechanical failure to stop a keen classic rally enthusiast.
Lindsay Smith and Ann Johnston, in their mini pulled earlier in the run
up to the start, as did Jock Millar and Linda Telford when Jock's
familiar MG Midget ended up with no seats. Frank and Julie Irvine also
had problems getting to the start as their TVR Chimera went into a sulk.
Duncan
Massie and Jenny McKay burnt rubber, if that is not overdoing it, to
lead the way in their '67 Citreon 2CV. All 600cc of it! Ian and Karen
Lindley took off in their '93 MG RV8. Not many of these around so
always good to see them in theirs. Father and son Colin and Ben
Birtwistle in their first event set off in an '03 MGTF, with fellow MGF
fans Tom and Marianne Dromgoole in their '01 well prepared example.
 Graeme
and Beth Cargill were back after the Argyll Tour in their '73 Toyota
Corrola, with Bill and Val Pollock in the top down '55 Triumph TR2. I
needed my sunglasses on as the chrome wire wheels were sparkling in the
morning sunshine. Could this be claimed as a hazard to other road
users?
 The
crews from Inverness were headed up by Richard and Yvonne Bartniczek
who brought their '92 Alfa Romeo Spider, followed by Roddie and Sylvia
Main in the '95 Mercedes SL, and Dave and Maureen Spence in their new
'02 BMW 325Ci Sport. Don and Mags Campbell completed the northern city
crews in their '55 Sunbeam. All will join the trip to Europe on the
Dolomiti Sfida in September, though the Campbells will swap their
Sunbeam for a Ferrari 328. Could it be because we are driving through
Italy, land of the cars birth?
Vaughn Taylor and Jim Campbell
appeared in a well prepared Porsche 924, ideal for fast road rallies,
while Andy Thomlinson swapped his Monte busting Volvo Amazon
'Anhangá' for his Z3M with son Neil at his side. both are
up for sale on the website so check them out, both superb examples of
the marque and prepared to perfection.
 Hoping
for an easier drive than on the Monte, Ranald White brought his well
known '64 Rover P6 with Karsten Brown again in the left seat on the
notes, hopefully a lot easier than the drive to Monte. Jim and Norma
Watson brought us back to MG, with their '77
MGB.
You can't escape the Mazda
MX5, and we had a couple, Bryan Raine and Duncan Wallace in an '05
example, and myself and Rona Paterson in my '10 example, which will
also be heading for the Dolomites in September. John Stuart who
recently returned from Spain, see his story 'Its’ a Regularity
Jim, but not as we know it!' arrived in his '05 Westfield with Richard
Welsh feeling the wind around his ears in the left seat.
Much
more civilised were Graham Cox in his '93 Morgan Plus 4 with Maurice
Millar sharpening his navigational pencil. Ian and Grace Dixon joined
at the last minute in the MGB recently returned from the Berwick
Classic challenge. The final '00 BMW Z3 of the day was crewed by
Patricia and David Robertson.
Heading
over the River Tay we entered the Perthshire countryside heading toward
Scone, ancient seat of Scots kings. To keep our crews on their toes an
observation quiz was included as a bit of fun. It started in the
opening few miles after leaving the city boundary, a flavour of what
was to come. Continuing east we kept the Tay to our right to
Pitroddie before turning north to Rait, climbing the Sidlaw Hills, and
Coupar Angus. Again we headed east toward Glamis, on the north side of
the Sidlaws, and the castle, home of the Earl and Countess of
Strathmore and Kinghorne. Today we passed on the morning coffee to keep
going toward the Grampians, turning west toward  Murthly
and our pre-arranged lunch stop at the Uisge Café and
restaurant. The ongoing sunshine invited most to take a table outside
to go 'alfresco' while chatting with fellow crews.
Time to
follow the afternoon section which headed toward Kenmore at the head of
Loch Tay, passing Abefeldy, birthplace of the Black Watch regiment.
Taking the little used road over the Grampians to Amulree afforded some
terrific views, particularly on a clear sunny day like this one. A few
more observation clues were hidden away in this section and cars could
be seen quickly reversing when they realised they had missed one! We
passed Loch Freuchie which outflows into the river Braan which in turn
feeds into the Tay at Dunkeld.
Turning
south toward Glenalmond we had our final skirmish into the hills to
visit Little Glenshee, before heading back south toward Perth. The
sight of a farm shop selling ice-cream was too much for most crews
who pulled in to enjoy a cone or slider at Stewart Tower Dairy at the
village of Stanley. A relaxing final section returned us to Balhousie
Castle for our meal and to see how many clues we had worked out. Four
crews struck gold and Jim Campbell's name was drawn out the bag and
together with Vaughn Taylor picked up the prize.
A great day out
on roads across Perthshire and Angus, some we had never driven before,
and well away from the usual Sunday motorcyclists probably due to their
being often tight narrow and twisty. Lots more of these to explore so
likely we will revisit this part of Scotland again in the future.
Birtwistle MGTF | 
Roberston Z3 | 
Dromgoole MGF
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Andy
Thomlinson's selection of photos from the day.
Neil Thomlinson also took a few
Lots more events to follow. Check them out at the Events page
| Updated 14 April 2017
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