Gauge of Interest for Big Mick 2012

This might sound Irish........because it may well be!

The executive decision has been made to look into a visit into Northern Ireland for a wee change....subject to acceptance.

Probably in late July or August (any teachers want to go?)

There are ferries from Birkenhead (Liverpool) but they are quite a bit longer (approx 6 hours more) and about £70 more expensive than the Scottish Ferries (Cairnryan or Troon). The Liverpool ferry departure times aren't as good either.

Stenaline ferries are the cheaper (by about £20) compared to P&O.

Probably looking at departing on a Friday late morning / mid-day and travelling to Portrush.
Accommodation in Portrush Fri-Sun (3 nights)
Return on Monday (late morning / mid-day)

Rideouts on Saturday and Sunday

Ferry Info
Stenaline - cheapest - Cairnryan to Belfast return cost 1person 1bike = £80, 2 person 1bike = £128
Friday 3rd August 11:30 or 15:30 (2hr 15mins travel)
Monday 6th August 11:30 or 15:30

P&O - Troon to Larne = £20 more than Stenaline
depart 10:05
rtn 07:15 or 17:30

P&O - Cairnryan to Larne £20 more than Stenaline
depart 10:30 or 13:30
rtn 10:30 or 12:55

Liverpool to Belfast - 2 people 1 bike = 202 return (8 hr crossing)
Liverpool to Belfast - 1 people 1 bike = 150 return (8 hr crossing)

Other Info
Costs self catering (3 nights) approx £60 (includes breakfast & monies towards light refreshments)
in Port Rush (85 miles from Belfast - round the coast or 60 miles direct)

Dorm 1 x 10 perons, 2 x 4 person & two doubles = MAX 22 people.

Wee Ferry £5 - NI to Southern


Summary Costs
Ferry costs (assuming Scottish Stena Crossing)= £85 or £133(couple on 1 bike) (or £20 more for P&O)
Accommodation = £60 pp (total) for 3 nights includes breakfast & light refreshments
Fuel =
You Getting to Ferry terminal (Cairnryan?)+
85 miles Belfast ->Portrush
400->500 miles = 2 x 200->250 rideouts
85 miles Portrush to Belfast
You getting home from Ferry terminal (Cairnryan?)

Usual friday night grub is a chippy/fast food or suit yersel.
Prob eat out sat and sunday night so roughly £20 per night.

Roughly budget about £400 (according to DBD) should sort all costs incl fuel for the weekend.

Just note some of the rideout will be in the republic so insurance / breakdown cover would need to cover european rides...etc


Plan B - There isn't one!

Please post up if you are interested.

Cheers
Rosco

ps. If folks are heading up this way to get the ferry then I will be able to offer accommodation on the Thursday and or Monday night in Sunny Shotts. Should be able to kick the family out to make some room

To be sure to be sure, oi'l be coming...top o'the mornin to ya sir!
(as long as i'm home of course)

You've been known to roughly bevvy at night and be rough in the morning too. top o the rough marnin to ya!

I'm up for it!

I can hear the Guiness calling.... We're off 28th July for 2 weeks with no kids so if the dates fit we're a definite hopefully.

Sounds good, must hunt out those leftover Euros!

The executive decision

We have an executive?

Cheers
Billy

billyw wrote:We have an executive?

Erm...Well...I was having a discussion with one or two others whilst drinking Guinness (which might have influenced the decision) and then DBD offered to help organise it.

A maybe from me.

For those who don't know Portrush, it is a very nice area and some good roads.
The P&O Troon Ferry is a lot quicker than the Stenaline route.

For those of us a long way from one of those ferry ports, the service from Fishguard (in Wales) to Rosslare in the Republic is a good option, sure a bit of a ride up to NI, but something different. Fares are not easy on the pocket though @ £51 for rider and bike each way.

Some pics of Larne to Portrush. Don't worry about the 4 poster, that was in Newry !

Count me in, Date's man we need Date's....

PS: I'll barkmark this one

furball wrote:Count me in, Date's man we need Date's....

PS: I'll barkmark this one

When you say Barkmark do you mean you will shout at people or was it a typo?
Date's will be sorted once DBD kicks some new-job butt kicked and gets some kind of rota.
I suspect it will be early 2012 when we will have dates.

For the teachers out there (what is the first / last weekends you can do in July / August) ?

Cheers
Rosco

Rosco - unfortunately it all depends on where you teach - Scotland or England and even within Scotia the dates vary.
Here in D&G first weekend would be Friday 6th, Sat 7th & Sun 8th July and in August last would be Fri 17th, Sat 18th & Sun 19th.
I suspect like all other meets "The Executive" will just have to man (or woman) up and make a decision.
Its never going to please all of the people - just go for it!
Cheers
Billy

Rosco wrote:When you say Barkmark do you mean you will shout at people or was it a typo?

SHOUT YEP I CAN DO THAT

I was getting in some practice for the Guinness at the weekend, and i think it's comming along nicely. Hic

all depends on the date,s but yep if it fit,s & freds up to it we are in
pete

Given this a bit of thought, would prefer to stay on the mainland, but if the general concensus is the land of the boghoppers, then so be it.

I would love to come along, I will be a maybe for now, will depend on finances and the possibility of work or not, but would still like to go

Looks like I'll be back offshore by then so it's a maybe from me, dependant on dates.

Hoping to sort out a date in the next couple of weeks.

Cheers
Rosco

Still no date yet but it has been leaked that the unofficial reason for not holding the run in Scotland is a lack of wildlife / hen parties.

Even more worrying is the link trying to get children to name them

Not sure, but I think the link about some being "sceptic" might come as no surprise to many!

Looking to set the date for this one and since DBD reliably informs me he is well up for this (he might even lead this one.......or maybe leave it to the locals) we've come up with a weekend that hopefully avoids any marches and suits DBD's exotic rota.

The dates for your diary will be Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th July 2012. Summary details in 1st post in this thread.

As stated before it would probably involve ferry crossings on the Friday / Monday if travelling from the ports stated.
Other ferry crossings are available but I think they are more expensive.

So who's up for it?

My hand's still up.

Aye me i'am up for it, i will pop a holliday request form in tomorrow and see what happens.

Davie: with fingers crossed...................

Errr, please sir, am I allowed to come along on a 250 Ninja (Linz's) as my R1 will be off the road at the beginning of May.
So from 180bhp down to 32bhp.

I'll do my best to keep up. You know I will.

Rob.

My nephews 21st that weekend :(
.


Bummer.

Right can we have a master list drawn up..I'm speaking to possible accommodation ppl and i need a rough idea of numbers so i can provisionally book the bed space..
Ferry prices seem to be still the same as in Rosco's post.. leaving friday and returing monday is working out at 80quid.. accomm is looking to be roughly 20quid a night..