The Arrowgroup

Day One: Saturday 10th June

Another trip dawned, and after the New Forest madness of last year it was to the west coast of Scotland we were headed to the coastal town of Portpatrick.

It was quite a way up there so a stop of at Tebay services was in order to refresh ourselves before making our arrival at the Port House in Colonel Street in Portpatrick. It was then a walk round the town and harbour looking at things, climbing on rocks and that and generally exploring the place.

The first evening was spent having a meal at the Crown pub and after some evening drinks there and also the Mount Stewart Hotel. Chris and Mic had enough energy after to watch the live band at the Crown after the main evening had concluded.

Day Two: Sunday 11th June

After a breakfast the day began with a trip to Gatehouse of Fleet, notable for its appearance in the film 'The Wicker Man'. This included a visit to a mill there which was all very nice. Something a bit more energetic seemed in order later as we took to canoes at the Galloway Sailing Centre in Castle Douglas. Some capsizing were observed with mouthfuls of loch water taken.

Afterwards a relaxing game of Pitch and Putt took place, in contrast to the earlier activity. Back then to the Crown once more for an evening meal and the rest of the night at the Harbour House Hotel.

Day Three: Monday 12th June

Another day another activity to do. Today it was decided to visit Northern Ireland because..well..why not? The ferry was duly caught from Stranraer at 10.00am and we took the vehicle across. Landing at Belfast, from there it was up the M2 to the Antrim coast. Dinner was had a Darcy's in Portrush before we visited the Giant's Causeway. Chris started to feel a bit queasy and ill at this time which wasn't good, and this continued in the evening.

The rest of us seemed Ok and we visited the Carrick-a-Rede bridge. In short order we drove back to Belfast to get the ferry back. The group were most amused to see, on the side of a plumber's van, an extremely long email address which, one supposes, could never be remembered and would have taken an age to type out.

We got back to Portpatrick by the evening and the day ended with drinks at the Carrick bar.

Day Four: Tuesday 13th June

The next day it was out to see 'some stones in a circle' according to Chris. These stones were of historical importance going back thousands of years. Apparently. That only took a few minutes to observe then it was a visit to Blanch Distillery. If you are into Whisky, if that's 'your bag' then that's the place for you. Some members of the group weren't perhaps quite so keen.

It was on the the Isle of Whithorn for dinner at the Steam Packet Inn, who were tainted with our presence, then afterwards went to see some wooden stumps which all that was left of the Wicker Man referred to earlier in this piece.

A drive out to the Lighthouse at the end of the Galloway peninsula, including the foghorn. By chance the group met Johnny Vegas whilst he was filming 'A Place in the Sun'. He told us to go away. The author might have made that bit up, actually..

Back home via Port Logan, and after some more putting we ended up on the last night once more with a meal and drinks in the Harbour House Hotel and Mount Stewart Hotel.

Day Five: Wednesday 14th June

The final day and trip home. The group packed up and surveyed the damage; not too bad, only a video belonging to the owners of the rented house taped over and a scratched work surface. A last walk round the harbour and an anchor to visit, then left Portpatrick, calling in at morecambe en route back home to look at the Eric Morecambe statue and a photo opportunity.

Stopping off at Woodhall Services near Sheffield to do some interviews to camera then it was home, another trip done and dusted. next year would see us again in the north, in Northumberland for our next outing.