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Alans 3500 Mile Trip - Update 5
More from Alan Lowe’s 3500 mile Sponsored Motor Bike Ride around the UK…..Day 7 - Rest Day
Time for a well earned rest at the half way point, Windermere is beautiful…
…and so are my digs for the next 2 nights, my Parents and girl friend, Sandi, get here at 10am, its good to see familiar faces again, they’ve also brought fresh clothes, different boots (more water proof I hope) for the rest of the trip.
Earlier in the morning I looked up the only bike shop in the area, rang them to make sure they had some all in 1 waterproofs and water proof gloves in my size which the reply was ‘sure we’ve got all you need here, so 10 minutes after my parents get here we head of out towards Kendal to the shop for better water proofs, however when we get there and ask for the gear, the man wanders of to the back and comes returns saying actually we don’t have those size’s after all!! I have to bite my lip and keep calm, #**$”XX+##**?!! Is going through my head as we leave and with the next nearest shop 30 miles away with leave it.
We then go to Bowness for a few hours and I manage to pick up some really good water proofs in a hiking shop for £50 now I’m set for the next 5 days, we chill out for the rest of the afternoon and go out to the ‘Lighthouse Restaurant’ in Windermere, the meal is fantastic, my fillet steak is cooked to perfection and is beautifully tender, we take our fill and call it a night.
Back to the ride tomorrow, Windermere to Aberystwyth Vie the Isle of Anglesey, till tomorrow, Alan
Keep up to date with Alan’s future updates HERE and you can still sponsor his ride if you wish by going HERE.
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Weds 30th July to Sat 2nd August - Newton Solney Beer Festival
UNICORN ANNOUNCES 3RD ANNUAL BEER FESTIVAL
The Unicorn at Newton Solney is preparing to host its Third Annual Beer Festival.
And due to the phenomenal success of the last two festivals, this year’s event has been extended to a fourth night.
As always, landlord Paul Needham (founder of the famous Wherehouse venue in Derby) has lined up some top names in live music.
There will be more than 50 beers on offer, ranging from the best of the microbreweries to some of the biggest names in real ale. Admission is free.
New for 2008 is a fund-raising casino, offering fun betting in aid of The Unicorn Cricket Club, and there’ll be a hog roast in addition to the extensive menu designed by The Unicorn’s chef, Geoff.
It all takes place within the beautiful South Derbyshire surroundings of Newton Solney, multiple winner of the Best Kept Village Award.
Paul says: “The beer festival has gone from strength to strength since we first held it in 2006, and I think this year’s line-up of beers and entertainment is the best yet.
”There’s always a fantastic, friendly atmosphere – this is what a real beer festival is all about.”
Because of its success, this year’s festival will start a day earlier than usual, on Wednesday July 30. It continues until Saturday August 2, with a Sunday-lunchtime drinking-up session, subject to beers remaining.
Beers on sale include:
From the Burton Bridge Brewery: Golden Delicious, Bridge Bitter & Stairway to Heaven.
Others include: Top Totty, Dark Ruby Mild, Buzz, Spike’s on t’way, Peacocks Glory and Rams Revenge
Live entertainment includes:
The Missiles - The Missiles are a brand new rockin’ drinkin’ party band who take their influences seriously. Their album was recorded in one day in December 2007 and was all live takes, with no studio sheen or gloss, just good music played well.
James Maddock – Since recording a debut album for Columbia Records, James has moved from Leicester to New York. He counts Bruce Springsteen , Mike Scott, Paul Weller and Emmylou Harris amongst his fans. His songs featured in the TV series Dawson’s Creek and the movie Serendipity.
Kingston Town (UB40 Tribute) – performing the hits of the Birmingham reggae band who, from 1978-2008, placed more than 50 singles on the UK charts, and achieved considerable international success. Featuring former members of Ska-Boom.
Paul Miro – renowned Derby musician playing the best of his solo and band material including his most recent solo album Earthly Powers.
Travelling Riverside Blues Band – a welcome return for these veteran blues-rock traditionalists, who play on the Saturday night.
Woolley and Archer – performing as a duo for over 10 years now, Alan Woolley (The Rattlers) and Leavon Archer play an acoustic mix of blues, rock, folk and country.
The Elvis Gresleys – Andy Parker and Jason Davies mix up a heady brew of acoustic anthems ranging from Johnny Cash to Depeche Mode.
Fat Digester – highly-rated Nottingham-based funk and hip-hop collective turn in an acoustic set.
The Burton Concert Band - Burton upon Trent has a long history of Brass Bands, which still continues. Ex-service musicians also make up a very significant part of the membership. Apart from regular concerts, the band has been very successful competing in national competitions.
MORE INFORMATION:
For information about the beer festival, interviews and broadcast/photo opportunities contact Paul Needham or Suzanne Perry.
Tel: 01283 703324
Email: info@unicorn-inn.co.uk
Band Performance Times for Newton Solney Beer Festival
WED 30TH; BURTON CONCERT BAND
8.PM (2 SETS)
THURS 31ST; WOOLLEY ARCHER 7.30-
8.30
FATDIGESTER UNPLUGGED
8.45- 9.45
WOOLLEY ARCHER 10-11
FRI 1ST ELVIS GRESLEYS 7.30- 8.45
TRAVELLING RIVERSIDES
9 TILL 11 (2 SETS)
SAT 2ND PAUL MIRO 6-7 PM
KINGSTON TOWN 7-8.15
8.30- 9.20 JAMES MADDOCK
9.35-CLOSE THE MISSILES
THE BEERS; UNICORN BEER FEST 08
Robinsons ; unicorn
Anglo dutch ; spikes on t’way 4.2
Belvoir ; peacocks glory 4.3
Brewsters ; daffy’s elixir 4.2
Clark’s ; Ram’s revenge 4.2
Dent ; aviator 4.0
E&S Elland ; fireball 4.2
Grainstore ; pride of scotgate 4.3
Kelham isle ; pale rider 5.2
Ossett ; fine fettle 4.8
Poachers ; poachers trail 4.2
Phoenix ; thirsty moon 5.0
Roosters ; rooster 4.7
Springhead ; charles angels 4.5
Woodfordes ; nelson’s revenge 4.5
York ; guzzler 3.6
Burton bridge ; golden delicious 4.0
Burton bridge ; bridge bitter 4.2
Burton bridge ; stairway to heaven 5.0
Joules stone ; buzz 3.8
Castle rock ; harvest pale 3.8
Ufford ales ; white hart 3.8
Crouch vale ; brewers gold 4.0
Slaters ; top totty 4.0
York brewery; decade 4.1
Abbeydale ; moonshine 4.3
Castle rock ; preservation ale 4.4
Rugby brewing ; sidestep 4.5
Nottingham ; bullion 4.7
Old cottage ; halcyon daze 5.3
Sarah Hughes ;dark ruby mild 6.0
Saltaire ;Bavarian gold 4.2
Hydes ;bells and whistles 4.1
Wooden hand ; Cornish mutiny 4.8
Elgood’s ;Cambridge 3.8
Everards ;equinox 4.2
Hancocks ;HB 3.6
Butcombe ; gold 4.4
Wadworth ; farmers glory 4.7
Lancaster ;Lancaster blonde 4.1
Highgate ; cloud 9 4.0
Jennings ; cocker hoop 4.6
Brysons ; john mcguinness 4.2
Beartown ; Kodiak gold 4.0
Moorhouse ; pendles witches brew 5.1
Springhead ; roaring meg 5.5
Brains ; S.A gold 4.7
Copper dragon ; scotts 1816 4.1
Tom wood’s ; bomber county 4.8
St Austell ; tribute 4.2
Refresh ; wychcraft
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Sat 2nd August - Salsa in the Streets in Ashby
Salsa in the Streets
A display of salsa dancing featuring a ten strong dance troupe fromSalsaspeople.com, as part of Ashby Arts Festival. After the show there will be an opportunity to join in a free taster session.
at Brook Street,
Ashby de la Zouch,
Leicestershire, LE65 1HA
Telephone: 070750655769
Saturday 2nd August 2008 from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Admission Free
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Alans 3500 Mile Trip - Update 4
More from Alan Lowe’s 3500 mile Sponsored Motor Bike Ride around the UK…..
Day 5
Breakfast was for 8:30 this morning and was fantastic, I strongly recommend trying Scottish square sausage if you ever get the chance very tasty, I talked to a couple who had done Ben Nevis the day before and also got very wet!! They said the are doing Scarfel later this week around the same time I’m in the lake district, perhaps we may meet again?
Mike has been an absolute hero and got all my clothing dry and has given me black bags to put them in to keep them dry. The weather looks good as I head out for the Mull of Kintyre at 9:45, I take a long route thru Glen Coe and I’m not disappointed as the view are great, I come back to the coast via the A85 and get on the A816, the road is a dream twists and turns all the way to Kintyre.
The sun shines as I get on to Kintyre and the views on the coast road are wonderful, I travel right to the end and go down a very tight single track all the way to the Mull of Kintyre, I have a chat there with a man from New Zealand who says its like home from home in Scotland, except wetter.
I head for my B and B in Inveraray about 90 miles away and the weather close’s in and it starts to rain again, time to see if my new wet weather measures work! It doesn’t take long to get there and the welcome is warm, I get drying my bike gear and all my stuff is dry woohoo. Happy days.
Tomorrow I head for Windermere and a days rest.
Day 6
Up nice and early not that I want to get out of my warm and for the first time on the trip, Double bed, especially as its throwing it down outside and cold again, breakfast was good and the owner was very friendly, I get kitted up and this time I put my feet in some plastic bags in hopes of fending off the water. I set off at 9 and its raining so hard I dread the day ahead 300 miles of this is not fun in the least.
The weather stays pretty bad until Greenock just outside Glasgow and the going has been pretty slow all morning but the sky looks like its clearing as I head towards Dumfries, the road opens out a bit more and there be sun in the sky and I’m very happy indeed.
I shed a few layers and press on with high spirits towards Carlisle and England, drop into Gretna Green for a look around but there not much there. 2 minutes later I’m back in England. Carlisle is lovely and I head towards the lake district the sun warm on my back.
The roads in the lake district are fab, tight and twisty with great views…
….its not long before I’m at Windermere and the ‘Haisthorpe B & B’ and my day off the ride tomorrow and Sandi and my Parents coming over for a visit and to re-supply me with fresh clothes.
Mileage done so far is 1756 miles
petrol cost so far: £185.93
B&B cost so far £212
Till tomorrow night, Alan
Keep up to date with Alan’s future updates HERE and you can still sponsor his ride if you wish by going HERE.
This item is sponsored by:
Work Starts on New Burton upon Trent Play Park
Work started this week on the long–awaited development at Unity Park on Princess Street, Burton upon Trent.
East Staffordshire Borough Council is working with a number of partners to completely refurbish the run-down play area in the Shobnall ward.
The park will be extensively refurbished and will include a multi sports court, cricket practice area, basketball practice area, toddler play area and seating area.
Councillor Philip Atkins, Deputy Leader for Health and Leisure, said: “We have been looking for ways to improve this site for some time, and the combined efforts of Shobnall Parish Council and the Heart of Burton working with local residents means that it can finally become a reality.
“Together with East Staffs Borough Council they have secured substantial funding to make the changes, and attracted the support of agencies including Staffs Youth Service and the Police.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing the regeneration of the council owned open space, and hope that local people will really enjoy using their new vibrant park.”
The redevelopment of the site is being funded by contributions from Shobnall Parish Council, Heart of Burton, Consolidated Charities, East Staffordshire Borough Council and the Big Lottery Children’s Play among others.
The development of the park is being overseen by the ‘Friends of Unity Park’ made up of local residents.
If you would like to join the group please contact Corinne O’Hare at East Staffordshire Borough Council on 01283 508724.
This item is sponsored by:
The Burton on Trent Blog from InBurton.co.uk.
