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| Highland Hotel, Stirling home of the Easter Meet |
Steve and Jean Burton were surprised at the National Clarion awards dinner at the Highland Hotel in Stirling when they were presented with Calder Clarion life membership after almost 50 years of cycling between them.
The dinner was part of the Clarion Easter Meet, splendidly organised by West Lothian Clarion who received accolades from far and wide for producing one of the best Easter meets ever.
Those present included members from most Clarion sections who enjoyed a whisky tasting and tour of the hotel’s (a former school) observatory on Friday evening.
10 Calderites took the easy option, travelling up to Stirling by train or car, unlike some sections who had cyclists riding up, notably North Cheshire Clarion who had 5 cyclists ride up. This won them the award for biggest cumultive distance riding to the event. Some West Lothian riders rode out to accompany the quintet in the closing stages. See Video.
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| Johnny Clayton at the Sportive start in Cambusbarron |
Saturday included the National Clarion hill climb on closed roads up to the Wallace Monument, a grass track meeting for youngsters, a tour of Stirling Castle, a cycle tour in the Carron valley and a Ceilidh with buffet.
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| Beeline for the Bananas. Hamish Battye (no 103) at the Aberfoyle feed after Duke’s Pass |
On Sunday there was a 100k plus sportive “Gateway to the Highlands” through Rob Roy country. Calder’s Johnny Clayton, Tim Moss and Steve Burton joined the field which headed west through the Trossachs over the Duke’s Pass towards Aberfoyle and Loch Lomond.
The route passed the Castle featured in Monty Pythons “Holy Grail” and returned over moorland used for filming ‘The 39 Steps’. After the sportive there was time for a look round Stirling before the Dinner and awards ceremony.
Ride to Easter Meet Video
Hill Climb
Sportive
Grass Track
Photographs