ALL IS NOT LOST IF ON AN AFRICA TWIN
Geoff and pals on Northumberland tour
It was the biggest challenge of my motorcycling life: whether to turn left or right when I got off the boat at Cairnryan. I mean, Chile to Alaska was much easier – all I had to do was keep the sea on the left.
But this time my destination was Cheswick in Northumberland, where my mate and fellow bike journalist Jeremy Taylor had organised a grand country house for a couple of nights with me and fellow biker John Limb, of D3events.
Thank heavens for the deckhand who unstrapped the tiedowns on the Africa Twin. “Just turn right, and after a bit you’ll see a sign for Dumfries,” he said cheerily. I did, and got as far as Dumfries, then managed to get lost. Just as the rain started.
I will spare you the tedious details of what followed. Suffice to say that several hours later, it was a slightly weary man who rolled into the gravel courtyard of East House in Cheswick to meet the chaps.
Still, the house was worth it – the sort of country retreat you imagine buying if you won the lottery. After top nosh at the nearby Barn and Beal, next morning we set off for a fascinating tour of Bamburgh Castle, which dates back to Norman times and was bought and restored by 19th-century industrialist and philanthropist Lord Armstrong.
Our guide was the splendidly bright and breezy Claire, partner of the current owner Frank, who was adopted by the previous Lord Armstrong and his Italian wife.
Lunch, recommended by Claire, was smoked kippers in a bun from a nearby beach hut, followed by a cone from the world’s smallest ice-cream van, and dinner was in the deservedly recommended Potted Lobster in Bamburgh.
As for the Africa Twin, it performed impeccably, with the only minor complaint that weirdly snatchy fuelling on a closed throttle and the fact that the seat, narrow for easy standing up off-road, is also quite firm, meaning that comfort breaks were required every hour-and-a-half or so. Which is when I need comfort breaks anyway, so all good.
■ Geoff sailed from Belfast to Cairnryan with Stena Line, stenaline.co.uk. Fares for motorbike and rider start at £47 single, or day trip returns from £50. He stayed at East House in Cheswick, crabtreeandcrabtree.com/properties/east-house, which sleeps up to 11. Seven nights are from £1,280 in low season to £2,950 in high season, or three nights from £896 in low season to £1,505 in mid season – no short breaks in high season. Africa Twin prices start at £13,049; the Adventure Sports model Geoff was on costs
£16,049
PERFORMER Africa Twin
Mazda is celebrating its centenary by launching a whole range of 100th anniversary special editions.
Almost every car in the Mazda range gets the treatment, including the excellent CX-30 crossover and Mazda3 hatchback. My own choice would be the MX-5 100th