AberdeenWater of Life Run

"A Clan of T’s"

Lochaber to Lochnagar to Edradour to Newton Moor to Glenfarclas via Deeside and Speyside. No it’s not a trip to Tesco or Asda to buy some whisky, but an MG run to sample the product first hand.

Having read the advertisement for the 6 day Whisky Trail in one of the motoring magazines and having seen the cost, the Aberdeen section of OCC decided to go for a boy’s weekend away in the Highlands.

The team plan was to follow a similar trail as two years ago but to take in some different distilleries . Originally five cars would set off for a gentle run, the team comprising J2, TA and 3 TC’s. Unfortunately the J2 couldn’t make it so we went down to four cars.

The initial run took us through South Deeside to Lochnagar, close to Balmoral and famous for a certain Prince’s pictures. A brief stop, not to the visit the distillery and sample the royal malt, but to check our route planning, discuss oil leaks, and let the tourists who visit the area take photographs of "real cars" while we posed (I mean rested). Queen Victoria is reputed to have enjoyed the Lochnagar malt and to have laced her claret with it! Thereby probably ruining two of the world’s greatest drinks.

Next stop Braemar for a stress relief (cars and drivers) then on through the Spital of Glenshee (a well known ski-ing area). Travelling quickly to see who had the quickest MG drew the conclusion that John Inglis ex Kent TC Police Car beat Dave Norris’s TC with my TC and Mike’s TA equally matched. John having good fun blowing off a Diesel Discovery trying to overtake him uphill in the Spital of Glenshee.

The drivers were refuelled at Edradour distillery, the smallest maker of single malt whisky in Scotland being established in 1825 in the village of Balnauld. It is alleged to have been once owned by the Mafia. After examining the process, and sampling the product we noticed that again the cars had attracted their fair share of attention. Tourists (German, Australian and Austrian) all lining up for their photographs with the cars. The cars had been parked Le Mans style and we left the car park in a cloud of dust heading back onto the whisky trial. Given the dust cloud, I suspect that the tourists would go back for another wee dram!

 

The run took us onto the A9, a fast road, but one which pre 55 MG’s manage due to traffic volumes. Our next destination was Dalwhinnie, which lies in a glen with the Monadhlaith mountains to one side, and the Cairngorms and Grampians to the other. It’s name is Gaelic for meeting place. We arrived later than planned, unfortunately curtailing our visit to the distillery. We travelled on to Laggan, from which the Wade road takes you over the Cairngorms to Fort William. Not our route, as we head to Newtonmore and our overnight stop.

What about the cars? Well what would you expect? Running well, cruising at 60, and creating a stir in line-astern formation wherever they go. Particularly amusing was a stop at a petrol station where two small boys wanted to sit behind the wheel while Dad filled up the Eurobox towing a caravan. Small eyes misted up and they became racing drivers for a period of time (something for them to boast about later). Who said we grow up?

Local refreshment at the overnight stop mellowed into tales of halfshafts, widgets and whose round was it next.

Next morning saw some recalcitrant MGs as one TA and one TC played hard to start. The return journey took us to Kingussie, Grantown on Spey and Boat of Garten. A lone motor biker showed his approval as we headed down the road by performing a wheelie past all of us!! Mad or what? The pictures show this superb countryside with our clan of T’s stopped for lunch in Speyside.

       

The final stop was Glenfarclas, this distillery having a superb tasting room panelled with wood from a 1911 Ocean Liner. We left Glenfarclas, meaning "valley of the green grass", to head over the Lecht, scene of previous routing for the RAC Rally in the 20’s and 30’s, with a long hill climb and switchback before descending down to Kildrummy, Alford, and onward to Aberdeen. An overseas MGA driver looked astonished to see 4 MG’s heading towards him bouncing about the road.

Not a long run, about 300 miles in total but some of the best driving to be had in the UK with superb scenery, towns and villages that make pre ‘55 MG’s look at home. Did we enjoy it? Well what do you think? (Our view -a lot of fun which is what MG’s are all about no matter what type or style).

Steve Webber