Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meetings

Fourth Annual UK Travellers Meeting REPORT

Derbyshire, England, July 9-11, 2004

We had registered participants from 18 countries, as well as several British that are currently living overseas!

Photos from the 2004 meeting

Rally Location - Where was it?
Information about the area
Short History of HU Meetings

Local hosts, information

Commemorative poster! ;)

Report:

2004 speakers were:

• Sam Manicom, RTW. 8 years, Africa travels. (Friday)
• Tiffany Coates, RTW. (Friday)
• David Lomax, across the USA, off-road - Trans Am Trail 2003. (Friday)
• Harvey Gordon-Sawyers and Lisa Roberts, UK, currently living in Delhi, India, on travelling in India, the good and the bad. (Friday)
• Simon and Georgie McCarthy, from UK around Asia (Saturday)
• Cliff and Jenny Batley, UK to New Zealand on F650's, travels in Pakistan. (Saturday)
• Paul Pratt, RTW in the late 60s, part 2. (Saturday afternoon)

Some comments on the HUBB re the Meeting:

Steve Pickford

"Thanks for a great weekend, see you next year!" See his story on Advrider here

Stephano O

"Thanks to everyone for making it a really enjoyable meet and especially the guides who took us off-road. It was my bike’s introduction to mud and we only fell off twice.

"Hope to be back next year so please keep it in July."

100wattwarlock

"My first meeting, sadly only got there on Saturday afternoon, but I really enjoyed it, thanks to all the organizers."

Gibbo

"Thanks to all involved with the weekend, great organization, great location, great company!"

Tiffany Coates, UK, (rtw),

"...the HU meeting was beyond expectations - I felt like I was travelling again."

Click the "page" above for a readable version. Published with our thanks in Motorcycle Voyager Magazine (now sadly defunct), nicely written by Sam Manicom. :)

Route Planning, photo by Harvey n Lisa

"The guide told everyone to keep to the right to miss the big pot hole, I was closing the previous gate and out of ear shot at this time, so with a full audience took a comedy slap after hitting cave like hole! Photo courtesy of Simon McCarthy.

And yes, flustered idiot that I was, I was trying to pick it up with the bike in gear and running! Happy travels and see you next year, Gareth Gregg"

Information about the area

Ripley Information Centre, Ripley Town Hall, Market Place, Ripley DE5 3BT
Tel: 01773 841488 Fax: 01773 841487

"Denby Pottery Visitor Centre, Derby Road, Denby DE5 8NX, on B6179, south of the town, has a museum, guided factory tours and a shop of the famous Denby Pottery Open: factory tours, Mon-Thu 10:30 & 13:00, Fri 10:30; Craft room 10:00-15:30 daily. Factory shop Mon-Sat 9:00-17:00.

Midland Railway Centre, Butterley Station, DE5 3QZ , a very big collection of steam & diesel locomotives, with coaches & goods wagons as well as miniature and model train layouts. Shop, etc, Tel: 01773 570140

Wingfield Manor, South Wingfield, A610 then A6 before right to Crich and South Wingfield, ruined 15th-century mansion and tower used in the film "Jayne Eyre" and TV series "Peak Practice" , Mary Queen of Scots was once imprisoned here, Tel: 01773 832060 Open: Wed-Sun Apr-Nov"

Derbyshire UK has links to everything you want to know about the area itself.

Derbyshire Curiosities - Derbyshire curiosities looks at some of the natural and man made oddities to be found in Derbyshire and the Peak District. Check out the plague cottages at Eyam and other oddities.

Derbyshire Photo Gallery for some pictures of the area.

Derbyshire Customs will acquaint you with some of the odder local practices, including Well Dressing, evidently a BIG activity in the area during the summer. Unfortunately, our event will be too late for you to participate in Royal Shrovetide Football in Ashbourne on Shrove Tuesday, which sounds like great fun! "The goal posts are 3 miles apart. It has little to do with normal football, for the game has few rules. Murder and manslaughter are barred as is the transportation of the ball by vehicle. Play after midnight is also forbidden."

Local Hosts

Glynn Roberts, Chris Bright and Andy Miller were co-organizers of this event. Thanks guys, you did an amazing job!

See you at a meeting this year!

Grant and Susan