The home of automatic scootering

Phil's last challenge

At that time, rheumatoid arthritis had set in and was changing Phil’s thoughts of physical challenge (actually, the mountain bike ride through Glen Tilt was done on a mobility vehicle). Then, a few years ago, Phil lost Margaret (his wife of over 30 years). He moved to a flat in Inchmarlo, resigning himself to the lonely life of an ageing, disabled, widower. Then, 18 months ago, due to new medical treatment, his crippling ailment became more bearable and adventure once again craved an airing in his life.

As a teenager in the 1950s, Phil and elder brother John were mad keen on motor bikes and read all the magazines they could lay hands on, thus fuelling the interest of the young adventurers. But mother and father thought differently and there were never motorbikes at the family household in Aberdeen. In 1960 when Phil came back from RAF National Service, his money was spent on a car and that was the end of the motorbike hankering – or was it?

Last summer with the improvement in his health, Phil ventured into Shirlaw’s Showroom, Aberdeen and came away the owner of a KYMCO Agility 50cc scooter (he needed a ‘step through’ because with artificial hips and knees he couldn’t ‘cock a leg’ over a motorcycle). He loved taking short recreational rides around Banchory, over the Shooting Greens, Cairn o’ Mount and even into Aberdeen. He quickly formed the opinion that he could manage something more – like riding from John o’ Groats to Land's End!

After careful planning, he started his adventure on 4 May, setting off to stay the first night with friends on the Black Isle. Leaving at 7.30am the next day, he rode from Muir of Ord to John o’ Groats and started the journey proper by returning to his friends’ home on the Black Isle that night (a 210 mile round trip) – remember this was a 50cc scooter.

Day two saw Phil leaving Muir of Ord and making his way via Perth and Edinburgh to his cousin Sheila Chapman and husband Bill’s farm near Peebles. Phil’s planning had broken the journey down to roughly 200 miles per day stints.

On day three, he went from Peebles to son Graham’s home, south of Chester, travelling 234 miles in 12 hours with five 15 minute stops en route. This was the most arduous leg of the journey, passing through Preston, Chorley, Wigan and Warrington (all built-up areas). Bear in mind that 50cc mopeds aren’t allowed on Motorways, so the route was all A and B roads.

After spending the weekend at son Graham’s house, he continued his journey on Monday morning, leaving en route for Taunton, Somerset where a B&B had been pre-booked. This stint saw him taking an hour-and-a-half to navigate through Bristol having already travelled through Shrewsbury, Hereford and Gloucester.

Day five took him from Taunton to Penzance, where again he’d pre-booked accommodation, 12 miles from Land's End and his ultimate goal. “A much-commercialised place” said Phil, “I only stayed long enough to take a picture and get a postcard.” He’d travelled 867.8miles from John o’ Groats at an average speed of 26mph.

The route home was pretty much the same in reverse (staying the weekend with son Graham and daughter-in-law Adele, then onto Peebles). On the final leg, he headed for Aberdeen, meeting bikers on top of Cairn o’ Mount, who were the first to show any indication that this was some feat on a small bike – and at his age. Although this surprised Phil, but he was even more surprised when greeted at Inchmarlo by a welcoming party of friends, including daughter Gillian.

After the trip, Phil said the highlight of his adventure was stopping twice a day to fill petrol tank, paying with change out of his pocket each time (never more than £5 a tank full) and getting 100mpg. His total mileage was 1767 miles, costing him £105 for fuel.

Is this his last challenge? Watch this space...