The Simmer Dim Rally is held over the Midsummer weekend in the Shetlands, the northernmost rally in the UK – their motto is ‘Light all Night’, A trip here has been on our list for many a year, so before the ‘bucket gets kicked’, we made the 550 mile trip to Aberdeen, ready for the fourteen-hour ferry to Lerwick, the main town in the Shetland.

Five Howlers made this an extended holiday and were joined for the rally weekend by other Hocsters – four from East Midlands, two from Cambs & Lincs and Amanda and Dave who are doing sterling work building a Scottish Branch (maybe even Stirling work?)

Empty single-track roads (mind the loose gravel in the middle) led us on to fantastic remote and rugged scenery. Puffins, sea otters and seals provided some great photo opportunities. We ate well – scallops, tattie scones, muckle custard creams, and gravlax – the local pies were to die for – although we passed on the deep-fried Mars Bars available in the chippie. We recognised many of the locations used in the Police (Poh-liss) series Shetland where many a ’murrhder’ has been solved.

But above all, Shetland is entirely populated by friendly, welcoming people. None more so than Bob McGeady, the HOC’s lone member who settled there many years ago to adopt a Crofter’s lifestyle. Bob welcomed us back to his Croft and showed us his impressive collection of bikes.

This was a traditional style rally with ten bands, many free meals and more free drinks tokens than I could use. There were of course old-style rally games. The local police were warmly welcomed, with a non-alcoholic drink before joining in with the music. And the Jarl Squad dropped in – a troop of scary-looking but friendly Vikings in full battle dress.

Although this venture required a bit of effort to get there, so do the most rewarding things in life. Some of you may remember we did have a National Rally in Jersey once… so maybe…