To the Eastham Ferry hotel for a quiet drink in the gathering dusk last night. It was warm enough to sit outdoors and it was possible that the we might even hear an owl hoot in the woods as the moon rose.

Fat chance!

Furiously over revved motorbikes from next door made conversation difficult, and in the gaps in this activity, the loudspeakers relaying mindless pop music everywhere, inside and outside, thoughtfully placed to make any antisocial activities such as enjoying a quiet evening impossible.

A pity, as the location is good, the hotel has been extensively and well redecorated and the staff appear friendly and helpful.

We were interested to observe a group of bikers who had evidently left their pub, on their machines, but paused outside the Eastham Hotel for a chat, all with engines running and very audible thanks to the use of silences chosen for their ineffectiveness. Occasionally one or other of them would ree their engines into a deafening scream for no apparent reason.

Eventually they left, to be replaced by another group, and so did we.

I followed the advice of the notices one sees everywhere along roads to 'Think Bike!' but will not relate what these thoughts were.