WE wir traivellin back an forrit oan the A702 lest Friday, takkin pairt in a whistle-blowing talk/event fir Luath Press at the Embra Festival. Oan the road aboot Biggar we taen tent o a wheen o Volkswagen camper vans an caurs passin us. Then oan the wey back hame we saw a big sign outside Biggar Showgrund; Volksfling MK2 2017.

As ye’se ken, ah’m a bit o an auld caur nut sae we made plans (waither permittin!) tae tak a hurl tae Biggar oan the Sunday. Fir aince this simmer, the waither goads wis kind, sae we set aff frae New Cumnock, ettlin tae drive up the Mennock Pass an see the bonnie purple heather in full flourish! This we did, alsae witnessin enroute the Mennock gowd rush – gowd panners an prospectors aa alang the coorse o the Mennock Watter!

Biggar wis reached an we peyed oor £7 each tae get intae Volksfling. The Showgrund field wis hoachin fou wi VW campers, vans, caravans an tents o aa shapes an sizes! As the Volksfling fowk descrieve it – “A cornucopia of Volkswagen Delights!” An sae it wis! Volksfling (thair twa o these events at Biggar per year; ane in May, ane in August) is a rael friendly, fun, family affair. Thair stuff fir aa the family; live music an baunds playin (they hud a drum warkshoap gaun oan when we lichtit an the weans wir giein it laldy!) Daffy Dill, the magician, face-pentin, craft stalls an warkshoaps, traders, demonstrations (cooking in a camper!) an, o coorse, loats o braw Volkswagen caurs an vans.

As we stegged roond the field it seemt tae us that Volksfling is mair a lifestyle thing, raither as a serious classic or concourse motor show. Thair wis a richt sense o fun an enjoyment aboot the oangauns. They e’en hud a caur race in the field! Naw, no boy-racers revving their heids aff, but haundmade cardbuird caurs (some o thaim richt clevir!) “worn” bi their “drivers” as they ran alang a route merkt oot oan the field. An absolute hoot!

The nummer of ackwal caurs an vans oan show in the ring wis anely aboot 40 or sae. The serious petrol heids gaithert roond these, an muckle hipster beards wir straikt as they peered intil glentin engine bays! Caurs are aye-an-oan a richt personal taste thing, sae fir masel thair wis a richt bonnie rid (wi white ruif) 1960s Karmann Ghia – a byordnar vehicle wi mair curves as a Coca-Cola boattle an Marilyn Monroe pit thegaither! Fir middle-aged boy racers thair wis an Audi Quattro (DI Gene Hunt eat yer hairt oot!) in a kindae pearlescent white, wi its VAG nummer plate, and a rid Golf GTI that hud mair chrome oan it than a Wurlitzer jukeboax! Ye cuid hae ate yer denner aff the engine! It gliskt an shone lik a kitten’s ee!

Then thair wir “rat rods” an battert luikin “surf dude” chariots, wi stickers, logos, an eemages that ah cannae repeat or exheebit in a daicent faimily paper lik The National! Fowk luiked wi a lang ee at vehicles that wir fir sale, mind ye’d need a fair penny tae coff ony “classic” VW these days! A richt tidy black (white ruif) classic 60s type design 2004 VW Danbury T2C wis up fir grabs – 23,000 miles oan the clock; a snip at £5 shy o £25K!!! Ower steep fir ma toom purse, an maist ither five-eichters like enow! Thair wis a “tired” auld Chevy flat-bed 1950s pick-up truck (wi thon oily-rag faded/rust luik aboot it); anither snip at £26K!!! Gin yer Royal Bank shares are still in need o the defibrillator tae get thaim aff the grund then investin in a classic caur seems a canny wey tae hain yer bawbees these days!

A ubiquitous modren-day “Herbie” luikalike (2012, wi low miles) wore its #53 wi pride, its owners seekin aamaist £8K or thereabouts – thair naethin lik Vee-Dubs fir haudin their value! Thair wis ae bonnie an affuirdable shiny bleck Golf TDI (2007 plate) fir sale at £3300. Ah hud ane o thae caurs back in the day – an it wis a wunnerfu motor. But the fleet needs parin doun – no addit til – as oor Mag reminds me! Ochone!!

We daundert roond the various stalls an auto-jumble; aathing frae mole grups til hair grups! Likesay thair wir plenty o things there tae amuse the weans an kittle up their creative norries an notions; kites an balloons an craft tents.

Bi nou oor Mag’s interest wis wanin; she can anely tak sae much o auld caurs (or push-bikes!) Ah cannae unnerstaun weemin!? An a coffee an a scone wir beckonin at Moffat! Weel, it wis Sunday an we wir oot fir a jaunt! Why no!? Sae we didnae bide fir the Concours d’Elegance judgin. Ah wunner wha won “best air-cooled caur”; “best watter-cooled caur”; “best original”, an whit ane o these mammie-keekie, cherished metal obsessions taen the prized tassie fir “Spirit of Volksfling”? Ah’ll mibbes gang back neist year an fuin oot!