A shameless repeat of my plug on ACF. I've had about half a dozen entries to date, so it looks like I might well muster a good field for these rides.After several months of planning, my preparations for the Midlander Super Grimpeur 300km and 200km audax events are just about complete.
Even though I say so myself, the 300km is on a great route. You have a nice easy start from Sutton Coldfield in North Birmingham, along quiet A roads, before peeling off the A515 at Yoxall and heading out along country roads to Uttoxeter, with just few hills to warm you up. After that the route gets progressively hillier, until a screamingly fast descent into Ilam marks the start of the best of the scenery.
After a stop in the pretty village of Longnor, you face the long climb up to Cat & Fiddle, before whizzing past Lamaload Reservoir and tackling the steep climb past Jenkins Chapel up to the top of Goyt Valley. Then it's hills, hills, hills until the monster climb up Holme Moss and the speedy descent to Holmfirth. Then you have to come home!
The riders of the 200km take the same route to Longnor. They then head off up the big climb from Crowdecote, before heading through Monyash, Millers Dale and Tideswell. They continue north down the valley to Bradwell, meeting the riders of the 300km, who will have pressed on over Strines Moor, at the control in Bamford. Then they too get to head home!
The 200km ride is in fact 230km. I could have made it shorter, but decided that if the riders were going to cycle all the way from Birmingham to Tideswell, it'd be daft no to enjoy the speedy descent down the valley to Bradwell and the climb over Abney Moor to the East. It's such a beautiful circuit, and this way I get to feed them all cake at Bamford.
I've hired an excellent base, and have dedicated controls at Bamford and Ashbourne. There'll be breakfast at the start, drinks, cakes and sandwiches at Bamford, more cakes and buns at Ashbourne, and a hot meal at the end, all included in the price.
There's a whopping 5,000m of climbing on the 300km, and 3,300 on the 230km, and all for just £6 for the big ride and £5 for the not-so-big ride. Start from Sutton Coldfield, north Birmingham, just a few miles from the M6 or M6 toll. We've free use of an enormous car park on the day.
You can download the routes as GPS files at
http://www.danialwebb.com/midlander.html I look forward to seeing you on the day!
