Author Topic: Island randonnées  (Read 5562 times)

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Island randonnées
« on: 13 October, 2019, 08:42:47 pm »
As mentioned in the RRTY thread I had an idea, how feasible would it be to ride a different route on islands as part of an RRTY and ideally capture an SR in the process.
I had a click around and came up with the following routes almost all only doable with mandatory route...

EDIT: For the purpose of this :
The Islands for consideration are of the group of islands commonly called the "British Isles" but excludes the 2 largest ones named Great Britain and Ireland.


200s:

Arran
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330097

Harder Alternative:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330118

The Uists
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330117

Isle of Man (Manx Cat has given me some feedback on it but I've still to tweak it)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330100

Mull
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330115

Islay (Port Ellen start but could tweak for Port Askaig)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330124

Orkney
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330122

300s
Shetland Mainland - There is something odd going on with the elevation data there
(You can add Yell and Unst to get to 400 but I've not checked ferry times)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330131

Skye
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330119

Harris and Lewis - Former Calendar Event "Golden Road and Standing Stones"
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330101

Islay and Jura - I've not been past Craighouse... probably best to start at Feolin Ferry after getting the ferry into Port Askaig.
User submissions to GSV indicates a tarred road with grass crown far enough up to get the 300
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330109


400
Shetland - Ferry dependency for Yell and Unst
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330102

600
Western Isles end to end and back (Serious ferry dependency here)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330099


I also then went to work out which of the islands you could get a Populaire on (I've not bothered with Anglsey or the IoW which might...)

Bute 85km - Includes some spurious distance riding the Serpentine and a few other legs
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330108

Raasay - 52km
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330130

Coll - 50km - Includes some off road between km 22 and 24 and what must be the remotest Dual-Carriageway at the 33 and 43km marks
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330110

Tiree - 54km
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330126

Barra and Vatersay - 54km
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330128

Jura - 100km
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330125

And an almost impossible to do hillclimb
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31330113

So anyone wanting to take on the challenge of an RRTY and/or SR on Islands off the Coast of GB excluding Ireland (catchier title required)?

Re: Island Randonee's
« Reply #1 on: 13 October, 2019, 08:55:23 pm »
That 400 km around Shetland is seriously tempting - something very wonky with the 50,000m climbing figure though.

I feel a 200 km around Portsea (Portsmouth and Southsea) without repeating may be possible, if you fancy a real challenge.

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Island Randonee's
« Reply #2 on: 13 October, 2019, 09:05:38 pm »
The NASA SRTM elevation data only goes to 60° north. So no coverage for most of Shetland, probably causing those weird climbing numbers.

Also Arran. A circuit of the island is about 90km. Or could make a figure of 8 going through the string road, about 120km.

Could extend the Islay route with an out and back along Jura. The ferry is quite frequent.

Re: Island Randonee's
« Reply #3 on: 13 October, 2019, 09:06:52 pm »

I also then went to work out which of the islands you could get a Populaire on (I've not bothered with Anglsey or the IoW which might...)


Anglesey would definitely work. There's a sportive that does a 106-mile route, for instance.

telstarbox

  • Loving the lanes
Re: Island Randonee's
« Reply #4 on: 13 October, 2019, 10:02:26 pm »
Ditto the Isle of Wight Randonnee (held every spring) is around 100km.
2019 🏅 R1000 and B1000

Re: Island Randonee's
« Reply #5 on: 13 October, 2019, 10:07:34 pm »

Could extend the Islay route with an out and back along Jura. The ferry is quite frequent.

Ah, I rode that a few years ago: https://www.strava.com/activities/620291549

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island Randonee's
« Reply #6 on: 14 October, 2019, 09:31:11 am »
The NASA SRTM elevation data only goes to 60° north. So no coverage for most of Shetland, probably causing those weird climbing numbers.

Also Arran. A circuit of the island is about 90km. Or could make a figure of 8 going through the string road, about 120km.

Could extend the Islay route with an out and back along Jura. The ferry is quite frequent.

I have an Arran route somewhere must have missed it... or I've lost it. doh.

Updated list.

Could extend the Islay route with an out and back along Jura. The ferry is quite frequent.

Yeah I tried that, it didn't come out at a very intersting number, IIRC. Though it might if you're willing to take to the unsealed roads at the north of Jura... route added

Edit: Have been able to follow a track in Aerial photos out to Kinuachdrachd; the last wee bit might be grass track, up towards the Corrievreckan looks like it's a grassy yomp.
So the E. A. Blair fans are sorted but the Poe's will have to walk.

Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #7 on: 14 October, 2019, 12:46:57 pm »
Great idea- thank you!   Will definitely try some of these.

But Arran without the Ross?  West to East is a gentler way.  Will look to see if there is a better route that can include it

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #8 on: 14 October, 2019, 01:00:02 pm »
Great idea- thank you!   Will definitely try some of these.

But Arran without the Ross?  West to East is a gentler way.  Will look to see if there is a better route that can include it

I created that one a while back, making it flow is the hardest part.
Edit: Also ideally get Lagg bang on lunch time too...

This might do it:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31304485

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #10 on: 14 October, 2019, 01:13:54 pm »

Harris and Lewis
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30818348


As devised by IanDG otp: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5249584

I'd seen that before, but a while ago may have been sub-concious or it's the only sensibly structured 300 on that island
I had originally tried the whole of the golden road but it was too long... (See the 600 for that)

Appropriate Credit given?

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #11 on: 14 October, 2019, 02:19:58 pm »
As mentioned in the RRTY thread I had an idea, how feasible would it be to ride a different route on islands as part of an RRTY and ideally capture an SR in the process.
I had a click around and came up with the following routes almost all only doable with mandatory route...

EDIT: For the purpose of this :
The Islands for consideration are of the group of islands commonly called the "British Isles" but excludes the 2 largest ones named Great Britain and Ireland.

...
This is a nice idea  :thumbsup:

If you setup them up as "proper" perms, remember to create a badge for them as well - the whole world will want to ride then!
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #12 on: 15 October, 2019, 12:52:54 pm »
The first Arran 200 falls foul of the "riding the same road in the same direction more than once" rule.

Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #13 on: 15 October, 2019, 01:35:02 pm »
The first Arran 200 falls foul of the "riding the same road in the same direction more than once" rule.

Believe it or not, no such rule exists. YACF folk-law.


cygnet

  • I'm part of the association
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #14 on: 15 October, 2019, 02:01:50 pm »
I also then went to work out which of the islands you could get a Populaire on (I've not bothered with Anglsey or the IoW which might...)

I reckon you could get a 100 on Sheppey  ;D
I Said, I've Got A Big Stick

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #15 on: 15 October, 2019, 05:54:03 pm »
The first Arran 200 falls foul of the "riding the same road in the same direction more than once" rule.

Believe it or not, no such rule exists. YACF folk-law.

I think it's an over-interpretation of Regulation 9.8.2 (b).

https://www.audax.uk/media/1806/auk_regulations_050418.pdf

"A route may visit a control more than once, but routes consisting of repeated passes over the
same circuit will not normally be approved."

It's possible the wording of that regulation was different in the past, and the wording may have previously been more along the lines of the accepted lore, but has now been simplified / clarified to make the intention of the regulation more plain.



quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #16 on: 15 October, 2019, 06:06:42 pm »

This got me thinking about if this would be possible on a Dutch island.

Texel is the biggest of the Waden Islands, best I can come up with is a 100km:

https://www.strava.com/routes/22238153

I'm wondering if it would be possible to do it as a 200 by basically doing it in one direction, then doing it in the reverse...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #17 on: 15 October, 2019, 06:28:52 pm »
Need a fatbike for some beach and machair riding. Could do the length of the Uists.
Or the route of the Tiree ultra, about 55km. http://www.tireefitness.co.uk/ultramarathon-course/

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #18 on: 15 October, 2019, 06:30:47 pm »
Or the route of the Tiree ultra, about 55km. http://www.tireefitness.co.uk/ultramarathon-course/

<Fingers in ears>
LaLaLaLa.......

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #19 on: 15 October, 2019, 11:06:51 pm »
The first Arran 200 falls foul of the "riding the same road in the same direction more than once" rule.

Believe it or not, no such rule exists. YACF folk-law.

I think it's an over-interpretation of Regulation 9.8.2 (b).

https://www.audax.uk/media/1806/auk_regulations_050418.pdf

"A route may visit a control more than once, but routes consisting of repeated passes over the
same circuit will not normally be approved."

It's possible the wording of that regulation was different in the past, and the wording may have previously been more along the lines of the accepted lore, but has now been simplified / clarified to make the intention of the regulation more plain.

When I rode the Mull one I had a mini panic about the middle road and went the long way round to avoid double passing. when I mentioned it to the DIY orgaqnizer I got an e-mail back which included "You are allowed to ride the same road twice in the same direction, it’s continuous loops, ie. multiple laps, that’s banned.".


If you setup them up as "proper" perms, remember to create a badge for them as well - the whole world will want to ride then!

As IanDG pointed out when I wondered aloud about the lack of a perm on the Western Isles chain for his end to end, theres no where on Vatersay to control.
Some of these may be possible to define with real controls however in reality unless Perms are changed so that validation by GPS is available without it also having to be validatable by paper proof of passage... basically perms in much of Scotland are fucked,
What's more a significant portion of Teuchterland ATMs don't print the location on receipts either as Notemachine run the machines stationed in Scotmid Co-Ops.

However a badge is not a bad idea and one I've already been ponderiung
Provided I could get some form of computer based proof of what a DIY was and tie it up with the DIY on a riders result list it's doable.


This got me thinking about if this would be possible on a Dutch island.

Texel is the biggest of the Waden Islands, best I can come up with is a 100km:

https://www.strava.com/routes/22238153

I'm wondering if it would be possible to do it as a 200 by basically doing it in one direction, then doing it in the reverse...

J

You may notice on interrogating some of the routes above that I have essentially done a loop in one direction then used a bit more of the road network to reverse it.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #20 on: 15 October, 2019, 11:16:38 pm »
There will soon be a legal definition of Island in Scotland at least for the purposes of the "Islands (Scotland) Act 2018"

Code: [Select]
1Meaning of “island” and of “inhabited island”
(1)In this Act, “island” means a naturally formed area of land which is—
(a)surrounded on all sides by the sea (ignoring artificial structures such as bridges), and
(b)above water at high tide.
(2)In this Act, “inhabited island” means an island permanently inhabited by at least one individual.

So Kintyrites can "shut up" about Magnus' scam that tricked Malcolm into letting him have the island for the Kingdom of the Isles.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #21 on: 15 October, 2019, 11:22:53 pm »
Have we had the IoW?

Only 100km but possibly AAA?
It is simpler than it looks.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #22 on: 15 October, 2019, 11:34:21 pm »
I suppose the ultimate island cycle would be the Mullach Mór Hill Climb on Hirta.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31313687

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #23 on: 15 October, 2019, 11:37:18 pm »
Have we had the IoW?

Only 100km but possibly AAA?

I had a look but not knowing the roads didn't really come up with anything.
Have a crack!

telstarbox

  • Loving the lanes
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #24 on: 16 October, 2019, 08:18:27 am »
From the Grimpeurs du Sud website:

Quote
The "Isle of Wight Randonnée" is not an AUK ride but has been measured as having the required amount of climbing and distance and is therefore included [for the GdS] as a discretionary qualifying ride only for the first time the Brevet is claimed by a rider, as it often encourages riders to participate in hilly AUK events which is the main purpose of the award.
2019 🏅 R1000 and B1000