Author Topic: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington  (Read 3434 times)

Yet another of those events carried over from last year. I'm now running it as a pretty basic affair to start at my local McDonald's and finish back at my flat, or on the lawn if the weather permits, where there'll be loads of food, but there won't be a manned overnight control and you'll have to sort yourselves out with a hotel in Carlisle, or bag some quality floorspace at Gretna or Southwaite Services.

Route is here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29256836

It's loosely based on Joe Applegarth's classic Lanchester 400. Joe likes his hills. The rest of the route, you can blame on me. I'd say it's a good flavour of the northern hills without being OTT, but then I probably would say something like that.

Entries here: https://audax.uk/event-details?eventId=8899

Some photos still hanging around in my old ride reports from the Lanchester: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=35874.0 and https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=47228.0

( I should include the photo of BenT akip at the services, sorry Ben: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=60861.msg1347801#msg1347801)

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #1 on: 21 April, 2021, 07:42:51 am »
Looks fantastic. I've entered  :thumbsup:


Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

Bernster

  • ACME (Herts Branch)
Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #2 on: 21 April, 2021, 09:03:59 am »
Likewise - looking forward to it (with trepidation)  :thumbsup:

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #3 on: 21 April, 2021, 10:36:39 am »
That does look good. Good to see Thirlmere side road has opened again.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #4 on: 23 April, 2021, 10:35:54 pm »
Ah excellent, victims ;D

That does look good. Good to see Thirlmere side road has opened again.

It was last year when I rode it, but I don't think it's ever been completely closed to cyclists.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #5 on: 24 April, 2021, 12:31:28 am »
Actually, it was in 2019.  We usually have our holiday in Grasmere and that year I took my lightweight up the old road.  It was seriously blocked off by the top car-park, so I just enjoyed doing loops.  It was so still and atmospheric that I'm almost sorry it's open again.  The newness will make it too attractive for a while, I worry, though it's obviously still going to be a lovely section for route-planners.  Your 600 looks terriffic.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #6 on: 24 April, 2021, 01:25:49 pm »
Ah excellent, victims ;D

That does look good. Good to see Thirlmere side road has opened again.

It was last year when I rode it, but I don't think it's ever been completely closed to cyclists.

Again in 2019 or thereabouts (on an Autumn bike tour) it was closed. A bridge out at north end and no way round.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #7 on: 24 April, 2021, 08:04:48 pm »
Thirlmere is fully open to bikes but the dam remains closed to cars. Still a super pleasant ride although the east side is much much quicker albeit many times busier.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #8 on: 24 April, 2021, 10:13:50 pm »
Thanks, smuttie, thought I was imagining it there.

I think there's been a longstanding campaign to re-dedicate the road as a quietway for peds and cyclist. It's a bit longer but worth it (though a few riders on this will probably be there in the early hours anyway).

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #9 on: 24 April, 2021, 11:35:38 pm »
It's a shame about repeated roads - I'd be happy to do a 200 just up and down that 4 mile stretch, in the moonlight.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #10 on: 26 April, 2021, 05:21:27 pm »
I'm in, it'll be my first 600. I'm excited!

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #11 on: 02 May, 2021, 06:55:04 pm »
Route looks awesome.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #12 on: 16 June, 2021, 10:15:30 pm »
And it's still going ahead on the 17th July. I'm keeping it to a small field but have a few spaces left if anyone does fancy a dose of northern hills.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #13 on: 16 June, 2021, 10:51:34 pm »
PS the Thirlmere road is open - the dam is closed to everything except cyclists and walkers.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #14 on: 19 July, 2021, 10:34:27 pm »
Everyone accounted for, I had 18 starters on Saturday, three packed fairly early on, and the other 15 finished in reasonable comfort, with the usual complaints about hills, weather, mechanicals etc. I loved the route myself, I think this is a keeper.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #15 on: 21 July, 2021, 01:27:02 am »
Dean, have you seen Katie Taylor's video of the ride?  Her Strava says 28 hours?  She's pretty nifty but I wonder if Strava does just ride time, rather than total?  If it's total, then that is really impressive, with 3+ hours in a hotel!

It looks absolutely fabulous - you've done it again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17kZwcUhVtM

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #16 on: 21 July, 2021, 01:34:53 am »
Butler :)

That's just time spent moving, Pete, you have to dig into the Strava to find the overall time.

First rider got back at five or so, and it wasn't Katie, though she was fairly comfortable herself.

I haven't watched the full vid yet, though I'm pleased she got George's water bottle (he leaned the bike to pour it out).

Cheers Pete, it is a great route (much of it nicked from Joe Applegarth's legendary Lanchester 400, of course). I even managed to fill Bob at the finish!

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #17 on: 21 July, 2021, 01:42:43 am »
Yeah, sorry, I know it's Butler, really.  She lives over here in Middleton and I've watched quite a lot of her videos, which often feature roads I know.  She does the films well and I think she may be the Katie who has a first in film-making - from Sunderland.

I've never got round to doing the Cam Road from or to Bainbridge but it always jumps straight out at me from the map!  Maybe one day.....  Did you know they blow the horn there, like in Thirsk?

Oh, and Red Bank... in the middle of a 600.....  but it doesn't take long to walk it and it's definitely the way to get out of Grasmere.  I hope the azaleas were in bloom but I guess it's a bit late for the rhododendrons!

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #18 on: 21 July, 2021, 07:12:35 am »
Due to family circs I was a DNS but did the route last Tuesday starting at 0600 from home, Lanchester. Pushed through the lakes during the night. Walking up red Bank towing the trike was weird with a giant shadow from my front light.  Passed by three cars between Threkeld and Tebay.  I  felt for all of you suffering in the heat last weekend. I don't know how Katie found time or energy to document the ride. Very impressed with anyone taking that on as a first 600.
Can someone explain Georges water bottle please? I CBA to watch the video again.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #19 on: 21 July, 2021, 01:33:42 pm »
What a stunningly brutal ride that was. Loved it but suffered from the heat, obviously.

Happy with a time of 39h 11m given the circumstances. My first 600 (& SR), so just happy to get round.

Cheers for organising Deano and for the beer and food at the end!

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #20 on: 21 July, 2021, 08:22:44 pm »
Well done, Mark.

Aidan, George strapped a two-litre bottle under his bars for extra water, and tipped the bike to access it. He was widely (and rightly) ridiculed for it, but it worked.

Re: Peewhits and Curlews 600 - Saturday 17th July 2021 from Darlington
« Reply #21 on: 23 July, 2021, 07:52:14 pm »
If  it  works  why  not?