Mull of Kintyre 600km. Friday 1st July - Inverkeithing 9pm.

[Bairn Again]

Hi folks. 

As my family holiday arrangements have changed slightly, Im now hoping to put on a basic 600km event in early July.         

The event will start at Inverkeithing Railway Station on Friday 1st July at 9pm.  I plan to ride the event so I’ll dish out brevet cards at the start and they can be posted back to me after the finish.  Controls will be commercial or information only.  There is no way I’ll be able to ride the event in advance so the routesheet may be less detailed than normal. 

The proposed controls are –

Inverkeithing -> Crieff -> Claonaig -> Campbeltown -> Oban -> Comrie  -> Inverkeithing

I may have to tweak these a wee bit to pass muster on distance, TBC. 
 
Some may ride through but a sleep stop could be made after in Oban in Taynuilt, Dalmally, Tyndrum and perhaps as far as Crianlarich (~485km) which has a YH.

There’s a frequent train service to Inverkeithing from Edinburgh and direct services on the East Coast line from further afield. 

The event has been submitted for publication in the calendar and I hope should appear officially soon.  If I’ve missed a deadline for a calendar event, I’ll run it as a Group perm.  At the risk of stating the obvious, it will not be a PBP qualifier.   

Warnings –

1.  This is a ride which takes in the West of Scotland midgie badlands.  Plan accordingly with insect repellent.  I’d also recommend a head net which can be the proverbial life saver in the event of having to stop for a repair.  I’m serious.  It can be used again on Roberto’s “Rivers Lochs and Glens 200k” a few weeks later. 

2.  Looking at the map, the road on the east side of the Mull of Kintyre has lots and lots of those arrow things 

G.     

[mmmmartin]

the routesheet may be less detailed than normal. 

This is a ride which takes in the West of Scotland midgie badlands.  Plan accordingly with insect repellent.  I’d also recommend a head net which can be the proverbial life saver 

the road on the east side of the Mull of Kintyre has lots and lots of those arrow things

600k of that? Now I understand why the Audax Ecosse people are as hard as nails.

[otherdave]

Sounds good 

Another recommended place for a power nap during the night time is a bench outside the Cruachan Power Station & Visitor Centre. ECK and myself did this a few years ago.

[Cyclops]

I'm cycling up to Ardnamurchan on holiday on 2nd July so there's every chance I should pass a few of you and chuck stanes shout words of encouragement

[mmmmartin]

recommended place for a power nap during the night time is a bench outside the Cruachan Power Station & Visitor Centre

South of the Thames we have a pronounced tendency to use things with mattresses and showers.

[vistaed]

umm...sounds interesting and I'm not doing anything that weekend..umm

[mattc]

recommended place for a power nap during the night time is a bench outside the Cruachan Power Station & Visitor Centre

South of the Thames we have a pronounced tendency to use things with mattresses and showers.

yeah but you can't always depend on flytipping, can you?

This sounds ace. The scots keep threatening to put on another accesible 600, so maybe this will be the one! [a night start 600 isn't normally ideal, but it has some travel benefits, and it _is_ PBP year!]

Any idea of the climbing figure? I dont mind _some_ chevrons, but I need some expectation of actually getting round in 40 (42?) hours!

EDIT: Crieff to Claonaig is a bit vague - will that go Crianlaraich then down the A819, A83?
And where is "Comrie"? Surely not the one just west of the start/finish?
Route appears more like 650k, so I'm a little confused at the mo 

[Bairn Again]

recommended place for a power nap during the night time is a bench outside the Cruachan Power Station & Visitor Centre

South of the Thames we have a pronounced tendency to use things with mattresses and showers.

yeah but you can't always depend on flytipping, can you?

This sounds ace. The scots keep threatening to put on another accesible 600, so maybe this will be the one! [a night start 600 isn't normally ideal, but it has some travel benefits, and it _is_ PBP year!]

Any idea of the climbing figure? I dont mind _some_ chevrons, but I need some expectation of actually getting round in 40 (42?) hours!

EDIT: Crieff to Claonaig is a bit vague - will that go Crianlaraich then down the A819, A83?
And where is "Comrie"? Surely not the one just west of the start/finish?
Route appears more like 650k, so I'm a little confused at the mo 

I'll do something on bikely tonight, unless somebody gets there first.

[bodach]

I have had the route from Linlithgow OK'd by Eck at 600.9k ISTR. If you are really keen I may try a second attempt the last w/e in Feb if the weather is dry. Not worried about the cold now I have the heated gloves and baffies. My route is Linlithgow Aberfeldy Crianlarich Lochgilphead Campbeltown Lochgilphead Crianlarich Lix Toll Linlithgow.

[mattc]

EDIT: Crieff to Claonaig is a bit vague - will that go Crianlaraich then down the A819, A83?
And where is "Comrie"? Surely not the one just west of the start/finish?
Route appears more like 650k, so I'm a little confused at the mo 

Ah, OK - Comrie just west of Crieff gives 605km. Makes more sense.

[Deano]

Wow, that's tempting.  Ridiculously easy to get to from Darlington, and of course I'd save myself the price of a stamp if I entered together with Mull It Over.

If the Claonaig-Campbeltown bit is the B-road down Kintyre, then I remember a few steep banks.  I think the rest of the route will be long-and-steady climbing.

[eck]

Y L G : Yet another west coast event! GIRUY  
I suppose I'd better sign up for this, just to make sure you all behave yourselves coming back through Comrie. 

Another recommended place for a power nap during the night time is a bench outside the Cruachan Power Station & Visitor Centre. ECK and myself did this a few years ago.

ETA: but I'm not offering anyone else a cuddle at the Cruachan Power Station Visitor centre. 

[Billy Weir]

Hmmmm.  This ticks a lot of boxes for me.  I'm rather interested but will decide a wee bit later.

Is the 9pm start for a particular reason?  Avoiding holiday traffic on the A road through Glencoe?

[Bairn Again]

Hmmmm.  This ticks a lot of boxes for me.  I'm rather interested but will decide a wee bit later.

Is the 9pm start for a particular reason?  Avoiding holiday traffic on the A road through Glencoe?

well it doesnt go through Glencoe, so not that (though traffic between lochearnhead and crianlarich should be quiet at least one way).

The main reason for the 9pm start is that I dont own a car and getting to Inverkeithing at 9pm (and back again Sunday lunchtime) is far easier for me than getting there for 6am (or back home very late Sunday night).  Its only about 25k from my house and I could ride it I know.....

[otherdave]

Another recommended place for a power nap during the night time is a bench outside the Cruachan Power Station & Visitor Centre. ECK and myself did this a few years ago.

Also recommended -
the waiting room at the Crianlarich Station, and waken up to a breakfast at the cafe at 7.30am

[Pingu]

Another recommended place for a power nap during the night time is a bench outside the Cruachan Power Station & Visitor Centre. ECK and myself did this a few years ago.

Also recommended -
the waiting room at the Crianlarich Station, and waken up to a breakfast at the cafe at 7.30am

Does eck give cuddles there?

[otherdave]

Another recommended place for a power nap during the night time is a bench outside the Cruachan Power Station & Visitor Centre. ECK and myself did this a few years ago.

Also recommended -
the waiting room at the Crianlarich Station, and waken up to a breakfast at the cafe at 7.30am

Does eck give cuddles there?

Oh! No, No, No, ...No .... As the Scottish highland glens are that cold in the night, even in the summer, we carry spare jerseys, that saves the emarrassment of having offers to cuddle up or borrow fellow riders jerseys

[L CC]

Oh! No, No, No, ...No .... As the Scottish highland glens are that cold in the night, even in the summer, we carry spare jerseys, that saves the emarrassment of having offers to cuddle up or borrow fellow riders jerseys

Well that settles it. I was sorely tempted but if there's no snuggling in bus shelters I'm not playing...

[otherdave]

I'll do something on bikely tonight, unless somebody gets there first.

Who got there first?

[Pingu]

I'll do something on bikely tonight, unless somebody gets there first.

Who got there first?

Is this close: Bicycle Path - Kintyre 600 at Bikely.com ?

[teethgrinder]

Hmmm?
Very tempting, but it's a week after the Brighton Mitre 24 hour so I might struggle with a night time start.
I have some holiday to use from work.
I do like Scotland though and this ride goes to some new places for me, so it's definitely one I'll think about. A bragain train ticket would definitely tip the scales in it's favour.

[Bairn Again]

I'll do something on bikely tonight, unless somebody gets there first.

Who got there first?

Is this close: Bicycle Path - Kintyre 600 at Bikely.com ?

Yes thats pretty much it.  Its debatable whether Crieff is required on the way out (+/- 600k depending on which mapping software is being used) and whether we use A85 or lanes south of the A85 between Crieff and Lochearnhead but by and large -   

Thanks

[mattc]

Super. Bikely may give about 3000m climbing, but loading the GPX into bikehike gives 7464.

[bikely gives 1300 for Bicycle Path - Poor Student 200 Audax (Perm) at Bikely.com - although that's not a hilly ride, it's got more than 1300m ]

Hopefully someone will have a better idea of how bikehike/bikely usually compare in this terrain. I guess this is a tricky route to measure due to the gradual climbing in the north vs the crinkly bit down the East of Kintyre. [i wonder what time the Campbeltown control will close? I'd guess in the afternoon, so we'd tackle the nasty bits at a nice time of day. ]

Anyway, if 7400m is the upper  limit, then it's not too fearsome a route. Maybe ...
Also, if it IS over 7000, you can have AAA points, which should attract a few more riders! AAA Points and Events

[Andy Corless]

[
  If I’ve missed a deadline for a calendar event, I’ll run it as a Group perm.  



You haven't missed the deadline! According to the AUK event planner, the deadline for submission of events organised between 02 June and 01 Sep is 03 April.

Andy Corless

[Pingu]

Super. Bikely may give about 3000m climbing, but loading the GPX into bikehike gives 7464.

All the online route plannining sites are crap for estimating climbing. It has been discussed why on this forum before.