Author Topic: Lake District Audaxes 2016 (Read 11126 times)

Revellinho · « **on:** 15 February, 2016, 11:40:31 am »

As posted on fb, a replacement crossing is planned for Easter 2016 at Pooley Bridge, so I am currently assuming that a diversion will not be needed on The Westmorland Spartans 300 in May. On The Cumbrian 200 (same day), I'm assuming that the bridge at Stair could still be closed, but that is a minor diversion up the 'wrong' side of the river for a few km and won't affect the running of the event. The sports pavilion is booked for 2 nights, from Friday 7:00pm till 10:00am Sunday. So, as all the businesses up here keep saying - 'The Lake District isn't shut!'.

While I am here, can I also point out that I am not running the 100km La'al Lakeland as a calendar event this year, but if anyone wants to do it as a perm on the same weekend as the 200/300, I will have cards available on the day and that ride is not affected by the recent trouble in Kendal.

Paul

Lee Killestein · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 February, 2016, 12:22:19 pm »

Looking forward to the Westmorland Spartans, my first attempt at 300km! Hopefully no diversion and if so, no extra distance!

trumpet · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 February, 2016, 08:13:42 pm »

Quote from: LeeKay on 15 February, 2016, 12:22:19 pm

Looking forward to the Westmorland Spartans, my first attempt at 300km! Hopefully no diversion and if so, no extra distance!

It's a lovely ride & not too difficult for a first 300km. Recommended.

smuttiesmith · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 February, 2016, 06:57:45 pm »

Looking forward to the Spartans. Riding up from Kendal Saturday morning and hopefully home as well to make it a round double century. Fingers crossed the weather is good

Socks · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 February, 2016, 07:10:33 pm »

Good luck with the events - I can't make it but any help for the local economy should be welcome. I was at Grasmere on Sunday for another event (Cumbrian Christmas Cracker - sorry to say a sportive rather than an audax). There was a lot of flood damage to repair but the scenery was still fabulous.

Deano · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 February, 2016, 08:26:59 pm »

Has anyone ridden the 300 on fixed? trumpet?

trumpet · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 February, 2016, 10:27:36 am »

Yes Deano. Nothing too troublesome.( even on my relatively portly Surly Troll running 67" gear ) It was rather windy in 2015, a headwind DOWN Kirkstone pass was kind on the legs - found the the descent of Hartside more tiring as it is a Long one. Lovely narrow road over the old golf course from Newcastleton towards Longtown(?) - spent mostly out of the saddle due to the wind ! - It's a nice spin back from Carlisle too, on quiet flat roads - I did walk the last top section going back over Kirkstone Pass in order to save my legs for the descent ( Well that's my excuse! ) - Sadly it clashes with a 100 mile mtb ride organised by a friend this year which I hope to ride instead- depending on my hernia situation..

mcshroom · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 February, 2016, 10:34:13 am »

I've gone for the 200. Thanks for organising a local audax on my birthday Paul

Si S · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 February, 2016, 10:57:32 am »

Quote from: mcshroom on 26 February, 2016, 10:34:13 am

I've gone for the 200.

Snap, although I do need to get reacquainted with gravity before then.

Quote from: Deano on 21 February, 2016, 08:26:59 pm

Has anyone ridden the 300 on fixed? trumpet?

If you're riding Deano can we arrange a letterdrop?

Thanks for the update Paul, I'll assume any small diversion in the Lakes involves more up

Deano · « **Reply #9 on:** 01 March, 2016, 09:42:29 pm »

Quote from: Si S on 26 February, 2016, 10:57:32 am

If you're riding Deano can we arrange a letterdrop?

Yes! Stamps is the problem - if you meant the routesheet, I'll just take it into work and drop it in the outgoing mail.

Deano · « **Reply #10 on:** 01 March, 2016, 09:45:01 pm »

Quote from: trumpet on 26 February, 2016, 10:27:36 am

Yes Deano. Nothing too troublesome.( even on my relatively portly Surly Troll running 67" gear ) It was rather windy in 2015, a headwind DOWN Kirkstone pass was kind on the legs - found the the descent of Hartside more tiring as it is a Long one. Lovely narrow road over the old golf course from Newcastleton towards Longtown(?) - spent mostly out of the saddle due to the wind ! - It's a nice spin back from Carlisle too, on quiet flat roads - I did walk the last top section going back over Kirkstone Pass in order to save my legs for the descent ( Well that's my excuse! ) - Sadly it clashes with a 100 mile mtb ride organised by a friend this year which I hope to ride instead- depending on my hernia situation..

Damn, I wouldn't be the first

No new terrain for me, though I haven't ridden round the Lakes on fixed. I'm sure I'll be fine, I'll have Yad Moss and Hartside on the Friday as a warm-up.

billplumtree · « **Reply #11 on:** 02 March, 2016, 01:00:36 pm »

Quote from: Deano on 01 March, 2016, 09:45:01 pm

Quote from: trumpet on 26 February, 2016, 10:27:36 am
Yes Deano. Nothing too troublesome.( even on my relatively portly Surly Troll running 67" gear ) It was rather windy in 2015, a headwind DOWN Kirkstone pass was kind on the legs - found the the descent of Hartside more tiring as it is a Long one. Lovely narrow road over the old golf course from Newcastleton towards Longtown(?) - spent mostly out of the saddle due to the wind ! - It's a nice spin back from Carlisle too, on quiet flat roads - I did walk the last top section going back over Kirkstone Pass in order to save my legs for the descent ( Well that's my excuse! ) - Sadly it clashes with a 100 mile mtb ride organised by a friend this year which I hope to ride instead- depending on my hernia situation..

Damn, I wouldn't be the first

You could be the first to ride the whole thing tho....

trumpet · « **Reply #12 on:** 02 March, 2016, 08:24:10 pm »

Quote from: billplumtree on 02 March, 2016, 01:00:36 pm

Quote from: Deano on 01 March, 2016, 09:45:01 pm
Quote from: trumpet on 26 February, 2016, 10:27:36 am
Yes Deano. Nothing too troublesome.( even on my relatively portly Surly Troll running 67" gear ) It was rather windy in 2015, a headwind DOWN Kirkstone pass was kind on the legs - found the the descent of Hartside more tiring as it is a Long one. Lovely narrow road over the old golf course from Newcastleton towards Longtown(?) - spent mostly out of the saddle due to the wind ! - It's a nice spin back from Carlisle too, on quiet flat roads - I did walk the last top section going back over Kirkstone Pass in order to save my legs for the descent ( Well that's my excuse! ) - Sadly it clashes with a 100 mile mtb ride organised by a friend this year which I hope to ride instead- depending on my hernia situation..

Damn, I wouldn't be the first

You could be the first to ride the whole thing tho....

My thoughts too ! ( Could you be so kind as to remove the'BOLD text you highlighted above? - I don't want everyone to notice I walked !

billplumtree · « **Reply #13 on:** 03 March, 2016, 12:47:06 pm »

Quote from: trumpet on 02 March, 2016, 08:24:10 pm

Quote from: billplumtree on 02 March, 2016, 01:00:36 pm
Quote from: Deano on 01 March, 2016, 09:45:01 pm
Quote from: trumpet on 26 February, 2016, 10:27:36 am
Yes Deano. Nothing too troublesome.( even on my relatively portly Surly Troll running 67" gear ) It was rather windy in 2015, a headwind DOWN Kirkstone pass was kind on the legs - found the the descent of Hartside more tiring as it is a Long one. Lovely narrow road over the old golf course from Newcastleton towards Longtown(?) - spent mostly out of the saddle due to the wind ! - It's a nice spin back from Carlisle too, on quiet flat roads - I did walk the last top section going back over Kirkstone Pass in order to save my legs for the descent ( Well that's my excuse! ) - Sadly it clashes with a 100 mile mtb ride organised by a friend this year which I hope to ride instead- depending on my hernia situation..

Damn, I wouldn't be the first

You could be the first to ride the whole thing tho....

My thoughts too ! ( Could you be so kind as to remove the'BOLD text you highlighted above? - I don't want everyone to notice I walked !

billplumtree · « **Reply #14 on:** 03 March, 2016, 12:50:58 pm »

Pour encourager les autres, you understand

trumpet · « **Reply #15 on:** 03 March, 2016, 08:08:49 pm »

Ah, red is ok.

Revellinho · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 March, 2016, 09:15:01 pm »

Went round the 200 today. Good news. I was worried that there would be unsafe sections of road due to debris/erosion, but all is in fine trim! The bridge at the bottom of Newlands is repaired and open, so no diversions. The hills are still there though. Kiln Bank, to get out of the Duddon Valley is still hard going! I hope to get round the 300, post-arrow, and am hoping to find that a bit easier on the legs, as the climb/distance is significantly less.

Revellinho · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 April, 2016, 04:27:34 pm »

Just to confirm as per fb, that I am intending to be outside The Lakes School tomorrow (Sat 16th April) for a 06:00 start, to ride round the 300 route if anyone wanted to join in. The forecast isn't brilliant, but it's good enough. I'll be wanting to check the road surfaces and be on the look out for any missing signage etc. The rides are getting close to 'break even' numbers with about 35 entrants so far, but I wouldn't have thought more than half of these would be sleeping in the hall, so room for plenty more if you were thinking about it.

Deano · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 April, 2016, 09:55:34 pm »

Have a good ride tomorrow, Rev.

I rode the route of the 200 on Tuesday (with the organiser's permission, and including a ferry crossing for the fun of it).

Probably couldn't have picked a worse day in the week, but it's a great route. I started at Buttermere, and I think I got the worst of the hills at the start. For anyone riding, I'd strongly recommend eating at Wasdale, as there's nothing on the route after that until Torver and Coniston.

If the weather in the last 110 km had hit me at the start, I'd have bailed out to the train at Ravenglass, but I decided i may as well carry on along the route, and once I'd gone over Kirkstone, it hardly seemed worth heading back along the 66 corridor, as I'd still have to hoik over Newlands to the finish.

Thankfully, the hills seemed to ease after Coniston. That's right, boys and girls, Hawkshead Hill, Kirkstone and Caldbeck are among the easier hills on this ride. The rain made up for it, partly it was your typical Cumbrian steady stuff which beats out a we-can-keep-this-up-all-day rhythm, and partly it was heavy, heavy rain. The roads were swimming and the clouds descended up and down the Kirkstone Pass. I even missed an enormous jagged pothole between Mungrisdale and Hesket Newmarket, and limped the last 50 km home, nursing my bodged tyre. It must've been the slowest-ever descent of Newlands back to the youth hostel.

Some photos of the fun you may have in store, all taken before the rain.

The gorgeous road alongside Crummock Water, Mellbreak in the background:

Wasdale - "Britain's favourite view":

Kiln Bank. Yes, it really does go all the way up there, up to those peaks at the top. It's probably a good job I couldn't find the relevant OS map, as thenI might have known what I was getting into. That hurt, as I'd been priming myself for Birker Fell and a couple of ups-and-downs over to Coniston. And all the spare gravel in Cumbria's been chucked at that section of road, so the descents to Broughton Mills and Torver felt scarcely faster than the climbs.

No more photos as it was far too wet after that, but I managed to get around in time (pending validation). It's an amazing route through some of the lesser-known bits of the Lakes, but don't kid yourself it's easy as it misses Wrynose, Honister, Hardknott etc.

https://www.strava.com/activities/546069980

Si S · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 April, 2016, 07:17:47 am »

Cheers for that Deano, can't decide if I'm looking forward to this or not, every time I get within 20 miles of Keswick the whole town disappears under several feet of water!

atk · « **Reply #20 on:** 16 April, 2016, 08:06:57 am »

Nice write up/photos. Sort of wish I'd gone for the 200 rather than 300 now! Hoping to drag myself round the 100 on the Sunday if legs are up for it before catching a train home.

Paul: I saw you mention perm cards for the 100 on the day, is it any easier to just get one online in advance? Enjoy the ride today!

trumpet · « **Reply #21 on:** 16 April, 2016, 09:58:44 pm »

Quote from: andytk on 16 April, 2016, 08:06:57 am

Nice write up/photos. Sort of wish I'd gone for the 200 rather than 300 now! Hoping to drag myself round the 100 on the Sunday if legs are up for it before catching a train home.

Paul: I saw you mention perm cards for the 100 on the day, is it any easier to just get one online in advance? Enjoy the ride today!

Having ridden both the 200 & 300, I found the 300 the easier ride.

Revellinho · « **Reply #22 on:** 17 April, 2016, 10:22:32 am »

Thanks for the photos and write up Deano - a day of mixed emotions no doubt! I went round the 300 yesterday and there is nothing major to report. I've noted a few improvements to the routesheet to improve clarity and to reflect one or two signage changes. There was also a ludicrous L/R error on the very last instruction which has slipped in somehow. I've slo noted some additional info about water and loos. I'll re-do the online one soon and send it out to entrants (email for paypallers, hard copy for mailers) around the closing date.

There were some rolling roadworks between Heydon Bridge and Bellingham with a 'road closed' and barriers, but pedestrian access was permitted. It was a very short dismount if they are still there on the event (which I doubt).

I chatted with the owner of 'The Bike Place' in Bellingham who is more than happy to stamp cards with his shop stamp.

The pot hole situation is pretty poor in some places, but as luck would have it, they seem to mostly on ascents where riders would be moving slowly. I did not notice any bad sections on the fast descents that will be done in darkness - Matterdale and Kirkstone.

Ride report: It was bloody cold, I got badly stung with hail and some heavy snow caused me to stop for a while in Kielder, as I could not see!

D O G · « **Reply #23 on:** 19 April, 2016, 02:55:40 pm »

Quote from: Revellinho on 15 April, 2016, 04:27:34 pm

The rides are getting close to 'break even' numbers with about 35 entrants so far, but I wouldn't have thought more than half of these would be sleeping in the hall, so room for plenty more if you were thinking about it.

Hi, I may be interested in this. Assume it is on the Friday for the Saturday rides? If so, how does it work? Assume I bring a sleeping bag, but do I bring my own mattress/airbed?

What is the form for getting in and out? What time is 'lights out'? Apologies for the dumb questions but I've not done this before!

Thanks

Revellinho · « **Reply #24 on:** 19 April, 2016, 03:50:34 pm »

I will be on site from 19:00 on Friday (please don't turn up before then!). I will provide hot drink making facilities, but no meal on Friday - there are plenty of places to get take-away or sit-down food in Windermere/Ambleside/Bowness whether by bike or car. The Spar (short walk) shuts at 22:00.

I expect people will want the dorm (gym) to be quiet after about 22:00, but there is a totally separate room (the pavilion) for chatting or having a brew and for breakfast and the post ride meal. I expect the final stragglers in at about 03:00 on Sunday and to be clearing out at around 10:00 on Sunday. There are the big gym mats to sleep on, but I highly recommend bring a foam mat to lay on top. There are showers in the pavilion.

One or two riders have contacted me regarding borrowing a sleeping bag or blankets. I can manage this for the small number who are riding some distance to the event, but can't offer that to all and sundry.

There is reasonably secure storage at HQ during the ride and I will be on site for much of the time, to allow access to anyone who has had to turn back (and to fire up the BBQ if the weather is fine!).

The full version of this information is in the zip file for the routesheet on the aukweb event page. There are a few updates to go in when I get half an hour at home to do so, but the general gist of it is correct. The most important update (for some) is that the local pub (The Sun Inn) is now Pedros - Food For Sharing.

We are up to about 40 riders now, but I think only about half of those would be turning up on Friday night. There are quite a lot of riders who are within an hour or so drive, who will probably prefer the comfort of their own bed.

Paul

Author Topic: Lake District Audaxes 2016 (Read 11126 times)

Lee Killestein