 Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
on: October 31, 2011, 12:52:19 PM
|
SteveW
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Posts: 34
|
 |
« on: October 31, 2011, 12:52:19 PM » |
|
I’ve set-up a little 184mile (300km) self-supported event in the Scottish Highlands for the weekend of the 5th May 2012. It covers some pretty tough terrain with a bit of hiking, plenty of fords to cross, and dramatic mountain scenery. The Cairngorms Loop uses different trails to travel twice around the central Cairngorm Mountains, taking in some of the best wilderness mountain bike trails in Scotland. http://www.cairngormsloop.net/The Cairngorms National Park is Britain's largest National Park, and contains Britain's highest and most massive mountain range. Five of Scotland's six highest mountains are within the Park. It has a unique range of landscapes from huge granite oucrops to Ice Age sculpted glacial valleys. The land above 600 metres is the largest area of arctic mountain landscape in the British Isles. Check it out and drop me a mail if you’re interested. Numbers are limited to avoid unwanted attention. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Steve Wilkinson
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #1 on: November 07, 2011, 07:41:19 PM
|
krefs
Location: Prescott, AZ
Posts: 492
|
|
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2011, 07:41:19 PM » |
|
Steve, AWESOME! Have you considered a bigger loop using the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way? This past summer, Matthew and I were dreaming of something like that with the Cairngorms included. Perhaps that'll be an endeavor for 2013...
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #2 on: November 08, 2011, 01:03:54 PM
|
SteveW
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Posts: 34
|
|
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2011, 01:03:54 PM » |
|
Hey Kurt, I've got a busy enough calendar getting over to the US races, to be planning races over here as well- I have an Alaska addiction, and am about to book a flight to do the AZT 300. 'Can I fit the CTR in too???' In truth, I'd love to see a 400-500 distance in Scotland. It's a seed in my mind, but I've a lot of reservations about sticking my neck out to organise something of that distance as a group start in the UK. It would attract too many entrants, and over that kind of distance, it would be difficult to avoid crossing more populated areas, and I would worry about someone official noticing. People really like to complain over here, especially pedestrians against cyclists. It'd be hard to avoid conflict with a bunch of racers tearing up the Great Glen Towpath on a sunny weekend. It would need a lot of thought and planning... but maybe someone else I know will step up. We will see... Aidan Harding is putting together an England-Wales-England something next summer. http://www.aidanharding.com/ewe/ |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: November 08, 2011, 01:08:04 PM by SteveW »
|
Logged
|
Steve Wilkinson
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #3 on: November 09, 2011, 01:34:17 AM
|
pedalhead
Location: Oxfordshire, UK
Posts: 18
|
|
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2011, 01:34:17 AM » |
|
Great stuff, I was planning on a Cairngorms trip next spring before I fly out for the TD. I was thinking the coast to coast (followed by the Lakes C2C), but this looks like a great ride. Aidan's thoughts for the E-W-E route are very interesting, particularly after I outed his plans on twitter & kind of made it official, oops! :-) . Perhaps the ultimate route for the future could include Scotland as well, though frankly that is going to be a punishing ride already.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #4 on: November 09, 2011, 04:49:09 AM
|
AlanG
Posts: 53
|
|
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2011, 04:49:09 AM » |
|
I'm really looking forward to this event, well done to Steve for setting it up. If it's me he has in mind for taking this to the next level then I'd be up for that if all goes well with TCL.
I've been doing week long mtb tours in Scotland over the last seven years and should be able to put together a 400 mile route that would make for a superb CTR style ride.
I was already thinking of suggesting the Chemins du Soleil mountain bike route in the French Alps from Geneva to Nice as a potential group start TT for September 2013 but I'll wait and see how things pan out in the next year or so.
Alan
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #5 on: November 29, 2011, 12:56:20 PM
|
the_river
Location: Plymouth/Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 6
|
|
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2011, 12:56:20 PM » |
|
It's great that people are setting up these kind of events here, well done Steve! Unfortunately I'm not able to do the Cairngorms, but the EWE could definitely be a possibility, bike condition, fitness and funds permitting....
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #6 on: January 06, 2012, 01:48:44 AM
|
OurManInTheNorth
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 101
|
|
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2012, 01:48:44 AM » |
|
Alan - your Chemins du Soleil plan sounds v interesting. Let me know if you have any more plans/details. Great that there are more of these events popping up in Europe and the UK, so you don't have to go all the way to the USA for something like this (though have is a different thing to want!).
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #7 on: January 23, 2012, 01:21:49 PM
|
AlanG
Posts: 53
|
|
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2012, 01:21:49 PM » |
|
The Chemins du Soleil is a long distance mountain bike route put together using existing trails. When complete it will run through the French Alps from Thonon on the southern shore of Lake Geneva to Nice on the Mediterranean coast. At present the section from Grenoble to Nice is fully mapped and waymarked with the northern extension due to be ready by summer 2013. Last Easter I rode the 650km from Nice to Grenoble and thought it would make an ideal route for a bikepacking event. There is plenty of singletrack, some of which is very technical and quite a few long stretches through remote country with few services. In total it should be close to 1000km. It's easily accessible for international travellers with Geneva airport close to the start in the north and Nice at the southern terminus.
I'm thinking of a group start sometime in September 2013. By then it should be fully mapped and waymarked with GPS tracks and guidebooks available. The weather at that time of year should be ideal.
For this year I have put together a 700km loop in the Highlands of Scotland, planning on a group start sometime in September after I've test ridden the route this spring. Details to follow soon.
Alan
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #8 on: January 23, 2012, 03:19:27 PM
|
Pawel
Location: Gdansk, Poland
Posts: 62
|
|
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2012, 03:19:27 PM » |
|
I am very excited about these new events in Europe and UK which you are planning. I will be participating in 2013 for sure. 2012 is reserved for USA  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #9 on: February 05, 2012, 11:21:03 AM
|
OurManInTheNorth
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 101
|
|
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2012, 11:21:03 AM » |
|
Sounds good Alan - I had a quick look on the website for the Chemins route and concluded it wasn't completely finished :-) I'm hoping to make it back to the UK this summer for Aidan's EWE (England-Wales-England) event which at the moment is looking like about 1000 miles, mad!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #10 on: May 05, 2012, 05:44:26 AM
|
Shaggy
Location: Bristol, UK
Posts: 17
|
|
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2012, 05:44:26 AM » |
|
I saw the riders off this morning. 20 of them. Nice and sunny at the moment but the forecast says snow and temperatures hovering around freezing. It's going to be a tough one.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #11 on: May 05, 2012, 08:39:19 AM
|
OurManInTheNorth
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 101
|
|
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2012, 08:39:19 AM » |
|
Is anyone spotting or similar Shaggy? Beautiful spring sunshine here in Helsinki today, just back from the MTB clubs summer season opening ride, 50km of twisty, v. rocky, rooty and slightly damp singletrack :-) Saw you weren't riding the loop, hope you recover soon.
(IanC)
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #12 on: May 05, 2012, 11:29:05 AM
|
|
|
Topic Name: A little one for the UK - Cairngorms Loop
|
Reply #13 on: May 06, 2012, 01:37:09 AM
|
Shaggy
Location: Bristol, UK
Posts: 17
|
|
« Reply #13 on: May 06, 2012, 01:37:09 AM » |
|
Sorry Ian- been away from phone reception.
Aidan is done "Finished the Cairngorms Loop in 22.5 hours. I think I probably won but not sure. Time for sleep!". Good going!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
