Anyone else doing this. Any tips from anyone that has done the route before – the whole route is new to me.

This will be my first sportive. Was feeling pretty ready, but getting a cold at the beginning of the week wasn’t ideal. Seem to be over it now though and should be fine for Sunday.

Weather is looking pretty good – dry and cool.

Just me then?

I know one thing for sure – I wish I hadn’t just looked at some of the climbs on Google Maps!

Doing the Jenn Ride this weekend but I did the Etape three(?) years ago.

Fleet Moss from the south isn’t bad, you can get breathers between the steep bits, the descent is very fast but watch out for sheep wandering across the road.

Small drinks station on the left as you head out of Hawes.

Buttertubs is OK from the south, the hardest bit is near the bottom and from then on it’s easy angled. Watch out on the descent there was a cyclist killed there last year (not on the Etape).

Lots of rolling stuff along Swaledale, there was a landslip on the road just after Gunnerside a few weeks ago but it should have been sorted now.

The climb up from Low Row is steep (25%) but it’s been resurfaced so not as bad as it was. Watch out for the ford – it comes just after a sharp downhill bend.

If there’s a westerly the climb up to Tan Hill is hard work, it’s not steep but it’s long and pretty exposed.

Full food stop in the barn at Tan hill.

Fast descent to Keld – some very tight bends at the bottom so when you go through the farm slow down!

The road over to Nateby doesn’t get mentioned much but it goes on and on and on. The road surface isn’t good either unless it’s had a massive resurfacing job. The descent to Nateby is brilliant – a wide open road where you can see round all the bends 🙂

More rolling stuff but gradually uphill to get to The Moorcock Inn and the next food stop.

The Coal Road: probably the hardest climb. It comes at 70miles and is steep! As you go under the railway after the Moorcock you’ll see a ribbon of tarmac to your left with lots of cyclists not moving very quickly 😆 , don’t worry your turn will come. The descent from the top in to Dentdale is straight and fast but again has some very sharp bends at the bottom. A rider in front of me crashed on the second bend when I did it. Sometimes this road gets swept but otherwise can have grit on the surface.

Steady gentle pull up past Stonehouses to:

Newby Head: this goes back under the railway and has a couple of 25% ramps.

Long open road down to Ribblehead then more rolling, undulating stuff down to Stainforth and the last food stop.

Last climb! You’ve done 90 miles by now but get the first three ramps done and while there is more climbing, with a couple of descents in between, you are home and dry 😀 The descent to Halton Gill has a few cattle grids and blind summits so take care.

Once at Halton Gill it’s a fast blast back down to Threshfield.

Hope that’s of use.

Done it the last two years. Won’t be this year as I came down with bronchitis this week. P***ed off as it’s a great day out in the saddle.
The wind on the Tan Hill climb last year was unbelievable. It’s not steep at all but people were out of the saddle grinding along at 4 or 5mph.
Coal Road is a complete b***ard.
One thing I liked about the whole thing was the atmosphere. A friendly vibe with folks just letting you get on with it, no funny comments when people were off and pushing etc.
The first year I did I hit a point on the flat at about halfway when I thought why am I doing this but it didn’t last.

Enjoy….

Should add, as daft as it sounds, make sure you’re actually ready to start. Even though it’s only a sportive, a lot of people will feel nervous. You’ll be surrounded by some very thin people on very expensive bikes exuding a ‘been there, done that’ attitude. Can be intimidating to some. In the middle of all of that you can, as I did, ride off and get halfway down the access road to the rugby club before you realise you left your gloves and some tells on the roof of the car.
Make sure you’re sorted before you go.
And ride at your own pace. It is a long way even of you’re reasonably fit. And if you need to get off and push, do so, no shame.
They do great t-shirts as well.
Good luck…

Fleet Moss from the south isn’t bad, you can get breathers between the steep bits, the descent is very fast but watch out for sheep wandering across the road.

Watch yourselves there as they’ve been digging and the road was copvered in gravel the other week.

There was a landslip on the road just after Gunnerside a few weeks ago but it should have been sorted now.

It was still there last weekend and some teddybears are having a picnic on top of it…..which was nice

Enjoy.

Cheers guys. Coal Road sounds as bad as it look on Google Maps, and I imagine it feels even worse!

Remember to take it steady at the start of Coal Road. The first section as the road rises under the railway bridge catches a lot of people out. Get through those first 20-30m and you’ll do the whole thing.

The steepest bit is at the bottom just as you go under the railway and round the first bend. The gradient then eases off but is still 20% or so until you get to level with the woods on your left. It’s almost flat for a while and then kicks up again to about 16% – this bit is, or feels like it is, twice as long as the first bit. There’s another easing and and dip before another ramp but this is a pussy cat compared to what you’ve done.

Get yourself Simon Warren’s book – Yorkshire road climbs (might be called something slightly different) they are all in there!

The section from Low Row to Langthwaite has just had tish surface dressing put on it.

Chipping misery now 🙁 I live 300 yards from the start of it.

Walk the water splash…

…weather forecast looks perfect 🙂

Good luck.
Paul

Fleet moss descent is proper fast, and drop down into Nateby is good too.

Did this a good few years ago now. Not as epic as the Fred Whitton but just as tough in my opinion. It’s definitely a tough day out, enjoyed it very much though. Cracking route through a lovely part of the country. I recorded my highest speed going downhill on that ride, 65mph iirc.

Wife just set off for her start. I’m not doing it and pretending I’m not fit enough (possibly) and I’m scared of it (certainly) will ride out to meet her at the finish.

Thanks again for the tips – certainly helped me out knowing where I’d need to save a bit of energy in advance of the most brutal climbs.

Conditions were perfect and I thoroughly enjoyed the day. I had one moment of doubt half way up Tan Hill, knowing that I was only half way round and Coal Road was still to come. However, it soon passed and Coal Road turned out not to be as bad as I thought it would be (don’t get me wrong, it was horrible, but I’d had visions of having to get off and walk). Amazed myself by getting around in 6 hrs 48 min – fast enough for the gold award – chuffed.

Hats off to those that have done this in previous years when the weather hasn’t played ball – it was tough enough as it was.

Well done!

That’s a good time – I think I did 8hrs20 or so but I’d done little to no training due to breaking my ankle about three months earlier so by the time I was out of plaster I’d only about three weeks to the event so it was a case of just getting round.