I quite fancy doing this, but can't find any whisper of info on it. There's several bridleways marked across the deadly sands, and plenty of walkers, runners, trail bikes, quad bikes and tractors do it.
A local guide appears to be an essential requirement to avoid instant death by quicksand/tide/river crossing.
The guides only seem to accept group crossings for charitable causes - anyone keen? 🙂
Wouldn't recommend it without a local guide. I narrowly avoided catastrophe when my old xl185 got stuck and I had to leg it for dry land as the tide came hooning in. Plenty of others not so lucky..
Check Strava to see if someone's done it before and download their track, then follow that. Might be more fun as a night ride too.
Don't use an old route. The quicksands and channels shift all the time. It is dangerous. Some of the channels were quite deep when I walked across so your bike would get well soaked in salty water too.
Fatbiker [s]cull[/s] get together? As above, it'd be a shit day out for your bike espcially as your guide would probably be walking, although there are horse riders that do it so a mixed group might be on the cards.
A lot of it you've got about 2 inches of sludge above the firmer sand too.
But don't let the curmudeons put you off....let us know how you get on 🙂
Cheers folks. Yep sounds like organising a crossing with a local guide is prudent. From my limited experience on the sands I'm not chancing it on an old strava track with those tides and shifting channels, let alone a night-ride with the cockle pickers 😯
I'll see if I can convince a guide to use a quad rather than walk, and if a group makes more sense I might be back to find some fellow lemmings.
Well, this sounds completely nerve-wracking!
Good effort though, OP, that's some fat-biking right there...
🙂
I'd have a go at that if you get it sorted. Sounds ace.
Ghyllside Cycles are running an event on 7th August 2016
The walkers go through Arnside via the campsite at newborns. Takes them hours to get across. A tractor normally follows them to sweep up any stragglers.
It really isn't a case of a to b. You do have to navigate and local knowledge is vital. I believe the guides are by royal appointment, a tradition that's been in place for centuries.
I'd join the charity ride to be safe. You'll get a free t-shirt too.
If you do facebook check out
I did it last year but it was a loop, not a crossing [url= https://www.strava.com/activities/334813151 ]strava[/url].
It was great fun, very windy & very hard work in places. One section about 2 miles long, was wet sand into a very strong wind, felt like the longest hill climb I had ever done
Next year it is going to be a crossing. It will be fat bikes only but if you get in early you will be able to demo a bike.
I think that people run it
Try Dallam running club. I think they run it once a year
maybe the fatbikes could tag along
I'v not ridden a fat bike but i assume they can keep up with some one running
Another vote for 'not bodging it'. Just don't be tempted - the channels change a lot and bits that look safe suddenly become not safe very quickly 🙂