So, I've got talked into doing this sponsored event next year to raise money for a local Down Syndrome charity. Plan is to ride from Leeds to Gretna and back again in a day.
But, the more I think about it, the less keen I am. I'm not a road rider really. And if I'm going to put myself through a bit of pain and to raise some money, I'd enjoy it more by doing something MTBy or Gravelly.
So, hit me up with some suggestions.
An offroad challenge, one or two days, in the North of England ...
Pennine bridleway, all or part of it?
Leeds to gretna and back in a day on a road bike sounds pretty miserable, if only because the nicer routes I can [immediately] think of are likely to be much too circuitous to be reasonable in that time frame so it would mean lots of fairly awful roads.
How about just do the same over a few of days off-ish road?
Leeds to gretna and back in a day on a road bike sounds pretty miserable,
Well it's 260 miles (give or take) but actually once out of Leeds the route could be quite nice if it goes over the Yorkshire Dales and then either up the edge of the North Pennines or across and up the edge of the Lake District.
But it'll be stupidly hilly.
I've done Manchester to London a couple of times (240 miles); that's tough and there's not even 1/3rd of the amount of climbing! The hardest part is through the Peak District at the start.
Suppose you could always ride there then ride back next day if the challenge would allow for that...?
Might be better as a 2 dayer with a stopover? Maybe you could stop somewhere nicer in the borders.
Either that or sponsored bellend sandpapering as an alternative.
i have ridden Leeds to gretna in the past. i was heading to Kipford, for a family holiday.
the route is pretty fantastic.
Otley, Ilkley, up Wharfedale to Buckden, then over Fleet Moss to Hawes.
then Kirkby Stephan and up to Appleby.
the next bit was my fave bit. Dufton, melmerby and Newbiggin to Brampton
the roads were empty for all this section. and to be honest the whole route was not mega hill.
Fleet Moss obviously is a big one, but riding it south to north is the easiest option.
have a go, because one day, you may not be able to.
Why does it have to be enjoyable? Surely to earn the sponsorship it should be as miserable as possible.
At a previouse employer I saw a sponsorship request go out for a Subaru drive. Asking for cash to do your hobby...
Why does it have to be enjoyable? Surely to earn the sponsorship it should be as miserable as possible.
It's a good point. The other one I struggle with, and why I don't often do sponsorship stuff, is that for most of the people I'd be asking sponsorship from, a gruelling day or two in the saddle is nothing particularly remarkable, as many of them would do the same.
Anyway, @ton has helped me reconsider my views on the road ride to Gretna and back.
Would still like to hear any alternative off road options... this is, after all, a MTB forum!
Work out how much it'd cost you overall to do the ride, and sponsor someone else with the money.
I’ve been planning a route from central Scotland back home to W Yorkshire using Sustrans route as a basis, could be nice doing Newcastle and back from Leeds on a selection of those routes maybe? Or Edinburgh and back?
Leeds to Liverpool and back...towpath. 260 miles but little climbing obviously ?
Find out if the charity have any links elsewhere in the country and ride between the two/more places ?
Leeds to Liverpool and back…towpath. 260 miles but little climbing obviously ?
Christ that really would be dull! I'd far rather do a Leeds - Gretna - Leeds road ride!
There's one option - I started near Barnsley and some of it is really grim but it's still preferable to a 260 mile road slog. It's bloody tough going too, worth being sponsored for.
Coast to coast off road in three days via Lakes, Dales, Moors? Possibly too much like fun but could be made to really hurt.
Not ridden it but I'd love to do this.
Something around Kielder?
https://www.tedliddle.uk/cycle-routes/kielder-hadrians-wall-and-bewcastle-gravel-bike-trails-network
This is a road route but would be nice doing west to east with the wind at your back.
https://www.chasethesun.org/uk-north/
Or a real challenge would be the Lakeland 200. You could cheat and have assistance with a campervan and food prepped for you.
https://bikepacking.com/routes/lakeland-200-uk/
Plenty of long distance ITT routes in the UK. Maybe take a rigid singlespeed to really test yourself. Include fancy dress?
https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/long-distance-mtb-routes-uk
I loved doing the Cairngorm Loop 300 last year. I found it tough going but well worth it.
https://www.cairngormsloop.net/
How about an Everest-type challenge on the Great Dunn Fell road?
14 laps and you'd have done the 8,849m of Everest from sea level
Something around Kielder?
Or commit suicide, you might enjoy it more.
Trans Pennine Trail from Southport to Hornsea, 205miles, loads of off-road, only one big hill which is the bridlepath over Woodhead Tunnel which then turns into a B road down to Dunford Bridge. 80% of the TPT is on old railway lines, some interesting riding alongside the River Mersey (Runcorn) into Stockport through to quiet lanes out near the River Humber before reaching Hull and finally Hornsea. Its well signposted and plenty of accomodation en route. The one thing about the TPT is it gets very muddy in places after heavy rain.
Find something more miserable. Isn't that the point of sponsorship, not to be paid for doing something you like? I fail to see anything clver or worthwhile in most of these so called tough or special events. A 5 mile run might be tough for the over 90 amputee and thus worthy of some support but most nowadays is pathetic.
Find something more miserable
...than Runcorn to Hull? 🙂
Keilder (Spadeadam) to Edinborough via Peebles can be a nice gravely/MTB ride.
I did it in just over a day, but did bail onto the road on the afternoon of day 1 due to 8 hours of torrential rain, too many punctures and a completely inappropriate singlespeed gearing choice.
Obviously, route dependant but the roads between Spadeadam and Gretna were about as interesting as riding through Norfolk. I hadn't looked at a map and was just riding back to the car at that point using google maps. It was flat, straight and unbelievably dull (on a singlespeed).