King Alfred’s Way – in one day?

Anyone here done the KAW in one day?

I’m thinking about this next year, I’ve done the SDW in a day from E-W and W-E (did E-W yesterday in horrible conditions) but I’d not cope with doing the SDW double, so I fancy the KAW in a day.

I’d appreciate any tips / advice from those who have done it please.

I’ve seen this page which is useful https://theendurancehabit.com/king-alfreds-way-in-under-24-hours/

Any others out there?

I will be using my Scott Spark 900RC.

Thanks.

If your on Facebook search for “King Alfred’s way (official group). Lots of advice and feedback on there and several times have seen people do it in less than 24 hrs.

Matt Page did 17hrs recently.

It’s doable in 24hrs – plenty of riders have done it in a weekend with 24hrs actual moving time, just more time stopped to eat and a kip overnight. It’s 217 miles, fast terrain off-road and a fair number of road miles so 10mph average speed is realistic plus 3hrs for food and drink.

I’d appreciate any tips / advice from those who have done it please.

Don’t ride a gravel bike thinking it’s faster overall, plan where you’ll get water and food from, go early season before it’s too overgrown and do it in dry conditions.

Thanks chaps.

Yes defo going on a MTB -not my gravel bike.

Early season is a good tip.

I belong to that FB group but can’t find much information on there about doing it in a day – but I’ll take another look.

Someone said the KAW FB group mods removed some stuff about time-trialling the route recently. Dunno what why etc – I’m not a member.

There was some discussion about whether using the KAW as a long distance time trial route is appropriate for what is a multiuser, family trail.

We did the KAW earlier this year taking it steady, i.e. lots of pub and café stops, my actual riding time was 30hrs. By steady I mean my HR was in zone 1 for virtually the entire ride – just Butser Hill and one or two others pushed it a bit. Just checked, a total of 7mins in Z2 and 1m in Z3. I wouldn’t want to do it later in the year, we did it on the second BH weekend in May) due to vegetation.

I was on a rigid 29er (Cotic Solaris with carbon forks), probably ideal. As James notes a gravel bike may help on the road bits but you’ll be beat up the rest of the time. Not knowing the area or route we made quite a few nav errors on the eastern part even with GPS – blast down a fire road, but wait, you should have pushed through those bushes back there! type of errors. Once on the SDW, Salisbury Plain and the Ridgeway it’s a lot easier nav wise. Again not knowing the area meant that we didn’t know where the resupply/water points just off-route were (a bit of a cockup on my part concerning GPS “routes” and “tracks”).

I’d aim to do the tricky bits at night – sounds counterintuitive but you are going slower anyway so has less impact than getting the fast bits done in daylight where you can make good time.

The riding on the BH weekend was pretty busy with lots of people doing the route plus others walking or riding. The Tuesday along with Wednesday morning we hardly saw anyone, just a couple on Salisbury Plain, so I’d suggest heading out mid-week if you can.

blast down a fire road, but wait, you should have pushed through those bushes back there!

Ha! Getting off Thursley Common and up to Devil’s PB, by any chance?

Someone said the KAW FB group mods removed some stuff about time-trialling the route recently. Dunno what why etc

Apparently, the objection is due to:

1) Aiming to complete the route in a certain time is “racing”, and racing is illegal on public ROW.
2) those responsible for putting together and publicising the route (TRFPTAPTR) might be seen to be endorsing “racing” by allowing discussion in a fb group of completion in a certain time,
3) if another trail user is injured as a result of someone riding in a way that’s deemed to be “racing” TRFPTAPTR could end up in court as an accessory to attempted murder or something.

Point 1) somehow brands the everyday human activity of leaving one place with the aim of getting to another place in a certain time as “racing”. going to work, coming home again, going for a spin round your normal xc route, catching a train, running for the bus, making a ferry, going somewhere for lunch – racing, racing, racing.

However, it’s made clear that “1)” is only an issue if the certain time is under 24 hours, and the journey is a lap of the KAW. Aiming for 3 days, or 2 days or 5 days, or having pre-booked accommodation with a check-in time or prearranged ETA, or a lunch booking or practically anything else is fine. As is discussion about pushing on to get somewhere in time – “we put the fast lad in front and tucked in behind” – fine.

And a whole load of weirdness and inconsistencies besides. It’s understandable, just, but in the same way that you can understand how someone doesn’t believe in vaccinations.

Ha! Getting off Thursley Common and up to Devil’s PB, by any chance?

No, it was somewhere around Liss.

There is some ‘negativity’ on that FB group around a 24rh attempt and a bit of “Oh it’s not in the spirit of the KAW” etc etc. But each to their own I guess.

People do the SDW Double as a sub 24hr event and this doesn’t seem to attract the same type of comments.

I’m not interested in getting in to a debate, as for me it’s all personal choice – 24hrs or 24 days, do whatever suits the rider.

I just want to know about taps / water stops / kit / timings etc.

I just want to know about taps / water stops / kit / timings etc.

The GPX route has taps and similar marked I think. Download it from the KAW site.

If I were you, I’d find some of the guys (girls?) via the KAW group who’ve done it in the same style and ask them. James Hill, Matthew Page (?) Anthony Gray.

1) Aiming to complete the route in a certain time is “racing”, and racing is illegal on public ROW.
2) those responsible for putting together and publicising the route (TRFPTAPTR) might be seen to be endorsing “racing” by allowing discussion in a fb group of completion in a certain time,
3) if another trail user is injured as a result of someone riding in a way that’s deemed to be “racing” TRFPTAPTR could end up in court as an accessory to attempted murder or something.

1) It’s hardly racing if you simply time yourself and no official records of FKTs are kept.
2) Fair enough, if the FB group is formally run by Cycle UK. Wasn’t aware of who runs it.
3) Not going to happen unless Cycling UK were promoting racing the route, which they aren’t.
Anyway.. you know all this..

FWIW I don’t give one either way, I can think of far better ITT routes but I see this as a non-issue. If Strava can’t be held for liability or negligence..

There is some ‘negativity’ on that FB group around a 24rh attempt and a bit of “Oh it’s not in the spirit of the KAW” etc etc.

I get this argument, to a point. But it’s simply a series of pre-existing routes linked up. King Alfred was hardly pootling his dandy-horse around it was he 🙂

This might be useful.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1oWVjQK_wRcOmlrOGriD9Xa8mZZaJW965&ll=51.55354972747836%2C-1.2926113782496573&z=11

simply a series of pre-existing routes linked up

This could come across wrong, undermines the work that went into linking those routes up and some of the bits in between the main routes were the best sections. I really enjoyed it. Would ride again (at the same comfortable long-day pace with at least one nice wild camp along the way)

Thanks for the map mate.

nice wild camp

You monster!

🙂

I suspect the issue the KAW FB moderator folks (not sure if they’re Cycling UK) are having is that some folks living on the route are not totally supportive of having lots of cyclists passing by ( going too fast, frightening the horses etc ), and they’ve been getting some nimbyish grief. Hence they prob want to keep their FB group separate from anything that looks like racing.

I put a post up on the FB group page and it’s actually been removed!

WTAF! Censorship at its worst – all I was asking was similar to what I put on this page, the group really needs have a think – they are quite happy to allow posts about wild camping which incidentally is not legal, yet unhappy about posts doing the route in one hit!

I don’t have a problem with people taking five or more days to what I consider to ‘crawl round’ as it’s personal choice, I also have no problem with CTC type riders loading their bikes up like a mobile home and back packing.

It’s all about personal choice and whatever floats your boat. There will be people riding faster than me doing the ride over say three days – they are just having a rest between their riding.

#annoyed

I put a post up on the FB group page and it’s actually been removed!

Really? Tad childish to put it mildly..

Point 1) somehow brands the everyday human activity of leaving one place with the aim of getting to another place in a certain time as “racing”. going to work, coming home again, going for a spin round your normal xc route, catching a train, running for the bus, making a ferry, going somewhere for lunch – racing, racing, racing.

However, it’s made clear that “1)” is only an issue if the certain time is under 24 hours, and the journey is a lap of the KAW. Aiming for 3 days, or 2 days or 5 days, or having pre-booked accommodation with a check-in time or prearranged ETA, or a lunch booking or practically anything else is fine. As is discussion about pushing on to get somewhere in time – “we put the fast lad in front and tucked in behind” – fine.

And a whole load of weirdness and inconsistencies besides. It’s understandable, just, but in the same way that you can understand how someone doesn’t believe in vaccinations.

Indeed!

WTAF! Censorship at its worst

There is this note on the official KAW FB group, so fair enough it’s their call and the other groups are probably just following their example.

3. No Fastest Known Time etc promotion
King Alfred’s Way is an off-road adventure route using trails shared by walkers, horseriders and cyclists. Posts promoting “fastest known times” etc will be removed.

I was discussing the removal of stuff on that page with my mate as we rode it last week. I was considering posting that now I’ve done it I can see a lot of the route is byway so I might try it on a motorbike, e funny to see the melt down.

Bit immature though so I probably won’t!!

@jameso

I was not posting a fasted time though mate, just asking for info on doing the ride in one go. No racing was mentioned. I’m 53 years old, slow as anything and no racing snake.

It’s a shame the group is failing to cater to the different types of riders that want to do the KAW.

3. No Fastest Known Time etc promotion
King Alfred’s Way is an off-road adventure route using trails shared by walkers, horseriders and cyclists. Posts promoting “fastest known times” etc will be removed.

That’s new then, not to mention rather pathetic. Are they going to start policing all the off-road routes now?

@anagallis_arvensis

I’d enjoy seeing the sandal and sock wearing, stop and look at the heritage or you’re a heathen people burst a bloody vessel over that.

Like I say I’ve absolutely no issue with how people ride the KAW and can’t understand why others do.

I was not posting a fasted time though mate, just asking for info on doing the ride in one go.

I know, and it doesn’t mean you’re riding irresponsibly. I’ve done similar on other routes. Just saying that’s probably why they removed it as doing 350km in one go or aiming for under 24hrs is basically an ITT of sorts by most people’s description and they’ve decided that’s not something they’ll support or endorse. They created the route and run the sites that support it, it’s up to them.

That’s new then, not to mention rather pathetic. Are they going to start policing all the off-road routes now?

It’s not pathetic, it’s smart, otherwise the inevitable Daily Mail, local rag headline story will will appear no doubt with some dog walkers pictured giving their best “angry people in local newspapers” face complaining that mamils are terrorising the trails. It will reference the Facebook page and cycling UK will need to issue a statement.

What I can’t understand is why clearly competent riders need to humblebrag their rides?

As for gathering info on doing it in one go, ask different questions, surely all you need is water points and shop opening times?