Fred Whitton Entries

[Richard (Apples)]

I am hearing that due to a number of withdrawals there may be some places available now .

I think there were some ACC's who didn't get in .

Could be worth trying again

[huw williams]

I'm never going back there!

[Maria David]

Don't blame you Huw for never going back again.

The Lake District is beautiful with it's dramatic fells and lakes, bluebells and daffodils, bunnies, other fluffy animals, and all things Miss Potter.......

but riding around it is no walk in the park as we found a couple of weeks ago. Fred Whitton will definitely be an epic.

We rode up Hardknott Pass.........it is hard, hard core !!

I have never ridden up anything so steep in my life. Yorks Hill, Succumbs, Fleet Moss, Park Rash, Bwlch y Groes, piece of cake - Hardknott is something else !

When you arrive at Eskdale Green, the signs are up - "1:3 - take care"

You pootle along for 3 or 4 miles on the flat, you go over a cattle grid and pass the car park then bang - the slog starts straight away.
The first set of hairpins are at 33%. You want to keel over, but the road is still rising up, and your front wheel wants to do the same. For me it was stressful worrying that I might end up on my back, and had to wrestle my bike to the ground ! I could barely keep a cadence going. (My bike had a triple ring.)

And just when you can't take any more you've got 3 more sets of buggers to come. Pretty much the same gradient, on hairpins that almost take you back on yourself.

Once you're at the top, you want to celebrate, but not too much - you need your concentration to get down the other side safely. Pretty hairy descent.
You will also need more energy to get up Wrynose. Not as hard - just a mere 25%.

When I rode this I almost maxed out going up Hardknott. We'd done about 50 miles by the time we reached the foot of the climb. On the day, we'll have done nigh on 100.
Looks like I and many people will end up doing this bit on foot, so make sure you're wearing something you can easily walk in !
And no point trying it in a car - drivers seemed to have just as hellish time going through !

Remember these will by no means be the only climbs. Apart from the well known Honister, Whinlatter, Kirkstone, Hawkshead, etc there will be a number of other un-named steep climbs (15% and above) that will take you over various moors and you don't have the luxury of a sign board warning what the gradient is. You only realise it when your quads start burning !

You've been warned.

[jon avery]

Bloody ell!! Me tinks i'll give it a miss

[higg]

Don't worry, Maria's just being a wussie southener. These photos show it's clearly a piece of cake.

[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/50754169d6e15b1a626a903a591f5958656359e0044c5f63c68307e58289261f75221d21.jpg[/img]
still smiling

[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/160545097525ec7aeccbec6e6ef0ba855abfb68cc24d24ca6a5dc6465d5839b0931dc286.jpg[/img]
This is just the top half, note the car on one of the 30% sections

[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/34053436b14775be205034a071ff9ccec4242fa2ce5b88ec6082c415a8ba54eca29963ed.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/326853426cece7d2089d5ad42b41f10c9bb56867ac5c54bde810364c83d89728700d1100.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/4674009686c9bdb77302bf52e4e90b16e44ff83f686ca12a4605311fe24433b828e378f6.jpg[/img]
This is the view just before the descent from the top of Hardknott

[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/22083588d1c38c7b672f5be12065375bc54a2f6f13dc689a010224f7815bf41e07b69f09.jpg[/img]
If you take the time to look around there are nice views of lakes


[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/53922155a64de080e4da8ed40fcd9fb6296222b287677e6b783dcfa735600c4af83bfbf6.jpg[/img]
shell-shocked afterwards

[huw williams]

And in the sportive itself I'd registered 97miles before even getting there! SHEER HELL!