Bealach Beag 8th May

[Rip Van]

Not seen any mention of this so far. I'm planning a recce of it tomorrow. Any one else here signed up for the 8th.

 

[HJ]

You mean this, I just watch it on the Adventure Show, which is hard enough...

 

[Backache]

Signed up and slightly dreading it.
Fat and middleaged with a complete inability to go up hills.
I have only managed to get on my bike four times this year due to weather and other things. I currently have a cold and cannto reall cyle with it.
Still I saw folks in a worse condition than me do the pedal Scotland and thats longer so I guess I will get round witha bit of walking on the hills.

 

[aberal]

I'm signed up for it. Never done one before and although the distance doesn't scare me hugely, I'm not looking forward to the hills - not so much the big one (2053ft from sea level in just 6miles), but the "next section around the north of the peninsula has hardly any flat as it clings to the coast, past rocky cliffs and sandy coves". The words "hardly any flat" concern me slightly.

 

[snorri]

Still I saw folks in a worse condition than me do the pedal Scotland and thats longer so I guess I will get round witha bit of walking on the hills.

I'm a little concerned at the lack of smileys in your post.
Your comparison of Bealach Beag and P for S is in jest I trust.:?:

 

[Backache]

I'm a little concerned at the lack of smileys in your post.
Your comparison of Bealach Beag and P for S is in jest I trust.:?:

I guess you don't have the prevailing wind all the way in the Bealach.

Actually I know what I am letting myself in for I did it (very slowly) last year. But am slightly concerned about my current lack of fitness.

 

[Rip Van]

Recc'd. Oh dear! Hardest 43 miles I've ever done! The hills towards the end just got steeper and more frequent, even allowing for tiredness. On the Bealach itself, I had to use my "spare gears" for relatively long periods into a headwind I thought was going to be behind me on the way up the pass.
Compared to this, the 81miles of The Etape Caley, is a piece of piss.

 

[Rip Van]

The words "hardly any flat" concern me slightly.

.......and so they should......

 

[Backache]

On the Bealach itself, I had to use my "spare gears" for relatively long periods into a headwind I thought was going to be behind me on the way up the pass.

I'm impressed, the only spare gears I have on the Bealach is my feet. I am hopeless at hills and have ended up walking the top bit.

 

[aberal]

You can view the route in quite spooky detail on Google maps in 3D. Sadly the resolution disapears for the northern part of the route, but the big climb itself can be seen quite nicely. Bealach.

 

[aberal]

.......and so they should......

Indeed. I cycled on Skye only once and found it really hard going. As it's just across the water I assumed that it would be similar in terrain. There's nothing more energy sapping than switch backs.