Bethany Edinburgh Sportive - any CCers?

[Telemark]

On our way through the Borders and back to Edinburgh today, we saw lots of number-plated cyclists ... talking to some of them we found out they were doing the Bethany Sportive ...

Did any CCers take part in this? HJ's CC jersey got maximum exposure - probably about 200 cyclists must have seen us, as we were riding in the opposite direction for much of our overlapping routes.

Some seriously fast guys out there, notably all smiled/nodded and/or said hello

T

 

[HLaB]

I think Waspie posted that he'd done it (my cycling log)

I did it last year and got great weather; it looks like they did again this year.

 

[Waspie]

I did it, didn't see any cc jerseys though. I don't think I would be among the fast people you saw! I cycle these roads pretty often but today for some reason I was really struggling, from about 40 miles in to about 90 miles every turn of the pedals was an effort, terrible 'hot-spots' on my feet as well. I was wondering if I was going to finish at some points. A bag of salt and vinegar crisps at the last feed station seemed to do the trick, I presume I wasn't taking enough salt on board to counteract what I was sweating out.

Despite all that I would reccommend the event to anyone - well organised, friendly volunteers, well stocked feed stations, good cause as well imo.

The route itself is great, very quiet roads, lovely views, good road surfaces apart from a few miles.

 

[Waspie]

I think Waspie posted that he'd done it (my cycling log)

I did it last year and got great weather; it looks like they did again this year.

Beat me to it.

 

[Telemark]

Sorry to miss you ...

If you took the longer route, there was much less overlap with where we went. We saw lots of cyclists on the shorter route between Clovenfords & Innerleithen, and passed the split beween the routes south of Innerleithen (with support van) just before 11. Then we disappeared off the route to visit friends in Innerleithen until nearly 1PM, but met quite a few more from Heriot up the final Moorfoot slopes, and then got overtaken by a few more until Carrington (3-3:30PM-ish? guessing), where we left the route.

I hope not too many were caught in the torrential downpours later on!

T

 

[Waspie]

Yes, took the longer route. I think I was at Carrington nearer 5. I got caught in a fairly heavy shower but it was pretty refreshing actually. There wasn't many of us left by that time, I think I may have been close to last (not that it's a race!)

Lovely part of the world to cycle in though, noticed you cycled from Berwick to Gala on MCL, is that a route worth doing?

 

[Telemark]

Yes, took the longer route. I think I was at Carrington nearer 5. I got caught in a fairly heavy shower but it was pretty refreshing actually. There wasn't many of us left by that time, I think I may have been close to last (not that it's a race!)

Lovely part of the world to cycle in though, noticed you cycled from Berwick to Gala on MCL, is that a route worth doing?

I wouldn't worry about being slower than most (I never do , maybe that's why I am not getting much faster), but anybody doing 111 miles in a day (and a hot one!) has my admiration .

Definitely a lovely part of the world! If I was doing it again, I would probably add an extra day and start somewhere near Alnwick, for a day along the coast. Apparently very nice (we stayed in the same B&B as a group of lads who had done that and enjoyed it very much).

Day 1 was rolling countryside, lots of fields & hedges, nice old piles (castles & huge country mansions) and pretty villages & small towns, 3 of the 4 Borders Abbeys, and - did I mention it already - lots of sunshine!

The roads were mostly very quiet, the surfaces amazingly good for the most part (unlike a lot of the Lothians!). There are a few crossings with fast/busy roads (the A1 springs to mind - traffic island in the middle !), and several crossings of the border in the early part. The signposting is excellent, you almost don't need a map. Galashiels & the way out a bit confusing, but possibly to do with us leaving the route at one point yesterday and rejoining what we thought was the continuation of it in a different place.

Other things we came across were a bee & honey museum (nr. Horncliffe, early on along the route) - free entry and honey tasting ... (I carried a small jar we bought all the way, 227g of honey weighed 410g with the jar , I checked at home).

Day 2 was quite different, with much taller hills around the route (we know that part quite well, but had never cycled as far south as the Borders before). Surprisingly, I found Day 2 easier on the legs, despite the big hills north of Innerleithen, but the gradient was much flatter than I remembered, despite going on for many miles.

It would be nice to meet you on one of the CC Ecosse rides, to put a face to the name

T

 

[Waspie]

Sounds like a nice route, although I'm sure the weather helped . Might give one of the CC Ecosse rides a go.