Cumberland Challenge - 6th September

[andy from embsay]

What a good day! Brilliant organisation, good route, wonderful volunteers and marshals - and cheese butties at food stops!

Fooled ourselves, despite the warnings, that the second half would be easy peasy after hartside, but found it tough. And do they really have to make the border with Scotland a deep dark river valley that you have to ride down, down, down into then all the way back up again - then do it again on the way back?

Happy enough with 6:46 total, 6:32 moving time and an average speed of 16.5mph - would probably have been faster if i'd managed to hang on to the back of one of the groups that shot past me in the last 30 miles!

Terrific day - well done to all involved.

 

[ash68]

I didn't enter this year. but having done the ride the previous two years i can vouch for the second half of the ride being very tough. The whole ride is filled with magnificent views of the countryside of Cumbria. Add that to the well stocked feedstations, the comaradarie of like minded cyclists enjoying a good day out and last but not least some of the friendliest and most helpfull marshalls on any sportive i've done . All adds up to a great event.