National Road Race Championships - Viewing Suggestions

[chrisb7]

Hi,

I'm thinking of going to watch the national Road Race Championships in Nelson at the end of the month. I don't know the area at all and would appreciate any locals input on the best locations to view the race. Map is at http://www.cdnw.org/Barley Championship course.pdf

Thanks
Chris

 

[ColinJ]

Hi Chris.

There are pubs on the course in Roughlee and Barley, if that is any help!

The route profile elsewhere on that website is wrong! It claims that the top of Barley Lane is at 1,000 ft but it is actually at 347 metres which I make 1,140 ft - quite a difference when you have to race up the climb 15 times! That climb is about 1 mile at 7.5%. It might be good standing towards the top of that.

It is a really good area for cycling and I can highly recommend the National Cyclo-Sportive which has been arranged for the day before. It is basically the old Pendle Pedal with the date shifted to the championship weekend and the start/finish to Barley. It is a very hard and scenic route - well worth tackling.

 

[Skip Madness]

I'm not local to that area, but you can see an interactive map on this page (on the right-hand side underneath "Maps" click the G icon) which if you zoom in has little camera icons you can click on for information about viewing. One says that in the Event Village on Barley Picnic Site there will be a big screen. There's also a car-park site just south of the circuit you can click on which says that it costs GBP 5.00 to park there which includes a programme.

I've also put the route on to normal Google Maps http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&s...3.868978,-2.249022&spn=0.030163,0.090895&z=14here so that if you drag the little green/orange/whatever colour man on the left on to the route you can see the street view of the road and get a good idea of what the best bit will be. I'd recommend near the north-west corner at the top of the hill personally, but that's just me. I'd go here, where you can see a little way down the hill. If you rotate the view around to the west you can see the pretty Pendle Hill as well.

Take care to heed the Road Closures Map. It's not terribly clear but I think basically you can't drive beyond those red triangles towards the circuit. The road closures seem excessive to me, I wonder if it's a way to encourage people to pay for the spectator car parking area. If you're taking your bike with you then provided they let you on to the circuit (I'm sure they will if you're there in good time) that should allow you to get where you like. But if you don't have one then getting to that spot I recommended might be a bit of a walk.

 

[ColinJ]

Some of those roads are pretty narrow. If they didn't plan for closures then they'd just get clogged up anyway when the traffic couldn't go anywhere because of the roads closed for the races.

 

[Fletch456]

Guys,

Quick note to say thanks for posting this information. I came online a couple of days ago looking to ask for this sort of information and there you'd posted it already. Printing it now ahead of heading there tomorrow.

Am hoping I can cycle to the top of the Barley climb, to save cycling as my Dad will be staying in the start / finish sort of area.

Thanks again.

Craig

 

[toekneep]

So who went. We missed the womens race unfortunately but still had a great day watching the men's race and just soaking up the sun and the atmosphere. What a lovely place Barley is too. I've viewed Pendle Hill from every direction whilst out cycling but never actually got that close to it before, unless you count the Nic of course. Why can't we have more of this kind of thing in this country, we're miles better at cycling than football.

 

[Garz]

I went.

As the train to lancaster got delayed I got there later than expected. I met up with a buddy in lancaster and we cycled over the trough of bowland to barley going slightly off route and got there as they were on the second lap.

Got some footage of cav cuddling his 'second mum' on my phone too and was great day for cycling in the weather. The ride back to lancaster was a killer and certainly took it out of me.

Covered almost 80 miles in total over hilly terrain but was a great day, even watched the crappy england WC game in a pub..

 

[Fletch456]

I went. One of few major races I've been to and it was a pretty good day out; thanks in part to fantastic weather. Also took my Dad, who rode when he was a youngster. Having just invested in a new digital SLR and deciding to get back into photography it was the first race I'd taken any pics of for a long time. So I've attached a few of those I took.

Just opened them after posting this though and they come up absolutely huge, so will take a look at this later.

 

[rich p]

I went. One of few major races I've been to and it was a pretty good day out; thanks in part to fantastic weather. Also took my Dad, who rode when he was a youngster. Having just invested in a new digital SLR and deciding to get back into photography it was the first race I'd taken any pics of for a long time. So I've attached a few of those I took.

Just opened them after posting this though and they come up absolutely huge, so will take a look at this later.

Fletch, there's a glitch inthe new system which means you have to resize photos from the Pc but not ones stored online.