Bealach Beag

thecrofter

Anyone else doing the Bealach this weekend?

Snoppy

Hi there

I have done the Bealach Beag for the last 3 years in a row but this year I have gave it a miss. This is mostly down to the over priced entry fee and the baggage that comes with it. The baggage that I reference to is the supposed lack of support from the local community and the issue of yellow bibs. I also consider the allegation that cyclists would not let a ambulance by to be a pile of rubbish so that has made me not enter the Beag also.

Anyway, sorry to be all negative about it. Perhaps at this time we should support Hands On Events but then again they still want 37 quid. I notice that entries are still open but also remember a few years ago that if you did not get in within a few hours of the entry going online you would have no chance. How times have changed?

Best of luck and I hope all goes well. It would be a shame for this event to go belly up cause by some group of cants.

Steve_F

I'm in.

First timer and with the stories I've heard about the hill I'm both looking forward to it and nervous. Have driven round the road once and did think I'd like to cycle it.

Seems like a good route, shame there's so many events in Scotland that the local communities are trying to ruin.

I'll be the one at the side of the road crying!!

aberdeen_lune

Youll be fine Steve its a cracking route. Just remember to enjoy the views. I've rideen this event a few times and really enjoyed it. Not doing the short one this year saving myself for the long one again in September. Hope you get good weather and keep pushing those pedals round till you get to the hairpins, it gets a bit easier there.

thecrofter

Well, looks like you and me Steve.

I've just checked the weather on the Met Office web site. Looks like it'll be dry, about 8-10 degrees, but a NNE wind about 17mph gusting to 33. Admittedly, that's at the closest station, Portree, which might as well be the other side of the world.

It's thirty years since I've riden up the Bealach, so I don't remember much about it, but I've driven over loads of times.

I'm not looking forward to the headwind all the way from Applecross to Fearnmore, If I throw you a rope on the climb, can I take your wheel

wakemalcolm

NNE wind's sbout the worst case scenario for me. Strong tailwind at the start when we're in groups and don't need it and it'll channel down the coastline to make life miserable from the Applecross onwards. Hopefully those flourescent vests won't flap too much in the breeze.

I'll just be pleased to see something other than the inside of a cloud when we get to the top (unlike the last 3 times I've riden it). Can't wait!

thecrofter

OK here's the pressure chart from the Met Office for Sat midday



Looks to me like it'll defintely be NE to E wind maybe about 15mph, strengthening as the day goes on. A cold front heading down but just a small one so hopefully no rain and reasonably clear skies.

Steve_F

thecrofter wrote:

Well, looks like you and me Steve.

I've just checked the weather on the Met Office web site. Looks like it'll be dry, about 8-10 degrees, but a NNE wind about 17mph gusting to 33. Admittedly, that's at the closest station, Portree, which might as well be the other side of the world.

It's thirty years since I've riden up the Bealach, so I don't remember much about it, but I've driven over loads of times.

I'm not looking forward to the headwind all the way from Applecross to Fearnmore, If I throw you a rope on the climb, can I take your wheel

I don't envy you if you have to take my wheel on a climb, I'm carrying a bit much weight so struggle over longer climbs. Shorter ones are fine as I can power up them but one of this length could finish me!

See you there!

thecrofter

Here's a more optomistic forecast from Metcheck.com for Applecross

From Until Temp Feels like UV Rain Cloud Wind Gust
Sat 8 May 1:00 3:59 2 °c 0 °c 0 0.0 mm 24 % 4 mph 4 mph
4:00 6:59 2 °c 1 °c 0 0.0 mm 28 % 5 mph 6 mph
7:00 9:59 7 °c 4 °c 3 0.0 mm 71 % 9 mph 10 mph
10:00 12:59 9 °c 7 °c 4 0.0 mm 71 % 8 mph 10 mph

thecrofter

Or to put it more graphically

BigG67

WHAT a day!

thecrofter

Just back. Yesterday was the perfect day for the Bealach. Not a cloud in the sky the whole way round. It got a bit windy on the run up to Fearnmore, but not too bad. I finished in 3:15:12 which was bang in the middle of the range I thought so I'm pretty pleased with that. My split for the climb was 49:18.

I'll definately head back next year, although I doubt the weather could be any better.

Steve_F

It really was a great day but none of the comments I'd read actually prepared me for:

a) the climb up the Bealach, and
b) the nature of the hills on the rest of the route.

Didn't help feeling rubbish and a bad nights sleep but hey ho, I made it. Wouldn't have been happy with 3h17 in the run up but at the end I was just delighted to make it over the line before collapsing!

Very well organised and a cracking route, already want to go back there feeling good and see if I can improve!

Bring on the Etape!!

BigG67

thecrofter wrote:

Just back. Yesterday was the perfect day for the Bealach. Not a cloud in the sky the whole way round. It got a bit windy on the run up to Fearnmore, but not too bad. I finished in 3:15:12 which was bang in the middle of the range I thought so I'm pretty pleased with that. My split for the climb was 49:18.

I'll definitely head back next year, although I doubt the weather could be any better.

Picking up your comments in the Etape C thread I'd say you'll break 4:30 this weekend and certainly well under the 5 hours you were thinking of.

DaveyL

The Bealach is not tooooo bad - you just need to be able to tough out the long straight bit before the hairpins. What really killed me the time I did it was indeed the coastal road from Applecross round to Torridon - just an unrelenting succession of 8-10% digs and eventually my legs just went.

Still, lovely scenery

thecrofter

BigG67 wrote:

thecrofter wrote:

Just back. Yesterday was the perfect day for the Bealach. Not a cloud in the sky the whole way round. It got a bit windy on the run up to Fearnmore, but not too bad. I finished in 3:15:12 which was bang in the middle of the range I thought so I'm pretty pleased with that. My split for the climb was 49:18.

I'll definitely head back next year, although I doubt the weather could be any better.

Picking up your comments in the Etape C thread I'd say you'll break 4:30 this weekend and certainly well under the 5 hours you were thinking of.

Thanks BigG
I'd be more than chuffed to break 4.30,

The conditions on the Bealach were almost perfect so I reckon alot of personal bests would have been done. I didn't find the hills too bad, partly becaus I knew I had the Etape coming up and I didn't want to overdo it, so I was taking it pretty steady. Except on the way down, at one point I took a glance at my speedo 45mph, :shock:

BigG67

thecrofter wrote:

BigG67 wrote:

thecrofter wrote:

Just back. Yesterday was the perfect day for the Bealach. Not a cloud in the sky the whole way round. It got a bit windy on the run up to Fearnmore, but not too bad. I finished in 3:15:12 which was bang in the middle of the range I thought so I'm pretty pleased with that. My split for the climb was 49:18.

I'll definitely head back next year, although I doubt the weather could be any better.

Picking up your comments in the Etape C thread I'd say you'll break 4:30 this weekend and certainly well under the 5 hours you were thinking of.

Thanks BigG
I'd be more than chuffed to break 4.30,

The conditions on the Bealach were almost perfect so I reckon alot of personal bests would have been done. I didn't find the hills too bad, partly becaus I knew I had the Etape coming up and I didn't want to overdo it, so I was taking it pretty steady. Except on the way down, at one point I took a glance at my speedo 45mph, :shock:

I reckon a lot of PBs for the climb were done but compared to last year I was around 14 mins quicker from the start of the run to the top of the climb and then 10mins slower from there home. The headwind along the coast while not that strong did sap the strength.....

Peter Main

A cracking day, the views and air clarity were amazing and it was cool enough to be able to make a big effort on the bealach. The moderate NW wind made hard going along the peninsular but this gave us a tail wind finish No closed roads this time but no problem. The yellow bibs were a pain and I fail too see the point, all they do is slow you down, get in the way and make everyone look even more the same (as if we didn't anyway with our bikes, lycra and helmets). Despite feeling very unfit and slow for the weeks before I had a great ride finishing 190/392 and 5/14 in the 60+ age group. This means there were 200 people behind me who were slower and mostly younger, ha ha. Not aware of any problems with the 'locals' but I know HandOnEvents have made big efforts to talk with the local people and address their concerns. More than can be said for the Etape Caledonia management. This weekend, should be interesting

BigG67

I'd go with most of that other than the closed roads bit. I found it a huge hassle on the climb.

We had a couple of cars from the back and a bunch of motor bikes each direction. All at times where stopping and restarting would have been a really pain. I managed to squeeze into the side but it was nervy at the barriers and if they'd tried to pass at the 15% bit shy of the s-bends then all hell could have broken loose.

I'm really hoping for safetys sake that HandsOn can secure the closure for the end of the year and for May in 2011.

Peter Main

I agree, for safety the road should be closed. I'm not sure whether the failure to close was an admin error or a cunning way of keeping the local complainers happy. Whatever: 400 riders on such a narrow road, especially on the descent is a recipe for potential disaster.I was lucky on my crossing and had no problems.

BigG67

I heard that HandsOn had applied OK but that the council had failed to advertise correctly. Like you I'm not so sure it wasn't a consession to the local community.

thecrofter

I didn't really have a problem with the road being open, but I was probably lucky. I spent most of the climb in pretty clear space so any vehicles could pass without too much hassle, if you were in any kind of bunch it would be very dangerous for cars to try and pass. I would have thought that the cars and bikes would be less than happy about sharing the road with 400 cyclists, especially the guy in the VW Polo who passed us on the way up, I think I can still smell his clutch burning

I would have been mightily pee'd off had I met any traffic on the way down the other side, doing 45mph was a great payback for the slog uphill.

On balance, better to have the road shut, even two hours would be plenty to let the bulk of riders through safely

Tomcrom

The Ambulance incident was unfortunately not a malicious allegation but a fact. the idiots who failed to give priority should be barred from any future events. Snoppy

amaferanga

Nothing

Niall93

Just a quick clarification on the non road closure of the Beag. Despite an announcement at the start of the event the the road could not be closed because of a last minute objection from the village of Applecross this has turned out to be entirely made up possibly to cover the embarrisment of the organisers in not applying for the closure. It turns out that the HC were not to blame for any admin error
So you all paid £37 for a cycle round a beautiful part of Scotland that you could have done anyway for free. Expensive flapjack.

Tomcrom

The failure of handson in applying for road closure would appear to be quite standard procedure. The organisation so far has left a considerable amount to be desired, the request by the communities on safety grounds for more signage warning vehicles that they were liable to meet oncoming cyclists was also ignored. Is there no end to the incompetance of this outfit.

amaferanga

FFS will you NIMBY's give it a f@cking rest. :roll:

Maybe if the Applecross community didn't go out of its way to make things difficult for the organiser then they'd be able to concentrate on the important things.

And lets not pretend that the Applecross community are just trying to make the Bealach events safer. We all know they want rid of it.

Niall93

Oooooooh dont let the facts get in the way of a good rant. To repeat...no objections and very little interest in the event. Maybe we will just agree to name call each other. I suppose events in Cumbria today puts our little differences in perspective. Sympathies to all involved.

Tomcrom

Bealach Mor looming closer, 560 entries?, thought they had agreed with Highland Council to limit to 400 entries,who's going to notice. Probably do with the extra cash in these hard times, not bad, £20,720 in non returnable entry fees. What about something for the local villages it passes through, nah, no need they are irrelevant.Hey, this is not a bad little earner, think I'll organise a cycling sportiv.

amaferanga

Tomcrom wrote:

Bealach Mor looming closer, 560 entries?, thought they had agreed with Highland Council to limit to 400 entries,who's going to notice. Probably do with the extra cash in these hard times, not bad, £20,720 in non returnable entry fees. What about something for the local villages it passes through, nah, no need they are irrelevant.Hey, this is not a bad little earner, think I'll organise a cycling sportiv.

You don't half go on :roll:

Do all the motorists that drive through the highlands (creating a nuisance to the locals who clearly own the roads) stop in every village and hand out cash then?

I think you should arrange a sportive here in Sheffield so I can behave like a knob and do everything I can to make life difficult for you, see how you like it.