Bealach Mor

s25scd

Anyone heading over for the Bealach mor on saturday? Will be the first time in 6 weeks i will have been on my bike due to work commitments so i know the pain is comming. Just hoping my new build makes it round ok and me!,( due to work ive gave it a 10 min road test :shock: ) . Feel free to say hi and give me a tow if you see me on a black Planet X bike with white bar tape and white fizik saddle. Hope the weather is ok but its not looking good, should still be a good day out, 1st time for me doing the bealach.

dgstewart

Not been on the bike for 6 weeks... 1st time for Bealach... ouch!! Nothing like a challenge then! I take it you've done rides of similar lengths / climbing before, but just that you've been off the bike recently?

Have you done the Bealach climb at all before (i.e. the smaller Beag event)? If not then my main bits of advice are:

1) Take it easy at the start - it begins with a 3.5 mile climb right from the off, gradual at first, but picking up a bit near the top. Very easy to overcook it or try to keep up with a group that's just a little too fast - there will be other groups behind you, so don't fret about dropping off a bit.

2) Pace yourself on the Bealach climb itself. It's 6 miles long, but again begins fairly gradually and after 2 to 3 miles beigns to kick up sharply. The first 2 miles only rise about 100m, next 2 about 200, then the last 2 rise over 300m. The hardest bit is the long drag from just over 4 miles to the hairpins, then there is a false summit about 5.5 miles and one final effort to the top. Be very careful on the descent, especially if its wet, and watch out for some off-camber bends!

3) Refer to No. 2 – pace yourself on the Bealach climb as this is not the hardest bit by a long way. Tee section from Applecross to Shieldaig is a succession of brutal short but very steep ups and downs, and they really hurt after the big climb. I did the route about a month ago (fourth time) and I still underestimated the number of these “little” climbs!

Enjoy your day though – it’s a cracking route. I’ll look out for you, if I have the energy to do so!

s25scd

Thanks dgstewart, will take those points onboard. Intending to pace myself and conserve energy at the most lol. The past few nights I have done some work on the turbo to try and wake the legs . Just looking for a good day out on the bike and a change of scenery! Not even done the beag so its all or nothing! Have done a few routes over the lecht ski area and round that area during spring/summer before my lay off so hoping the legs havent gone completely.

thecrofter

I've done the Bealach Beag twice now. The Bealach itself is quite good fun, in a way. But once you get to the top you've only done half the climbing on the route, and that's on the Bealach Beag. I'm not trying to scare you, but don't get too complacent once you're over the summit.

thecm

I'd agree with dgstewart the hardest bit is when you go round the corner of the Applecross peninsula through to Shieldaig...still find it amazing that bit of road only went in the late 70's-80's. Bealach itself is great fun and you get a nice warm up going over from Lochcarron too.

thecrofter

TheCM wrote:

I'd agree with dgstewart the hardest bit is when you go round the corner of the Applecross peninsula through to Shieldaig...still find it amazing that bit of road only went in the late 70's-80's. Bealach itself is great fun and you get a nice warm up going over from Lochcarron too.

They only got electricity in 1955. My Grandad was an engineer with the Hydro Board and was involved with the switch on.

http://www.ambaile.org.uk/en/item/item_ ... _id=109293

Picture of my grandad, granny and my dad at the Switch On.

Pigtail

I'm doing it for the first time. I started cycling late last year and signed up for this in the spring, without quite recognising what it was. I've never done anything like it.

I expect it to be a bit about survival rather than a fast time. The forecast has been deteriorating in the last couple of days and it could be a bit windy.

I'll be on a red spesh allez if anyone wants to say hello.

Dr U Idh

I did the Bealach and the coast road in July, on the tourer, with panniers and stuff. I'd echo everything that's been said about the coast road.

Pigtail

Well guys - thanks for all the advice- even though I wasn't the OP.

I managed to ignore most of it, and dramatically underestimated the big hill. I started off overtaking people on the hill thinking this isn't too bad (you can see where this is going, right?) In fact I must have been overtaking about 7 or 8 people for every one who overtook me.

So it went on and on for ever - I though I must be nearly there - when I turned a corner and saw the steep climb just before the hairpin bends. My heart sank - I kept going for a while but quickly stopped in a passing place. Then I couldn't get going again because I couldn't get clipped in. I pushed to a flatter passing place and managed to get going. Meanwhile all the people I had passed, and many more, were merrily overtaking me. I got to the top in 60 minutes, slightly wiser and much more tired.

I made it round the rest ok, 5 hours 58 total time - determined to do better next year!

dgstewart

^^ Tsk, tsk, I told you so...! :-). The Bealach creeps up on you with its gentle start, then turns very nasty. Well done though, a good effort, and not easy to get going again once stopped on the Bealach!

At least next year you'll know what you're in for. I'm sure you'll beat it then with another year of riding under your belt.

mabarbie

Which way was the wind blowing, if it was straight in your face down the valley I feel very sorry for you. Lovely climb though, isn't it

dgstewart

The wind wasn't really an issue to be honest. I'd say it was a gentle SE - it was a bit in our face on hte run out to the Achnasheen roundabout, then a cross wind down to Lochcarron. Up the Bealach itself it was probably a slight tail if anything, but not much. Mainly it was just very wet! It was bouncing down at Lochcarron, but It did ease off after the climb.

It wasn't a very lovely climb this time! You couldn't see all the way up or down due to the mist and rain. It had that disorientating effect you get in mist. I knew roughly were I was on the climb from the distance travelled, but that didn't seem to relate to where I thought I was just looking round me (and I did the climb only a month ago!). Visibility was better on the descent, thankfully.

mabarbie

I remember doing the climb twice last year, both times with the wind in my face going up the (really) steep bit. Thankfully once at the hairpins it got easier. Descent was hairy though, felt as if I was going to be blown of the road!! Would love to do the whole route one day, the undulating bit round the coast does sound very tough!

Honestly though, well done, it must have been rewarding (I'm slightly jealous here now).

AuldBikeAl

First time as well. I was a bit wiser, started the climb off slow as anything, let all the youngsters speed past & eventually caught a lot of folk on the upper section. Managed a time of 55 minutes, not bad for an auld yin, newish to this lark. Coast was hard. Sheildeg looked just below on approach, but first there was a sign saying 5 miles, then a whole pile of steep ups and downs. A bit demoralising after 65 miles, but a banana and lots of drink when I arrived there got me going again (plus the midges!!)

AuldBikeAl

Short video (not mine nor featuring me) which shows the conditions here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ3bq2FkqD4