The brake pad eating stuff is only on certain tracks/trails, and mostly not on this route.

Good deals on chalets and rooms at Calvert Trust, Cranecleugh. Ask for Hazel.

Count me in with an over night bivi at around 100km That would be Kershopehead bothy (almost exactly half way - let me know if you manage to access the 'spare room' with the vase of flowers in the window). It's haunted tha knows...... Don't fret about brake pads. As a survivor of the Kielder 101 in...

Pleasantly undulatory.

It's only 3140ish m of climbing.
Surfaces are mostly very good - smoothish and hardpacked (with some memorable 'chunkier sections').
Don't forget to keep your head up, as there's some great scenery and you're not surrounded by trees for that much of it.
Please let it be sunny and calm.....

No midges at all last year. The problem was getting cold. I suspect several retirees realised on day 2 that they'd packed too light.

Pooley Bridge has a bridge again (washed away by storm Desmond). L200 doable without a long detour or deep river crossing.

For those wanting to ITT the route, there are 3 bothies very close - approx 60km, 100km and 170km. Happy to share details here after April 16. It is 'gravel' though, so a distance challenge on fire roads and similar surfaces, suited to drop bar, 35-40mm tyre type bikes. MTB on fast rolling tyres wil...

Is there a general map/gpx Ray? Fairly local for me potentially.

The 3PCX is, for the distance, pigging hard I'd say. You can't really back off can you? - everything on it feels a bit of a struggle. Is the HT550 really a race? More an individual challenge - clearly harder in the effort required, but not that intense (mostly). 2011 Kielder 100 was a long period of...

If asking about the sunday of the event, stuff will be open in Fort Augustus, and Contin stores. There are a couple of cafes and a hotel between them. Plus Oykel Bridge Hotel for dinner?

This looks like a shot of the barn - http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4123962 That's very much a working barn - obviously in use for wood cutting last year. I stopped there for a brew and to warm up after a morning crossing of the Northern Loop. peat hags........in the dark....... Shiver me timbers...

10 days (but does make all but texting /calling unusable)

So it's a clock?

I'd assumed mudguards - but keep your saddle pack clear of the guard.

Sleeping bag liner. Carry spare pair of socks and use the first pair as cloth to clean legs.

The On one Gravel Rd 40mm are good too

was taking a dump in a bag in the tent

DIY handwarmer...........resourceful.

Who did it sub 24?

Chris Hope, not long after doing the Lakeland 200 in under 17 hrs. Whippet.

It was done in under 24hrs last year ( :shock: ), so you could go light to make the hike a bike easier..............? It's on my to do list for this year, and I'm in NW Lakes so could collect 3 or 4 from Penrith and get to St Bees for early next morning. Realistically June/July for me, though Aug BH...

http://www.billys.co.uk/english/specials.php

Apidura bags in a closing down sale. Lots of other stuff too.

On one have a bunch of Geax mtb tyres in their 'liquidation sale'.

and some 4" Fat tyres for £20 - http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/TYVEVMFB/ve ... lding-tyre

but I remember being 32x26 all the time

Not a single midge last year - too cold and windy.......

This will have to wait for another season/year.
Life got busy for next spring.......
Back burner

I have a Spot3 with tracking if anyone is looking to hire one?