I'm not entirely sure how this is gonna play out, but I'm arranging some kind of free-to-ride self-supported Mint Gravel event on 15th June, and you're all invited!
Mint Gravel is a 160km ↔︎ 3900m ↕︎ mixed-terrain loop around South Lakeland. It's roughly half road and half 'northern gravel', so good for a hardtail MTB, gravel, or even CX bike. I put it together as a challenging long day out, but it'd also work split over a couple of days with some decent wild-camping spots round and about the half-way point.
As for the event, there'll be a 'group start' at 6am on Saturday 15th June from Gooseholme Bridge in Kendal with the intention of meeting up back there again that evening, but beyond that the ride is open to interpretation. Smash it out; slow and steady till you're done; do as much as you can in X hours then bail; bivvy out … whatever. My hope is just that we have folk doing the same route at the same time so as to have some shared experience of riding what may be somewhere new or a bit different to many.
As an idea of what to expect, the current FKT for the loop is 12½ hours. It's taken me ~16 hours and by way of comparison last year's BB200 took me 21 hours.
I've a handful of non-Boners up for it already and the more the merrier! So, who's in?
Mint Gravel - South Lakeland 160km - 15th June
Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew
Mint Gravel - South Lakeland 160km - 15th June
Last edited by Hyppy on Fri May 03, 2024 1:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Mint Gravel - South Lakeland 160km - 15th June
Its on my to do list but i have the rtts double the weekend after . Mm is that the perfect taper ride.....
Not sure but I will do the route this year.
Not sure but I will do the route this year.
Re: Mint Gravel - South Lakeland 160km - 15th June
But of course it is!
It's a busy time of year, innit? We left it rather too late to 'own' any date, but looked to pick a weekend that didn't clash with anything else too similar which proved tricky. Even locally, it's the same weekend as the Sam Houghton but hopefully they each appeal to different riders.
Re: Mint Gravel - South Lakeland 160km - 15th June
Im itching for another trip to the Lakes, my one and only visit on the bike was a bit of a debacle.
Timing is a bit tricky for me and there's actually an ultra in Manchester on the same date organised by a brand that shall not/cannot be named on the forum although this one looks more manageable with less distance and less climbing...but if I have learnt one thing is that miles in the Lake District are longer than regular miles.
How does one enter?
Timing is a bit tricky for me and there's actually an ultra in Manchester on the same date organised by a brand that shall not/cannot be named on the forum although this one looks more manageable with less distance and less climbing...but if I have learnt one thing is that miles in the Lake District are longer than regular miles.
How does one enter?
Re: Mint Gravel - South Lakeland 160km - 15th June
Sounds like an itch that needs scratching then!
They can be! We've a good mix of terrain on the route so there are sections you'll make good progress over and others that may take somewhat longer, but it's genuinely all ridable. I'll concede to never managing to clear one climb (Sadgill) myself, but technically all rideable.
You can just rock up on the day, Valerio. I'm intentionally keeping things very self-supported—think little more than a bunch of people happening to be riding the same route—but I'll post more details here as I work them out. I've currently got some racing whippets (my co-conspirator in all this is actually a current UCI World Champ), others similar pace to me, and a few just going to see how they get on signed up to ride so far. It'll be good to see you.