Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Wikipedia has at least one suggestion:
Ancient folklore and historical documentation suggests that the Ochils once were inhabited by the Picts, or at least that a few Pictish settlements existed in the Ochil Hills. Castle Craig, a ruined ancient fort above the village of Mill Glen destroyed by industrial quarrying, was mentioned by local historian William Gibson in 1883 as being "a round Pictish fortress, the traces of which can still be distinctly seen." Old lore also told that some of the stones from the fort of Castle Craig were used in the construction of Stirling Castle, 7+3⁄4 miles (12.5 kilometres) to the west.
Another item of folklore existing in the Ochil Hills is Katie Thirsty's Well, a sacred well shrouded in mythology (OS Grid Reference – NS 81787 97653). Local historians have struggled to discover exactly the identity of "Katie Thirsty", but Pictish researcher Ronald Henderson argues that "the name derives from a corruption of both St. Katherine of Alexandria [Katie] and the Pictish King, Drust or Drustan [Thirsty]." He goes on to say "that the great crags of Dumyat less than a mile to the east is universally credited with being the last Pictish stronghold at the old hillfort there."
Ancient folklore and historical documentation suggests that the Ochils once were inhabited by the Picts, or at least that a few Pictish settlements existed in the Ochil Hills. Castle Craig, a ruined ancient fort above the village of Mill Glen destroyed by industrial quarrying, was mentioned by local historian William Gibson in 1883 as being "a round Pictish fortress, the traces of which can still be distinctly seen." Old lore also told that some of the stones from the fort of Castle Craig were used in the construction of Stirling Castle, 7+3⁄4 miles (12.5 kilometres) to the west.
Another item of folklore existing in the Ochil Hills is Katie Thirsty's Well, a sacred well shrouded in mythology (OS Grid Reference – NS 81787 97653). Local historians have struggled to discover exactly the identity of "Katie Thirsty", but Pictish researcher Ronald Henderson argues that "the name derives from a corruption of both St. Katherine of Alexandria [Katie] and the Pictish King, Drust or Drustan [Thirsty]." He goes on to say "that the great crags of Dumyat less than a mile to the east is universally credited with being the last Pictish stronghold at the old hillfort there."
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Sent my email lets see how kind he is
Might not be steep but will certainly be hilly and probably 200miles +. Road though so easier than off road. I suspect having a bivvy spot is the biggest challenge tbh.Some steep 120 miler I suppose
- fatbikephil
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Aye its a fascinating place and well off the beaten track. They are affy steep though so be kind to megecko76 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 20, 2024 7:47 pm Wikipedia has at least one suggestion:
Ancient folklore and historical documentation suggests that the Ochils once were inhabited by the Picts, or at least that a few Pictish settlements existed in the Ochil Hills. Castle Craig, a ruined ancient fort above the village of Mill Glen destroyed by industrial quarrying, was mentioned by local historian William Gibson in 1883 as being "a round Pictish fortress, the traces of which can still be distinctly seen." Old lore also told that some of the stones from the fort of Castle Craig were used in the construction of Stirling Castle, 7+3⁄4 miles (12.5 kilometres) to the west.
Another item of folklore existing in the Ochil Hills is Katie Thirsty's Well, a sacred well shrouded in mythology (OS Grid Reference – NS 81787 97653). Local historians have struggled to discover exactly the identity of "Katie Thirsty", but Pictish researcher Ronald Henderson argues that "the name derives from a corruption of both St. Katherine of Alexandria [Katie] and the Pictish King, Drust or Drustan [Thirsty]." He goes on to say "that the great crags of Dumyat less than a mile to the east is universally credited with being the last Pictish stronghold at the old hillfort there."
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Messaged you Shaf.
All (nearly) rideable on 25mm slicks. Shorter than you suggested (depending on route choice). 8 points sound OK? Looking back over previous threads, one suggests 10 and another 6.lets see how kind he is
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
10, 6, 3... 1... Who cares
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Will be on 28 mm so all bases coveredAll (nearly) rideable on 25mm slicks.
For me whatever you think works best.
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
No messages came through Andy. Not sure why. Just let me know your strat location and roughly where abouts to include/not include.
I've emptied my messages folder since, in case you wanna try again.
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Start Cockermouth. Not too much above 400m. Off road, road, whatever. Don't go too large - I'd forgotten I'm doing winter Jennride, but will try to shoehorn this in.
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
https://bearbonesbikepacking.blogspot.c ... 1.html?m=1
This might help...
Another excellent resource I learnt of from the 2021 version of this/similar event... https://gridreferencefinder.com/
This might help...
Another excellent resource I learnt of from the 2021 version of this/similar event... https://gridreferencefinder.com/
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
About 150 miles for me 10000 ft of climbing ( including 2 iconic road climbs ( i have never done ) and a night in a cave . ...looking fwd to it all. Resupply looks good as wel. Lets see what the weather gods bring us date to be confirmed but either 3 or 4th or 17/18 th for me
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
168Km and gravel bike for me I reckon. Involves fords though, so water levels will need to drop to avoid some extreme pack raft type shenanigans.
Cheers Shaf
Cheers Shaf
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Sorry that I can't play this time.
I'll try and bivi on 24th as its international bivi night, but it will be close to home.
Family things mean I need to be home or very close to home quite a bit at present
I'll try and bivi on 24th as its international bivi night, but it will be close to home.
Family things mean I need to be home or very close to home quite a bit at present
- fatbikephil
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Penciling in next weekend for mine - a birthday bivvy to boot. Snow conditions up north may lead to a change of plan however....
Got an interesting route to do, thanks to Gecko - Mills, castles, ponds, fake tank traps, large stones, cairns, and of course, lots of hills!
Got an interesting route to do, thanks to Gecko - Mills, castles, ponds, fake tank traps, large stones, cairns, and of course, lots of hills!
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
No worries Jon. Why not make your area a 1 mile square and we can try and make you some reference points. It's a winter event so I imagine you'd be fine if you didn't get any of themJohnClimber wrote: ↑Sun Feb 04, 2024 1:41 pm Sorry that I can't play this time.
I'll try and bivi on 24th as its international bivi night, but it will be close to home.
Family things mean I need to be home or very close to home quite a bit at present
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
I think I may try this weekend aswell if it's nice
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
I might get out this weekend; will see what the weather does. Got my GRs and it's looking good. Might even work in a ford.
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
I'd planned to go for this Saturday, when the sun was out a bit, but a last minute announcement of family and social engagements scuppered it, so Sunday was my last chance for February. I couldn't fit in an overnighter, so was travelling light. Shaf (Redefined_cycles) had sent me 7 locations, all fords, spread from Penrith across to Whitehaven way - planned route ~170Km, mainly back roads. I knew I'd never manage this in the time, so figured I'd miss the last (Whitehaven) ford.
Over the hill to Ford 1 - Hall's Beck and I was feeling strong. Rode through it = wet feet and a waddling of ducks laughing at me.
More climbing warmed the feet up and progress was promising. Some nice off road around the 'Back o Skidda' brought Ford 2 - Charleton Wath ('wath' being a old Norse term for ford). Ridden without feet getting wetter
Hitting the road again and climbing up onto Ellerbeck Common, I turned to head south east, and realised why progress had been so good. The increasingly strong SW'ly had benn flattering me, but now threatened to flatten me. Picking myself out of the hedge/dyke for the second time in 5 minutes I concluded that the extra 40+Km to reach the ford of the R Petteril north of Penrith was unwise - especially as the return half would be into the wind. A change of plan had me turning west, but the long straight road over the common to Uldale was heading directly into the breeze, which was now blowing me to a standstill every couple of minutes. Think again - NW to Ireby, and Ford 3 - the infant River Ellen and a wath to nowhere, which thankfully saved me from having to ride through it.
From Ireby (once home of a great folk festival) it was out to the Solway Plain and an area I never really ride and only know from passing road signs. Less hilly now, but still hard work, as there's precious little shelter. A couple of short sections on main roads were moderately terrifying, as steering was erratic.
Ford 4 - Langrigg Beck, accessing the rather grand (at one time) Gill Farm. Ignored bridge = wet feet
Time to head for home now, so tried to follow hedge-lined lanes, for shelter, through villages with very Cumbrian names - Baggrow, Blennerhasset and Threapland, to Bothel. I'd not spotted it when planning, but the route took me right past daughter #1's boyfriend's house. His Dad's van was there and I briefly considered scuttling the bike and begging a lift home, but I could see Ford 5 - Bothel Beck. Ridden out and back = no increase to foot wetness
With the afternoon well advanced it was time to find a sensible route home, through Sunderland (not Mack'em one) and Isel and the shorter off road and hopefully tree-sheltered climb through the forestry of Setmurthy Common. Why the 'This site is closed' signs were at the top of the 100m ascent and not the bottom was up for discussion, but I wasn't turning back now.
It was soon too dark for photos of the carnage, but the pic above gives a diluted flavour. I cheered myself up remembering that time after Storm Arwen, riding through Dalbeattie and fighting through windblown trees for a couple of hours with a mate who only had a bar mounted dynamo light - not great for carrying a bike through and over a scratchy obstacle course
Then the rain started. At least it made the hot shower and generous slosh of Laphroaig even more welcoming once I reached home.
80Km, 1400m, 5 hrs. 5 out of 7 points visited. I'll get to the last 2 fords this week, seeing as Shaf put the effort in to research them. By chance, the lass I'm working with this week tried to ford the River Petteril north of Penrith on Saturday, but had to turn back - "30 feet wide and 3 feet deep" (which only confirms my suspicions that Shaf is trying to facilitate my 'accidental' death by drowning.......)
Cheers for setting the challenge Shaf and sorry I couldn't find a suitable time/weather for an overnighter to complete the job.
Over the hill to Ford 1 - Hall's Beck and I was feeling strong. Rode through it = wet feet and a waddling of ducks laughing at me.
More climbing warmed the feet up and progress was promising. Some nice off road around the 'Back o Skidda' brought Ford 2 - Charleton Wath ('wath' being a old Norse term for ford). Ridden without feet getting wetter
Hitting the road again and climbing up onto Ellerbeck Common, I turned to head south east, and realised why progress had been so good. The increasingly strong SW'ly had benn flattering me, but now threatened to flatten me. Picking myself out of the hedge/dyke for the second time in 5 minutes I concluded that the extra 40+Km to reach the ford of the R Petteril north of Penrith was unwise - especially as the return half would be into the wind. A change of plan had me turning west, but the long straight road over the common to Uldale was heading directly into the breeze, which was now blowing me to a standstill every couple of minutes. Think again - NW to Ireby, and Ford 3 - the infant River Ellen and a wath to nowhere, which thankfully saved me from having to ride through it.
From Ireby (once home of a great folk festival) it was out to the Solway Plain and an area I never really ride and only know from passing road signs. Less hilly now, but still hard work, as there's precious little shelter. A couple of short sections on main roads were moderately terrifying, as steering was erratic.
Ford 4 - Langrigg Beck, accessing the rather grand (at one time) Gill Farm. Ignored bridge = wet feet
Time to head for home now, so tried to follow hedge-lined lanes, for shelter, through villages with very Cumbrian names - Baggrow, Blennerhasset and Threapland, to Bothel. I'd not spotted it when planning, but the route took me right past daughter #1's boyfriend's house. His Dad's van was there and I briefly considered scuttling the bike and begging a lift home, but I could see Ford 5 - Bothel Beck. Ridden out and back = no increase to foot wetness
With the afternoon well advanced it was time to find a sensible route home, through Sunderland (not Mack'em one) and Isel and the shorter off road and hopefully tree-sheltered climb through the forestry of Setmurthy Common. Why the 'This site is closed' signs were at the top of the 100m ascent and not the bottom was up for discussion, but I wasn't turning back now.
It was soon too dark for photos of the carnage, but the pic above gives a diluted flavour. I cheered myself up remembering that time after Storm Arwen, riding through Dalbeattie and fighting through windblown trees for a couple of hours with a mate who only had a bar mounted dynamo light - not great for carrying a bike through and over a scratchy obstacle course
Then the rain started. At least it made the hot shower and generous slosh of Laphroaig even more welcoming once I reached home.
80Km, 1400m, 5 hrs. 5 out of 7 points visited. I'll get to the last 2 fords this week, seeing as Shaf put the effort in to research them. By chance, the lass I'm working with this week tried to ford the River Petteril north of Penrith on Saturday, but had to turn back - "30 feet wide and 3 feet deep" (which only confirms my suspicions that Shaf is trying to facilitate my 'accidental' death by drowning.......)
Cheers for setting the challenge Shaf and sorry I couldn't find a suitable time/weather for an overnighter to complete the job.
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Tuesday evening, Ford 6 - River Petteril, Southwaite
1000009254-01 by Andrew Williamson, on Flickr
1000009256-01 by Andrew Williamson, on Flickr
Didn't ride/swim it. 45Km, 450m.
I rest my case"30 feet wide and 3 feet deep" (which only confirms my suspicions that Shaf is trying to facilitate my 'accidental' death by drowning.......)
1000009254-01 by Andrew Williamson, on Flickr
1000009256-01 by Andrew Williamson, on Flickr
Didn't ride/swim it. 45Km, 450m.
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Read both reports and some of the pics were brilliant. Post card material that there. Thanks v much Andyboxelder wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 8:46 am Tuesday evening, Ford 6 - River Petteril, SouthwaiteI rest my case"30 feet wide and 3 feet deep" (which only confirms my suspicions that Shaf is trying to facilitate my 'accidental' death by drowning.......)
1000009254-01 by Andrew Williamson, on Flickr
1000009256-01 by Andrew Williamson, on Flickr
Didn't ride/swim it. 45Km, 450m.
- fatbikephil
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Well done Andy. Wet feet at the first hurdle though - yuk....
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
I didn't mean for him to get wet feet, honest. Simply thought it'd be nice going past the various named fords around there and the pics would be brilliant. Looks like there were at least a few bridge sections that he chose to forego. Proper Bearbone lad that manfatbikephil wrote: ↑Sat Feb 10, 2024 11:37 am Well done Andy. Wet feet at the first hurdle though - yuk....
I'll share a pic of the ford we chose not to include
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Think it might have been this one. Borrow Beck http://wetroads.co.uk/dp.php?Borrow%20Beck%20Ford1
Looks lovely but couldn't see any evidence of a bridge anywhere.
Looks lovely but couldn't see any evidence of a bridge anywhere.
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
I am glad he was kinder to me than you were to him ( hate water crossings in summer never mind winter)
Next week for me ( just swapped out the commuting wheels for my proper road ones) weather looks like standard winter bit damp but not horrible.
Next week for me ( just swapped out the commuting wheels for my proper road ones) weather looks like standard winter bit damp but not horrible.
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Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Done. Will put some words together on the 'Your Trips and Adventures' page at some point, but in summary, lots of mud, lots of hills!
Re: Not Another Winter Event (approx Feb, 2024)
Nice one. I'm aiming for next weekend, come what may.