Cycle the Solway 2017 By Paul Cumella
For those of us in the know. What a unique day! No headwind. Is this a first?
This is a charity event raising money for Eden Valley Hospice. A 10km 20 km 50km and 100km routes are on offer. These form a figure eight with the longest ride heading out to Allonby and around the coast via Silloth and Abbeytown to kirkbride and round the Anthorn peninsula to Great Orton (start and finish.)
This year Sue and Paul elected to do the 50km ride while a group of John, Sue, Ivan, Janet, Steve, Anita and Bob tackled the 100k. Sue and Paul were in time for the earlier start and met up with the main group just before they and the other 200 or so riders set off.
The shorter ride allowed Sue and Paul to start before the group and we cycled around to the first feeding station at Watch Tree Nature Reserve. The chap managing the banana and flap jack seemed quite lonely so we stopped and had a chat. The reserve is the resting place of all the foot and mouth cattle as well as being on the edge of a war time reserve airfield.
We passed through Thurstonfield and Kirkbampton and past Finglandrigg nature reserve before reaching Kirkbride and the bridge over the River Wampool linking the Peninsula. The tide was out but with no wind the remaining water was like a river of mercury. The mud banks on either side
were populated with waders and gulls. So we found a bench overlooking the water and had an 11's stop. Groups of cyclists came by and some of the fast lot who were treating it as a sportive.
On around the coast to the north side we chatted to other cyclists en route. The ponds on the salt marsh near Campfield reserve were topped up with the recent rain but a Little Egret was the only occupant of note. The centre on the RSPB reserve has tea and coffee facilities so we took the opportunity to stop and have a chat with the volunteers manning the centre. A telescope/tripod was set up and focussed on a bird box with young tree sparrow chicks being fed.
We continued our ride alongside the Solway past the remains of the viaduct that once had a railway crossing of the Solway. At the layby just before the rise to Bowness on Solway there was a regatta of boats and lots of people on the bank. This is the annual event commemorating the marauding Scots crossing the Solway to 'nick' the bells from the church at Bowness in 1626. A successful event until they attempted to row back pursued by irate and angry locals. In danger of being caught by their pursuers the Scots realised the bells were weighing them down so they threw them over board and made their escape.
The road follows the coast to Port Carlisle and to a feeding station opposite the pub. We stopped a short while and then found a bench overlooking the water and rested the bikes against the haf-nets left to dry against the hedge. (The previous week we had seen them being used – the fishermen wade into the water and carry the nets on their shoulder hoping to catch salmon!)
The road continues across the low lying land (often in danger of flooding) and then turns in land and rises away from the coast before returning to Kirkbampton and the lanes to Great Orton. The pub garden was busy with everyone getting stuck in to the complimentary food, teas and coffees.
It was just starting to spit with rain. We didn't see our main group. They arrived later safe and sound but unfortunately could not avoid the rain.
The event is really well managed and although we had route maps the road signage was so good that we didn't use them. We clocked up 31.5 miles (50Km) at an overall average of 11.4mph. No headwind. Two hundred and fifteen people did the 100k ride out of a total of 288 cyclists for all rides. With sponsorship money still to come in they hope to raise £10000 for the Hospice.
The 100k group of the Solway SCC agreed it was and excellent day out – quite fast when traversing the Solway waterfront at around 16/17mph (we blame Bob for this!). The total average speed was measured at 12.4mph on John M's Garmin recorder and the whole circuit took them just over 5hrs – arriving back at the Wellington Inn at 3:10pm. All thanks and praise go to the event staff and volunteers who have taken on the organisation themselves (to reduce costs). Plenty of food and water at the wayside stops with gratefully received tea, coffee and sandwiches, pies and quiche at the Wellington Inn – lovely! At 100k (621/2 miles) – this was our longest ride out in recent times.
For those of us in the know. What a unique day! No headwind. Is this a first?
This is a charity event raising money for Eden Valley Hospice. A 10km 20 km 50km and 100km routes are on offer. These form a figure eight with the longest ride heading out to Allonby and around the coast via Silloth and Abbeytown to kirkbride and round the Anthorn peninsula to Great Orton (start and finish.)
This year Sue and Paul elected to do the 50km ride while a group of John, Sue, Ivan, Janet, Steve, Anita and Bob tackled the 100k. Sue and Paul were in time for the earlier start and met up with the main group just before they and the other 200 or so riders set off.
The shorter ride allowed Sue and Paul to start before the group and we cycled around to the first feeding station at Watch Tree Nature Reserve. The chap managing the banana and flap jack seemed quite lonely so we stopped and had a chat. The reserve is the resting place of all the foot and mouth cattle as well as being on the edge of a war time reserve airfield.
We passed through Thurstonfield and Kirkbampton and past Finglandrigg nature reserve before reaching Kirkbride and the bridge over the River Wampool linking the Peninsula. The tide was out but with no wind the remaining water was like a river of mercury. The mud banks on either side
were populated with waders and gulls. So we found a bench overlooking the water and had an 11's stop. Groups of cyclists came by and some of the fast lot who were treating it as a sportive.
On around the coast to the north side we chatted to other cyclists en route. The ponds on the salt marsh near Campfield reserve were topped up with the recent rain but a Little Egret was the only occupant of note. The centre on the RSPB reserve has tea and coffee facilities so we took the opportunity to stop and have a chat with the volunteers manning the centre. A telescope/tripod was set up and focussed on a bird box with young tree sparrow chicks being fed.
We continued our ride alongside the Solway past the remains of the viaduct that once had a railway crossing of the Solway. At the layby just before the rise to Bowness on Solway there was a regatta of boats and lots of people on the bank. This is the annual event commemorating the marauding Scots crossing the Solway to 'nick' the bells from the church at Bowness in 1626. A successful event until they attempted to row back pursued by irate and angry locals. In danger of being caught by their pursuers the Scots realised the bells were weighing them down so they threw them over board and made their escape.
The road follows the coast to Port Carlisle and to a feeding station opposite the pub. We stopped a short while and then found a bench overlooking the water and rested the bikes against the haf-nets left to dry against the hedge. (The previous week we had seen them being used – the fishermen wade into the water and carry the nets on their shoulder hoping to catch salmon!)
The road continues across the low lying land (often in danger of flooding) and then turns in land and rises away from the coast before returning to Kirkbampton and the lanes to Great Orton. The pub garden was busy with everyone getting stuck in to the complimentary food, teas and coffees.
It was just starting to spit with rain. We didn't see our main group. They arrived later safe and sound but unfortunately could not avoid the rain.
The event is really well managed and although we had route maps the road signage was so good that we didn't use them. We clocked up 31.5 miles (50Km) at an overall average of 11.4mph. No headwind. Two hundred and fifteen people did the 100k ride out of a total of 288 cyclists for all rides. With sponsorship money still to come in they hope to raise £10000 for the Hospice.
The 100k group of the Solway SCC agreed it was and excellent day out – quite fast when traversing the Solway waterfront at around 16/17mph (we blame Bob for this!). The total average speed was measured at 12.4mph on John M's Garmin recorder and the whole circuit took them just over 5hrs – arriving back at the Wellington Inn at 3:10pm. All thanks and praise go to the event staff and volunteers who have taken on the organisation themselves (to reduce costs). Plenty of food and water at the wayside stops with gratefully received tea, coffee and sandwiches, pies and quiche at the Wellington Inn – lovely! At 100k (621/2 miles) – this was our longest ride out in recent times.