Applecross Challenge - Bealach na Bà
suzesvelte
Posts: 134 Member
I am going to Skye at Easter and there will be plenty of long hills to climb up and rides of about 40-50 miles will be the norm .. we were there last year in the exact same place, so I feel quite sure I can do these again ..
Last year my pal and I went UP the Applecross pass, Bealach na Bà, but only ambled about on the coast / dossed in the pub until our stronger-fitter-pal, who did the whole peninsula came back to us with the car to drive us back to our cottage on Skye.
This year I want to do the climb again, but also the whole loop back to the car on my bike. It is a really rolling/undulating terrain, so although only 40 miles, it will tax me pretty hard. But is it stunning scenery, especially the coast road stretch.
If you have never heard of the Applecross you might like to see it - it is ridiculously remote and very quiet up there .. and beautiful if the clouds dont come down to cover the whole thing!
http://cyclinguphill.com/100-climbs/bealach-na-ba/
Has anyone else in here done this loop?
Last year my pal and I went UP the Applecross pass, Bealach na Bà, but only ambled about on the coast / dossed in the pub until our stronger-fitter-pal, who did the whole peninsula came back to us with the car to drive us back to our cottage on Skye.
This year I want to do the climb again, but also the whole loop back to the car on my bike. It is a really rolling/undulating terrain, so although only 40 miles, it will tax me pretty hard. But is it stunning scenery, especially the coast road stretch.
If you have never heard of the Applecross you might like to see it - it is ridiculously remote and very quiet up there .. and beautiful if the clouds dont come down to cover the whole thing!
http://cyclinguphill.com/100-climbs/bealach-na-ba/
Has anyone else in here done this loop?
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I've driven over the pass ages ago, and thought "one day i'll come back with the bike" but life's kind of got in the way for the past 15 years and I've not made it yet. Still on "the list" though.
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Looks superb, I may have to wander up the way, at a max of 20% it's challenging but you can grind your way up that, much nicer then the 'I'm about to fall off my bike 30%+ at hardknott pass in the lakes, that was more a wall then a climb.1
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Jakess1971 wrote: »... much nicer then the 'I'm about to fall off my bike 30%+ at hardknott pass in the lakes, that was more a wall then a climb.
When Bedale club did Hardknott I did the walk of shame a couple of times... That WAS tough!2 -
it's fantastic mate - as I say, having driven it, it's basically the only "alpine pass" in the UK... and it really feels like it too - because it starts pretty much at sea level, it "makes the most" of being just over a 600m pass...
Got up it dead easy, but of course i'd 180bhp of Audi Quattro hauling me, not a FTP of just over 200w
time for the geartrain from the MTB on the dolan I guess - wouldn't that be something 
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Jakess1971 wrote: »Looks superb, I may have to wander up the way, at a max of 20% it's challenging but you can grind your way up that, much nicer then the 'I'm about to fall off my bike 30%+ at hardknott pass in the lakes, that was more a wall then a climb.
I couldnt do that ... funny enough my missis just told me she has that climb on her list for this year with her club - but she is tiny and skips up everything ..
At Applecross the max of 20% is only very short stretch, mostly it is not too severe, really. Well worth the jaunt
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I've driven up it several times but never ridden up it yet. It's not stupidly steep anywhere but it is long. The route along the coast north from Applecross is also superb but has lots of ups and downs on it.
Definitely looking forward to riding there one day - it'll be a compact chainset and an 11:32 or even 11:34 cassette though!0 -
I did it!
Snow 1/2 way up for a bit of the route, strong head winds and icy blizzard at the very top so we were cold and drenched despite waterproof gear. However, we got dry in the village pub so we could complete the circuit.
@niblue
It's 15-20% through one section near the top - which is stupidly steep enough!
Also the endless ups and downs along the coast include lots of 10-13% sections. Maybe not so obvious in yr car!
I made a little youtube video. Will try to post link later!
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Well done you! This one is still on my list.1
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