Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance C2C 2014

[152l2]

And we are doing this on a Sunday................ for charity?

 

[coffeejo]

The charity is the end result, the cake is the motivation!

 

[Peteaud]

There are 5 (I think) stops en route. The cakes at the first stop (Bishops Lydeard) and the friendliness of everyone at the Ilminster stop (3rd) are not to be missed. Can't remember what happens after Windwhistle. It's a blank apart from managing to look like a serious cyclist for the photographer on one of the last descents and the cheers of the crowds as you come in to West Bay - if that fails to raise the spirits, there's a good chance that Windwhistle reduced you to the state of "the cyclist formerly known as..." but your legs got stuck in the rhythm of "must get to the top" and kept pedalling all the way to the finish. Chapeau .......... but my sympathies to your loved ones.

There are 4 stops,

Bishops Lydeard
Creech St Michael
Ilminster
Drimpton

Make sure you stop at Ilminster to fuel up for the hills!!!

My own nemesis is Rock Hill, i struggle with it and avoid it all the time. Windy hill is a river at the moment, but i can manage it 50% off the time, although it is my local hill as it's only about a mile and a half from where i am sitting now.

The "unofficial stop" is the New inn, Dowlish Wake where last year quite a few managed to find and rest up with some refreshment

 

[Peteaud]

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Watchet-Bridport

route.

 

[coffeejo]

There are 4 stops,

Bishops Lydeard
Creech St Michael
Ilminster
Drimpton

Make sure you stop at Ilminster to fuel up for the hills!!!

My own nemesis is Rock Hill, i struggle with it and avoid it all the time. Windy hill is a river at the moment, but i can manage it 50% off the time, although it is my local hill as it's only about a mile and a half from where i am sitting now.

The "unofficial stop" is the New inn, Dowlish Wake where last year quite a few managed to find and rest up with some refreshment

Ah yes, Drimpton - I remember the green bananas.

Rock Hill is ok, the trick is to remember that when you first think you're approaching the top, you're not - there's still a bit of a lung buster to come.

 

[152l2]

They kept all of these hills quiet on the application form. .
Have any of you climbed the hill at Wynford Eagle? how does that compare?
I googled wind whistle hill and the first link is all about it bieng haunted and a UFO hot spot. EEK!

 

[Peteaud]

They kept all of these hills quiet on the application form. .
Have any of you climbed the hill at Wynford Eagle? how does that compare?
I googled wind whistle hill and the first link is all about it bieng haunted and a UFO hot spot. EEK!

There are 3 main hills on the route plus a few smaller ones.

Rock hill is a nasty one as it kicks up at the end, but it is not that bad to be honest.
Windwhistle is a nasty hill, single track road and a long climb that really kicks towards the end, plus with alot walking up it does get crowded. It my local hill and some days i can do it, some days i cant. Its around the 40 mile mark.
Purtington hill is also a bit of a nasty little one at the 43 mile mark, narrow lane and quite steep although shortish.

After those three the only other bit that is a pita is from Drimpton to Broadwindsor. Its a climb but only just and goes on for a while.

All in all it is a great ride, i love it and if the weather is ok you get a lot of support from people along the route cheering you on.
Make sure you stop at Ilminster (just remembered Cemetery hill before it, with spooky graveyard).

If possible get to the start early as the one road in and out of Watchet can be a pain.

@coffeejo has ridden the route and has already posted rock hill isnt that hard and will hopefully agree with me on how good the day is.

 

[152l2]

I am really looking forward to it.

What sort of time is respectable?

 

[Peteaud]

I am really looking forward to it.

What sort of time is respectable?

Time does not matter at all, dont even think about it.

The cakes are so nice any "time" issues are long gone, and with 4 stops and traffic at the start it really is not a race.

I think i took 4 1/2 hours last time but was nattering all the way round to people.

 

[coffeejo]

Dunno about time - depends how many times you stop and how much cake you eat!

It's a great day - really.

Never done Wynford Eagle but I'd say that Cheddar Gorge is easier than Windwhistle which is in turn easier than many of the climbs on Exmoor. The hardest thing about Windwhistle wasn't so much the climb as the fact that it's so narrow - there was a bottleneck and I ground to a halt because someone else stopped in front of me.

Actually, that can be an issue - people who don't regularly ride out with clubs don't always think to warn those behind them about hazards or that they're slowing/stopping.

 

[Peteaud]

Dunno about time - depends how many times you stop and how much cake you eat!

but I'd say that Cheddar Gorge is easier than Windwhistle

The hardest thing about Windwhistle wasn't so much the climb as the fact that it's so narrow - there was a bottleneck and I ground to a halt because someone else stopped in front of me.

Actually, that can be an issue - people who don't regularly ride out with clubs don't always think to warn those behind them about hazards or that they're slowing/stopping.

You are the 2nd to say that but i dont think Windy is anywhere near as bad a Cheddar.

The narrowness is the issue.

The start is a nightmare, some forget that slamming on the brakes might cause issues for those behind.

 

[coffeejo]

Cheddar starts steep but then lets up. Windy just gets worse.

 

[Peteaud]

Cheddar starts steep but then lets up. Windy just gets worse.

I have never riden Cheddar, as i know i would not make it up, Windy is in the mind, if it plants a doubt then you will fail.

I did it last year (not on the C2C), almost got to the corner before the T junction near the top and a car came up behind so i had to pull over, Really annoyed me, so i went back to Dowlish, turned round and blitzed it right to the top.

 

[Peteaud]

@coffeejo

What in your experience is worse?

Windwhistle or Blagdon?

 

[coffeejo]