oldfatfool
Guru
Should be able to, I am banking on cycling from Ingleton to Hawes on the morning of the race.
Mrs wants us to hire a camper for the TDF in Yorkshire - mad idea?
- Thread starter Globalti
- Start date
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Peter - there will be several thousand other people who got there before you and will be in your way!
If you were talking about doing it several hours before the cavalcade is due - maybe ...
As I have mentioned before in other threads - even The Kelloggs Tour arrival caused such traffic jams that my mate had to park several miles from Holme village and then we had to run down country lanes to get to the village in time to see the peloton pass. Spectators were standing several deep all the way up Holme Moss. This was pre-GB cycling success and the huge increase in popularity of the sport.
I don't think you will be able to just turn up to watch the TdF in Yorkshire. I think you will have to choose your spot and get there early. We are not going to get this again in our lifetime so it would be a pity to find yourself fuming at a roadblock or jam, miles from a viewpoint!
I found this on another site:
If you were talking about doing it several hours before the cavalcade is due - maybe ...
As I have mentioned before in other threads - even The Kelloggs Tour arrival caused such traffic jams that my mate had to park several miles from Holme village and then we had to run down country lanes to get to the village in time to see the peloton pass. Spectators were standing several deep all the way up Holme Moss. This was pre-GB cycling success and the huge increase in popularity of the sport.
I don't think you will be able to just turn up to watch the TdF in Yorkshire. I think you will have to choose your spot and get there early. We are not going to get this again in our lifetime so it would be a pity to find yourself fuming at a roadblock or jam, miles from a viewpoint!
I found this on another site:
- The length of the entire cavalcade is over 7 miles.
- It will take over 3 hours to pass you from the first to last vehicle.
- On average people spend over 6 hours at the side of the road.
Peteaud
Veteran
- Location
- South Somerset
When we watched it last year some had found seats etc and had settled in for the day by 7AM.
I dont know Yorkshire that well, but i wouild guess the same will apply wherever you are.
Julia9054
Guru
- Location
- Knaresborough
This is what my school are organising. We are a short walk from the Stray in Harrogate.
Harrogate Grammar School is delighted to invite your club members and friends to join us on Saturday 5th July for what promises to be an awesome day here in Yorkshire.
Our school is situated within half a mile of the Grand Depart finish in Harrogate town centre and we are opening up our facilities to raise some funds for the school. Let us take the strain from your planning for the day.
We can offer you:
All-day car parking from 6am to 10.30pm
Bicycle parking – leave your bike as you walk to the finish (bring a lock)
Use of our communal showers and changing facilities
Watch the race unfold on our big screens in our sports bar
On-site all-day catering from our award winning chef
Complementary cooked breakfast until 12 noon
All-day cash bar and tea/coffee facilities
Use of our facilities including toilets, TV screens and grassy areas
Mobile phone charging
Wifi – subject to availability
Bouncy castle
After race refreshments on sale and TV highlights when available
Admittance to the school site is strictly by pre-booking only via the link here<http://tdfharrogate.eventbrite.com/> or at http://tdfharrogate.eventbrite.com/
Festival entry (including parking) £20/adult* £10/child* (Under 16) Under 5’s go free! (wristbands provided on the day on presentation of your ticket)
Motorhome – two nights £100/unit* (excludes festival entry) * plus booking fee
Limited motorhome parking on grass and tarmac is available for self-contained vehicles that do not require toilet or water/drainage facilities. Access to site is from 5pm to 10pm on Friday 4th July and campers must be clear of the site by 8pm on Sunday 6th July. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate tents or awnings.
Please book quickly as we anticipate a sell-out event!
Please think carefully about your route and arrive early. Road closures are still being planned, but visitors may find the approach from the West via the village of Beckwithshaw will avoid crossing the town centre!
Harrogate Grammar School is delighted to invite your club members and friends to join us on Saturday 5th July for what promises to be an awesome day here in Yorkshire.
Our school is situated within half a mile of the Grand Depart finish in Harrogate town centre and we are opening up our facilities to raise some funds for the school. Let us take the strain from your planning for the day.
We can offer you:
All-day car parking from 6am to 10.30pm
Bicycle parking – leave your bike as you walk to the finish (bring a lock)
Use of our communal showers and changing facilities
Watch the race unfold on our big screens in our sports bar
On-site all-day catering from our award winning chef
Complementary cooked breakfast until 12 noon
All-day cash bar and tea/coffee facilities
Use of our facilities including toilets, TV screens and grassy areas
Mobile phone charging
Wifi – subject to availability
Bouncy castle
After race refreshments on sale and TV highlights when available
Admittance to the school site is strictly by pre-booking only via the link here<http://tdfharrogate.eventbrite.com/> or at http://tdfharrogate.eventbrite.com/
Festival entry (including parking) £20/adult* £10/child* (Under 16) Under 5’s go free! (wristbands provided on the day on presentation of your ticket)
Motorhome – two nights £100/unit* (excludes festival entry) * plus booking fee
Limited motorhome parking on grass and tarmac is available for self-contained vehicles that do not require toilet or water/drainage facilities. Access to site is from 5pm to 10pm on Friday 4th July and campers must be clear of the site by 8pm on Sunday 6th July. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate tents or awnings.
Please book quickly as we anticipate a sell-out event!
Please think carefully about your route and arrive early. Road closures are still being planned, but visitors may find the approach from the West via the village of Beckwithshaw will avoid crossing the town centre!
phil_hg_uk
I am not a member, I am a free man !!!!!!
I will be walking up to the top of the road watch them go past then go home and watch the end on the telly.
Unless I decide not to come back from my ride earlier in the day in which case I will catch it all on the telly later.
Unless I decide not to come back from my ride earlier in the day in which case I will catch it all on the telly later.
Peter Armstrong
Über Member
I wont be driving, cycle up before on my Old steel bike as far as I can, Im hoping at worst would have to walk up Halifax road, then at the top of the Crag Vale climb is a huge moor that could fit 100's of 1000's of people on.
oldfatfool
Guru
I can't remember exactly but the caravan takes about 20 - 30 mins to pass, there is then about a hour to the tete, then the peloton, and about another 15 minutes+ after the Lanterne as passed for the support vehicles to get past.
So the 3 hours compromises of 20 minutes of frantically trying to fight for naff caps, free cheese singles, skoda keyrings, and power drink concentrate, whilst trying to ignore an annoying bloke on a tannoy trying to relieve you of £20 for a bag, pen, cap, program and umberella combo. 60 minutes watching te helicopter trying to guess how far away the leaders are, 5 secs cheering the breakaway whilst being beaten back by the rozzers and swearing at a) some twat who as suddenly forced their way in front of you when you have been stood for 3 hours, b) the official photog who as decided that you have the must have position from which to capture the action see a.
Depending on the breakaway a few cars followed by 10 secs of cyclist followed by shed loads of cars then a few tail enders followed by a shed load of cars.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
If you want to stand behind a big crowd, yes! If you want to be at the front of the crowd, then there is only going to be about 1 person per metre, or 1,000 per km if they are crammed in shoulder-to-shoulder.
If I am wrong and you listen to me then you will get there early, find a good spot and hang about longer than you needed to.
If you are wrong, you could miss out.
A good question to ask is - What was it like trying to find a good spot near Box Hill for the Olympic road races? That is the nearest we will have come to the TdF crowds expected this year.
oldfatfool
Guru
Don't forget if you are on your steed then you will also need to find a safe space to leave that, or risk getting it trampled/ nicked
. Best to avoid areas like Cragg vale and Holme moss, and find a nice bendy stretch of country road, or a remote out of town junction that will slow the riders down.1) No mass crowd,
2) Less official intervention likely
3) More likely to win the fight for the freebies
4) More likely to get a good photo
5) Easier to find a safe spot/ hang on to your bike
6) Ok so they will pass you slightly quicker on the flat than uphill but a) not that much, b) the lack of crowds will make up for it.
Don't forget if you are on your steed then you will also need to find a safe space to leave that, or risk getting it trampled/ nicked
1) No mass crowd,
2) Less official intervention likely
3) More likely to win the fight for the freebies
4) More likely to get a good photo
5) Easier to find a safe spot/ hang on to your bike
6) Ok so they will pass you slightly quicker on the flat than uphill but a) not that much, b) the lack of crowds will make up for it.
You need to be in a busy spot for that, village or other, they don't throw them out on the country roads and don't underestimate the scramble for them when they do.
oldfatfool
Guru
Funny, I did rather well in the middle of rural France, at a junction several miles fro the nearest village. Still a scrabble but at least there was only about 20 of us scrabbling rather than the dozens in the same square footage at the top of an HC climb.+
Besides the crap that is dished out really isn't worth the aggro imho.
400bhp
Guru
It is a good question and was quite easy for me to be honest. I arrived on the loop at about 8:30am IIRC. There was a handful of us there. It was packed by the end but everyone had a decent view.
I would suggest getting to a vantage spot as early as you can. Bring as much food, drink, waterproof, warm clothing, sun shade, seat as you can get away with.
