How It Was Done

 

Friday 28th July, 2006

00:00 We set off in the pitch black (no moonlight, but head torches) at midnight. It was a calm cool night. After 1hr 50 min we summated Ben Nevis and turned out of a thin cold mist, returning down - 3 hours and 11 minutes taken. A change of clothes, short nap (we only drove up there hours before and slept an hour and a half!) and breakfast saw us on the bikes by 04:45. Up thro' Glencoe, along Loch Lomond, thro' Glasgow, East Kilbride, finishing at Moffat in the borders gave us 178 miles cycled in day 1.

 

Saturday 29th July, 2006

05:15 The ride from Moffat to Lockerbie, Carlisle, Keswick into Seathwaite in Borrowdale was 81 miles (5hrs). The climb to Scafell Pike was very muggy this time but well before the top the weather closed in. We endured a lashing gale and thick mist before dropping into the Langdale valley to reach The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, again weirdly in 3 hours and 11 minutes. Following an unscheduled stop (for Tim to stop feeling sick!) and a 20 minute nap the rain eased off for a 40-mile ride from Great Landale thro' Windermere and the Lythe Valley and on to Lancaster. A shorter day in all but still 121 miles ridden.

 

Sunday 30th July 05:40, 2006

After a little ''lie-in'' the last day was started. Lancaster, Preston, Wigan, Warrington was lovely cool calm weather and a good start to the final day. But from 60miles in the wind started. And it blew in our faces along the wide open roads from Helsby towards Connah's Quay and all the way along the coast road. Turning south from Conwy we rode straight into the headwind, right through the final 11miles upwards from Betws-y-coed to Snowdon. A mug of steaming sweet tea and a Mars was enjoyed at Pen-y-pass before the last mountain run. The wind took us off balance but we stayed undeterred, going from the car park to the summit in 1hour 11minutes (uncanny seeing that number for a third time!) Thick mist and very strong winds on top kept us from stopping at all. We touched the trig point together and with a 43 minute 45 second descent saw us just inside 2 days 20 hours and 40 minutes. The legs felt fine, good job seeing that we caught everyone by surprise and nobody had their cameras ready! After jogging back to the top corner of the car park, we repeated the last 30 metre run just for the family albums.