The Scottish weather certainly threw everything at the 800 odd people who braved the 2009 edition of the Bealach Mor. The combination of constant heavy rain and gale force winds certainly made life difficult. Unfortunately (for me!) Ben & Chas we unable to make it – which left me to push on in an attempt for a decent overall time.
The Bealach Mor starts in Kinlochewe on the Scottish West coast. From Kinlochewe the route heads East towards Achnasheen, then swings south through Glen Carron to the sea at Lochcarron. Things then get serious as the road swings sharply upward for the main climb to Bealach-na-Ba. On a fine day you get great views from the top out over the west coast and the Isle of Skye opens before you plunge down to sea level again at Applecross. This year you’d have been lucky to see your hand in front of you face.
I managed to get in a good group towards the bottom of the climb, before getting away from them about a kilometer from the top. This turned out to have been the right group to get in as I managed to secure the fastest time up the 6.2 mile, 2000ft vertical climb in 39mins 03sec, and I was the only person to achieve a time under 40mins!
The hard work was far from over as the next section around the north of the peninsula has hardly any flat sections as it clings to the coast, past rocky cliffs and sandy coves as you work your way to the small seaside village of Sheildaig, before the final kick for home back to the finish at Kinlochewe.
In total the ride is a touch over 90 mls long and includes 9600ft of acsent. I managed 13th overall.
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