The Cycling Scot
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Route Map
  • Where to go in Scotland
    • Aberdeenshire
    • Angus
    • Argyll and Bute
    • Central Scotland
    • Dumfries and Galloway
    • East Lothian
    • Edinburgh and Midlothian
    • Fife and Clackmannanshire
    • Glasgow and the Clyde Valley
    • Islands
    • Perthshire
    • Scottish Borders
    • Sutherland and Caithness
  • Advice About Cycling in Scotland
    • What kind of bicycle?
    • Cycle Clothing
    • What gear to buy
    • Taking your bike on the train
    • Coping with traffic
    • Best cycling guide books
    • Best novels about cycling in Scotland
    • Family-Friendly Bike Holidays in Scotland
    • Mountain Biking Guide
  • Travel Writing Projects/Working with Me
  • Best Cycling Books
  • Diary of a Cycle Commuter

Interesting Scottish Cycling Sportives

22/3/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
A cycling event in the Tweed Valley, Scotland. Tweedlove Cycle festival, Peebles © Copyright Jim Barton
A cyclosportive is a short to long distance event that usually runs for between 50 – 100 miles. These organised events attract hundreds of participants, making them exciting for riders of all abilities. A sportive is different to a race. It’s more of a personal challenge. Some still like to aim for the win, but ultimately the only race is against the clock and your own personal best. As long as you can keep a minimum time then you can come along and enjoy the festival atmosphere.

Countries like Denmark and France are still the most well known for cycling. In France you can: take the Paris-Nice challenge, ride La Grand Corniche in Monaco (a city usually known as a gaming destination to rival Las Vegas), or take on one of the famous sportives like Etape du Tour or La Marmotte.

Scotland may not have the Tour du Mont Blanc, but it is still one of the greatest places in the world for cycling (I may be biased, but still!), as well as having some of the most scenic sportives that the planet has to offer.

Bealach Mor
The Bealach Mor sportive has been running since 2006 and has to be one of the most challenging rides that Scotland has to offer. In this event you take on the UK’s biggest road climb, a gruelling 626m hairpin ascent from sea level in just 10km. This is truly tiring stuff, but the views over the Isle of Skye from the top are (arguably!) worth it.

The route is a total of 90 miles and offers stunning views of the cliffs and seas of the Applecross Peninsula. Total elevation is over 2000m, so this sportive should really be taken seriously. Due to popular demand, there’s now a shorter 43 mile route, which still takes you over the Bealach na Ba ascent.

The next Bealach Mor is on Saturday 31st August. The starting point is at the village of Kinlochewe.

Etape Loch Ness
This is a classic cyclosportive in the North East of Scotland. The route starts and finishes in Inverness, making it one of the most accessible options. You can take your bike on the train from most Scottish cities. General entry for the 2019 event has now sold out, but you can still take part with Team Macmillan while places last. The event is on 28th April.

The route is simple enough but, like any sportive, you should make sure you’re up to the task before taking part. You will ride South East along the northern banks of Loch Ness, ride all the way to the bottom and back again. Along the way, you’ll face 900m of elevation, most of it in the middle section where the road pulls away from the loch.
​

Isle of Mull Sportive
Picture
A really top-class sportive! isle of Mull, Loch Scridain & Ben More. Photo by Derk Elsthout / Public Domain
If you really want to see the wilderness of Scotland, the Isle of Mull is the place to be. It’s not the easiest event to get to, but this sportive is unique and mind-blowing. Well worth the effort for the rugged coastal scenery and homegrown feel.

The race takes place on single track roads and although they are not closed they don’t really need to be – you’re unlikely to see any cars on the roads anyway. Run entirely by volunteers, this one has a personal touch and intimate atmosphere that adds to the sensation that you are taking part in something special.

With over 2,500m of elevation over 87 miles, the Isle of Mull, like most sportives in Scotland, is not for the feint-hearted. A shorter course is available at 43 miles.

Tour O The Borders
The final pick on the list is another highly organised and sponsored event in the Tweed Valley, Peebles. Though you will be hit hard by the ascents at Talla Wall early on, most of the Tour O The Borders route is actually quite manageable, with elevations of 1,430m over 74 miles and a shorter course available.

This is a sharp contrast to the Isle of Mull sportive. It’s big and bold. There’s plenty of other riders and plenty of hot dog stalls. But you also get to take in breathtaking scenery along the border of Scotland and England - and you can actually breathe for most of it.

The next Tour O The Borders event is on 1st September.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    My name is Colin Baird and I want to see all of Scotland by bicycle. Follow my blog on Facebook:

    Categories

    All
    Aberdeen
    Aberdeenshire
    Addiewell
    Airdrie
    Airdrie To Bathgate Cycle Path
    Airth
    Alba Cola
    Alloa
    Alloa To Dollar Cycle Route
    Altnabreac
    Angus
    Architecture
    Argyll
    Auchterarder
    Aviemore
    Baird Monument
    Bakery
    Balerno
    Ballater
    Bathgate
    Beach
    Bed And Breakfast Reviews
    Beer Reviews
    Bettyhill Hotel
    Biggar
    Bike And Go Cycle Hire At Stations
    Bike Clothing
    Blackness Castle
    Bonawe Iron Furnace
    Bo'ness And Kinneil Railway
    Book Review
    Bookshops
    Borders Railway
    Bowhill House
    Branklyn Garden
    Brechin
    BrewDog
    Bridges
    Broch
    Broughton
    Cafes
    Cairngorm Brewery
    Cairn O'Mount Road
    Caithness
    Caledonian Railway
    Carnwath
    Castles
    Chocolate
    Christmas Food & Drink
    Coffee
    Colinton Tunnel
    Colonsay
    Commuting
    Copenhagen
    Craigmillar Castle
    Crichton Castle
    Cupar
    Currie
    Cycle Routes
    Cycling Books
    Cycling Mirror Review
    Cycling To Work
    Cycling With A Buddy
    Dawyck Botanic Garden
    Deeside Way
    Deskford
    Disused Railway Paths
    Disused-railway-paths
    Dollar
    Dornoch
    Dornoch Castle Hotel
    Doune
    Drem
    Drummond Castle Gardens
    Dryburgh Abbey
    Dumbarton Castle
    Dumfries And Galloway
    Dunblane
    Dunmore
    Dunrobin Castle
    Dunrobin Castle Station
    Dunstaffnage Castle
    East Linton
    East Lothian
    Edinburgh
    Edzell Castle
    Falkirk
    Falkirk Tunnel
    Fallen Brewing
    Ferry
    Fife
    Flowers
    Folding Bikes
    Fonab Castle Hotel
    Gardens
    Garelochhead
    Gigha
    Glasgow
    Gleneagles
    Glen Esk
    Glen Lonan
    Golspie
    Haddington
    Hailes Castle
    Helensburgh
    Helmet Review
    Helmsdale
    Highland Cattle
    Hill Of Tarvit Mansion
    Hills
    Hostels
    Hotels
    House Of Dun
    House Of Mark
    House Of The Binns
    Huntingtower Castle
    Indoor Cycling
    Inveresk Lodge Garden
    Inverurie
    Island
    Jedburgh Abbey
    Kelso Abbey
    Kildonan Station
    Kinnoull Hill
    Krispy Kreme
    Lanarkshire
    Larbert
    Lauder
    Leaderfoot Viaduct
    Library Of Innerpeffray
    Linlithgow
    Livall BH60SE Smart Helmet
    Loch
    Loch Earn
    Loch Leven Heritage Trail
    Loch Turret
    Longniddry
    Maps
    Meadows Festival
    Melrose
    Melrose Abbey
    Microadventures
    Midlothian
    Montrose
    Moray
    Morton Castle
    Mountain Biking
    Musselburgh
    Muthill
    National Mining Museum Scotland
    Netwongrange
    New Bike
    Newstead
    North Berwick
    Oatcakes
    Oban
    Oban Chocolate Company
    Only In Edinburgh. Book Review
    Orkney
    Outer Hebrides
    Penicuick
    Perth
    Pitlochry
    Preston Mill
    Published Writing
    Puncture
    River Tay
    Roslin Glen
    Rosslyn Chapel
    Scotstarvit Tower
    Scottish Borders
    Scottish Borders Abbeys
    Scott's View
    Smailholm Tower
    Splendid Book Of The Bicycle
    Sportives
    Standing Stones
    Stately Homes
    Stations
    St Boswells
    Stow
    Sunglasses
    Sunset
    Sutherland
    Tantallon-castle
    Taynuilt
    Tea Room
    Tempest-brewing-co
    Temple Of The Muses
    The Counter Canal Boat Cafe
    The Elphinstone Hotel. Biggar
    The-pineapple
    The Unknown Sculpture
    Thirlestane Castle
    Tips
    Train Problems
    Trains
    Traquair-house-ale
    Travel Writing Competitions
    Trimontium
    Union Canal
    Vogrie Country Park
    Vulpine
    Walk
    Wanderlust Magazine
    Waterfall
    Water Of Leith
    Wemyss Bay Train Station
    West Lothian
    Whisky
    Wick
    William Wallace Statue
    Your Piece Baking Company

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Route Map
  • Where to go in Scotland
    • Aberdeenshire
    • Angus
    • Argyll and Bute
    • Central Scotland
    • Dumfries and Galloway
    • East Lothian
    • Edinburgh and Midlothian
    • Fife and Clackmannanshire
    • Glasgow and the Clyde Valley
    • Islands
    • Perthshire
    • Scottish Borders
    • Sutherland and Caithness
  • Advice About Cycling in Scotland
    • What kind of bicycle?
    • Cycle Clothing
    • What gear to buy
    • Taking your bike on the train
    • Coping with traffic
    • Best cycling guide books
    • Best novels about cycling in Scotland
    • Family-Friendly Bike Holidays in Scotland
    • Mountain Biking Guide
  • Travel Writing Projects/Working with Me
  • Best Cycling Books
  • Diary of a Cycle Commuter