A bit of Borders 350 riding.
Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 6:53 pm
I managed to get some time away over the weekend and as I now have a proper GPS I decided to re do the Devil's Beef Tub section (after getting lost the last time 
) plus some other bits around Broughton Heights and Pykestone Hill. I am glad I rode this area again because it made me realise that I needed to change the route a bit in order to make it 1) more enjoyable and 2) safer.
1) More enjoyable. I changed the descent off Pykestone Hill for a more technical/enjoyable one which had the added bonus of changing a hard bike a hike section for a less hard bike a hike section.
2) Safer. I took out a four mile section of flat A road ( too busy with fast traffic) and replaced it with a six mile hilly B road set in much nicer scenery. I also decided to change the start from Moffat to Peebles. I changed it so that the Devil's Beef Tub comes on the first day rather than at the end of the ride. Why? Well the path that drops down through the Devil's Beef Tub has a small section that requires scrambling through with careful consideration as to how you are going to get you and your bike over it safely. If it came at the end of the ride then it would be all too easy for someone in a fatigued state of mind to lose their bike or even themselves over the edge and I wouldn't want that on my conscience. I have also added an alternative route to avoid this section if people feel they are not confident enough to tackle it but it does add some extra distance and height gain.
The offending scramble after being negotiated. Three foot drop into it and a four foot climb out up an angled stone slab which was wet when I tackled it.
Beeftub 021 by youngray50, on Flickr
The path, called Straight Step Path, in the direction of travel.
Beeftub 020 by youngray50, on Flickr
The path looking back, the scramble section is by the first bit of exposed rock where the track seems to narrow. It is far more exposed than it looks.
Beeftub 023 by youngray50, on Flickr
I did 50 miles on day one which was mostly off road with a fair bit of bike a hike. At one point I thought I was going to have to get off the hills quickly as it started to thunder and lightning. I was up on the tops and exposed when it started and not far from reaching the Devil's Beef Tub. If it had persisted I would have had to take the quickest route down and would have missed out on the Beef Tub yet again. Luckily the storm was moving away from me and the sky was clearing in the direction of my travel.
I made Moffat still in daylight and got a take away pizza from the Indians. They only did 12" ones but at £6 for a Hawain I couldn't complain that I couldn't eat it all.
I had planned on getting to Overpawhope bothy that night which was only another 12 miles. It was dark, it was raining, I was tired and my knees hurt like buggery when walking, especially downhill. It took me three hours to get there. On arrival the bothy was heaving with folk, well fifteen anyway. Turned out an MBA work party was there for the weekend and the bothy was technically closed. They however took pity on me in my bedraggled filthy wet state and said I could kip in a side room rather than have to set up my tarp. Once my kit was sorted I was invited into the main room and plied with beer and food. I drank two cans and was offered more but gratefully declined. They were impressed with my fifty miles and even more impressed with my having come from Moffat up the Southern Upland Way in the dark and rain, your all bonkers you mountain bikers they quipped. They were a good bunch and well into their cups. I turned in around midnight but didn't really sleep properly until 2am when the diehards finally called it a night.
Next morning my alarm went off at 6.30 but outside visibility was down to six foot due to freezing fog. I hung around until it cleared then rode the 50 miles home which was mostly road. A lot of the valleys still had fog in them and my feet stayed frozen until I finally got home.
Forgot to mention this. Gate post with "Dead Wife" engraved on it and marked on the map as "Dead Wife's Grave".
Beeftub 010 by youngray50, on Flickr
More info here. http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/49 ... e+s+grave/
) plus some other bits around Broughton Heights and Pykestone Hill. I am glad I rode this area again because it made me realise that I needed to change the route a bit in order to make it 1) more enjoyable and 2) safer. 1) More enjoyable. I changed the descent off Pykestone Hill for a more technical/enjoyable one which had the added bonus of changing a hard bike a hike section for a less hard bike a hike section.
2) Safer. I took out a four mile section of flat A road ( too busy with fast traffic) and replaced it with a six mile hilly B road set in much nicer scenery. I also decided to change the start from Moffat to Peebles. I changed it so that the Devil's Beef Tub comes on the first day rather than at the end of the ride. Why? Well the path that drops down through the Devil's Beef Tub has a small section that requires scrambling through with careful consideration as to how you are going to get you and your bike over it safely. If it came at the end of the ride then it would be all too easy for someone in a fatigued state of mind to lose their bike or even themselves over the edge and I wouldn't want that on my conscience. I have also added an alternative route to avoid this section if people feel they are not confident enough to tackle it but it does add some extra distance and height gain.
The offending scramble after being negotiated. Three foot drop into it and a four foot climb out up an angled stone slab which was wet when I tackled it.
Beeftub 021 by youngray50, on FlickrThe path, called Straight Step Path, in the direction of travel.
Beeftub 020 by youngray50, on FlickrThe path looking back, the scramble section is by the first bit of exposed rock where the track seems to narrow. It is far more exposed than it looks.
Beeftub 023 by youngray50, on FlickrI did 50 miles on day one which was mostly off road with a fair bit of bike a hike. At one point I thought I was going to have to get off the hills quickly as it started to thunder and lightning. I was up on the tops and exposed when it started and not far from reaching the Devil's Beef Tub. If it had persisted I would have had to take the quickest route down and would have missed out on the Beef Tub yet again. Luckily the storm was moving away from me and the sky was clearing in the direction of my travel.
I made Moffat still in daylight and got a take away pizza from the Indians. They only did 12" ones but at £6 for a Hawain I couldn't complain that I couldn't eat it all.
I had planned on getting to Overpawhope bothy that night which was only another 12 miles. It was dark, it was raining, I was tired and my knees hurt like buggery when walking, especially downhill. It took me three hours to get there. On arrival the bothy was heaving with folk, well fifteen anyway. Turned out an MBA work party was there for the weekend and the bothy was technically closed. They however took pity on me in my bedraggled filthy wet state and said I could kip in a side room rather than have to set up my tarp. Once my kit was sorted I was invited into the main room and plied with beer and food. I drank two cans and was offered more but gratefully declined. They were impressed with my fifty miles and even more impressed with my having come from Moffat up the Southern Upland Way in the dark and rain, your all bonkers you mountain bikers they quipped. They were a good bunch and well into their cups. I turned in around midnight but didn't really sleep properly until 2am when the diehards finally called it a night.
Next morning my alarm went off at 6.30 but outside visibility was down to six foot due to freezing fog. I hung around until it cleared then rode the 50 miles home which was mostly road. A lot of the valleys still had fog in them and my feet stayed frozen until I finally got home.
Forgot to mention this. Gate post with "Dead Wife" engraved on it and marked on the map as "Dead Wife's Grave".
Beeftub 010 by youngray50, on FlickrMore info here. http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/49 ... e+s+grave/
