Borders and Flatlands Thousand

1033km cycling event starting from Brampton, Cumbria. Controls at #Clarencefield Village Hall, #Eskdalemuir Community Hub, Newcastleton, #Kirkby Stephen Rugby Club, Stamford Bridge, Howden, Brigg, #Bassingham, Grantham, #Bassingham, Goole (Glews) Services, #Northallerton Scout And Guide Centre and #(Brampton) Milton Village Hall., plus 6 information controls.

Event is currently full 14/11/23, I am taking details for a limited waiting list. Email me if you wish to be added to the list and I'll tell you how to get added to the list.

1036km on mainly quiet roads, a bit of scenery, some undulating bits at the beginning and end with some long climbs and equally long descents but no long and steep climbs, plus quite a lot of flat bits.
August Bank Holiday weekend (Start 11am Friday 23/8/24)
Current amended route 1036km - route amended 250424
A roadside start planned in Brampton Cumbria, easy access from Carlisle, Newcastle or Brampton Station.
A loop around the Scottish Borders before heading south down the Eden Valley to Garsdale Head. Then it's roughly southeast to cross the Humber Bridge (option to avoid it if you want) and south to Leicestershire where the route heads back north again. The route is relatively flat heading back to the finish, apart from the minor matter of Yad Moss.
Finish in a Village Hall just outside Brampton.
There'll be food at a couple of controls on Friday
There are overnight event controls where there will be food and some limited floor space to grab a bit of sleep. These are at Kirkby Stephen (279km), Bassingham (570 and 696Km), Northallerton (904km). For most people these will be overnight controls on nights 1,2 and 3. There is also the facility to sleep at Great Dalby Village Hall (632km) between 8pm and 6am on Saturday night - note this is not a full control, more info in final details. There'll be a Village Hall finish just outside Brampton 1036km, with food and the opportunity to get some sleep there if you arrive during the Sunday night.
There is plenty of outdoor space at Kirkby Stephen, Bassingham and Northallerton so if you want to bivi outside this may be a preferable option for some of you. These three controls also have a shower facility but there may be a queue.
The event control at Northallerton will not be open until Sunday morning, there is a 24 hour garage nearby. The finish control will not be open until a bit later on Sunday morning, if you get there before then there will be arrangements for a postal finish. Realistically even if you finished in just under 48 hours the control/finish will be open. Please note the max speed of 25kph, this is so I can make sure we have controls open and supporting the majority, not paying for unused controls and trying to find helpers when there is little chance of anyone being there.
There'll be a drop bag available at certain (limited) times between controls, this should work for the vast majority of the field, unless you intend being very quick and having no sleep. More info in final details nearer the time. If you do intend trying to be very quick and riding it with no sleep, be aware that the controls at Northallerton/finish may not be open (there will be other 24hour provision) and your drop bag won't be there. If you're not sure email or ring me but I'm sure it'll be fine for the vast majority if not all.
Entry fee is £125. I like to make the events good value but as we all know the cost of food, fuel, village hall hire and the other associated costs of running an event have and are likely to increase but if you've ridden any of my other events you know what you're going to get. I don't want to overcharge you, but I also don't want to make a loss. Most of you know we usually give any profits to charity, and we don't run these as commercial profit-making events.
Normal Audax UK terms and conditions apply in relation to entry fees www.audax.uk/policies/entry-fees/.
In the interests of being fair, as I appreciate a lot of you will enter early to guarantee a place, then as a gesture of good will I'm prepared to offer partial refund of £75 for cancellations up to 31 July 2024, if and only if, the following conditions apply: The event is full and there is a waiting list and I can fill your place from the waiting list at full price. After 31 July 2024 - no refunds will be given under any circumstances and normal AUK T's and C's apply. This is to try and be fair to people who have a genuine change in circumstances and not realise a week before they haven't done any training or the weather forecast is rubbish.
This is the only event I will run a waiting list for. If/once the event is full then I will operate a limited waiting list. Goodwill refunds will only be made as above if there is a waiting list. Full details will be sent to anyone on the waiting list if there is one. Once the waiting list is full I'll only reopen it if it is exhausted and places become available.
There may be a few minor changes to the route for roadworks/crap roads etc so the route may be subject to change but probably not much.
Click the 'organiser website' to see the RWGPS link
For more information and discussion see the Tyneside Vagabonds Audax Events Facebook group (you need to join to see the comments/posts)