Cycle the Solway Sportive Weekend

We hope to see you again for Cycle the Solway 2023!

If you are still making up your mind whether to join us – we are accepting entries on the day, but we will be taking card payments only please.

A huge thank you to this year’s event sponsor, Dodd & Co Accountants!   If you are part of a group or team, please make sure to share the following information with your fellow riders.

Please read the registration and ride information below.  

Saturday 14th May 2022 

Allonby 8 and Round the Island  £30

Both cycling routes (108km and 60km) will start and finish at Watchtree. The event will be busy and parking is limited so please ride to us if you can. There will be parking at Watchtree, however we encourage riders where possible to park in our event car park at Kirkbampton Village Hall, which is just a short 2.5-mile ride from the reserve. At the hall will also be toilets and in the afternoon, a café, should you wish to refuel when arriving back to the car.  

Event Start and Finish 

Registration for both the 108km and 60km routes will be open between 7.45am – 9.30am. On arrival at Watchtree, please go with your bike through the main Visitors carpark, past the café and into the cycling training area. The café will be open from 8am, should you need any pre-ride supplies or coffee! 

If you have prebooked, you can go straight to Registration in the portacabin to the left of Watchtree Wheelers. Anyone signing up on the day, will need to go to the Visitors Centre Café to fill in an entry form and pay entry fees (cards only on the day please!). Our final start time will be 10am at the latest to allow all riders time to complete the event.  

Starters for both the 108km and 60km routes will be set off in waves of roughly 20 riders at a time at regular intervals from 8am. Please make sure to follow instructions from marshals at all times in the starting area.  There will be a pre-ride briefing before you set off.  

Finishing the ride will depend on your own speed and how long your rest stops take. Usually, riders take between 3-5 hours to complete the 100km and between 1-3 hours to complete the 50km.  

All riders must return to Watchtree to sign back in – whizz past the finish line so we can collect your time! 

You can then go to the Registration Portacabin with your number to collect your medal and finishing goody bag! We need to know that you have all retur ned safely and would ask that all riders must complete the course by 4.30pm. If you need to retire and are not able to return to Watchtree, please let us know by calling the emergency number.  

Refreshments 

The café at Watchtree Visitors Centre will be open all day, and there will be a mobile bar operated by the Wellington Pub, Great Orton, at Watchtree. 

Fruit and traybakes will be available at the feed stations at The Wheatsheaf, Abbeytown and Campfield, Port Carlisle. Reusable waterbottles (please bring your own) can be refilled at either of these feed stations. All litter must be placed in a bin or taken home with you – do not leave litter on the route. 

All riders must read the safety information at the bottom of this update.  

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Sunday 15th May 2022 

Life’s a Beach 25km £18

The 25km route will start and finish at Watchtree. All participants must report to the portacabin for registration on arrival (on the left just past the Watchtree Wheelers).

Registration will be open between 10am and 11am on Sunday morning.  

Once registered riders will be set off in waves of roughly 20 riders at a time at regular intervals. Please make sure to follow instructions from marshals at all times in the starting area.  There will be a pre-ride briefing before you set off.  

Finishing the ride will depend on your own speed and how long your rest stops take.  

All riders must return to Watchtree to sign back in – whizz past the finish line so we can collect your time! 

You can then go to the Registration Portacabin with your number to collect your medal and finishing goody bag! We need to know that you have all retur ned safely and would ask that all riders must complete the course by 3.30pm. If you need to retire and are not able to return to Watchtree, please let us know by calling the emergency number. 

Tour de Turbines £8

All participants must report to the portacabin for registration on arrival (on the left just past the Watchtree Wheelers). Registration will be open between 10am and 2pm on Sunday morning. 

Once registered, riders can proceed to the start line on the trail nearest the visitor’s centre (see signage on the day). Please make sure to follow instructions from marshals at all times in the starting area.  There will be a pre-ride briefing before you set off. 

You can choose how many laps of the Watchtree perimeter you complete, when you have finished please return to the portacabin to collect your medal and goody bag.  

All riders must read the safety information at the bottom of this email. 

Refreshments 

The café at Watchtree Visitors Centre will be open all day, and there will be a mobile bar operated by the Wellington Pub, Great Orton, at Watchtree. 

All riders must read the safety information at the bottom of this update. 

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Rider Safety Information 

In case of any emergency to any participant, spectator or marshal during the event please call the Event HQ emergency number.  

EVENT HQ PHONE NUMBER: 01228 712539  

Please carry a charged mobile phone with you at all times. 

The Cycle the Solway Sportive is not a race or speed trial. Please always observe the Highway Code and be courteous to other road users.  

Clothing 

You MUST wear a cycle helmet which conforms to current regulations and you should wear appropriate clothes for cycling. Avoid clothes which may get tangled in the chain or a wheel or obscure your lights. Light coloured or fluorescent clothing is also recommended as it will make you more visible to other road users.  

Parking  

Parking for participants is available at Watchtree Nature Reserve. On Saturday additional parking is also available at Kirkbampton Village Hall (CA5 6HQ). If you do decide to park in Kirkbampton (we recommend this, as spaces are limited at the reserve) it is only a short ride up the hill to Watchtree. Please follow guidance from marshals at all times.  

Cattle Grids 

Take extreme care when crossing cattle grids. Be aware that they are slippery when wet. Crossing them at speed can result in punctures and falls.  

First Aid and Emergencies 

First Aid for the event will be provided by the CtS Event Safety Group. They will initially be stationed at Watchtree for the start of the event and will move to the Abbeytown feed station once all the riders have started. In the event of a serious medical emergency please call 999 first, then call the Event HQ number 01228 712539 and we will send first aiders to your location.  

Breakdowns 

Should you be unfortunate enough to suffer a mechanical problem/flat tyre which you cannot repair and need a lift back to the start, please contact the emergency number and we will arrange for the van to come and collect you. Our van has kindly been donated for the day by Lloyd KIA.  

Have a fantastic ride – we will do our best to promise fabulous weather, amazing scenery, great snacks, and hopefully good craic along the way and we shall see you when you return!  

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Routes 

All routes are available to download as a GPX file or to view on our website:

Please familiarise yourselves with your chosen route. On the day of the event there will be appropriate marshaling and signage to keep you going in the right direction. 

‘The Allonby Eight’, a 108 kilometres route from Watchtree,  £30 per rider (20% off entry fee if booked before end of February)

Cycle The Solway 2022 108km Gpx file download

‘Round the Island’ – 60km from Watchtree, £30 per rider (20% off entry fee if booked before end of February)

Cycle The Solway 2022 60km Gpx file download

Sunday’s Rides include:

‘Life’s a Beach’ – a 25km from Watchtree, £18 per rider (20% off entry fee if booked before end of February)

Cycle The Solway 2022 25km Gpx File Download

‘Tour de Turbines’ – as many 3km loops of Watchtree’s perimeter route as you can! £8 per rider (20% off entry fee if booked before end of February)

Our Event Village will add a finish line atmosphere and all participants will receive a special Watchtree medal and goody bag. 

To register, click here