THE NEXT BEACON AUDAX: The South Salopian. 1st October 2022

[Philip Whiteman]

THE SOUTH SALOPIAN

Distance: 207km

Climbing: 2000 m

Audax Altitude Points: none

Start and Finish: Belbroughton

Controls: Tenbury Wells, Bishop’s Castle, Ironbridge World Heritage Site, Plus three information controls

If you have not guessed already, this route goes to South Shropshire.

No expensive fees, no headline sponsors, no goodie bags, no numbers, no gold standard times, no broom wagons and no pretending at the finish to have looked into the jaws of hell and survived.

South Salopian is cycling at its best. It’s about a good distance in a day, riding at a sensible pace with good company, travelling through quiet and pleasant countryside in the orange glow of an autumn day before winter arrives.

Soak in the early autumnal colours of South Shropshire and the Marches. The ‘free-controls’ are located in three café-rich and cake-laden market towns with plenty of opportunities to share a coffee with fellow audaxers.

The route is gently undulating minus the long but easiest route over the Long Mynd at Duckley Nap. The most spiteful hill is the short but sharp climb out of Coalport. Overall this is a great route for 200km audax first timers, not necessarily easy but nothing near as hard as the Kidderminster Killer.

Dusk will be at 18:30 and it is always a great idea to carry lights just in case of delay.

ENTRY: https://audax.uk/event-details?eventId=9461

ROUTE: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37631745

FACILITIES: Light breakfast foods; cooked meal at the finish; showers and changing facilities. Cafes are available at control locations. The E brevet phone app will be available for obtaining proofs-of-passage

[Si_Walker]

Philip; happy to help out at Belbroughton on the morning as appropriate.

[Philip Whiteman]

Philip; happy to help out at Belbroughton on the morning as appropriate.

Thanks Si