Let's be brave

The SNP – I've been a member since the 80s – are the brave party (not Bravehearts, that's a nonsense slur opponents without a clue throw our way), prepared to make bold political decisions in order to force change for the better.

Last weekend I attended my first party conference. I was buoyed by the bold and positive talk — Scotland can and will be changed for the better. We just have to work hard to make it happen.

Then came the debate on cycling:

Tour o' the Borders

From stages of the Tour of Britain, the Seven Stanes mountain bike trails, to the hugely successful TweedLove festival, there's a regular reason for a two-wheeled Borders pilgrimage.

Next up is the Endura Tour o' the Borders, which starts and finishes in Peebles on Sunday 10^th of August. Heading into its third year, this cyclo-sportive is on the up (quite literally, more of which later): 2014 will be the first running on roads closed to cars.

Last year's edition was epic. Less than clement conditions resulted in semi-submerged roads and riders at risk of hypothermia. Moving from late spring to the height of summer might make heatstroke more of an issue. Whatever the weather, participants have two route options: 55 or 77 miles.

I’d headed down for a preview of the longer route, to be guided by Neil Dalgleish, Tour co-founder. Mindful of the miles and climbs to come, we settled into an easy pace, heading toward Innerleithen, before a turn through Cardrona. The undulating, rollercoaster road swooped us along the Tweed valley before another right and our first proper ascent: Paddy Slacks (a corruption of Pas des Lacs or Pass to the Lakes). After about 3 miles and 500 feet of climbing, the descent came as welcome respite. We raced downhill, rattled over the first of many cattle grids and on across the Yarrow Water.

From there we were back to climbing (the longer route packs in 4790 feet of ascent). Despite being almost 4 miles long, the Berrybush was less of an ordeal than expected, more a gradual rise, eased by a slight tailwind. By the time the Tour hits this road its 2000-strong peloton will be stretched down the verdant valley like a vast string of bunting.

Every up has it's down and the descent to Crosskeys was a cracker. We raced along at over 30mph, leaning into the sharp bends, adrenaline washing away fatigue.

Our day's first crossing of the Ettrick and we followed the Rankle Burn, heading toward Alemoor Reservoir. The latter is said to contain kelpies but all we saw were brightly coloured kayaks bobbing on the blue water. Borders country is beautiful, and full of history too: on the road to Askirk we passed a cairn built in memory of the poet Will H Ogilvie, born in nearby Kelso.

We seemed to have held onto the tailwind, were cruising well ahead of the 14kph minimum that Tour entrants will have to beat. Then came the Woll climb. Hedgerows obscured the scenery and our focus turned to the tilting tarmac. It took us a while to rise through the wooded patches and onto open farmland, the gradient around 5%, burgeoning fatigue suggesting otherwise.

Next came Ettrick Bridge, which will be home to one of the Tour's three feed zones. Entrants will be plied with food, (including wares from Glasgow’s Big Bear Bakery), fruit and energy drinks. With about half the distance to go, most will keenly take advantage.

The Witchey Knowe is one heck of a calorie cruncher, and the climb of the route: over 500 feet of ascent in just 1.5 miles of tarmac.

“Is that the road, up there?” I gasped, pointing aghast to a thin grey line slashed into the hillside.

With no spare puff for speech, the answer came as a grunt.

The views from the top were equally breathtaking, the Yarrow valley far below.

The descent was pure adrenaline: sinuous and somehow sticking to the hillside. The Tour’s closed roads will allow riders to let rip and take racing lines; we exercised a tad more caution.

At the bottom we took a right toward Selkirk, road following water, wheels spinning faster than the rapids' splash. I had twigged to the theme of the route: challenging climbs, rip-roaring descents, everything in between utterly entertaining.

We flew by the Waterwheel Café, no time to eat or watch the salmon leaping at Philiphaugh. We were now definitely riding into the wind but the hedgerows provided shelter and distraction came with the road's changes in pitch and direction.

Farewell to one river and we re-united with the Tweed, heading back along its valley. We had forsaken the busy Galashiels Road for one running parallel but high above. The native woodland to our right was green and specked with patches of silver lichen. I'd not have discovered a lane so beautiful in a hundred Sunday runs.

Yet another descent before a shortcut through the grounds of Traquair House (location for the Tour’s final feed zone). The 900-year-old building is Scotland's oldest inhabited house and given such beautiful surroundings it's easy to see why the place has remained occupied.

Shaking off thoughts of a siesta in the garden’s shade we returned to that rollercoaster road, passed Cardrona and back to Peebles.

“One more climb,” said Neil, as he's prone to when out riding in this part of the world.

“Only one more?” I sighed, tired but disappointed. I wanted at least another three, couldn't wait for the Tour o' the Borders to do it all over again.

Endura Tour o’ the Borders

http://tourotheborders.com/

10^th August 2014 (last date for entries: 3^rd August 2014)

Entry cost: £55

Feel The TweedLove

“I'd always wondered where this road went,” I say as we turn out of Peebles and onto a stretch of single-track.

I'm pedalling alongside my guide for the day, Neil Dalgleish, director of TweedLove, the Tweed Valley festival of all things cycling that runs from the 24^th of May to the 8^th of June.

We’re on a cracking valley climb. The sun is out, the sky blue; fluffy white sheep pepper the verdant hillsides. Biking bliss.

I’m previewing the Skinny, a 45-mile sportive that's new to TweedLove. The £15 entry fee gets riders a free feed station and official timing along the marked and marshalled course.

“It's the kind of route experienced riders will enjoy and feel in their legs but also the sort that other folk could spend longer tackling,” Neil explains. “They could stop at places for coffee and make a day of it. It's welcoming to everybody.”

Peebles Cycling Club’s local knowledge and passion has gone into selecting the route. A fast descent, another climb and we cross the Tweed. As the tailwind scoots us on passed Stobo, I’m already sold on sportives, thinking ahead to August’s Tour o’ the Borders.

The Skinny (Saturday 7^th of June) is just part of a burgeoning, 40-event festival. There will be rides on-road and off, those for experts and novices, family events and even a film night.

We’re soon heading uphill out of Broughton. Neil's keen to talk about the highlight of this year’s bash. In landing a round of the mountain bike EnduroWorld Series (Saturday 31^st May to Sunday 1^st of June), TweedLove has come up trumps.

“With 600 competitors it will be the biggest enduro race in Britain to date,” Neil enthuses. “On the start list so far we have 14 current or ex world champions – I think that's a first in Britain. It's such a star-studded race.”

And it’s not just for the professionals.

“Your average weekend warrior can race against the world’s elite. Enduro is a really inclusive part of the sport … like what most people do at the weekends on the trails around Peebles — they meet up with their mates, pedal up the hill and have a great time coming back down. That's what makes the festival and the event such a great fit ... we share their ethos.”

That inclusive ethos permeates TweedLove:

“We'd encourage folk to just come down and have a go. A lot of the kids and family events are either free or really cheap to take part in. There's everything from balance-bike stuff to things for primary school kids and beyond.”

Another inclusive example is the Glentress Seven trail race (Saturday 24^th May), which Neil describes as, “pretty competitive but also really friendly. It's ridden in teams so you'll have riders sitting having a coffee and cake whilst their teammates are off out riding.”

We’re now cruising through Biggar and mention of cake makes me reach for an energy bar.

With TweedLove entering its fifth year, I’m guessing the Borders folk are supportive?

“The festival has grown pretty quickly but it has been like pushing at an open door. There is so much goodwill in the community, so many people who want to see things happen.”

Neil forecasts competitor and spectator numbers totalling around 12,000 and a positive economic impact of

around £1.25million. However, as he explains, it's about more than having a successful festival:

“Hosting the Enduro World Series has put Peebles on a list with Whistler, places in the Alps, the Italian Riviera, Colorado and Chile. This is now officially recognised as one of the best places in the world to ride, so the long-term impact of increased visitor numbers is going to be colossal.”

Talking of colossal, I’m out of puff, having just crested the Dreva, a local cycling legend.

Back on the road to Peebles and the Cycling Club’s collective genius is again showing its worth: a sneaky left and we're down by the river; over a footbridge, up a steep gravel climb and we hit stretch of dusty farm track. My grin grows another inch.

“Just one more climb,” Neil says for the umpteenth time as we whizz back along the valley. Sadly, this time it is the last.

Back in Peebles, Neil points over to what’s currently a grassy expanse of riverbank, but will imminently be the Enduro encampment.

“Over there'll be a huge event village and expo, with food stalls, a big stage and start ramp, and loads of the biggest bike companies from all over the world -- like a music festival, but with athletes. I do sometimes find it hard to believe that it's actually going to happen here.” He pauses as we swig from our water bottles. “It will be absolutely buzzing.”