Eroica Britannia – The 500

By Colin Harper

Wheeldon – a really steep (but thankfully short) bit just after lunch.

The Eroica Britannia is not quite the same as l’Eroica – the original event in Gaiole – a bit more relaxed, usually with a  three day vintage festival bolted on, usually in mid summer (so light from really early ’til late) rather than autumn. In the English Peak District which is different from Tuscany, but just as splendid.

This year the Eroica Britannia was different – one day, only 500 riders but all on pre-1987 bikes and in period kit – Handsome! They’re going to make it into a film you know!

But the 500 was another brilliant Eroica event – at ‘only’ 65 miles with ‘only’ 5,000 feet of climbing, it was maybe a little more enjoyable than the full ‘Eroica Long’ 100 miles 9-10,000 feet… and the weather played a part.  Bright with sunny intervals all day, and with a strong breeze on the top of the moors. The Peak District is  not really a ‘peaky’ district – it’s mainly limestone plateau uplands sectioned by steep valleys, some formed by caverns collapsing over the millennia. Only a few craggy parts.   The views are phenomenal – as you can see from the pictures. The route is varied – wooded valleys, high open big sky moorlands, small towns and villages. Dry stone walls that concentrate the mind when descending on winding roads with gravelly surfaces – you can view the full route here.

On the Moors near Longnor. (means the Long ridge – over the Derbyshire border in Staffordshire). Here the wind blew strong and steady from the south west and we zigged and zagged about in it.

The hills are generally short but can be steep.  The two really big hills were early in proceedings this year, though the route is up and down all day – and some of the later climbs made up for their shortness by being very sharp.

First up is the road by Chatsworth House – up a small rise and eyes left – one of the most splendid views anywhere… in the world.  The house is still the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and the location of any number of TV and film period dramas (Pride and Prejudice to name several).  None of the landscape there is real – it’s all Capability Brown perfection. Whole villages were moved, rivers diverted, stands of trees planted – but the effect is magical. As I rode up the hill I heard the call “Allez Peugeot!”  Two other riders in the famous chequer-board jerseys rode by and I joined on for a while and had some banter – I thought we all looked great before they powered off into the distance!

Chatwsorth – Allez Peugeot! Being passed by the rest of the team by Chatsworth House – we finished as a bunch. Brilliant!

Beeley Hill was next at around Mile 10 – a classic British pull – steep gradients at the bottom then easing off, winding through the woods to the top of Beeley Moor. The horrid inclines going up to Middleton Top are another five miles further. The inclines are along the course of a disused railway – now dirt tracks through the woods. Straight up at 10-14% with a flat breather in the middle. It’s dark the trail rough with drainage grooves cut diagonally across and a load of loose leaf mulch to make sure there’s no grip either.  At least it was dry but still properly hard.   In the olden days a stationary steam engine at the top (it’s still there, in working order) would haul quarry wagons up to the top on a cable, and link to what is now the High Peak and Tissington Trails.  Now the trails are open to all non motorised modes of movement into the heart of White Peak.

Overall we did 14 miles of the High Peak trail, 11 miles of Monsal Trail (another old railway route with tunnels and viaducts for drama)  and a few bits of bridleway – about a third of the route.  They’re all flatish except for the 2 miles of incline.  I managed to get up the inclines without stopping (a first – it was early).

My Dawes Milk Race prepped by Diego at Racer Rosa ran superbly all day long. It’s a lovely ride – I topped out at 40mph at one point on the way down to Lee, the home of John Smedley  – the masters of merino wool.

As per normal there was plenty of chattering on the road. One chap who I caught going up Beeley was another Racer Rosa customer – Philip from Leyton – riding a beautiful Ciöcc bicycle.  He recognised my bike from the story on the Racer Rosa blog; he told me Diego had prepped his bicycle as well.  We talked about Diego, old bikes and Eroica adventures for a while until we ended up nose to tail in a small bunch and eventually he got up the road ahead of me – top bloke!

Beeley – Racer Rosa’s work on the road!

The catering was good as usual.  A fuel bar before the inclines, cheese and pickle bap, sausage roll and a flap jack at lunch – with free beer! Excellent espresso coffee and an ice cream cone about 15 miles from the end in the up and down part.  There was a brass band at the start and lunchtime where the good people of Monyash (where there were many ash trees at one point in history) did us proud.  I sat on a bale of straw yarned with an old spectator (waiting for his son who was also riding). At lunch there were Italians, French, German and American voices – there were even people from Sheffield!  He was from Manchester – his  grandfather was the captain of Manchester United when they played their first game at Old Trafford against Liverpool. He says he never says the next part but I will: Liverpool won the first game played at Old Trafford!).  The club still invite him to events and anniversaries!

There were tandems, a few Dawes – A random Strava friend was on an even bigger framed Dawes than mine! We must have been  in sight of each other (without actually meeting) for the first half. Then the brass band delayed me. Loads of Mercians and also a Hetchins Curly – the one with the kinky seat and chainstays (I’d never seen one for real before – check out the fabulous lugs)  as well as Bianchi, Peugeot, Raleigh, Holdsworth, Pinarello,  Colnago … and all manner of smaller brands including Philip’s Ciöcc. Brilliant!

There was very little in the way of scrutineering at the start unless it was subtle. My Dawes with it’s new Eroica compliant cables was unobjectionable…

The smallness and shortness this year meant it was a bit more relaxed than normal, and I had a bit more energy to burn matches on the early hills.    It always seems odd to me that one minute you can be riding in a group – the next minute you’re on your own with occasional glimpses of other solo riders up the road in front – like a time trial line.   The moor tops allow you to see the road ahead for miles and miles.

So we rode in towards the finish – through the blackness of the Headstone tunnel (sunglasses off – it’s dark and wet in there) and the wind picking up dust devils off the Monsal Trail. The long final back into the Bakewell was busy with  pedestrians, children, dogs and mountain bikers, so we all slowed down and I crossed the line with the other Team Peugeot riders – Allez Peugeot!   The final stamp went in the Road book and it was done.  Hopefully this gives you a flavour of a Britannia – get yourself on vintage wheels and enjoy.  Last one Back is the winner.

Stunning Scenery all around

Lunch – I like beer and I like

Philip and his Ciöcc, ready to go…