We (my wife Dilys and I) recently rode over Bealach an Ba, Scotland, on a 10 day walking / cycling / campervan trip to N W Scotland. I have been wanting to attempt this for a while, so we parked up at the Wee Campsite in Lochcarron, and headed off to explore.
Background - both of us 70 yrs, I am a 'returning' rather than a lifelong cyclist, riding a Sherpa 530S with straight bars. Lightweight components, bike totals about 12.5 kg all included. Dodgy knees which work fine 95% of the time then 'give way' . . . Dilys rides a £300 Ridgeback, v upright, can't understand why anyone would pay more for a bike. I haven't told her that my wheels cost more than her bike . . Higher geared than the Sherpa, but lower gears than most cheap hybrids. Her cadence is around 30 - she is a veteran rower, 30 strokes per min is pretty well full throttle for them.
The first day, we walked and rode a bit, deciding on a 'warm up' day. In the afternoon, we went to the bottom of the pass (Kishorn) and pedalled up to have a look . . . and as the weather was reasonable, just kept going. So we went up the 2053 feet by accident as it were! Only half way up did I remember that I was carrying 2 days food shopping including potatoes -probably around 1.5 kg. Not that much, but could have done without it . . .
The gradient steepens, with hairpins, near the end, gets to 20+%. I got pretty well all the way up riding, hindered as much by the motorhomes (often rented, so probably inexperienced drivers 'having a go') as much as the hairpins and gradients. We both got up, Dilys probably walking a bit more nearer the top than me.
We were really pleased with our achievement. No pictures, I'm afraid, the weather, ok until we got to the top, closed in and the rain poured down on the descent - we returned the way we had come. Despite following the Thorn advice about intermittent braking (hard on a long 20% descent!) the rims got pretty hot, cooled a bit perhaps by the spray and rain. Thinking about the braking post started by Andre, my brakes are XT, Koolstop dual compound pads, DT Swiss rims. Worked fine in the wet, never any concern about braking.
So, not bad for an 'accidental' ascent of a major hill!! Later on, we rode some of the Applecross coast road, round the Stoer peninsula etc - some beautiful weather later.
Best wishes everyone
Lewis - Sheffield
