The Challenge
Around 40 people took part in the Pedals, Paddles and Pace challenge.
The money is still coming in, but with Gift Aid and pledges, we have already raised over £6,000 for the Special Care Baby Unit at Borders General Hospital which is fantastic. I’ll post an update when everything has been tallied up.
The Paddles and Pace parts of the challenge went exceptionally well with smiles all around and there was a great spirit amongst all the participants. The rain held off and the sun shone on the snow capped hills to create a fantastic day. I’d like to thank every single one of those who took part; many of whom had travelled hundreds of miles to be there.
The Pedals part on Saturday was a very different story. I should preface the tale by telling you that no-one died.
We set off from Innerleithen on Friday evening in the rain and wind. As we crossed into Lanarkshire, the rain had turned to snow and by the time we crossed into Dumfries and Galloway it had turned into heavy snow. The road into Wanlockhead was just about passable so we arrived shortly after nine o’clock, set up camp in the freezing conditions and prepared for the morning.
More snow fell during the night and when we set off at 7:00am, it was still falling. We were starting off in the cloud and we were going to climb to 2,500 feet. Visibility was minimal and we had to navigate the first five mile section across Lowther hill purely by GPS. We were already an hour behind schedule by the time we completed this section.
The steady climb to Daer reservoir through the forest was a welcome relief. While the snow was still falling, we were able to keep moving and get some blood back into our fingers and toes, which - bearing in mind what was to come - was just as well. The climb over Hods Hill was a killer. The snow was so deep and the wind was now so strong that our bikes had simply become poorly designed luggage. However, slowly and surely the three of us slogged up and over the hill to enter the Greskin Forest.
When we had ridden this part of the route as a training ride, this had been a nice technical descent that proved to be challenging but fast and great fun. This time the paths had turned to rivers and fallen trees created further challenges. A further climb up Craig Hill (with the luggage) into driving, freezing rain eventually took us out at Beattock where our support crew were there to welcome us. It was now 2:00pm and we had covered just about half of the distance in seven hours. All of our cutting edge, very expensive equipment had rolled over and died. We were soaked to the skin, the temperature was -1 and we were exhausted. Andy in particular was suffering a lot at this point, but after a quick discussion, we were all in agreement that we would all crack on.
We set off (in the rain) around the south side of Moffat and then started up the long five mile climb through the forest to Croft Head. While this was punishing, it did give us a chance to warm up slightly. At 16:10 we were entering a one mile section that was the most dangerous part of the route. Very steep slopes, ravines, deep snow, falling rocks all in a section that is only accessible by helicopter meant that we had to complete this in daylight. We set ourselves a target to get though the pass by 17:00 which we managed to do without too many incidents.
We then started on an eight mile descent which we thought would be a welcome relief. However, as we entered darkness the rain was hitting us sideways and the tracks were becoming increasingly icy. My hands had given up completely by now and shifting gears was becoming a chore. As we all reconvened at the bottom of the descent, Andy and Charlie had truly had enough. It was freezing cold, everything was soaked through and it was dark. After making sure we were all fit for it, we had to make a decision on the route. Our original route was five miles across very tricky hills before arriving at St Mary’s Loch. On the map there was an alternative longer - but apparently easier - pass over the Captain’s Road, which we elected to take.
It was the wrong choice. I don’t know what sort of Captain he was, but he was rubbish at building roads.
The first two miles of climbing were just about achievable. We now had lights on two of the three bikes and we were able to pick a path out through the snow, mud and bogs. By this point, if the ground wasn’t covered in snow or ice, it was a bog; and we went in lots of them.
For the last mile of the climb the track was non-existent and we had to rely solely on the GPS. When we reached the top and entered the pine forest, it was clear that this “road” has not been used for some time. We did start on something that loosely resembled a path through the trees. However, so many trees had fallen that it was nearly impossible to get through. I was only able to pick out any kind of path by shining my light (which I had saved until this point) at the top of the tree line so I could see some sort of gap through the forest.
After about half a mile, the path had disappeared completely. The GPS (which was running out of power) told me we were on the path, but it was long gone. I knew that we were about a fifth of a mile from the track down to the loch; I just didn’t know how we were going to get to it.
After a quick solo expedition to try and find the edge of the forest, I retuned to the other two to tell them I thought it wasn’t far. The truth is I had no idea, but I was running out of options and they needed to hear some good news.
We ploughed through the pine trees with our luggage, until eventually we popped out of the forest, which enabled us to follow the edge of the trees until we reached the track that would take us home.
For one final challenge, Andy’s brakes then failed on him and then his lights ran out of power. This meant that he had to make the two mile descent in pitch darkness, freezing rain with no lights and no brakes.
We arrived at our final destination at just after 20:30. Thirteen and a half hours and one lifetime after we had set off from Wanlockhead. Job done!
Whatever you have donated, it will make a huge difference. Andy and Charlie made a Herculean effort to complete what is one of the toughest routes in Scotland. Their physical strength took them so far, but they had to show true grit and depth of character to push themselves so hard for so long in truly horrendous conditions. For that I will always hold them in the highest regard, I will always be there to help them and I have promised never, ever to ask them to do anything like this again...
But I know they will. :)
Why did we do it?
When my eldest sons - Ally and Billy - were born, it was under fairly traumatic circumstances. Sarah developed pre-eclampsia and on the Thursday was admitted to hospital. The following day we learnt that unless the unborn babies were delivered within the next 24 hours, they and Sarah could die.
Being twins they were small and weak anyway, but they weren’t due for another seven weeks.
The doctors started ringing bigger hospitals that could accommodate delivering two 7-week premature babies and look after them, along with Sarah. First Edinburgh said no. Then Dundee, Stirling and Glasgow said no. Aberdeen and Newcastle also said no.
On the Friday evening, we were preparing to be flown by helicopter to London! At this point I spoke to our consultant and said that while I appreciated that he had to do what was best; I wanted my family to be here in the Borders. That was the signal that he needed and he immediately changed tact, putting things in place for the Borders General Hospital to look after us. On the Saturday lunchtime, our consultant – Roddy Campbell – delivered our boys. The Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) then looked after them (and us) for four weeks until they were fit enough to come home.
We went through extraordinary highs and lows in that time. On the first Sunday, I didn’t know whether my two children would make it, and Sarah still wasn’t through the worst of it. Even now, I find it quite hard thinking about that day, so you can imagine how I was feeling as I was driving away from the hospital on my own, in the snow, on that Sunday night. Thanks to the incredible staff of SCBU, we got past that Sunday and four weeks on all of them were coming home.
Since then I’ve always wanted to try and re-pay them in some way, which is why I came up with Pedals, Paddles & Pace. Please give as much as you can. It will be appreciated by lots more babies in Ally and Billy’s situation.
