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OPINION
L'Eroica Britannia: best of British
Mon, Jun 23, 2014 13:55
45
As the sun sets on the inaugural Eroica Britannia, the tents are being collapsed and within the Bakewell showground walk the tired, but happy, bodies of hundreds of sun-worn cyclists. This first edition featured 3 days of festival activities, including live music, open-air cinema, and the opportunity to have a wet shave from a dancing barber - amongst many others.
With the event capped – and sold-out at – 2,000 riders it always promised to be something different from the standard sportive that can be found every weekend around the country. Styled on the classic Eroica in Italy, the British version was an opportunity for riders of classic bikes to get them out en-masse and really get to grips with the Derbyshire countryside. And how they set about to do just that.
Ancient Raleighs, Peugeots and Colnagos were to be found around the campsite, accompanied by riders from all corners of the world; the sound of Japanese, Italian and Spanish mingled in with British from these shores and from our American cousins.
The Saturday was a rest-day, one for families to enjoy the showground together. It was a true festival atmosphere, with shopping and eating to help pass the time. Sunday brought the main event with 3 rides to choose from; 30, 55, and 100 miles of the finest that the Peak District could offer, on back-roads, tracks and shared-use paths.
Perhaps it was the bikes, perhaps it was the people riding them, or perhaps it was how they were being ridden, but the consensus was simple: the riders were greeted with smiles and warm hello's from passing walkers, not to mention the choir that was singing at the end of one of the old tunnels that formed the course.
The feed stops were packed with local food, not a gel or energy drink to be found, just local sandwiches, sausages and ice-cream, all consumed with gratitude and gusto. In keeping with the spirit of the ride, there was also remarkably little litter to be found on the course, with just a handful of gel wrappers to be found along the route, most of which looked like they'd been there a while.
With the routes described as 'challenging', riders set off in waves, from 7am onwards, with crowds wishing them well from the outset, prepared for the hills that lay in wait for them.
Although some of the more famous climbs may have been omitted, the rides still provided plenty of scope for lung-busting efforts in the glorious sunshine. From long drags, to intensely sharp hills, the route planners managed to provide a mix to fulfil the promise of a challenging day, seeing bikes being pushed up some of the sharper inclines was a common sight, with no stigma attached in the happy atmosphere on course.
As to be expected in the Peak District, each hill brought with it the reward of fantastic views over the countryside, undoubtedly helped by the glorious weather over the whole weekend. The rolling countryside giving a silent boost to every rider at the very moment when they needed it.
And the descents, oh those glorious descents. With testing singletrack, open roads and glorious shaded woodland the descents brought cheek-aching levels of smiles to the participants with laughter, merriment and shared experiences providing common bonds amongst the riders of classic steel cycles.
Happy villagers, stress-free roads and smiling walkers really showed what an event can provide for riders, with the tired but happy finishers greeted with cheers and rounds of applause by hundreds of spectators waiting for them at their final destination.
Without a shadow of a doubt, this inaugural edition of the Eroica Britannia was a resounding success, the smiles of fellow festival goers confirming what was in the mind already. Already you can sense that plans are afoot for riders to return next year, the heady combination of scenery, festivities and locally-produced food being a clear winner.
Road.cc were in attendance at the Eroica Britannia as guests of Brooks England, many thanks to them for the invite.
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45 comments
Sounds like a great event.
> I'm pretty sure my mates and I all refer to it as "The Peaks", even the ones that live there.<
Purely on the geographical point, I'm with p3t3 on this. You and your mates may call it "The Peaks", as do many other people (understandably, it's a very common error), but the correct name for this area is indeed The Peak.
Dark Peak.
White Peak.
The Peaks.
The fact that there's a "Dark Peak" and a "White Peak" shows that this whole argument is nonsense
Indeed; the fact it is not Dark Peaks and White Peaks suggests the its not the Peaks.
If you want to refer to it as "The Peaks" then you need to start from calling it "The Peaks District", which isn't the case. Not in any literature of any sort and not by the Peak District National Park for example.
The whole point is that that the name doesn't come from it being an area of peaks.
The original name may come from the Pecsaetons, but your original point suggested that locals didn't call it The Peaks, I and many others know that they do.
Both www.peakdistrict.gov.uk and www.visitpeakdistrict.com refer to and use the term "The Peaks", I would class a website as literature, you may not. I'm fairly sure that I have had brochures for The Peaks that reference and use the term The Peaks but I don't have them to hand right now.
The term is also used by the Youth Hostel Association, The Met Office and several others with interest in the area.
You say the area isn't an area of peaks but the area has the Dark Peak and the White Peak, surely the plural of peak is peaks? Or do I have to go back and rewatch David Lynch's 'Twin Peak"?
I fear we have wasted far too much time on this.
you think?
What can I say, it piqued my interest.
Nice.
Im sure the hospitals of Derbyshire were overflowing with injured, reckless, helmetless cyclists after this.
Absolutely crazy to have a mass participation event on bicycles where people are allowed to choose whether to wear a helmet or not and therefore ensuring certain death (or worse).
Stop this madness now!
Where is this "Peaks" where the event took place? If it was in Derbyshire then it was probably in The Peak District, which is colloquially known as "The peak". It isn't the Peak District because it is full of peaks, its the Peak District because its the region formerly of the Pecsaetans.
I know you are in Bristol, but its a bit of a clanger for a local...
Pedantry over
wow, you're right. that extra S ruined the whole article for me, i couldn't make head nor tail of any of it after reading that. In fact i think i'll go and smash my computer to pieces now, because EVERYTHING IS RUINED
ffs.
PS this is you: http://xkcd.com/386/
So's that. We're in Bath.
Not jealous... not jealous at all.
Looks like this one's here to stay, it's only going to get bigger and better judging by the positivity surrounding the event. Look forward to getting there myself in the coming years!
There was a fair lump of negativity about it on here a few months ago, mainly driven by people moaning about the price if I remember rightly.
I thought it was reasonably priced at the £75/80 mark, but looking at the pictures if I had taken up the offer of the early bird ticket at £40/50 or whatever it was then it would have been an absolute steal.
They've got the franchise for the next 4 years at least.
It was an amazing celebration of cycling. Beer and cake at food stops should be commended.
Some of the Strade Bianche sections were a little tough going on the decents but go to show how much you can do on a road bike with 25mm tyres. Just make sure you've got everything tightened down. Guy I was riding with's front caliper retaining nut parted company, causing the whole caliper to be ejected out the front of his bike when he braked. Thankfully the very willing mechanics at the next stop sorted him out.
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