Congratulations to David Moorse, who earlier this month completed a charity cycle challenge for the Alzheimer’s Society that saw him ride over 87 miles around the Isle of Wight, including over 5,800ft of climbing!
The following week he then collected over £355 for the charity during a street collection in Cowes.
The Isle of Wight picture
David is passionate about fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Society and shares some horrific stats on Dementia.
- The Isle of Wight has among the highest rate of dementia in the country
- It is estimated that one THIRD of children born this year will suffer Dementia in the future.
It is therefore imperative, he says, that we continue, and accelerate research into treatments for the condition.
Show your support
Anyone who wishes to donate, simply go to the Alzheimer’s Society Website and click on “Donate Now”.
If you are a tax payer, you can click for Gift Aid to boost your donation by 20% and this way the Charity gets 100% of your donation (rather than the sponsorship Websites taking their cut).
David’s diary entry
David has very kindly shared below his diary entry for the challenge that he completed on 6th August 2016. It’s a lovely read and you may learn about parts of the Island you’ve never experienced. Ed
Slapping on factor 30 in the pitch black at 4.30am seemed weird… but the forecast was for winds to get stronger and stronger, and wall to wall sunshine could be dehydrating later on in the day. I’d figured that an early start would mean I could carry all the water I needed to complete my Island perimeter challenge non-stop and unsupported.
The day after raising over £1,300 for Alzheimer’s last summer in an epic family team triathlon at Eton Dorney, where we came a creditable second, and I was already thinking “What crazy thing could we do next time?”
Having cycled around the beautiful Isle of Wight over 3,000 miles in training, and with my ageing and reconstructed knees protesting at any attempt at running, I looked for something challenging, but novel. Enclosing the greatest area of the Isle of Wight in a single bike loop by cycling as close to the perimeter as possible seemed a good idea. The route would be over 87 miles long and include over 5,800 feet of climbing, and would be a constant celebration of the beauty of our Island.
I hoped that the four litres of water that I could carry and the pocketful of energy gels would be enough.
Setting off before dawn, it was a cool and peaceful ride from Shanklin up Furleaze Hill, the first of the five categorised climbs, with the dawn chorus to accompany me as the sky behind me lightened. From Dunnose, a tight left and several hairpins took me down to Ye Olde Worlde peaceful tranquility of Bonchurch and the sea wall, where the tide was just about as low as I’d ever seen it there.
Steepest part of route
Ventnor sea front led to Bath Road, the steepest part of the entire route. Although short, at steeper than 25% in places, it was good to get that one behind me.
Following the landslip towards St Lawrence, it was just as well that it was starting to become lighter, as Island Roads haven’t yet got to this stretch, there were potholes a plenty to avoid.
It was on the loop of Woolverton Road and Old Park Road that my aim for a non-stop trip was ended as (like many of the Olympic cyclists later that day) I lost a water bottle to the bumps.
Despite getting trapped between my wheels I avoided coming off, but could not afford to lose my precious water, and had to stop to pick it up. As the Undercliff road is closed, the perimeter route now heads up Seven Sisters Road and up St Lawrence Shute, on reflection, the toughest climb of the day. Perhaps it was a combination of nearly 5kg of drink and gels I was carrying, or perhaps the after-effects of the previous climbs, but above the station bridge I was glad of first gear!
As I crested the top, the first direct sunlight lit up the fantastic countryside above Nettlecombe as I could relax a little, eat and drink on the sweeping downhill to Whitwell.
Niton Shute
Whilst not wanting to go up and back along all dead ends, I felt I must make an exception to include Niton Shute, and the loop of St Catherine’s Road and Sandrock Road (and in part compensating for having to miss out on the blocked Undercliff Drive).
This also increased height gain for the next climb to the top at Blackgang, which was a joy, as the golden light of the sunrise behind me lit the fields and verges with deep rich colour.
The Island slowly awakens
Yellowhammers, Skylarks, Goldfinches, Greenfinches and the first few butterflies of the day added to the tapestry of Knapweed, Rest Harrow, and myriad of other wildflowers in the verges.
It was about 6am and I had barely seen a vehicle – another great reward for the early start!
Along the Military Road
From Blackgang, down Blythe Shute, through Chale and along the gently undulating Military Road (again helped by the early timing which meant the headwind was minimal), and with four hours or so still remaining, it was a chance to take it gently, but still pick up the pace a little.
Having seen a couple of foxes in the twilight of the Undercliff, it was a hare that now caught my eye as it raced across a newly harvested field near Atherfield, and backlit by the still rising sun, the cliffs of Freshwater and Tennyson Down were a picturesque backdrop to the exposed rocks of Hanover Point, at this time of day there were no families searching for dinosaur footprints, but a few dog walkers were now up and about.
Up Compton Down
The steady gradient up Compton Down also brought a marked change in the verges to an abundant, but low lying chalkland flora. Three Kestrels, flying in formation, something I have never seen before, (presumably two adults and a youngster), but I was not in a position to see clearly enough.
Through Freshwater Bay at a time that any sane person would be getting up for breakfast, then it was on to the gently sloping sinuous road past Middleton towards Alum Bay. Although, technically not part of a single loop, for completeness, I couldn’t miss out the extension to Alum Bay and the Needles Old Battery.
Heading east
It was a milestone now that I was heading eastwards, and discovering a couple of coastal loop roads that I had not found on the map, I was pleased that I was really getting as complete a perimeter circuit as possible.
Additionally, whatever gentle breeze there was would now be at my back – another psychological bonus.
The low tide had exposed the saltmarsh at Yarmouth where Curlew and other waders were feeding, and the early commuters were beginning their travels, so traffic was increasing slightly.
A (literally) two seconds’ wait for the lights at Shalfleet was the only stop of my day (apart from picking up water bottles dislodged by bumpiness of older road surfaces) and the beautifully smooth new road surfaces were a much appreciated improvement.
Newtown Creek looked bone dry with the tide so far out, and with the very varied, gently rolling and turning roads through Porchfield and Thorness, the miles rolled quickly. Soon enough I was descending to the coast again down Rew Street to Gurnard Luck.
A short sharp climb and descent later, and I was in Gurnard, enjoying the flood tide as it strained at the buoys just offshore by Egypt Point.
Early signs of Cowes Week
Cowes was showing the signs that Cowes Week was beginning, a young lady preparing the canons by the Royal Yacht Squadron in readiness for the first start of the week, and sailors with their kit bags heading to their boats.
From the chain ferry, the back roads to Arctic Road, past UKSA, joining the Newport cycle track that followed dis-used railway line (which was closed in 1966), and approaching 50 miles, I was now past half way, and on an easy, sheltered flat section, able to enjoy the familiar views of the Medina Valley, including a most co-operative Green Woodpecker, which, instead of flying away at first sight, as these timid creatures often do, flew parallel to the cycle path at much the same speed as I was travelling, so I got perfect views for a considerable while as it lived up to its name of Yaffle, with its familiar, frenetic call.
Reaching the capital
Past badger setts, sites of Special Scientific Interest, and light industry (both historic and modern), it was 8.45am by the time I reached Newport Quay.
The Quay Arts Centre saw me heading north once again, via the cycle track through Seaclose Park, rejoining the road at Medina College.
Whippingham, Beatrice Avenue, exploring the most coastal route through the new residential area south of the Kingston Power Station, and I was in East Cowes. Ferry Road, Castle Street and the Esplanade and it was time for a gentle climb back up towards Osborne House.
Heading southwards past the Osborne Estate on the left and the new light industrial estate on the right, a left at Whippingham and I was heading down Brocks Copse Road where I recalled a savage bike accident that befell a friend and colleague some years ago on ice. The new road surface and dry weather made this section enjoyable and more importantly, safe.
The estates of Wootton meant a couple of slight detours as I searched for the outermost route, but soon I was passing the new bridge at Wootton Creek and heading past Quarr Abbey up to Binstead.
Considering the drivers
I didn’t want to be annoyingly slow for motorists, so opted to use the footpath as there were no pedestrians around. Left at the roundabout took me to Binstead Church and the cut via Ladies Walk through the Golf Club, and Ryde Esplanade signalled the 20 miles to go mark.
By now (approaching 10am) increasing holidaymakers and pedestrians along the sea front past the Canoe Lake and Appley beach to Seaview meant a much more leisurely pace whilst I considered whether I would be up for the possibility of the last extension climb up Culver Down.
These thoughts were quickly superseded by the need to search for the most peripheral route through the streets and estates of Seaview. Stopping for another lost bottle at a corner where a family were loading their car for a trip out (as I was discovering places in Nettlestone that I didn’t know existed), picking up the bottle, I said cheerily “It’s all for a good cause”… without looking up the lady called out “If it were me, it would be Alzheimers” – then she glanced up and saw my Alzheimer’s Society shirt and was delighted! A lovely interlude to a morning in which I’d only had my own thoughts for company.
Discovering more new roads
From the estate roads, back onto the newly resurfaced Eddington Road and St Helens not only brought a restful section of downhill, but also the first small cloud of the day gave a refreshing cooling to the Bembridge Harbour Road.
Again discovering coastal back roads that were new to me, it wasn’t long before I was looping around the Crab and Lobster at the eastern extremity of the circuit, and heading past Whitecliff Bay, the airport, and after 87 miles the start of the last major climb of the day up to Culver Down.
Up the Down
The benefits of taking it relatively easy earlier in the day were clear as, with a very light tail breeze, the climb was not as hard as I’d expected.
The cattle grid at the top, however, was scary, pyramidal bars instead of the more usual rectangular or cylindrical ones appeared pointy enough to puncture tyres on a road bike, but fortunately I managed to cushion the impact with bent arms and legs, and tentatively checking no damage had been done, completed the one-way circle at the eastern end of the Down.
Super careful again over the rack of pyramids, and heading west again, down towards Brading, then left, through Yaverland, with perfect timing to enjoy the sea rescue display by the Air Sea Rescue helicopter lowering a person onto a moving Rib just off-shore, then onto the last leg through Sandown, and along the Revetment, past Little Stairs Steps, Small Hope Beach and, Hope Hill… along to Chine Avenue, Everton lane, by Shanklin Chine and I was finally closing my loop at Shanklin Old Village.
Less than a mile and another 100ft of ups and I was home for a shower! And all by 11.30am.
