{"id":8113,"date":"2022-04-30T09:59:38","date_gmt":"2022-04-30T08:59:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/?p=8113"},"modified":"2022-04-30T09:59:41","modified_gmt":"2022-04-30T08:59:41","slug":"etape-loch-ness-2022-video-and-round-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2022\/04\/30\/etape-loch-ness-2022-video-and-round-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Etape Loch Ness 2022 &#8211; video and round-up"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph\">The water was mirror calm as a record number of riders took on the Etape Loch Ness last weekend. I was among them once again as we gathered at the start after a very early rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cycle sportive begins at 6am, with riders setting off in waves, and after posting a pretty fast time last year on a friend\u2019s carbon fibre bike, I was already on my way by 6.10am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last year\u2019s event \u2013 which took place in August instead of the regular April date \u2013 inspired me to finally invest in my own road bike instead of the heavier touring bike I\u2019ve always used in the past. Carbon Fibre was a bit out of my price range, though, so I settled for something a bit more &#8216;entry level&#8217;. And while I didn\u2019t beat last year\u2019s time, I did post my second-best time of just over 3 hours 50 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ozGxBZfA1h4?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-GB&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;ve done this event every year since 2014 when it started &#8211; apart from 2018 because it was not long after my youngest child was born and I was not entering every event under the sun that year!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the best things about the Etape, for me, is being able to enjoy the freedom of riding the A82 down to Drumnadrochit, Invermoriston and Fort Augustus without any motor traffic to worry about. It\u2019s a fantastic road but is not good for cycling on any other day of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The early start and cool conditions showed the loch in an interesting and atmospheric light, and at times I was captivated by the view \u2013 one you don\u2019t get chance to look at properly when driving this route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before I knew it, we were crossing the canal at Fort Augustus and preparing for the King of the Mountain stage up to the Suidhe viewpoint. Knowing this five-mile climb well is a definite advantage and I enjoyed making my way slowly up to hear the skirl of the pipes at the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately, the timing device didn&#8217;t work for most riders at this year&#8217;s Etape, so I didn&#8217;t get an official time for this stage, though I suspect it wouldn&#8217;t have been quite as fast as last year either!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A fast descent through Whitebridge follows before a couple more hills into Foyers, then it\u2019s an undulating ride along the loch-side to Dores. There was a very slight headwind along here this year &#8211; unusual for the predominantly southerlies you usual get &#8211; which made it just that little bit slower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The support along the route was great \u2013 it always gives riders a real boost when we get an enthusiastic cheer as we head through the villages on the way round. It was the same as we returned to Inverness, with people out and about from the bottom of the Ness Castle hill and at the Holm roundabout \u2013 the one with Nessie on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was getting a little damp by the end, with a bit of fine drizzle putting a sheen on the road surface, but it was otherwise perfect conditions for cycling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The finish beside the cathedral in the city centre is a welcome sight after an early morning 66-mile loop of Loch Ness, and the event hub at the Northern Meeting Park had a great atmosphere with spectators and families allowed in to welcome back riders this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s great to have that feeling of normality back as well as to see so many bikes out and about in and around Inverness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>Fea<span class=\"has-inline-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">tured image &#8211; John after the 2022 Etape Loch Ness. Picture: Callum Mackay\/Highland News &amp; Media<\/span><\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The water was mirror calm as a record number of riders took on the Etape Loch Ness last weekend. I was among them once again as we gathered at the start after a very early rise. The cycle sportive begins at 6am, with riders setting off in waves, and after posting a pretty fast time [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8114,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[146,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-active-outdoors","category-blog"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/John-Etape-2022-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5M0xs-26R","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14949,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2026\/05\/11\/revelling-in-the-relaxation-of-a-long-bike-ride-at-the-etape-loch-ness\/","url_meta":{"origin":8113,"position":0},"title":"Revelling in the relaxation of a long bike ride at the Etape Loch Ness","author":"John Davidson","date":"May 11, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"An early start and a familiar circuit offer a chance to enjoy the surroundings and the atmosphere of what has become a bucket-list event for people from around the world For one weekend a year the streets and cycle paths of Inverness become packed with families and groups as the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Active Outdoors&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Active Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/active-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LIAD13568-original-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LIAD13568-original-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LIAD13568-original-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LIAD13568-original-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LIAD13568-original-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5257,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2019\/05\/04\/making-the-best-of-closed-roads-at-the-etape-loch-ness\/","url_meta":{"origin":8113,"position":1},"title":"Making the best of closed roads at the Etape Loch Ness","author":"John Davidson","date":"May 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"While course records were being smashed at the front of this year\u2019s Etape Loch Ness cycle sportive, there were thousands of other riders with their own goals in mind. Hundreds of cyclists wore the green vest of the official charity partner Macmillan and were raising money for vital cancer care,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Active Outdoors&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Active Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/active-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/20190428-Scotland-Inverness-094359.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/20190428-Scotland-Inverness-094359.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/20190428-Scotland-Inverness-094359.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/20190428-Scotland-Inverness-094359.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/20190428-Scotland-Inverness-094359.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2881,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2017\/04\/23\/etape-loch-ness-2017-a-ride-to-remember\/","url_meta":{"origin":8113,"position":2},"title":"Etape Loch Ness 2017 &#8211; a ride to remember","author":"John Davidson","date":"April 23, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"It's been another fine day for the Etape Loch Ness, with thousands of people cycling the 66 miles round Nessie's home! I've done this race each year since it started in 2014 and with a record entry this year the closed roads were well used. It's great to see the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;John's blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"John's blog","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/DSCN8724.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/DSCN8724.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/DSCN8724.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/DSCN8724.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/DSCN8724.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1792,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2014\/05\/11\/land-of-contrasts-biking-in-the-highlands\/","url_meta":{"origin":8113,"position":3},"title":"Land of contrasts &#8211; biking in the Highlands","author":"John Davidson","date":"May 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Having taken part in the inaugural Etape Loch Ness - a 67-mile closed-road cycle sportive around the loch - recently, my latest outing on the bike was a little different. From traffic-free roads where I was pushing along at a pace, this mountain bike circuit took us into remote glens\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;John's blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"John's blog","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Achanshellach-MTB-7.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Achanshellach-MTB-7.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Achanshellach-MTB-7.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Achanshellach-MTB-7.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3585,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2018\/04\/28\/etape-into-the-quieter-side-of-loch-ness\/","url_meta":{"origin":8113,"position":4},"title":"Etape into the quieter side of Loch Ness","author":"John Davidson","date":"April 28, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Thousands of people will descend on the Highlands this weekend as the Etape Loch Ness takes place early on Sunday morning. The closed-road cycling event has proven hugely popular since it began in 2014 and people travel from across the world to take part. That\u2019s what comes of living close\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Active Outdoors&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Active Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/active-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/South-Loch-Ness-cycle-15.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/South-Loch-Ness-cycle-15.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/South-Loch-Ness-cycle-15.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/South-Loch-Ness-cycle-15.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/South-Loch-Ness-cycle-15.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1924,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2014\/08\/22\/bike-run-bike-to-loch-ness\/","url_meta":{"origin":8113,"position":5},"title":"Bike-run-bike to Loch Ness","author":"John Davidson","date":"August 22, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I found myself with an all-too-rare day with nothing planned today, so decided to go for a nice little trail run down at Dores. And what's the best way to get to Dores? On the bike, of course! Following the quiet roads and short sections of cycle path, I headed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;John's blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"John's blog","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8113"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8113\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8128,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8113\/revisions\/8128"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}