Exclusive: Building the Wooler Wheel Borderlands
Organiser's story of growing local economy to fight recession
When Glendale launched a project to increase cycling tourism, Beth Mills seized the opportunity.
Faced with recession in the rural area of Wooler, Mills looked to Pitlochry. A similar size to her town, Pitlochry was home to Britain’s largest sportive at the time – the Etape Caledonia.
Both towns equidistant at 70 miles from Edinburgh, Mills wondered; if the northern counterpart could have a cycling event attracting thousands, why couldn’t Wooler?
One year on and Mills describes the effect that the Wooler Wheel has had on the market town in Northumberland as measurable.
“The name of the area is being put out there and that was the whole idea behind it” says Mills, who will host the biggest Wooler Wheel yet on 17 May 2014.
“It’s about getting a new generation into the sport, enjoying the ride, the countryside and getting children out there. Hopefully they’ll be encouraged to ride again - perhaps outside of sportives - but most importantly they are more confident to get out on the bike.”
The Borderlands hopes to attract 2000 riders and will be hosted in conjunction with Radio Borders with all profits going to charity Cash 4 Kids. And following the sportive is the Wooler Outdoor Week, created to encourage visitors to spend more time in the area and enjoy activities in the surrounding National Park.
Such growth from a first sportive in October 2012 which sold out to 350 riders means that for the Borderlands event, Mills is focussed on continuing to enhance the friendliness of previous promotions, with the aim of attracting six-times the number of participants.
That includes the unusually high proportion of women attracted to Wooler – in 2013 50% of riders covering 50km were women and 20% enjoyed the 100km challenge.
Mills puts that down to the camaraderie of the event, encouraged by being a mixed environment, especially welcoming to children and families.
In 2014, such is the popularity among under-16 riders, Borderlands will host what they believe to be Britain’s first ever junior sportive over a 30km route with the aim of introducing a new generation into cycling and the countryside around them.
Mills says “it’s about them thinking they enjoyed it and that they’ll do it again,” when describing the motivation for targeting greater youth participation.
“Our youngest rider this year was under five years old and we had a lot of children who came last time, who are bringing back a sibling.
“It’s not about the challenge but it’s about getting a new generation into the sport, about enjoying the ride and the countryside and getting children out there. Hopefully they’ll be encouraged to ride their bike again - perhaps outside of sportives – but most importantly they are more confident to get out on the bike.”
DEVELOPING THE RIDES
In order to achieve this, Mills is already continunig to focus on the basics when approaching for a Borderlands; a rational she describes as “not actually a bad thing, as you don’t take things for granted.”
“When we first started this, we said we would do three years. The first would show us if it could be done, the second to see if there was still a desire and the third year to consolidate. It’s into year three now and there is a lot going on in the background – the launch of a project that will consolidate the Wooler Wheel and more.
“Sometimes people look at their own little area and think ‘it can’t happen here’. And yet it can; you just need someone to do it. You might start off quite small but that doesn’t matter; as long as you have done that right, then you can take the next step and do it again. In Wooler, people are now looking into the area and seeing the possibilities.”
Entries for the Wooler Wheel Borderlands are now open.
Miss part one of the Wooler Wheel interview? Read it here.
