The 'Lands End Trial' 2026 - Challenge Accepted!
- Suzie Prevett
- 2 hours ago
- 17 min read
What an event! The Motor Cycling Club's 102nd Lands End Trial no less.
To be honest, this is not an event I thought I’d ever take part in, let alone enjoy…but here we are, five Lands End trials later, ha ha! My worst ‘scoring’ outcome to date, but oddly, one of the most enjoyable. That concreted something for me; it’s definitely not about the medals for me.
Don't get me wrong, achieving a medal is a good feeling, especially with all of the sleep deprivation and particularly when there’s a lot of mud involved! Can you tell I love mud?! Ok, maybe not! The biggest feeling of achievement and enjoyment for me personally is turning up with a bunch of good friends, overcoming any issues that may crop up as they inevitably do, and us all getting to the end!
There is a specific kind of cuckooness reserved for those who spend their Easter weekend intentionally seeking out an event with the steepest, in some cases possibly the muddiest, tracks in the West Country, many of which in complete darkness! For our small group consisting of Kelvin, Andy, Mike, Pete, and myself, the ritual began on Good Friday morning at our usual campsite, Resparva House.
The air was thick with anticipation and the smell of pre-trial chain lube as we prepared for the legendary Lands End Trial. Our complementary arrival cream tea was a good chance for us all to catch up and get a sugar boost, before getting ourselves and our bikes kitted up ready for the long backroad trek up to the start.
The Scrutineering Nail-Biter
By 1:50 pm, we were on the road. The weather teased us with a rainy start before drying out for the run to the Bridgwater Rugby Club. After a pre-dinner stop at McDonald's, we swung by a Halfords for some 2-stroke oil for Pete's Beta, as it was guzzling more fuel than anticipated.
Better safe than sorry or having to use a random oil that may or may not be available during the trial! We arrived in Bridgwater at around 6:15 pm, giving us a comfortable two-hour cushion before our 8:17 pm start time. Or so we thought.
The first hurdle wasn't a hill, but the scrutineering bay. Pete’s bike suffered a sudden rear light failure, the kind of gremlin that only appears when it really matters. What followed was a masterclass in trials engineering (aka bodging)...wire stripping, a generous application of duct tape, and the tactical addition of my spare red bike light.
Thanks to some incredibly helpful marshals and a bit of tinkering, he passed. We celebrated with a successful sign on and a quick dinner of ham, eggs, and chips, then standing outside the club to catch the last of the cool air before the long night ahead. At this point I unexpectedly felt like I was overheating, a very different situation to last year.
Kicking it all off at Felons Oak and Beggar's Roost
At 8:17 pm, the clock started. Pete and I set off into the night, the adrenaline masking the fatigue for now. However, Felons Oak (OS1) provided a sharp wake up call. For some bizarre reason, I aimed for the middle of the restart box, and then the back wheel predictably just wouldn't bite to get going again. My brain knew I should have stayed right, but in the heat of the moment, my decision making floundered. Just three awful attempts later, I finally cleared the restart box, feeling the sting of an early fail.
We found solace at Barbrook with fuel and, more importantly, homemade ginger cake. Long distance trials are won on focus and control, but they are powered by baked goods!
The momentum shifted a little at Beggar’s Roost. I cleared the restart perfectly, and kept my feet and bike upright for a cleaned section. A huge relief! Riverton followed, proving trickier than usual, well, to me anyway...it was the mud! I found myself hovering a foot in the air like a tightrope walker to maintain balance at a snail’s pace, as I negotiated the left hand corner a little wider than I would have liked, but I made it! A successful restart, no dab, and that was all that mattered.
The Midnight Grind
We reached the first 'Observed Test' Yollocombe at a little after midnight. A long stretch of country road with instructions to start behind the 'A' line, then stop astride the 'B' line and finally astride the 'C' line. Job done! It felt a little quicker than my usual efforts, but probably still a little slow in the grand scheme of things.
By the time we reached Sutcombe, we were all running a little ahead of time so it wasn't yet open. Thankfully the river hadn't got too deep with the previous rainfall and the hill itself in good condition. I managed a smooth restart on the right side, followed by remembering to stop in the designated box at the end. Always a bonus! The reward at the top, coffee and lemon cake, was well worth the wait.
The logistics of the trial were impressively smooth thus far, and the fuel stop at Bradworthy was a well-oiled machine as ever, keeping us moving toward the dawn, albeit still a few hours off.
As the night wore on, the terrain grew more demanding. At Darracott there was a little bit of a wait for the section to open, but that's to be expected as the bikes were running ahead of the scheduled time. This section was a relatively enjoyable, with a rocky, slightly muddy snaking climb, but Cutcliffe was the real test.
Having struggled at Cutcliffe last year from taking a very bumpy right-handed line (ok, more than struggled, I ended up on the floor), I was determined. The mud on the section wasn't horrendous, but the rocks were slippery, and while I lacked a little momentum on the slippery stuff at time, I stayed central-left and kept the wheels turning.
The relief of clearing the end board was immense, and a little win for myself as a better attempt than last time around. Now, getting out would be the real challenge...talk about mud! It was far from a controlled or graceful exit, and that's very much an understatement.
Before breakfast was one last almighty challenge, the infamous Crackington, and one that I believe stole many a gold medal attempt! In fact, just a quick look at the Class B results and only 15 people cleaned this section out of the 62 Class B competitors who finished. Used for 90 years, this is a hill known for its pre-trial 'doctoring' by the locals. Apparently it used to be slurry that they'd pour down it, but for certain this year, it was a thick, clay-like mud! Oh the joy!
Now, I'm not quite sure what happened, but this section was one I failed by complete stupidity, or at least lack of focus. Having got off the start fine, and making it through some of the initial muddy gloop, I then proceeded to stop before the damn restart. Doh! How on earth did I manage that? My tired brain was telling me that's where the restart box was, but it was completely wrong. Anyway, I attempted to restart and it wasn't easy, even using my feet. I just wish I’d stopped in the right place to fail the restart properly! Ha ha!
Breakfast and the Rain
We reached the breakfast stop half an hour early, just as the clouds decided to dump their load. Good timing or what?! Sitting in the warmth, nursing a warm coffee and an egg bap while the rain hammered down outside, the exhaustion truly set in. We were finally joined by Kelvin, Andy, and Mike, who had endured their own saga involving a puncture, and a skipped Sutcombe cake stop to claw back some of the lost time.
The rain made the morning sections a little slimier. Ruses Mill speed test was a little slippery, but I took it slow and steady, reminding myself of the "behind, astride, astride" instructions as I went. My highlight of the morning, however, was Warleggan.
I was convinced I’d come off, or at least put a foot down, but I managed a clean run! I navigated the restart from the top-right corner, and powered my little Scorpa 125 to the top in a rather bouncy style. I was particularly chuffed about that little achievement. Small wins!
Not too long after this, before reaching the next set of sections, I felt like my bike was struggling. Initially I thought I was running out of fuel as that's how it felt, and we weren't too far from fuel in Bodmin (plus emergency rations under my seat), but then it just stopped! My front brake lever was solid. It transpired that my front brake had seized on. It smelt! Damn! I'd braked heavily a few turns back as I missed a turn on the instructions, so maybe that was it?!
Fortunately, Pete was able to fix the issue very swiftly by bleeding the front calliper a little. It meant a little more squeeze required to engage the brake but it worked well. Huge thanks Pete!!
The Final Push to the Coast
As we made our way through the latter part of the trial, the sections came thick and fast. Eddy’s Branch Line 1 & 2 were back to back sections, and always a muddy affair. I took a line up the right bank on Eddy's 1 and somehow managed to get to the top of the hill without a dab. I got the bike around the top left 90 degree bend and to the next lot of thick mud. It was at that point my nervous foot came out to reach for a dab. I don't know if I made contact, I thought I did, albeit I didn't need to, however it was down as a clean. I did let the power's that be know, but the marshal that was stood close by had me as clean, so that's that.
Eddy's 2 was a slightly different path to last year, with a little offshoot to the left before the end, which was previously a straight through mud pit. It was a good deviation and I managed it with good control, for a nice clean run. I was very happy about that!
At Perranporth, after a quick check in with the control marshals, I took a moment to shed a layer of clothing, and so had to cram my backpack to the gills. Pete had a bag of fresh shortbread cookies, so that was a very welcome surprise, and I happily demolished one! The tiredness was definitely setting in, but the sugar helped, plus the end was in sight. It was the last push to the end!
Lambriggan was the most 'trials' like section of the event, starting on one side of a stream, dropping over a bank, splashing through said stream, and up on to the opposite bank. The route then dropped off the left side of the track, into the stream again, up the bank and then up a long hill, hitting a restart that I cleared well for a satisfying clean. A good little challenge.
The Blue Hills Grand Finale
No Lands End Trial is complete without Blue Hills. It's what draws hundreds of spectators, albeit moreso later on when the cars start to show up. It wasn't open when we arrived, and I was about 5th in the queue to take on the challenge. Peter Browne on Bike number one was behind me and I gladly took a photo for him. A photo that would replicate the same spot where his father sat, aged 20, on his bike around 74 years previously. Amazing! A very different challenge back then I'm sure. Then the section opened.
On Blue Hills 1, the ruts weren't too deep and I took it slow down the initial point of entry to choose my line. I took the left hand turn wide and then headed to the lower left side of the restart box. I almost put my right foot down, which would have been disasterous! Fortunately I was able to correct my mistake immediately getting the bike held in place on both the front and back brake...essential here!
I took a deep breath and somehow managed to get myself up off the restart and around the right hand corner without fault. The new system of using a marked box at the end was a godsend for my tired brain, so no more remembering if I had to stop before or on the line. I stopped in the box for a clean run. Yey!
Blue Hills 2 was a slightly different story. Heart beating wildly anticipating my turn, I managed the first climb reasonably well. Not too many spectators at this point in the day either thankfully. I hit the restart box well, and came to a controlled stop. Unfortunately, when I tried to pull away, the bike just gave a disheartened 'zzzzzzzzzzzz', like a whizzing sound, as the tire spun and spun, getting absolutely no grip. I bounced, I leaned, I willed it onwards and upwards, but no joy.
After rolling back down and out of the restart, the marshal told me to give it a go rather than take the failures escape route. So, I took a breath, reset and charged up to a chorus of cheers from the spectators, reaching the top with a grin that made the failure irrelevant.
I stopped in the end box and felt so good to now have completed all of the Lands End sections. Ok, not all with success or finesse, but I'd done it. Pete wasn't far behind and he'd managed a controlled clean on both, so he was on for a possible silver or bronze medal, with Felon's Oak an unknown due to being unsure if the axel was within the restart box. We'll see. Almost there now!
The Finish Line
Signing out was a bittersweet moment. After 24 hours from leaving on our bikes from the campsite, we were greeted by a welcoming team, and a sense of camaraderie. We spent some time chatting with Georgie and Mark, and were glad when the "Chicken Legs" team arrived without having had any more dramas. Special nods went to Ian and Charlie, both of whom were on track for Gold Medals. Hats off, it wasn't an easy one, or at least not in my opinion.
Back at the campsite, the trial ended the only way it could; with a deep, dreamless sleep for a couple of hours, followed by a lovely Chinese takeaway, and a good catch up with each other...the usual chat about how it went, and how, despite always wondering why we do these things, how we're always reminded of this at the end by the sense of accomplishment. On that note, we'll be back next year, ha ha!
My thanks to Angie and Steve at the campsite for being so accommodating, and to the MCC for another unforgettable challenge, as well as all the volunteers, marshalls, food vendors, fuel stations, spectators, photographers and other competitors. You all make this event what it is. Thank you.
Lessons Learned and things to take forward
Every Lands End Trial is a learning curve, and this year’s syllabus was particularly heavy on mental focus. Here’s what I’m taking away for next year, with some things to work on, and some things to just continue:
Trust what you know: At Felons Oak, I knew the right-hand line was the one, but in the heat of the moment, I went to the middle. Next time: Pick the usual right line and commit to it, regardless of what may feel easy. It's not!
Use your eyes: My "Doh!" moment at Crackington was a reminder that you have to pay attention, stay focused and be 100% sure where the restart begins. Stopping early is a stupid mistake that cost me a clean run. Ok, maybe not, the mud was horrendous, but at least I would have failed it properly, not stupidly!
Mobility over Warmth, within reason: I felt a massive difference at Perranporth after shedding a layer. Being too warm leads to sluggishness, and being able to move freely on the bike is worth a little bit of a chill on the road sections. However, being too cold is no help either as then everything slows down. It's a fine balance! I need to find a way to stay warm without six to seven layers which I can barely move in!!!
Momentum is King: In the clay-heavy mud of Crackington, I learned that once you lose that initial bite, it’s a gruelling fight to get it back. Keep the revs consistent and the weight back...unless you have to start in a restart that is. Thanks for that, ha ha!
Keep planning for inevitable hiccups: 1) give ourselves plenty of leeway (early arrival, early numbers), and 2) carry an emergency repairs kit. Pete’s bike would have been a "Non-Starter" if he hadn't had time, wire strippers, spare cable, and a roll of high-quality duct tape. It would have been a late start or dinnerless send off if we hadn't have had the time.
Tyre Pressure Management: The "zzzzzz" noise at Blue Hills 2 was the sound of a tyre looking for grip that wasn't there. For the rocky, technical restarts, finding that "sweet spot" pressure, low enough for a footprint but high enough to protect the rim, remains the ultimate dark art of trials. I think a slightly lower pressure next time around may help as I was running 10 PSI this time. Also it comes down to focus again...try not to land the back wheel on a slippery rock!
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