L' EROICA Vintage cycling festival

When I first saw this event advertised some while ago I was somewhat sceptical thinking it would be little else other than a corporate franchise event ...a poor facsimile of the Italian original....however how wrong I was!

Due to family commitments I couldn't make the weekend anyway and as I live fairly close in Chesterfield and get to cycle the very same roads and hills (oh those hills!) on a fairly regular basis I wasn't too worried about missing out.

The event is basically a British version of the original Italian L'Eroica held in Tuscany since 1997 and has certain 'Day rules' namely that;

only the use of 'Heroic' bicycles built before 1987 can participate (some exceptions allowed)

gears, wheels, pedals, toe-clips, straps and machine equipment will be in keeping with the pre 87 ethos. 

Full list of rules etc can be found here;
 http://www.eroicabritannia.co.uk/file/rules

The British version was to be held in the heart of The Peak District and as luck would have it we managed to go up to Bakewell to the agricultural show-ground where the event was held on the Saturday, first thing we both noticed was that to the public entrance to the site was...wait for it FREE, yes absolutely free...not even a pound, FREE!

The site was very well set out and lively with many food stalls selling quality produce, shops selling vintage and retro clothing- some excellent men's vintage clothing for sale and plenty of it, vintage cycles and cycle parts, picnic sets you name it and it was there...outstanding!
There were musicians, bands and get this pianos located around the site for impromptu piano players, I mean where else would you see that?
Anyway all things considered the entry cost of £70(£55 for the first 500 entrants) seems very good indeed.

The entry fee included;
1. site entry

2. 3 days secure camping

3. free car parking for 1 car

4. event number for jersey and machine

5. Road book to get stamped along the way

6. retro refreshment stops en route

7. event souvenir

8. post ride food
9. pitch for tent caravan or motor-home

Here's a couple of photos of a Holdsworth liveried Ford Cortina with a couple of their newly released Holdsworth machines, sadly my phone battery died after I took these but I am sure there will be loads of photos on the net very soon!

Here's a link to the site;

http://www.eroicabritannia.co.uk/

and the original Italian site here;

http://en.eroica.it/

I have no affiliation or connection to the event but do have a great love for cycling especially vintage machines and clothing.