Lake District Gravel Epic

Long Route
A beautifully varied 93km route between Coniston Water & Windermere with lovely flowing sections in Grizedale Forest.
The ride heads north to start with and after a quick first 20km, there is the first big climb of the day directly after the feed stop in Skelwith Bridge.
We then ride to the shores of Windermere before turning south into the Grizedale Forest for a mix of backroads and gravel. We finish along Coniston Water with a fast & flat final 10km. In total there are 4 main climbs on the day but the route is rolling throughout making this a big day on the bike.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 55%
Distance:
93km
Elevation:
1900m
Difficulty: 4/5

Medium Route
The medium route follows the long route for the first 60km and then cuts across the forest back to Coniston Water. You won’t avoid any of the 4 major climbs of the day but the 20km cut out of the long route is quite up and down so this is a slightly easier option.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 60%
Distance:
73km
Elevation:
1600m
Difficulty: 3.5/5

Short Route
The short option follows the other routes for 50km to Hawkshead and then heads straight back to Coniston over a cheeky road climb. You will skip 2 of the climbs on the other route but add in a road climb making this a punchy but rewarding 59km ride.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 50%
Distance:
59km
Elevation:
1200m
Difficulty: 3/5

Fully Signed Route

Our team work tirelessly to create the best gravel routes in the UK. All courses are fully signed so you can just enjoy the ride.

Checkpoints with Proper Food

An epic ride deserves proper support. We have tea, coffee and cake at the first feed and sandwiches & crisps at the main feed. Checkpoints are approx every 30 - 35km

Accurate GPX Files

A few days before the ride, we will send GPX files for all of the route options so you can follow the course on your GPS as well as the signs.

Mechanics Available

At the rider village & at selected feed stops we have mechanics available to help with any bike issues. We also have spare inner tubes, CO2 & more .

Rider Support Vans

We are here to make sure you have a great day on the gravel. If you have any major mechanicals or need collecting, support vehicles are a phone call away.

Beer at Finish Line

You will be greeted at the finish line with a beer & food available from our food truck. Perfect to chat about your day with fellow riders.

13th July: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.

15th July – 7.45am: Ride village in Coniston opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.

15th July – 8am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.

15th July – 7pm: Rider village closes

15th July – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.

WHAT TYPE OF BIKE SHOULD I RIDE?
This route is ideal for gravel bikes or mountain bikes with lots of smooth gravel and singletrack and no long sections on tarmac. Road bikes are not suitable for this ride.

HOW DO I FIND OUT MY START TIME?
Riders start in groups of maximum 6 at a time. We will send you an email after you have booked to choose your start time between 8am and 10am, if you are riding with a friend you can choose to start with them.

WHERE IS THE START / FINISH?
The ride starts and finishes at Conniston. There is free parking onsite as well as toilets & refreshments.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE A MECHANICAL / ACCIDENT?
We have first aiders & mechanics at all the feed stops and ride captains along the route to support.

WHAT SHALL I PACK WITH ME FOR THE RIDE?
You need to have a water bottle, basic kit to repair punctures, inner tubes & riding with a helmet is compulsory. Our feed stops have water, coke, cake, fruit & the best tasting sports nutrition bars & nut butters from Outdoor Provisions.

WHEN WILL I GET MY GPX FILE
Our local team do a final recon ride 1 week before the event and can make final tweeks then based on route conditions. We will then send out the route GPX within one week of the ride.