Ridgeway Gravel X

Long Route
A rolling route along the Ridgeway, gravel roads and back lanes in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire. Starting in Newbury, we head north for nearly 20km over a couple of climbs before following the Ridgeway for 50km. We then head into the backlanes and gravel roads of Wiltshire. The route is lumpy throughout with a quick & mostly downhill finish.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 65%
Distance:
110km
Elevation:
1500m
Difficulty: 4/5

Medium Route
The medium route follows the long route but cuts off around 20km of the Ridgeway and some of the lumpier terrain in Wiltshire. Lots of variety and great views await on this lovely 70km route.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 60%
Distance:
70km
Elevation:
900m
Difficulty: 3/5

Short Route
A short but varied ride which can be broken into three parts. First we head north on mostly gravel trails on rolling terrain. Then, the middle section is on The Ridgeway before a quick last third on a mix of backroad and gravel trails back to Newbury Showgrounds for a beer.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 65%
Distance:
50km
Elevation:
600m
Difficulty: 1.5/5

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.

6th April: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.

8th April – 7.45am: Ride village at Newbury Showgrounds opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.

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

8th April – 5.30pm: Rider village closes

8th April – 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 with wide (40mm plus) tyres. A mountain bike would be fine on parts of the Ridgeway but slow on the lanes. Road bikes are not suitable for this ride. We have carbon gravel bikes from Pearson available to hire for the day. E bikes are not allowed on 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 in Newbury Showgrounds. 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.