Long Route
113km | 1400m
Medium Route
93km | 1100m
Short Route
77km | 900m
Ride Overview
Ride some of the best gravel in the South of England on the Salisbury Plain Gravel X!
A perfect spring gravel ride with a 93km route taking in a mix of road, singletrack through the woods and sweeping gravel trails on the Plain. The course is rolling throughout with a couple of fun climbs to get onto the top of the Plain. Easy to get to from all over the South of England & Midlands, this ride offer real escapism far away from towns and traffic.
Highlights
- Ride the best gravel in the South of England with long, flowing sections on the Plain.
- Varied route taking in singletrack through woods and epic views.
- Easy to get to from the South / Midlands but we quickly get into lovely, remote countryside in this unique part of the country.
Included in Entry
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.
Event Program
28th March : GPX files and pre ride briefing sent by email to each rider.
30th March – 8am: Ride village in Thruxton opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
30th March – 8.30am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
30th March – 6pm: Rider village closes
30th March: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
The Route
A really special day on the Plain taking in sections that are rarely open to cyclists and a visit to the lost town of Imber.
*Please note with the long & short routes, we have special permission from MOD to use gravel roads normally off-limits. If the MOD needs change and they need to use them, we will just have the 93km route for the day.
The route heads west from Thruxton starting with some nice gravel through the woods before a quick feed stop and a short, sharp climb to get us onto the Plain.
After a beautiful section on smooth gravel on the north of the Plain, we descent to lunch at 46km before a climb onto the lesser ridden western section. This is the biggest climb of the day with a sharp 1km and then steady 4km to the summit and then a brilliant 15km on smooth gravel passed the uninhabited town of Imber. This road is open for Easter and gives riders a rare treat to take in this area.
Most of the rest of the ride is flat or a pedalling descent. We have kindly been permission from the MOD to use some great gravel tracks on the way back to the last feedstop and then we come back the way we came for a beer at Thruxton.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 80%
Distance:
113km
Elevation:
1400m
Difficulty:
4/5
The Route
The route heads west from Thruxton starting with some nice gravel through the woods before a quick feed stop and a short, sharp climb to get us onto the Plain.
After a beautiful section on smooth gravel on the north of the Plain, we descent to lunch at 46km before a climb onto the lesser ridden western section. This is the biggest climb of the day with a sharp 1km and then steady 4km to the summit.
Most of the rest of the ride is flat or a pedalling descent. We have kindly been permission from the MOD to use some great gravel tracks on the way back to the last feedstop and then we come back the way we came for a beer at Thruxton.
Typical finish times are 5 to 7 hours.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 75%
Distance:
93km
Elevation:
1100m
Difficulty:
3/5
Short Route
A great option for any newer riders wanting to experience Salisbury Plain. The ride follows the long & medium routes until the split at 37km where you turn left and onto some rougher gravel through the remote centre of the Plain.
From here you come back onto the main route for some smooth rolling gravel all the way home. 77km, one major climb to get onto the Plain after the first feed stop and a couple of other small lumps to get over, we expect this route to take 3 to 6 hours and it should be a great day on the best gravel in the South of England.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 75%
Distance:
77km
Elevation:
900m
Difficulty:
2.5/5
Bike Selection & Packing List
Bike Choice: The route is 60% off road on smooth gravel and a couple of bits of bridleway through the woods – these can be muddy / lumpy with rain. Either a gravel bike or mountain bike will work, road bikes are not suitable. E-bikes are allowed on all of our rides.
Tyre Choice: We will send an update on conditions closer to the ride. A slightly wider (40mm plus) allrounder gravel tyre should be ideal for this varied route.
Packing List: Bring equipment to be self sufficient on the route (inner tubes, sealant, multi-tool, pump or CO2 etc). We recommend a bell to warn walkers / runners of your presence.
Clothing: The route spends time on the top of the Plains which can be exposed to the elements so bring a lightweight windproof jacket and suitable layers. Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.
FAQs
The ride starts and finishes at Thruxton Motorsport Centre. There is free parking onsite as well as toilets & refreshments. We will send the ride village address by email.
Yes, e-bikes are allowed on all Glorious Gravel ride. These must comply with UK law.
We have first aiders & mechanics at the feed stops. There will be a phone number on the back of your ride number – call this if you need collecting.
Yes, we start between 8am and 9.30am and set people off in small groups so the off road sections are not too busy. Please come to the start line with anyone you want to ride with, we will give a short ride briefing and set you off.