Long Route
80km | 825m
Medium Route
88km | 1050m
Ride Overview
A festive cracker on the Plain!
Ride this all new 80km route using gravel sections normally off limits to cyclists. A perfect ride to burn off the Christmas dinners, get outside for one last gravel adventure of 2023 and log 80km of social kms towards your Festive 500.
The route heads over out from Thruxton over some of the best gravel in the South of England. After a short climb up onto the Plain, the highlight of the route is a long, rolling 13km descent through the middle of Salisbury Plain on a mix of smooth gravel & even some pave. With regular feed stops serving hot drinks, this is a great way to get outside and celebrate the end to a great year on the gravel.
Highlights
- An all new route on the Plain taking in sections rarely open to cyclists.
- 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 December : GPX files and pre ride briefing sent by email to each rider.
30th December – 8am: Ride village in Thruxton opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
30th December – 8.30am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
30th December – 4pm: Rider village closes
30th December – 6pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
The Route
An all new route taking in parts of the Plain off limits to cyclists for most of the year. From Thruxton, we get off road within 2km and head onto some nice gravel and through the woods with a couple of lumps to get over before we get to our first feed stop at 24km for a hot drink.
After the feed we head onto the Plain with one punchy climb (1km at 6.3% with some steep sections) before a 7km false flat on great gravel and then a long, gentle descent lasting 13km.
Not long after this, we hit our final feed stop at 57km before we head back to Thruxton via the same way we came in. Thanks to the MOD for allowing us access to new parts of the Plain for this special, festive Gravel X.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 80%
Distance:
80km
Elevation:
825m
Difficulty:
2.5/5
Medium Route
The medium route cuts out 30km on the far west of the course including a big descent & climb off and onto the Plain, taking out over 500m of elevation & the steepest climb of the day.
Typical finish times are 4.5 to 6.5 hours.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 70%
Distance:
86km
Elevation:
1050m
Difficulty:
3/5
Short Route
The short route follows the medium for the majority of the day but cuts off a section in the middle and near the end to make this nearly 20km shorter. With some nice variety on the off road sections & very little climbing, this is ideal for riders of all abilities.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 55%
Distance:
47km
Elevation:
350m
Difficulty:
1/5
Bike Selection & Packing List
Bike Choice: The route is 80% off road on smooth gravel. 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. Bring a front & rear light.
Clothing: Late Dec on the Plain is likely to be chilly. Remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing so pack warm layers & a waterproof jacket. 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.