OVERVIEW
A spring gravel classic in the famous forests of Nottinghamshire. This is what you picture when you buy a gravel bike – miles of rolling terrain away from the traffic & crowds through stunning woodland and sleepy villages.
We start and finish in the beautiful Sherwood Pines and the route starts with 10km of fire roads & gravel tracks in the forest before heading off into the countryside.
The long route is 80% off road and the medium is 90% off road with few hills to get over. The perfect season starter for new & experienced gravel riders.
Stay over in Sherwood Pines for a perfect weekend escape under the stars (see camping info below).
RIDE HIGHLIGHTS:
- A beautiful start & finish on the fire roads & gravel tracks of Sherwood Pines.
- Great first off roader for newer gravel riders on a remote but un-technical course
- Perfect season starter with a flat / rolling route and options for long or medium routes depending on how the legs are feeling after winter
What to expect
The ride starts in the middle of Sherwood Pines starting & ending on smooth fire roads. 90% of the medium route is on gravel & 80% of the long route is off road.
The route is rolling but with no challenging climbs.
Ride difficulty
Neither route is overly long but both the medium & long routes involve plenty of rolling terrain although there are no tough climbs. This ride is suitable for cyclists of all abilities.
Long Route ***
Medium Route **
***** Reserved just for our hardest routes. Expect long distance & lots of challenging climbs both on and off road.
**** Typically longer rides with regular climbs which could be both steep & long. Suitable for regular riders with some training.
*** A mix of terrain & elevation. A decent day out with some tricky sections but still suitable for regular riders.
** Some harder sections but suitable for all regular cyclists
* Easy, suitable for all riders. Mostly flat route.
Technical difficulty
Conditions in Sherwood Pines can vary a lot based on weather. When dry, the course is fast rolling on gravel & hard packed mud. In the wet, it will be slippy in places & muddy with some deep puddles.
Long Route **
Medium Route **
***** A challenging route suitable only for experienced riders. Expect short hike-a-bike sections, a mix of terrain & loose climbs and descents.
**** Suitable for regular off roaders, the route may contain rockier sections, technical descents etc.
*** A mix of off road conditions with some more difficult sections.
** More typical UK gravel which may be muddy when wet but no challenging sections
* Smooth terrain suitable for all riders.
TYRE & BIKE RECOMMENDATIONS
This route is designed for gravel bikes but you will be fine on a hardtail MTB. We do send out tyre recommendations closer to the time. If dry, a standard all-rounder gravel tyre (35-45mm) will be ideal. In the wet, you will want wider and knobbly tyres to get some grip in the muddy stuff.
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 30-40km
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.
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
27th March: GPX files and pre ride briefing sent by email to each rider.
29th March: 7.45am: Ride village at Sherwood Pines. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
29th March: 8am to 8,45amm: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
29th March: 6pm: Rider village closes.
29th March: 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
ROUTE DETAILS
LONG ROUTE
We start in the wonderful Sherwood Pines and warm up for the day with 10km on smooth fire roads in the forest.
We then head onto green lanes & farm tracks and don’t touch tarmac until 21km. After a quick feed stop we head near Sherwood Forest & then onto a long gravel trail across the north of our route.
After rolling past the archaeological sites at Creswell Crags we head south and after Warsop we hit the only minor climb of the day – 1.7km at 2.5%. We then follow the bridleways & farm tracks back to Sherwood Pines for a final 6km on flowing gravel. A stunning off road ride with something for everyone!
Percentage of Route Off Road: 80%
Distance: 85km
Elevation: 800m
Difficulty:
Technical Difficulty:
Medium ROUTE
The medium route is almost all off road with just a short section of tarmac in the middle.
The split is at 29km, you can decide then which route to do on the day. You miss out some nice gravel near Sherwood Forest & the long gravel road to Creswell Crags but all the best bits in Sherwood Pines are included and this 52km course gives you some great off road variety.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 90%
Distance: 60km
Elevation: 550m
Difficulty:
Technical Difficulty:
Medium ROUTE
The medium route is almost all off road with just a short section of tarmac in the middle.
The split is at 29km, you can decide then which route to do on the day. You miss out some nice gravel near Sherwood Forest & the long gravel road to Creswell Crags but all the best bits in Sherwood Pines are included and this 52km course gives you some great off road variety.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 90%
Distance: 60km
Elevation: 550m
Difficulty:
Technical Difficulty:
SHORT ROUTE
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Percentage of Route Off Road: 40%
Distance: 104km
Elevation: 750m
Difficulty:
Technical Difficulty:
FAQs
The ride starts and finishes at Sherwood Pines. 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.
There is camping just by the ride village within Sherwood Pines. This can be booked directly with the campsite HERE.
LOCAL AREA
Sherwood Pines is located in the East Midlands in between Nottingham & Sheffield.
The nearest towns are Mansfield & Worksop, both which have plenty of hotels & restaurants.
The nearest train station is around 6 miles away in Worksop.
Make a weekend of it
Camping is available in Sherwood Pines (book directly HERE).
Within the forest, there are some great MTB trails and a bike shop onsite with bike rental. There is also a Go Ape, disc golf course & lots of walking routes.
Make a weekend of it
Camping is available in Sherwood Pines (book directly HERE).
Within the forest, there are some great MTB trails and a bike shop onsite with bike rental. There is also a Go Ape, disc golf course & lots of walking routes.
Packing list
The route takes in some remote sections. We have support vans available but we recommend you are as self sufficient as possible including:
Bike spares
2 x inner tubes suitable for the size of your tyre
If running a tubeless set up, have a tubeless repair kit including plugs and spare sealant.
Multitool | Chain link specific for your bike chain
Small pump | Brake pads (especially in wet conditions)
Personal Medical kit
1 x crepe roll bandage | Gauze or similar absorbent dressing
Assorted plasters | Antiseptic (spray, cream or wipes) | Prescribed medication
