Long Route
81km | 775m
Medium Route
52km | 550m
Short Route
50km | 450m
Ride Overview
An Autumn 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.
This is a new route in one of our most popular regions in the UK. For the first time ever, 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 97% off road with few hills to get over. The perfect season ender for new & experienced gravel riders.
Stay over in Sherwood Pines for a perfect weekend escape under the falling leaves.
Same route also available on Sat 19th Oct HERE.
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 ender with a flat / rolling route and options for long or medium routes depending on how the legs are feeling after winter.
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
15th Oct: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.
20th Oct – 8am: Ride village in Sherwood Pines opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
20th Oct – 8.30am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
20th Oct – 5.30pm: Rider village closes
20th Oct – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
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:
81km
Elevation:
775m
Difficulty:
2.5/5
Medium Route
The medium route is almost all off road with less than 2km of tarmac all day.
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: 95%
Distance:
52km
Elevation:
550m
Difficulty:
1.5/5
Short Route
The short route follows the medium cutting off a couple of corners to make this a fast & fun 50km. The biggest climb is at 22km (3km at 2%) but this is a route all riders can get round and is ideal for first time off roaders with a mix of smooth gravel & back roads.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 65%
Distance:
50km
Elevation:
450m
Difficulty:
1/5
Bike Selection & Packing List
Bike Choice: A mostly off road route on fast and flat forest tracks, this event is ideal for gravel bikes. A mountain bike will be fine but slower, road bikes are not suitable. E-bikes are allowed on all of our rides.
Tyre Choice: We suggest 35 to 40mm all rounder tyres. We will send an update on conditions closer to the ride.
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: Likely to be fresh in October so layer up accordingly (arm & leg / knee warmers, gilet, waterproof jacket etc). Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.
FAQs
The ride starts and finishes in Sherwood Pines, near Mansfield. There is free parking onsite as well as toilets & refreshments. We will send the ride village address by email.
Yes, there is a campsite within Sherwood Pines. Book your stay here – https://sherwoodpinescamping.co.uk/
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.