Long Route
83km | 700m
Medium Route
62km | 550m
Short Route
50km | 450m
Ride Overview
A beautiful 50 to 83km gravel ride in the East Midlands. Most of the route is on fast & flat(ish) forest tracks in the glorious Sherwood Forest. Suitable for experienced off roaders or riders new to the gravel and an ideal early season big ride. This is one of our most popular rides of the year with a fun, social atmosphere on the route and at the rider village.
Highlights
- Beautiful woodland tracks in Sherwood Forest.
- 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, medium or short 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
9th March: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.
11th March – 7.45am: Ride village in Clipstone opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
11th March – 8am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
11th March – 5.30pm: Rider village closes
11th March – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
Long Route
We start near Clipstone and are onto the gravel straight away on this route that stays within Sherwood Forest for the majority of the 80km course. The start is rolling but fast on un-technical forest paths before a short road climb at 22km.
After a feed stop, we head east and then up to near Worksop on the lumpiest part of the route. While this is a quick course, there is very little true flat so you will be constantly pedalling.
From the second & final feed back to the start takes in some lovely open farmland, a nice compliment to the forest tracks. There is a short off road climb back into Clipstone for a well earned beer & food.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 80%
Distance:
83km
Elevation:
700m
Difficulty:
2.5/5
Medium Route
The medium route skips the first 20km section of the long route. We get off road within the first 3km and most of the first half of the ride is quick.
The biggest climb of the day (3km, avg 2%) is at the mid point of the ride before a rolling second half.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 70%
Distance:
62km
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 this early in the year 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 Clipstone, near Mansfield. 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.