OVERVIEW
One of the great counties in England for cycling, come explore the best back roads, gravel & beaches of glorious Somerset. Featuring longer climbs in the Mendips, fast & flat sections on the Levels and one of the longest beaches to ride on in the country, this route packs in an amazing amount of variety across this charming county.
Choose between a 75km or 100km route starting near Cheddar. Both routes include the 9km section on Brean Beach – a very unique cycling experience, just make sure you pick the right line! After some quick miles on the Levels, the ride finishes in the Mendips. A brilliant & varied ride 👊.
RIDE HIGHLIGHTS:
- Ride one of the longest beach sections in the UK on the beautiful hard packed sands of Brean Beach.
- Fast sections on the flat Somerset Levels.
- Some glorious climbs in the beautiful Mendips including the iconic Cheddar Gorge – one of the UK’s most picturesque climbs.
What to expect
Expect a bit of everything on this super varied ride. Overall, there isn’t much total elevation but some climbs in the Mendips are tough. The flat sections include bits on the Levels which could be muddy and the beach which is fun and fast if you pick your line wisely and hard work if you don’t!
Ride difficulty
This is mostly a fast route with large parts of the route on the flat part of the county. Most of the climbing come in the back part of the route with best distances going up Cheddar Gorge.
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
Very much weather dependent. There is more tarmac than normal on this route but the gravel (hard packed mud) is fast flowing when dry and soft and slippy when wet. The beach is mostly firm but the optimal line isn’t too easy to stick to.
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. Despite the high amount of tarmac on both routes, a slightly wider tyre (40-50mm) will be useful on the beach & if the Levels are muddy.
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
22nd May: GPX files and pre ride briefing sent by email to each rider.
24th May: 7.45am: Ride village at Mendips Raceway. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
24th May: 8am to 8,45amm: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
24th May: 6pm: Rider village closes.
24th May: 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
ROUTE DETAILS
LONG ROUTE
Starting out near Cheddar and high up on the top of the Mendip Hills we first follow some of the local roads to descend down to lower ground before picking up some sections of the West Mendip Way taking us out towards the coast and our first feed stop.
It’s then time to hit the beach as we take on the iconic 9km of Brean Sands that forms a unique part of the National Cycle Network. The challenge here is to find the right line where the sand is hard packed – not as easy as it seems as the line keeps changing and you don’t want to get stuck in the soft stuff!
After the beach we head back in land and a chance to recover on the relatively flat terrain Somerset Levels taking in some of the droves that typify the riding in this area before turning north back towards Cheddar.
The final section takes us up the beautiful Cheddar Gorge (3.5km, 4.7% gradient on road) before a lovely rolling section across the top of the Mendip Hills back to the ride village for a well-earned beer.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 40%
Distance: 100km
Elevation: 850m
Difficulty:
Technical Difficulty:
Medium ROUTE
The medium route follows the same path as the long route riders descending down off the Mendip Hills and linking sections of the West Mendip Way out towards the coast.
It continues to follow the same route out across Brean Sands and back inland towards the Somerset Levels.
Here medium route riders take a short cut missing some of the droves on the Levels and instead heading straight back towards the climb up Cheddar Gorge to collect their finishers medal and beer back at the event centre.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 40%
Distance: 74km
Elevation: 700m
Difficulty:
Technical Difficulty:
Medium ROUTE
The medium route follows the same path as the long route riders descending down off the Mendip Hills and linking sections of the West Mendip Way out towards the coast.
It continues to follow the same route out across Brean Sands and back inland towards the Somerset Levels.
Here medium route riders take a short cut missing some of the droves on the Levels and instead heading straight back towards the climb up Cheddar Gorge to collect their finishers medal and beer back at the event centre.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 40%
Distance: 74km
Elevation: 700m
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 Mendips Raceway. 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 available on the Friday night at the ride village.
LOCAL AREA
The Somerset Gravel Epic starts at Mendips Raceway which is just outside Cheddar.
The nearest big town is Wells to the East and Weston Super Mare if you want a weekend by the sea. These towns have plenty of accommodation options but there are also some nice country pubs in the area as well.
This is not an easy venue to get to by public transport unfortunately.
Make a weekend of it
Camp at the ride village on the Friday night. There are tons of things to do in Somerset while you are down in this lovely county including:
– Hiking or climbing at Cheddar Gorge
– A day on the beach at Brean
– Ride a steam train on the East Somerset Railway
– Surf the artificial waves in Bristol’s “The Wave” surf centre
– Visit the caves at Wookey Hole
Make a weekend of it
Camp at the ride village on the Friday night. There are tons of things to do in Somerset while you are down in this lovely county including:
– Hiking or climbing at Cheddar Gorge
– A day on the beach at Brean
– Ride a steam train on the East Somerset Railway
– Surf the artificial waves in Bristol’s “The Wave” surf centre
– Visit the caves at Wookey Hole
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
