OVERVIEW
One of the biggest rides of the year on the best gravel in the South of England.
Take on the Centurion (100km) or Double Centurion (200km) on the tank tracks, fire roads & gravel trails of Salisbury Plain and the stunning Wiltshire countryside.
Make a weekend of it with camping on Friday & Saturday night at the ride village, social racing at Thruxton Ciruit on Friday night & watch stages of the Tour over a beer with us when you finish.
RIDE HIGHLIGHTS:
- A mid summer EPIC on the best gravel in the South of England
- One of the longest rides of the year taking in both Salisbury Plain and the byways & gravel trails of Wessex
- Make a weekend of it with social racing on Friday night, camping on both nights & watch the Tour back at the ride village
What to expect
The medium route is a great first gravel century and suitable for most riders with lots of smooth, flowing sections and a rolling course but no major climbs. This should take 4-6.5 hours.
The long route is a big day, expect to be out from 9 to 12 hours.
Ride difficulty
There are a few climbs on both routes normally to get onto the Plain or onto the ridges. The main challenge is the overall length of the route and the regular change of surface combined with the lack of many flat, recovery miles. You will need to be in decent shape to finish the long route.
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
30% of the route is on tarmac and the remainder is on a mix of tank tracks & smooth fire roads, singletrack and doubletrack on the ridges. It’s not all champagne gravel but it’s suitable for newer gravel riders.
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. A slightly wider gravel all-rounder tyre (40-50mm) will be ideal for the long route & standard 35-45mm for the medium.
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
10th July: GPX files and pre ride briefing sent by email to each rider.
11th July: Join us on Friday night for social racing at Thruxton Circuit. Camping available on Friday & Saturday night.
12th July: 6.30am: Ride village at Thruxton Circuit opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
12th July: 7am – Long Ride start. 8am – Medium Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off all together.
12th July: 8pm: Finish line closes
12th July: 9pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
ROUTE DETAILS
DOUBLE CENTURION
One of the biggest rides of the year!
Starting at Thruxton Circuit at 7am, we warm up with a short tarmac section and then head onto the gravel before a sharp climb onto Salisbury Plain. After a great flowy section we get to our first feed stop at 40km for some extra breakfast.
Not long after this we branch off the Plain and head South West for some stunning off road sections on rolling hills and farmland. After the second feed at 90km we hit one of our favourite gravel section in the country on the ridgeway doubletrack with lovely views over the countryside.
Our penultimate stop is at 140km before a couple of sharp climbs as we head back North towards Salisbury Plain.
Stopping at 180km for a final stop and pep talk, we roll back on the flowy gravel & tank tracks before finishing back at Thruxton. An epic day out!
Percentage of Route Off Road: 70%
Distance: 217km
Elevation: 2,700m
Difficulty:
Technical Difficulty:
CENTURION
We start from Thruxton Motorcircuit and head west to the Plain. Our first off road section is at 7km and we head towards Stonehenge for an early sighting of this ancient monument.
From here, we head onto the Plain for a long, glorious section on the gravel with a feed stop at around 40km, a climb at 54km and then a long, fun descent off the Plain.
The second feed comes at 75km before a mix of rolling gravel & off road sections through the woods to get back to Thruxton.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 70%
Distance: 100km
Elevation: 1,200m
Difficulty:
Technical Difficulty:
Medium ROUTE
We start from Thruxton Motorcircuit and head west to the Plain. Our first off road section is at 7km and we head towards Stonehenge for an early sighting of this ancient monument.
From here, we head onto the Plain for a long, glorious section on the gravel with a feed stop at around 40km, a climb at 54km and then a long, fun descent off the Plain.
The second feed comes at 75km before a mix of rolling gravel & off road sections through the woods to get back to Thruxton.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 70%
Distance: 100km
Elevation: 1,200m
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 Thruxton Circuit. There is free parking onsite as well as toilets & refreshments. We will send the ride village address by email.
Camping is available for £15 per night per tent or per campervan at Thruxton Circuit. Add this in the checkout when you book your entry.
Sign up for the racing on Friday night (between 5pm and 8pm) in the checkout when you add your entry. Please note – this is social, just for fun racing as an appetizer for the main event on Saturday.
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.
LOCAL AREA
The Salisbury Plain Easter Epic starts at Thruxton Circuit, just off the A303 and within 1hr30 of West London.
The nearest big town is Andover which has plenty of accommodation options.
Camping is available on Friday & Saturday night at Thruxton Circuit.
The nearest train station is Andover (6 miles away) with trains from London Waterloo.
Make a weekend of it
On the bike, come on Friday afternoon and enjoy some social racing around Thruxton Circuit. In the ride village you will find plenty of options for food & drink.
After your ride on Saturday, stay and watch the Tour and explore the ride village.
On Sunday, check out the historic sights in the area including Stonehenge, Avebury & Salisbury.
Make a weekend of it
On the bike, come on Friday afternoon and enjoy some social racing around Thruxton Circuit. In the ride village you will find plenty of options for food & drink.
After your ride on Saturday, stay and watch the Tour and explore the ride village.
On Sunday, check out the historic sights in the area including Stonehenge, Avebury & Salisbury.
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
