OVERVIEW
The 6th edition of this classic Dales gravel ride.
An absolutely stunning route through one of the most picturesque regions of the UK. Our ride starts in Gisburn Forest & heads into the heart of the Dales with some thrilling descents, glorious flowing sections & punchy ascents including one of the climbs of the year out of Settle.
Make a weekend of it with the Lancashire Gravel Epic on the Saturday and camping available in Gisburn Forest.
RIDE HIGHLIGHTS:
- Stunning & remote off road trails around Malham
- Ride parts of the famous Pennine Way, one of the great long distance off road trails in the UK.
- Take on one of the best climbs in the UK - 6km on & off road out of Settle & into the heart of the Dales.
What to expect
A super tough long route & a fairly tough medium route! This ride includes some big climbs (on & off rides) and some rockier off road sections along with some glorious rolling gravel / grass.
Ride difficulty
Not quite our hardest ride of the year but definitely a very challenging route. The medium route includes 4 climbs (2 road, 2 off road) & the long includes a section around Settle which is glorious but very tough.
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
This route is about 60% off road & 40% on road with long sections rather than constant chopping and changing between gravel & road.
The off road can be quite technical with rocky climbs & descents but these bits are relatively short. More of the off road bits are on good gravel or hard packed mud / grass which can be muddy when wet.
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 wider all-rounder gravel tyre (40-50mm) will be ideal for both routes.
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
1st July: GPX files and pre ride briefing sent by email to each rider.
5th July: 7.30am: Ride village in Gisburn Forest opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
5th July: 8am to 8,45amm: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
5th July: 6pm: Rider village closes.
5th July: 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
ROUTE DETAILS
LONG ROUTE
Starting in the Gisburn Forest, the long route start with 8km of smooth gravel in the woods before a road section taking us into Yorkshire.
The first big off road climb of the day is out of Settle, just over 3km at 7.4%. From the summit we are in the heart of the Dales with some glorious off roading around Malham Tarn and across to lunch in Cracoe.
From here we have two big climbs to get over (the first is off road and 2.7km at 7.3% before the very punchy climb out of Malham. Back in Lancs we have a stunning 5km road section and finish with 5km back in Gisburn Forest for a BIG and varied day in the saddle.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 60%
Distance: 98km
Elevation: 2,050m
Difficulty:
Technical Difficulty:
Medium ROUTE
This is a challenging but very rewarding medium route.
It follows the long route from Gisburn Forest to Malham Tarn & cuts out 30km and 700m elevation to the west of the route. A really rewarding medium route!
Percentage of Route Off Road: 60%
Distance: 70km
Elevation: 1,350m
Difficulty:
Technical Difficulty:
Medium ROUTE
This is a challenging but very rewarding medium route.
It follows the long route from Gisburn Forest to Malham Tarn & cuts out 30km and 700m elevation to the west of the route. A really rewarding medium route!
Percentage of Route Off Road: 60%
Distance: 70km
Elevation: 1,350m
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 Gisburn Forest. There is free parking onsite as well as toilets & refreshments. We will send the ride village address by email.
Yes, you can add camping in Gisburn Forest on Friday & Saturday night. Suitable for tents & campervans / motorhomes.
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 Yorkshire Dales Gravel Epic starts and finishes in Gisburn Forest, just over an hour north of Manchester.
There is camping available at the ride village or several pubs with accommodation nearby. For a larger town, Settle is 20 mins away and Clitheroe is 30 mins away with more choices for hotels, restaurants and bars.
Its a tough ride to get to by public transport, the nearest train station is in Long Preston 6 miles away.
Make a weekend of it
If you are coming a few hours to this ride, we highly recommend making a weekend out of it and exploring this stunning area.
Visit Skipton where there is a castle and several nice restaurants.
The world’s best cheese shop is not far away in Settle (Courtyard Dairy) and must be visited.
Head to Malham Cove for a great hike and check out one of the waterfalls in the area like Janet’s Foss.
Make a weekend of it
If you are coming a few hours to this ride, we highly recommend making a weekend out of it and exploring this stunning area.
Visit Skipton where there is a castle and several nice restaurants.
The world’s best cheese shop is not far away in Settle (Courtyard Dairy) and must be visited.
Head to Malham Cove for a great hike and check out one of the waterfalls in the area like Janet’s Foss.
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
