Glorious Gravel

Yorkshire Dales Gravel Epic

5th May 2024 | Gisburn Forest

Long Route

95km | 2150m

Medium Route

62km | 1350m

Ride Overview

One of our most remote & beautiful rides of the year, the Yorkshire Dales Gravel Epic packs in beautiful back roads and some long, sweeping gravel sections.

 

An all new route for 2024 and part of our Gravel Roses Weekender, choose between the 62km or full 95km route and escape onto the amazing off road trails of the Dales.

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.
  • Discover the off the beaten path side of the Dales, riding through rolling hills, and picturesque villages.

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

3rd  May: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.

 

5th May – 7.45am: Ride village at Gisburn Forest opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.

 

5th May – 8am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.

 

5th May – 6pm: Rider village closes

 

5th May – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.

Long Route

A spring gravel epic in the Dales! 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:

95km

Elevation:

2150m

Difficulty:

4.5/5

Medium Route

The medium route cuts out 33km of rolling terrain to the south & west of the long route taking out a couple of the nastier climbs of the day.

From Malham Tarn, we head south rather than West and have a smaller off road climb north of Malham before heading back to Lancs. Still a challenging route, the medium option gives you a great taste of the Dales without being as punchy as the 95km route.

Percentage of Route Off Road: 65%

Distance:

62km

Elevation:

1350m

Difficulty:

3.5/5

Short Route

The short route follows the medium for the majority of the day but cuts off a section in the middle and near the end to make this nearly 20km shorter. With some nice variety on the off road sections & very little climbing, this is ideal for riders of all abilities.

Percentage of Route Off Road: 55%

Distance:

47km

Elevation:

350m

Difficulty:

1/5

Bike Selection & Packing List

Bike Choice: The route is 50% gravel & 50% back road so there will be times when you want a hardtail MTB & times when you want a gravel bike. The gravel trails in the Dales have an annoying habit of being smooth for 90% of the trail and then end with some short hike-a-bike or chunkier terrain. Road bikes are not suitable. E-bikes are allowed on all of our rides.

 

Tyre Choice: We will send an update on conditions closer to the ride. A wider 40 – 50mm allrounder gravel tyre should be ideal for this route.

 

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 mixed weather in early May, bring layers, arm / knee warmers and a lightweight waterproof jacket etc. Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.

FAQs

The ride starts and finishes in Gisburn Forest. 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.