Glorious Gravel

Yorkshire Moors Gravel Epic

2nd June 2024 | Helmsley

Long Route

93km | 1950m

Medium Route

65km | 1400m

Ride Overview

One of the highlights of the UK gravel season.

A mix of dense woodland and open moorland is in store for you on this gravel epic taking you through one of the most sparsely populated & beautiful areas of England, 

Both routes take you way off the beaten track into a glorious, remote part of the Moors. The gravel is excellent and smooth making this a perfect ride for anyone looking for a massive day on the bike.

Highlights

  • Ride parts of the ancient Cleveland Way.
  • The route varies between stunning woodland & heather filled moors with huge views in all directions.
  • Start and finish at the beautiful Duncombe Park – the route involves about 10km of private gravel roads on the estate.

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

30th May: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.

 

2nd June – 7.45am: Ride village at Duncombe Park in Helmsley opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.

 

2nd June – 8am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.

 

2nd June – 7pm: Rider village closes

 

2nd June – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.

Long Route

A new route for 2024. 

 

Starting in Duncombe Park, we take in some smooth gravel within the private estate before heading out past Rievaulx Abbey onto the Cleveland Way. From the 7km mark we are on a long false flat / gentle climb for 15km before a long and fun descent on both gravel & tarmac all the way to our first feed stop in Swainby.

 

From here we climb up to the Moors with a very short hike a bike section and then a glorious 6km descent with sweeping views of the area.

 

As we drop into Hawnby we go up onto the smooth gravel on the Hawnby Estate for a brilliant 10km loop before getting to our second feed stop at the 62km mark. 

 

From here, the route heads South West onto our final main gravel section with a short punchy climb and then lovely long ride on the tops before descending down into Helmsley. 

 

We turn back into Duncombe Estate and one final test – a super punchy 200m gravel climb up to the finish straight.

 

A delightful and mixed ride in one of our favourite spots in the UK!

Percentage of Route Off Road: 55% 

Distance:

93km

Elevation:

1950m

Difficulty:

4.5/5

Medium Route

The medium starts with the same 24km as the long route with a gentle climb and then fun gravel descent on the Cleveland Way.

 

At 24km, the route splits, you can decide on the day which route to choose. The medium route goes East and misses out some climbing and gravel to the North of the route and skips the 10km in the Hawnby Estate before rejoining the last lovely gravel section before Helmsley. 

 

A really nice option for a shorter spin, it’s a challenging ride but should be suitable for most abilities and there are very few technical sections.

 

Percentage of Route Off Road: 50%

Distance:

65km

Elevation:

1400m

Difficulty:

3.5/5

Short Route

The short route cuts out the top 25km of the medium route so stays close to Helmsley at all times going around the town in a big loop.

There are two big climbs to get over and it’s a challenging 50km route but the gravel is excellent, the scenery stunning and most riders should be able to get round fine.

Percentage of Route Off Road: 55%

Distance:

56km

Elevation:

1100m

Difficulty:

3/5

Bike Selection & Packing List

Bike Choice: The route is about 55% on gravel and 55% on back roads. Almost all of the off road sections are smooth but there are a couple of very short linking sections where you may need to walk. We recommend a gravel bike though a mountain bike will be fine. E-bikes are allowed on all of our rides.

 

Tyre Choice: We will send an update on conditions closer to the ride. The gravel on the route is mostly excellent so a 40mm fast rolling or all rounder gravel tyre will be ideal.

 

Packing List: Bring equipment to be self sufficient on the route as we go into remote areas without phone signal (inner tubes, sealant, multi-tool, pump or CO2 etc). We recommend a bell to warn walkers / runners of your presence.

 

Clothing: The North Yorkshire Moors can get all sorts of weather even in June and things can change quickly so make sure you bring some layers (arm & knee warmers, lightweight jacket etc). Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.

FAQs

The ride starts and finishes at the stunning Duncombe Park in Helmsley – home to a stage finish of the Tour of Britain in 2022. 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.