Weekend Overview
The biggest gravel weekend of the year at the home of gravel riding in England.
Ride the Kielder Forest Epic on Saturday enjoying miles and miles of super smooth fire roads in England’s largest forest.
On the Sunday we head over the border on a more rugged and remote route. One of the highlights of the ride is riding into the clouds on the way to the border before dropping down into quaint Scottish Border villages.
Kielder is a great place for a weekend. Stay at the official campsite for £10 per night or in the nearby lodges and B&Bs. Kielder Water is nearby and in the evening check out the stars in this dark skies zone.
Highlights
- Enjoy miles and miles of postcard gravel in England’s largest forest.
- Ride in two countries with some epic gravel & views in both England & Scotland.
- Camp under the stars in this dark skies zone.
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
29th August: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.
31st August – 8am to 6pm: Kielder Forest Gravel Epic, ride starts & finishes at Kielder Castle.
1st September – 8am to 6pm: Kielder Borders Gravel Epic, ride starts & finishes at Kielder Castle.
1st September – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
Forest Gravel Epic
One of the highlights of the UK gravel calendar. The Kielder Forest long route is 90% on smooth gravel and gets about as remote as you can in England, miles away from the nearest town or car.
The ride starts out of the small town of Kielder, past the castle and straight into the woods on the appropriately named Forest Drive, a loggers gravel road Mon to Fri and cyclists’ playground at the weekend.
The climbing starts early (first climb comes at 5km) and the route is punchy througout. The first feed is at 35km by which time you have done a 3km and 4.5km uphill and two long descents.
From the feed we head back West towards Kielder Water and the flattest section of the ride with some lovely views. After another feed we head south beside Kielder Water & onto more remote gravel. This second loop is more rolling with lots of small ups & downs rather than the longer climbs of the first loop until a fast finish back into Kielder.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 90%
Distance:
126km or 59km
Elevation:
2300m or 1100m
Difficulty:
4.5/5
Borders Gravel Epic
Heading out from Kielder, we head off road straight away for a tough first 13km which is all up and down. The first 30km of today’s route is slightly rougher than the smooth gravel we are on for most of the weekend – expect some singletrack and bumpier gravel as we ride through stunning & remote hills away from the loggers.
The first feed is in Newcastleton at 29km – by the time you are getting coffee & cake you will have done the hardest part of the ride.
From here we head back into England and along the border for a while on rolling terrain with very little flat. The gravel here is smoother as we get back to feed stop 2 at 59km.
The last 40km is (relatively) flat and quick on smooth gravel as we head into Kielder Forest and finish along Kielder Water before a well earned beer at the finish line.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 85%
Distance:
100km or 59km
Elevation:
2050 or 1350m
Difficulty:
4.5/5
Short Route
A short, tough but very rewarding medium route. We follow the long route up to the reservoirs over a big back road climb and through lovely gravel in the forest before skipping the section round the reservoirs and a rapid descent back to Ruthin.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 75%
Distance:
53km
Elevation:
1150m
Difficulty:
3.5/5
Bike Selection & Packing List
Bike Choice:The route is nearly all off road on smooth gravel (think Strade Bianche in Tuscany). Where the loggers have been working the gravel can be heavier. A gravel bike or hard tail MTB would be perfect. 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 40mm 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 late Aug / early September, 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 at Kielder Castle – this is a 2 min ride from the campsite. There is free parking onsite as well as toilets & refreshments. We will send the ride village address by email.
Camp at Kielder Campsite (event booking site here – KIELDER CAMPSITE )
Or, camp at Stonehaugh Campsite HERE.
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.