Long Route
98km | 1300m
Medium Route
74km | 1000m
Ride Overview
Close to London but far off the beaten track, the Chilterns Gravel X takes in parts of the famous Ridgeway and the glorious hills in the heart of this region.
Nearly all of the route is off road or on quiet back roads including some secret local spots & a few climbs both on tarmac and gravel. A cracking summer gravel day out!
Highlights
- Ride parts of The Ridgeway, the oldest road in England
- Explore lesser known gravel trails and some tasty off road climbs in the Chilterns.
- Close to London and easy to get to but on the ride you will escape the crowds and roll past parts of the Chilterns most people don’t see.
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
17th August: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.
19th August – 7.45am: Ride village in Kingston Blount opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
19th August – 8am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
19th August – 6pm: Rider village closes
19th August – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
Long Route
We start in Kingston Blount and get on The Ridgeway almost straight away and stay on this for almost 20km before heading into the heart of the Chilterns.
Over the next 40km we take in 7 climbs on a mix of tarmac and off road with some amazing views. The last 25km is quick on some less known gravel sections before we arrive back for a well earned beer & food.
The seven climbs come in all shapes and sizes, the rest of the ride is fairly fast so this is a big ride but suitable for anyone happy to get over some climbs.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 60%
Distance:
98km
Elevation:
1300m
Difficulty:
3.5/5
Medium Route
The medium route cuts out 30km in the middle (and hilliest part) of the long route. We start with 20km on the Ridgeway and then head into the hills for a total of 5 climbs and nearly 1,000m of total elevation. A really nice & varied medium route.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 50%
Distance:
74km
Elevation:
1000m
Difficulty:
2.5/5
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 60% off road on a real mix of smooth gravel, bridleways. Either a gravel bike or mountain bike will work, 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 slightly wider (40mm plus) allrounder gravel tyre should be ideal for this varied 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: Mid summer in the Chilterns should be lovely and the route doesn’t go into exposed sections so normal kit should be fine. Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.
FAQs
The ride starts and finishes on the beautiful Kingston Blount Estate. 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.