Long Route
129km | 2050m
Medium Route
75km | 1300m
Short Route
59km | 1150m
Ride Overview
Fast becoming known for its epic gravel cycling the Galloway Forest Park is the largest Forest in the UK with endless miles of gravel and off road riding past stunning Lochs, rolling hills & stunning forest.
Offering brilliant views but without backbusting climbs the gravel here is rolling throughout and a great location to get miles under the belt and smiles in the saddle. One of the top 3 places for gravel riding in the UK and an absolute must ride for any off-roader.
Highlights
- Ride through the UKs largest Forest
- Amazing variety with wide Forest tracks, old railways, hidden smooth singletrack and stunning sections past glorious lochs.
- Complete one of the bucket list rides in the UK.
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
6th July: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.
8th July – 7.45am: Ride village in Talnotry opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
8th July – 8am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
8th July – 6.30pm: Rider village closes
8th July – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
Long Route
Setting out from just north of Newton Stewart, this glorious route starts with a bang with the toughest climb of the day coming straight away – 3km at 5.5% on the gravel.
We then descend down to Clatteringshaws Loch where the long route splits from the other options at 18km.
The extra 53km loop in the long route is pretty punchy, containing an extra 750m of elevation. This section heads to the East of Galloway Forest to cacth a glimse of the Water of Fleet viaduct through deep forest and past a number of pretty lochs.
We rejoin the others back at Clatteringshaws Loch for a stunning 25km section rolling past Loch Dee & Loch Trool before finishing with a flatter section through Kirrough Forest, down into Newton Stewart and back to the finish line for a beer.
Almost all of the route is off road on excellent gravel. One of the highlights of the season!
Percentage of Route Off Road: 85%
Distance:
129km
Elevation:
2050m
Difficulty:
4.5/5
Medium Route
The medium route deviates from the short route 18km in to take a loop around Catteringshaws Loch, upping the milage but with little in the way of additional climbing before rejoining the short route to finsh the ride.
Almost all off road with a beautiful section past Loch Dee & Loch Trool, this is one of the best 75km routes in the UK. Quite challenging but suitable for riders of most abilities.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 80%
Distance:
70km
Elevation:
1250m
Difficulty:
3.5/5
Short Route
A beautiful short route. The route splits from the others after the first climb (3km at 5.5%) and after a great view over the forest, it’s time to descent north towards the lochs.
The best section of the route is the rolling terrain past Loch Dee & Loch Trool and then we head south back through Kirrough Forest.
This option has over 1,000m of elevation so it’s not easy but the hardest section is at the beginning with fresh legs.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 80%
Distance:
59km
Elevation:
1150m
Difficulty:
3/5
Bike Selection & Packing List
Bike Choice: The route is largely off road on good quality gravel so 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 varied so a 40mm all rounder gravel tyre will be ideal.
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: Early July in the Galloway Forest should be nice but check the forecasts & even if it looks nice, pack layers & a waterproof jacket. Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.
FAQs
The ride starts and finishes in Talnotry, 10km north of Newton Stewart. There is free parking onsite as well as toilets & refreshments so you can bring a car or ride from the ferry to the start line. 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.