Long Route
110km | 2350m
medium Route
80km | 1500m
short Route
53km | 1150m
Ride Overview
One of our most popular rides of the year. Explore this beautiful, rural corner of North Wales with some of the best gravel roads in the UK.
Choose between the punchy 53km short & 80km medium routes or take on the EPIC long route – 110km and over 2,300m of elevation, one of our hardest routes of the year.
All of the distances take in lovely varied route over rolling hills, through deep forests & around picturesque reservoirs. One of the bucket list places to ride on the gravel in the UK.
Highlights
- Beautiful scenery throughout on a varied ride through rolling hills, deep forest & reservoirs.
- Smooth gravel around Llyn Brenig & Alwen Reservoir
- Take on the lovely medium or short route or brave the epic long route – possibly our hardest ride of the season.
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
5th October: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.
7th October – 7.45am: Ride village in Ruthin opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
7th October – 8am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
7th October – 6.30pm: Rider village closes
7th October – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
Long Route
The route starts in Ruthin and begins with a 5km stretch on tarmac to warm up the legs. After a short off road section we hit the day’s biggest climb with fresh legs. The 3km backroad climb through the forest gives some great views as we get higher and from the summit we stay on the flats for the next 40km.
The long route then takes us around two reservoirs on fast, flat gravel with great views as the trails cut through the forest with the water on one side and rolling hills on the other. These are perfect gravel trails – remote, smooth and rewarding.
From the reservoirs we cut through the forest before a fast section on the road back to Ruthin for our third and final feed stop.
The final loop takes us to the east of Ruthin for a very punchy 30km into the hills. This short section includes over 850m of elevation with three main climbs and a plenty of rolling terrain before a fast descent back to the finish line.
One of the toughest gravel rides of the year.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 75%
Distance:
110km
Elevation:
2350m
Difficulty:
5/5
Medium Route
The medium route is exactly the same as the long route but without the final 30km loop to the east of Ruthin. You can change route options on the day if your legs are feeling strong after 80km.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 80%
Distance:
80km
Elevation:
1500m
Difficulty:
4/5
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: With a small section on backroads (including a big climb) and most of the ride on smooth gravel, a gravel bike is ideal. If there has been rain, there are a couple of sections that can be muddy where wider tyres will be better. Mountain bikes will be fine but slower, road bikes are not allowed. 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 changeable in early October so layers and checking the forecast is critical. Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.
FAQs
The ride starts and finishes in Ruthin. 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.