Long Route
129km | 1650m
Medium Route
83km | 1050m
Ride Overview
Our longest ride in the South of England taking in the stunning gravel of Salisbury Plain & our favourite sections of the iconic Ridgeway.
Choose between the 86km medium or full 128km long route in the middle of summer for an EPIC day on the bike. The route takes in a great variety of terrain and scenery including ancient sites, woodland and some of the best gravel sections on the Plain with long, flowing trails with lovely views of the rolling hills.
Highlights
- Ride the best gravel in the South of England with long, flowing sections on the Plain.
- Varied route taking in singletrack through woods and epic views.
- Our longest ride in the South of England with long gravel sections on The Ridgeway as well as Salisbury Plain..
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
20th July: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.
23rd July – 7.30am: Ride village in Thruxton opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
23rd July – 7.45am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
23rd July – 6.30pm: Rider village closes
23rd July – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
Long Route
One of the biggest days on the gravel of the year!
Starting from Thruxton, we head north on rolling gravel for the first 20km before making our way up to Marlborough and riding 10km of quick gravel before we hit the Ridgeway at around 45km.
We stay on the Ridgeway for a hilly 10km before riding passed the ancient stones at Avebury and a long 4km climb (avg 3%) off road climb before approaching Salisbury Plain.
To get onto the Plain, there is normally a punchy climb and today is no exception. The legs will be starting to feel it at 76km and the 1.4km gravel climb averaging 6% will be a test.
At 86km we have our main feed stop with sandwiches & food to refuel for the final 40km on the Plain, most of the last section is fairly quick on good gravel and some tarmac. Find a good group to join and work together for this last section and don’t forget to enjoy the lovely views across the rolling hills.
Typical finish time – 6.5 to 9.5hrs.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 65%
Distance:
129km
Elevation:
1650m
Difficulty:
4.5/5
Medium Route
The medium route cuts out the Ridgeway sections so the split between the two routes is at 10km with a 25km section not featured in the long route. From the route split, the ride goes through the woods on rolling terrain before a quick feed stop and climb up onto the Plain. From here it’s a glorious long gravel section to the 35km mark where the two routes meet again and stay together the rest of the way.
This is a classic 80km Salisbury Plain loop taking in woodlands, long sweeping gravel sections & some stunning views from the Plain.
Typical finish times are 4.5 to 6.5 hours.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 65%
Distance:
83km
Elevation:
1050m
Difficulty:
3/5
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 65% off road on smooth gravel and a couple of bits of bridleway through the woods – these can be muddy / lumpy with rain. 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: The route spends time on the top of the Plains which can be exposed to the elements so bring a lightweight windproof jacket and suitable layers. Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.
FAQs
The ride starts and finishes at Thruxton Motorsport Centre. 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.