Long Route
84km | 460m
Medium Route
61km | 320m
Ride Overview
A glorious season ender on an all new route in Suffolk. Starting in the heart of Thetford Forest, choose between the 61km medium or full 84km long route on fast flowing gravel through the forests of this charming county.
With 75% of the route off road and no technical sections, this is ideal for all riders and the best way to explore one of England’s most picturesque forests.
Highlights
- All new route in glorious Suffolk with over 75% of the riding off road on fast flowing and smooth gravel.
- Stunning sections through Thetford & Kings Forests and pretty Suffolk villages.
- Perfect season ender with a flat / rolling route and options for long or medium routes depending on how the legs are feeling after a long 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
2nd Nov: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.
4th Nov – 8.15am: Ride village in Thetford opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
4th Nov – 8.30am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
4th Nov – 5.30pm: Rider village closes
4th Nov – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
Long Route
Starting from the outskirts of Thetford near the Suffolk/Norfolk border the route heads south to take in a mixture of quiet roads and tracks through the neighbouring forests and heath land of Suffolk.
You’ll ride sections of the ancient Icknield Way trail to bring you back to the finish. The area isn’t renown for hills and whilst it’s not completely flat this is one of our flatter routes. The sandy nature of the trails makes it ideal for early spring where the rain can pack the trails. In dry conditions, this can add some challenge making it difficult to hold your line and keep your momentum in places but there are no technically difficult sections of this ride.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 75%
Distance:
84km
Elevation:
460m
Difficulty:
2/5
Medium Route
A perfect ride for newer gravel cyclists or a relaxed first sportive of the gravel season. The medium route follows the long route until the split near the 50km mark, you can choose on the day if you want to take on the extra 30km of the long route.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 55%
Distance:
68km
Elevation:
450m
Difficulty:
1.5/5
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: Both hardtail MTB or gravel bikes would be well suited for this ride. We prefer a gravel bike due to the lack of technical sections and long, fast flowing kms on the smooth gravel. Sonder rental bikes are available in the checkout. E-bikes are allowed on all of our rides.
Tyre Choice: We will send an update on conditions closer to the ride. We avoid most of the softer gravel in the area so 35 to 42mm all rounder gravel tyres 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: Likely to be fresh this late in the year so layer up accordingly (arm & leg / knee warmers, gilet, waterproof jacket etc). Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.
FAQs
The ride starts and finishes in Thetford. 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.