Long Route
108km | 2700m
Medium Route
73km | 1950m
Ride Overview
A glorious gravel ride taking in two of Wales’ most picturesque forests with absolutely stunning scenery & exceptional gravel roads throughout.
Discover the beautiful Coed y Brenin in Eryri (formerly Snowdonia) National Park & the stunning Dyfi Forest with epic mountain views and rolling terrain on fire roads and forest tracks.
One of our punchiest routes of the year, both the medium & long route are full of some long climbs both on & off road as we go way off the beaten track for undoubtably one of the best gravel routes in the UK.
Highlights
- Beautiful views over Eryri National Park in Coed y Brenin
- Glorious gravel roads in Dyfi Forest with a mix of rolling terrain and longer climbs in stunning remote countryside.
- Test yourself on alpine like climbs both on and off road that last 20 to 45 mins
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
27th July: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.
29th July – 7.45am: Ride village opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
29th July – 8am to 9.30am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
29th July – 6pm: Rider village closes
29th July – 7pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
Long Route
Starting out in Dolgellau, this route goes first north for a loop in Coed y Brenin in Eryri National Park before coming back to Dolgellau and a longer loop into Dyfi Forest (the same as the medium route).
Heading west we roll over the famous Penmaenpool bridge before our first major challenge of the day, the 6km climb (mostly off road) into the forest – expect to be climbing for 20 to 35 mins.
From the top of this gravel climb, the rest of the northern loop in Coed y Brenin is easier with rolling terrain and a couple of shorter climbs (the longest is 1.9km on tarmac) before we head south towards Dyfi Forest.
The biggest climb of the day is in between the two forests with a road climb in two parts of 8km averaging almost 5% with some steeper sections.
We are then into the Dyfi Forest for a glorious 30km loop featuring 3 gravel climbs & 3 descents. Expect stunning views & near perfect gravel riding!
Save your legs for one last challenge – a 4.2km gravel climb averaging 8.4% before a very quick final 10km before a very well earned beer & medal. One of our toughest rides of the year but an absolute summer gravel classic!
Percentage of Route Off Road: 75%
Distance:
108km
Elevation:
2700m
Difficulty:
5/5
Medium Route
The medium & long routes split at the start so you need to make a decision before rolling out which one you want to do.
This 73km route is one of the punchier medium routes of the year with almost 2,000m elevation but is an absolute stunner. Skipping the northern loop into Coed y Brenin, we head south to Dyfi Forest and take on 5 climbs (a mix of road & gravel) with very little flat.
Tough but oh so rewarding 👊
Percentage of Route Off Road: 70%
Distance:
73km
Elevation:
1950m
Difficulty:
4.5/5
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 75% gravel & 25% back road with the off road sections almost all on smooth flat gravel making this absolutely perfect for a gravel bike. A mountain bike would also be fine. 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 standard 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: Even in mid summer we could get variable weather particularly in the higher, remote parts so a thin waterproof jacket and layers to suit the forecast are advised. Don’t forget suncream. Helmets are mandatory, you will not be able to ride without one.
FAQs
The ride starts and finishes just outside Dolgellau. 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.