We were blessed with wall to wall sunshine when I woke yesterday morning. However, their was a distinct chill in the air and after deciding what to have for breakfast I had to decide what to wear. Tight or Shorts. The weather looked good all day and it would warm up so I decided to go with the shorts with a light layer of baby lotion infused with a bit of tiger-balm. It’s a thing I’ve done for years and works really well for me. Baby lotion to take chill off, tiger balm to get the blood flowing. For my top, I decided to wear a brand-new top I’d bought in the week from Galibier.cc, the new Gino Insulated Wind Jacket which was pitched at 4-14 degs with just a base layer. Perfect.
The drive took 40 mins and the long stay car park was almost full when I arrived. It was good to see a few riders milling about too which indicated it could be a good turnout. I got to the start with about 10 mins to go and as normal, riders appeared in the last 5 mins to swell the group. Last year about 8-10 riders turned up, this year the group was at least 30. I was really pleased with that as I know the hills do put some off.
Introductions done we rolled out of the High St at 10am as one big group then left on the Cheltenham Rd for a couple of km to warm up before a left turn to Buckland and the first test of the day.
The road meanders up through the village past some amazing cotswold stone homes then the tarmac breaks up, runs out as you climb the short, steep pitch then its lovely costwold gravel over the top.
I stopped for a couple of pics. It’s a brief rest before right at the farm and a lengthy section of single track that climbs again onto the top of the escarpment. look right and you get great views over to the Malvern Hills and beyond.
At the end of the Cotswold Way, we dropped onto a broken lane then a left and a descent to a crossroads then straight and down again on a trail before a lengthy drag of the climb. At the end we met a police 4×4 attempting to come our way which looked a bit big for the others behind us. I hope it was ok.
At the road, the group had split and there were only 3 others with me. We dropped into Cutsdean then climbed over the B4077 to tackle some energy sapping rollers before a steep descent to Hailes Abbey where a gate on a blind bend can be an issue but thankfully it was open and I could just let the brakes go.
From here it was straight back up again to Farmcote. It’s lengthy and bumpy climb in the trees where you need to pick a line. It’s quite long too. Vince in our group, stopped briefly to adjust his mudguard then we were offroad again on the Campden Lane sector which drags up on some singletrack before dropping down the top of Stanway Hill on a nice wide track.
Then there were just the two of us. Apparently one had punctured and one waited some way back. I wasn’t aware, I was just concentrating on the trail in front so we decided to ride on.
After a rapid descent of Stanway we made light work of the roads via Toddington and Alderton over to the A46 which was quiet and we crossed without waiting. Beckford came and went then right and the lane to the start of the Yellow Brick Road, a wide, Cotswold stone gravel path that climbs up Bredon Hill. It’s an easy gradient initially but kicks up quite sharply which really made the legs smart. At the junction we stopped for a photo and a rest to soak up the views.
The next trail is a bit rocky and when I reached the end my ride buddy was nowhere to be seen so I rode back a few yards and found him dealing with a puncture.
It was most likely a pinch puncuture given the terrain so a new tube in and we were off again dropping through Overbury then starting the climb to the top through Kemerton. This route I’d changed from last year so it wasn’t so technical and rocky.
Ahead was a rider who’d passed us while we’d stopped for the puncture and as we reached the summit I made contact. Whoever you were, great carrot! 😁
The views from the top, despite being a bit windy and chilly, never disappoint
We didn’t hang around long so we didn’t get cold. From here we tracked the edge of the summit edge east on what is quite a bumpy path before we dropped off to Ashton-under-Hill
We crossed back over the A46 and enjoyed some quiet lanes again via Dumbleton and Wormington where you can see where you’re climbing up again almost the whole way. I was counting down the km now as my back and shoulders were a bit sore. At the Cheltenham Rd is was right then left to Laverton which was last years finale and even by my standards a bit too much of a climb so this year we jumped on a cool little path that joins the village with Buckland for another ascent of that.
At the top, we had a brief rest again but rather then right at the farm it was straight on now and a nasty, short steep kicker to a gate where we passed some other riders. The remaining trail was mostly slightly downhill but kicked up one last time when we reached the road before dropping into Snowshill which was invaded by tourists taking photos. We climbed out the village then enjoyed a superfast descent back to Broadway to finish.
It was another great ride. Thanks to my ride buddy en-route. We were lucky to have some October sunshine. The season winds down now at The National Forest Explorer next month then The Christmas Bimble social ride in December. Two more rides to go to complete the set for 2026 👍
Adios, see you on the next one
Sorry I failed to find you – enjoyed what I did with John Mitchell (not my Grandad…) but enjoyed the solo I did do!