Ironbridge Gorgeous

Intro

Another new route for 2024 and a break with the traditional Saturday ride days. Ironbridge Gorgeous starts and finishes at the Severn Valley Country Park and showcases the best gravel the Severn Valley and Ironbridge Gorge area have to offer. This 72km route links NCN45 and a series of carefully selected trails to give riders a mixed bag of terrain and elevation through an area steeped in history. A great warm up for The Gravelton two weeks later.

The Date

Sunday 5th May 2024

The Start & Finish

Severn Valley Country Park, Chapel Lane, Alveley, Bridgnorth WV15 6NG
http://www.shropshiresgreatoutdoors.co.uk/site/severn-valley-country-park/

Start at a time to suit you. I will roll around 10am

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2431.802395734736!2d-2.3658372231390983!3d52.452027241259636!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x487089b0a1cd7be9%3A0xc28701d26e282343!2sSevern%20Valley%20Country%20Park!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1709736624960!5m2!1sen!2suk&w=600&h=450]

The RIDE

The ride is not an official event, it’s a self-supported group ride on the same route on the same day. You are on your own. Just rock up and ride with your mates and enjoy the day out on your bike then some food and drink afterwards.

Share your ride with other Graveltonions and join The Gravelton Strava Club

Ride whatever bike you want. Just have fun.

How to Enter

Entry is free, just turn up but I do advise you subscribe to the event’s newsletter to keep in the loop.

1714816800

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Ironbridge Gorgeous

The Route

This 72km (45 miles) route leaves Severn Valley Country Park and tracks northwards parallel to the River Severn and Severn Valley Railway. Riders skirt Chelmarsh Reservoir and pickup the Jack Mytton Way for a short section towards Bridgnorth. After a ride through high town, the route jumps offroad onto NCN45 and follows the old railway line trail towards Ironbridge before a left and steep climb away from the river into Broseley. At Benthall Edge, riders drop back down into the gorge and head southwards passing Thomas Telford’s iconic Ironbridge itself. Back on NCN45 riders head back into Bridgnorth to cross the river to get in a few more km’s of gravel around Quatt and Dudmaston Woods before crossing the A442 and back to the start via Alveley village.

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2521387?units=km

Highlights

  • FREE to enter
  • Pay & Display Parking available
  • Cafe located at Start/Finish
  • NO Number
  • NO Feed stations
  • NO Photographer
  • NO Medal
  • NO T-Shirt
  • Great views
  • Various surfaces
  • Finish at a Cafe
  • 600m climbing

The Rules

  1. Take your litter home
  2. Be self-sufficient. There is no backup on the day
  3. Shut any gates
  4. It’s not a race, it’s a day out on the bike.
  5. Be courteous to other trail users. The route is open to the public and it gets narrow in places so be prepared to share your space nicely if you have to. A bell is highly recommended.
  6. Complaints. That’s a you problem. I’m not interested.

Parking

The car park can get busy on weekends and is pay and display. £2.50 all day

Gallery