INTRO
Just one more ride before Christmas. This is a social ride giving you a chance to escape the madness for a couple of hours and burn some last-minute calories before indulging yourselves.
It’s a straightforward 40km mix of tracks, bridleways and paths interlinked by roads. A nice 2.5hr+ loop around the outskirts of town.
Wearing something festive is encouraged. A santa hat, some tinsel, christmas lights, whatever you want. Get in the spirit.
The Date
Saturday 23rd December 2023
The Start & Finish
Banner Foods, Finstall Road, Aston Fields, Bromsgrove B60 2DZ
Mass start @ 10am. This one would be a nice one to all ride together as a group.
Banners will be open at the start and afterwards. You can sit in the veranda out front. Breakfast sandwiches, coffee, cakes, beer, wine or have a carvery if you want to practice xmas dinner. I’m a regular and it’s good.
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 a pint and some pub grub afterwards.
Share your ride with other Graveltonions and join The Gravelton Strava Club
Ride whatever bike you want. Just have fun.
Latest News
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How to Enter
There is no entry fee but I would recommend you sign up for our newsletter to receive updates and information about my Gravelton events.
The Route
The route starts in Aston Fields and within yards takes riders onto a traffic-free path that runs parallel to the railway line. At Stoke Pound you join the canal to head back the other way climbing the Tardebigge flight up past the reservoir. A quick road transition and riders rejoin the canal including the up and over section to get around Shortwood Tunnel. Through Alvechurch on the canal riders get off at Bittel Reservoir and it’s another short bit of tarmac to pick up a trail that climbs into the Lickey Hills Country Park. Then it’s across to Beacon Hill for some great views into the City of Birmingham. A nice descent then gives way to the last climb up onto Waseley Hills for more stunning views North and South. Some tarmac offers riders a bit of rest then its a quick descent off Pepper Wood then into the lanes for one of the last gravel sections down Bumble Hole Lane to Fockbury. A quick scoot around Sanders Park then back to Banners for a well earned hot drink.
Download the route here
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2445610?units=km
Highlights
- FREE to enter
- NO Parking
- NO Number
- NO Feedstations
- NO Mechanical Assistance
- NO Photographer
- NO Medal
- NO T-Shirt
- 40km route
- Awesome views
- Mixed Terrain
- Hot food and drink available
- 500m climbing
The Rules
- Don’t drive to the event. If you need to drive, find somewhere suitable to park around the village and ride in please.
- Be self-sufficient. There is no backup on the day
- Take your litter home
- It’s not a race, it’s a day out on the bike.
- Share the trails. The route can get busy at weekends. 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.
- Shut all gates please.
- Complaints. That’s a you problem. I’m not interested.
Parking
There is NO PARKING available at the start under any circumstances.
The nearest car park is Bromsgrove Train station which is just a couple of hundred metres away from the start
Gallery
