BikeRadar’s pick of the best gravel events in the UK this year
Gravel riding is big and becoming bigger each year. We may not have the high-profile gravel races in the UK that are popular in the USA, such as Unbound Gravel, but there’s a wide range of gravel rides available.
Many are non-competitive gravel grinders. The Grinduro-like format of gravel race with timed segments during an otherwise non-competitive ride is also popular – even if Grinduro itself has moved from Wales to continental Europe this year.
From accessible taster rides to huge, challenging adventures, the breadth of choice is now massive. Many UK gravel rides are multi-day events, with camping available onsite or bikepacking required.
Take a look at our pick of the best UK gravel rides and gravel grinders in 2024 below and see if you’re tempted.
UK gravel race calendar 2024
| Date | Name | Distance | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 April 2024 | North Wales Gravel X | 53 / 80km | £49 |
| 7 April 2024 | Rapha A Day In Hell | Varies | £35 |
| 19-21 April 2024 | Dirty Reiver | 65 / 130 / 200km | £65 / £75 |
| 28 April 2024 | Southwold Roubaix Sportive | 40 / 80 / 120 / 160km | £20 – £35 |
| 11-12 May 2024 | Grand Old Dukes | 180km | £65 |
| 1 June 2024 | Shimano Rebound | 40 / 80 / 160 / 320km | Free |
| 21-23 June 2024 | Gritfest | 5 / 65 / 57km | £120 |
| 28-30 June 2024 | Hotchillee Stone Circle | 55 / 155 / 220km | £55 – £105 |
| 6 July 2024 | South Downs Century | 100 / 160km | £54, £64 |
| 13 July 2024 | Lake District Gravel Epic | 53 / 84km | £49 |
| 14-15 September 2024 | Gravelfoyle 10 | 10 hours | £40 |
| 15 September 2024 | Struggle Borderland Gravel | 50 / 100km | £59 |
| 19-22 September 2024 | London to Paris Gravel | 376km | £1,650 |
| 21-22 September 2024 | Dunoon Dirt Dash | 130km | £95 |
Our pick of the best UK gravel races/rides
Here’s our choice of the best gravel races, grinders and events to ride in the UK in 2024.
North Wales Gravel X – 6 April
- Key features: Mix of flatter sections around reservoirs and steep climbs
- Date: 6 April 2024
- Location: Ruthin, Denbighshire
- Distance: 53 / 80km
- Price: £49
- More info: gloriousgravel.com
The North Wales Gravel X is a varied route taking in a ride that’s 75 to 80 per cent off-road around remote reservoirs in the Welsh backcountry.
It starts flat and on the tarmac, then there are some big climbs and descents, as well as a 40km flat section around remote reservoirs on the long route. The day is capped off with a final descent back home.
The short route bypasses some of the flat riding.
Rapha’s A Day In Hell – 7 April
- Key features: Road route with bridleway excursions
- Date: 7 April 2024
- Locations: Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, London, Leeds, Manchester
- Distance: Varies
- Price: £35
- More info: rapha.cc
Rapha’s homage to Paris-Roubaix, A Day In Hell will take you through the back lanes with excursions onto bridleways and farm tracks emulating the real thing, although mostly with mud in place of pavé.
You should be able to return to the finish in time to watch the French race’s finale on a big screen. If you’re not in the UK, there are events worldwide.
Dirty Reiver – 19-21 April
- Key features: Huge gravel event through remote Kielder Forest – Sold out for 2024
- Date: 19-21 April 2024
- Location: Kielder, Northumberland
- Distances: 65 / 130 / 200km
- Price: £65 / 75
- More info: dirtyreiver.co.uk
The Dirty Reiver winds through the Kielder and Wark Forests over remote, well-surfaced forest roads with spectacular views and feed stations along the way. The 200km loop includes more than 3,000m of climbing.
Although non-competitive, the event is timed and there are cut-off times at intermediate checkpoints on the two longer courses.
Friday includes off-bike events, a product show and registration, with rolling start times on Saturday morning.
Southwold Roubaix Sportive – 28 April
- Key features: On-road route with optional gravel sections
- Date: 28 April 2024
- Location: Southwold, Suffolk
- Distances: 40 / 80 / 120 / 160km
- Price: £20 / £35
- More info: thepedalrevolution.co.uk
If you don’t want an entirely off-road ride, the Southwold Roubaix Sportive offers the option to hit its ‘Roubaix’ sections, which it says are suitable for a gravel bike.
You can pass on one or more of them if you prefer.
Grand Old Dukes – 11-12 May
- Key features: Large loop over varied tracks in the Trossachs National Park
- Date: 11-12 May 2024
- Location: Cobleland, Stirlingshire
- Distances: 180km
- Price: £65 per entrant
- More info: dukesweekender.com
The Grand Old Dukes is a gravel-cycling festival taking place near Aberfoyle, Scotland.
The big ride is on the Sunday, over one loop out of Aberfoyle. This is predominantly off-road and takes in 3,000m of climbing through the Trossachs National Park. It features a mix of fire roads, flowy trails, technical singletrack, punchy ascents and big descents. You can ride solo or take on the course as a multi-person relay (different prices apply).
The weekend also includes an optional 80km ride on the Saturday and events on Saturday evening.
Gritfest – 21-23 June
- Key features: Enduro-style three-day ride with seven timed segments and prizes
- Date: 21-23 June 2024
- Location: Llandovery, Carmarthenshire
- Distances: 127km
- Price: £120
- More info: gritfest.co.uk
Taking place over three days (including the optional prologue), Gritfest offers a route that’s 70 per cent off-road, with seven timed enduro-style segments, along with overnight camping, prizes and plenty of partying. Around 40 per cent of the route is timed.
Hotchillee Stone Circle – 28-30 June
- Key features: Up to 90 per cent off-road across MOD land
- Date: 28-30 June 2024
- Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire
- Distances: 55 / 155 / 220km
- Price: £55-£105
- More info: hotchillee.com
A multi-day event with on-site camping in pre-pitched tents available on site, the Hotchillee Stone Circle even includes an optional hill climb on the Friday. This is followed by two days of riding across usually restricted MOD land, passing Stonehenge.
There are four feed zones and a dawn start, with a route over Salisbury Plain and through woodlands.
South Downs Century – 6 July
- Key features: Iconic route, almost all off-road.
- Date: 6 July 2024
- Location: Winchester, Hampshire
- Distances: 100 / 160km
- Price: £54, £64
- More info: trailbreak.co.uk
160 kilometres, 4,000m of climbing and 90 per cent off-road along the South Downs Way to Eastbourne, the South Down Century is one of the UK’s must-do gravel rides along the chalk ridge, with spectacular views south to the sea and north to the wooded hills of the Sussex Weald.
There’s a 100km event finishing at Truleigh Hill above Steyning if you don’t fancy the whole distance.
Lake District Gravel Epic – 13 July
- Key features: Off the beaten track through the Lakeland fells
- Date: 13 July 2024
- Location: Coniston, Cumbria
- Distances: 53 / 84km
- Price: £49
- More info: gloriousgravel.com
See the parts of the Lake District the tourists don’t with this ride out into remote areas of Grizedale Forest, over fire roads, bridleways and singletrack.
The Lake District Gravel Epic route takes in climbs over four Lake District fells, with great views and over 2,000m of climbing, with lunch near Hawkshead on the long route. The route is approximately 70 per cent off-road.
Gravelfoyle 10 – 14-15 September
- Key features: Ten-hour timed event on laps of a 25km loop
- Date: 14-15 September 2024
- Location: Cobleland, Stirlingshire
- Distances: As far as you can ride in 10 hours
- Price: £40 per entrant
- More info: dukesweekender.com
The Gravelfoyle 10 invites entrants – either solo, as a pair or as a team – to ride as many laps of a 25km loop as possible in 10 hours.
Gravelfoyle, the organiser, offers a varied loop with big ascents and descents, fire roads and twisting singletrack. Saturday is a family day with a children’s gravel race.
Struggle Borderland Gravel – 15 September
- Key features: Tough route through the Yorkshire Dales
- Date: 15 September 2024
- Location: Reeth, Yorkshire
- Distances: 50 / 100km
- Price: £59
- More info: ridethestruggle.com
Billed as an epic test of fitness, Borderland Gravel takes in a variety of Yorkshire trails, with plenty of gnarly climbs and descents in Swaledale and Wensleydale.
The 50km route option allows you to opt out halfway.
London to Paris Gravel – 19-22 September
- Key features: Off-road to the French capital over 3 days
- Date: 19-22 September 2024
- Location: Hampton Court, Middlesex
- Distances: 376km
- Price: £1,650
- More info: hotchillee.com
The London to Paris Gravel is, as the name hints, a fully supported three-day ride that’s almost all off-road and ends at the Eiffel Tower.
For the £1,650 entry, you get full support and 3 nights’ accommodation in 3* or 4* hotels, with Eurostar return travel and bike transport included.
Dunoon Dirt Dash – 21-22 September
- Key features: Two-day event north of Glasgow
- Date: 21-22 September 2024
- Location: Dunoon, Argyll
- Distances: 130km
- Price: £95
- More info: dirtdash.cc
The Dunoon Dirt Dash is a two-day, self-supported/self-navigated ride around the rugged Cowal Peninsula.
The first day is 80km, followed by a 50km second day, with around 2,500m of climbing. Camping (bring your owGravel riding explained | Everything you need to know to get startedn tent) and food (but not the plate or utensils) are supplied, before riding back to the start location.