A leisure ride from North Swindon to Marlborough and back with two start points – Asda Orbital Centre and the Esso Garage in Chiseldon.
Leaving from the first start point at Asda Walmart at the Orbital in North Swindon at 10am, we will head out through Shaw Forest to John Lewis at Mannington. From here we will join the old railway line up into Old Town and then through Coate Water, over the curly bridge up into Chiseldon.
We will meet people at the second rendezvous at the Esso Garage for approx 11.15 / 11.30.
From here we ride the old railway line into Marlborough. Beer and lunch for approx 1 to 1 1/2 hours before heading back with a possible pit (pint) stop in Ogbourne St George.
It’s a 40 mile ride start to finish but only a couple hills so relatively easy. We will ride at a steady pace and nobody will get left behind. It’s a fun ride, not a race. Helmets are a must.
Look forward to seeing you all.
This Thursday’s Ladies Leisure Ride will actually be on roads, but will definitely be a leisure, rather than roadie, ride.
Starting at the Wanborough Village Hall (where you can park) we will head out to Nightingale Woods and home via a coffee stop.
Route will be about 10 miles, although options to go further if everyone feels like it.
Back to Nightingale Woods for this Ladies Leisure Ride, this time via the tracks and bridleways.
Starting at the New Calley Arms on Ham Road, we will head out to Nightingale Woods and home via a coffee stop.
Route will be about 10 miles, although options to go further if everyone feels like it.
After a summer break, Ladies Leisure Rides Returns!
Meeting just outside Waitrose , Witchelstowe at 10.30am, we will take a leisurely ride along the Old Railway cycle path along the bottom of Old Town . There is an option of a short 3 1/2 mile loop or a longer 7 mile loop with a lap of Croft , depending on what everyone would like to do. I’m happy to tailor the ride to suit you ladies!
This is entirely ladies only (excuse my hubby photo-bombing in the pic above , he won’t be making an appearance!) and perfect for beginners.
Really excited to welcome new ladies to my leisure rides , so what’s stopping you !! Come and enjoy a ride with cake and coffee afterwards, along with a good old girlie natter!!
See you there ladies – oh and don’t forget your MyWaitrose card for free coffee!
This is the day before the first Root1 race at Tidworth and that will be closed off, so I’m off to FoD to session some downhill tracks as a bit of final practice.
The plan is to push up and start with Ski Run, followed by some others that offer a bit of rooty corner practice 😊
All are welcome, but bear in mind the level of the tracks will be riding, which are basically Black+, so you will need to be experienced.
Meet outside Pedalabikeaway Café at 10.30am
As Dave is off sunning himself, Lee Smith will be leading this week’s Tuesday ride. The full route to be determined depending on the weather, but expect around 35k with 400-450 metres of climbing over 2 – 2.5 hours. Mud and puddles are a given at this time of year so dress appropriately. Lid, lights and jacket required.
The usual Tuesday night ride onto the Ridgeway. The weather forecast looks wet and windy yet again, so we will be riding harder pack trails and a bit of urban – all subject to change according what weather actually transpires.
You must wear a helmet, bring lights (strong enough for the dark of the Ridgeway) and appropriate clothing (warm waterproofs at the moment).
If you have not been on a club ride before and are not a club member, you are welcome to join us to see what it is like before joining. Details on the benefits of membership and how to join can be found by clicking here.
A timely weekend session at Tidworth, not too long before the first of the Root1 races. There have been some nice looking changes to the race track itself (Sicknote), as well as some of the other tracks, so a good opportunity to check it out.
You need to be a R1de member (this is free, but needs to be done in advance) and it costs £7 on the day for admission at the bike park. Register at www.b1ke.co.uk
Meet by the new hut at 10am.
You will need a helmet (full face is a good idea if you have one).
The Peak District is simple awesome for mountain biking – stunning scenery and brilliant riding.
I’ve done lots of riding up there and am putting together some of the best in one long weekend.
We will be based in the Hope Valley, which has a great selection of campsites, B&B accommodation, cafes and bike shops. Personally I’ll be camping and will make a recommendation for a campsite after sampling a few, but there are plenty of great B&Bs for anyone that doesn’t like camping.
For the riding, we have 3 days:
A scenic starter, along the Monsal Trail. Starting at Bakewell Station up to Blackwell Mill and back. This is a former railway line that has been converted into a bridleway, using all the old features, including a number of viaducts and 4 tunnels through the Peaks. This gives us the chance to soak in the gorgeous scenery along the route, as well as a stop to enjoy them with a drink.
Day 2 is an epic XC ride starting in Hope and heading over Mam Tor out towards Derwent Water and back. The views on this route are even more stunning than the previous day, but the riding will be amazing too, with some epic descents – this one isn’t flat! 😉 We will be doing 25-30km with 1200-1500ft of climbing (depending on the weather), but the pace will be relaxed.
The final day will be a trip to the brilliant (but short) Lady Cannings trails, which we will use to end a 10km loop of the local Blacca Moor, which is another Peaks “must do”. That should see us finish at lunchtime, on the Bank Holiday Monday.
If you are planning on coming, please register either on the Facebook group event or by sending an email to adrian@swindonmtbenthusiasts.co.uk – just so we know to keep an eye out for you before setting off anywhere.