Wootton Bassett (Wiltshire)
Route 20 Clyffe Hanger: Royal Wootton Bassett (Wiltshire)
Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Bike shops and cycle repair outfits
Appendix C Useful contacts
Two is always better than one (on Route 17)
INTRODUCTION
Sportive cycling is enjoying a boom time. From chip-timed monumental feats of organisation and logistics to small club-run affairs; cycle sportives create a buzz all of their own. The UK cycling calendar enjoys a series of year-round sportive events, as thousands of cyclists – from social riders to wannabe racers – participate every weekend in this most challenging of cycle sports. Whether it is to improve on a time achieved on an earlier attempt, or only to discover some of the UK’s most exciting terrain, no other cycling activity can compare with the challenge, friendliness and organisation of today’s sportive events.
With the recent and ongoing successes of many of the UK’s cycling heroes and heroines in the Olympics, World Championships and the Tour de France, men and women have taken to road cycling in numbers not seen since the Victorian era. With the likes of Sir Chris Hoy, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Victoria Pendleton, Chris Froome and Laura Trott filling the back pages of daily newspapers, UK cyclists are now as recognisable today as any other major sporting stars.
Maybe not maintaining a shoulder to shoulder pace with such stellar names, we mere mortal riders who hit the road – dragging ourselves out of bed at unearthly hours every weekend, to ride in all weathers – take our pleasure from cycle sportives in many different ways: fitness training, life challenges, cycling obsession or raising money for charity. Whatever the reason, the routes in this guide offer riders of all abilities the perfect opportunity to train for their chosen sportive event, by pitching themselves against the most challenging and scenic areas that the south west of England has to offer.
Approaching Corfe Castle from Church Knowle (Route 15)
About sportives
A sportive often includes a number of routes ranging from 25 miles up to 100 miles, or further. The varying route options enable riders of all abilities to challenge themselves against the clock without having to live by a strict training regime. Sportives are normally held on open roads and riders must obey the Highway Code. Each route will be well signposted by the organisers with strategically placed feed and drink stations peppered along the way. Most sportives now include chip-timing to accurately record the time of individual riders.
Arguably, the UK sportive scene has grown organically from a combination of the French ‘randonnée cyclosportive’ scene and British cycle club endurance rides. For many years cyclists have flocked, in their thousands, to participate in both open and closed road events over some of the toughest mountains in continental Europe. Some might say that modern British sportives are more akin to cycle club ‘reliability trials’.
Your riding partner: the best accessory yet
Popular during the winter months, reliability trials are long-distance club rides where riders and club racers concentrate on getting more ‘relaxed or social’ miles into their legs. Club runs seldom use route signage or feed stations, so riders are left to fend for themselves (hence, ‘reliability’). Café stops are often an integral and important port of call during club runs.
Whatever the reasons, the ever-growing UK sportive season enjoys a calendar full of exciting and challenging rides in some of the most beautiful landscapes that these islands have to offer.
There is also a growing number of sportive events in the UK that are held on closed roads. Events such as the ‘Etape Cymru’ in North Wales and the ‘Prudential London–Surrey 100’ prove to be hugely popular, with riders entering in their thousands to complete these arduous rides in the safety of closed roads. But distance is not the only challenge facing sportive riders – hills play a major part in sportive rides, and conquering a severe climb is seen as one of the real tests of any given event. Sportives may not yet attract the mad-cap cycling supporters, or tifosi, as seen lining the mountain stages of the Tour de France, but a warm welcome is always on hand at the end of a sportive event.
Although sportive events are not races, many riders pridethemselves in getting around in the quickest time possible and will look to improve on their times throughout the season. But one thing’s for sure, sportive riders can enjoy a sense of achievement that few other amateur cyclists can. A hundred miles is a long way and should never be taken lightly. Train for the distance, train for the hills – enjoy the ride.
The south west of England
Within the UK’s political structure, the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire combine to complete the jigsaw of the English south west peninsula. It is a region most famous for its myths and legends: from King Arthur’s castle at Tintagel to Glastonbury’s foreboding tor, England’s south west is home to many of its most fabled tales. With its enviable warm climate and soft sandy beaches, the region is also the UK’s most popular holiday destination. So if you’ve packed the car full with buckets and spades and kids, don’t forget your bike!
To top it all, the peninsula offers a series of stunning areas that might have been created purely for the delights of sportive cycling. With great destinations such as Dartmoor, Exmoor and the Forest of Dean on the menu, sportive cycle training in England’s south west takes on a sense of adventure that few other regions can provide.
The most dominating feature of the region for sportive cyclists is the proximity of so many superb hills. There are just too many of them to list here, but be prepared to experience hill climbing and descending that will turn the most reticent of cyclists into mountain goats. Be cautious, however, as conditions on the hills are changeable and they can be deceptive to the unwary. Beginners should take on the lower-grade routes in this book first to get some easier miles into their legs, then tackle the higher-grade routes, which feature the guide’s most major and challenging climbs. Ride to your heart’s content – or until your legs give out!
Getting there and getting around
By car
Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire are easily accessed from London via the main arterial route of the M4, and from England’s north and Midlands via the M5. The M5 provides further access to even the remotest parts of England’s south west peninsula, and the A30 and A38 roads are well placed to venture into Cornwall.
Other major roads servicing the region include the M3 and the A303, which, together, form a route that leads from London towards Exeter, passing iconic Stonehenge along the way. Most areas of Dorset and East Devon are easily accessed via the M3 and M27 through Hampshire to the A31 and A35 roads.
Tarr Steps require dismount and careful crossing (Route 4)
By rail
Riders wishing to travel to the region by train should first check out National Rail enquiries (go to www.nationalrail.co.uk and click on ‘Cyclists’). Here you will find easy links to your nearest regional train provider and information on how you can book your bike onto a train. Gateway train destinations tend to be Bristol or Exeter, where a change of train might be required.
When to go
The south west of England enjoys a mild climate most of the year round,