It doesn’t feel like London anymore.
There are plenty of rides that promise adventure.
Fewer that actually deliver it.
Southern Grit is a gravel ride that starts in London and, within an hour or two, has you wondering how you got there at all — riding chalk tracks, threading woodland trails and dropping into valleys that feel a long way from the city you rolled out of.
This is a ride built by cyclists, for cyclists. No filler. No fluff. Just a properly good route, a bit of challenge, and a day that stays with you.
A Proper Route, Not Just Distance for Distance’s Sake
Southern Grit isn’t about stacking kilometres.
It’s about how those kilometres feel.
You’ll ride the chalk downland of Happy Valley, find yourself up on the North Downs ridge looking out across the Weald, and wonder how you’re still within reach of London.
The kind of place you don’t find unless you know where to look.
Route Highlights (The Good Stuff)
Southern Grit is packed with sections that stay with you.
Long Route
- Col de Denbies — a proper test piece, with its own Strava segment
- Lovelace Bridges — engineered, unusual, and unmistakable
- Esher Common — shifting sands and constant bike handling
Hold your line. Or try to.
Short Route
- Stane Street — rolling, rhythm-building gravel
- Horton Country Park — fast, near-perfect surfaces
- Epsom Downs — open riding with space to move
Both routes include a full-course Strava segment — ride it hard or just see where you land.
Two Routes, Same Spirit
- Long route — a full day out, physically and mentally engaging
- Short route — still plenty of bite, just a little more contained
Both routes carry the same DNA: off-road focus, thoughtful routing, and that sense of discovery that makes you forget you’re still within reach of London.
Ride Your Ride
This is a self-supported gravel sportive.
No hand-holding. No bunch riding unless you want it. No pressure beyond what you bring with you.
Ride your ride. No rush, no rules.
The Important Things (Done Properly)
- Good coffee at the start
- Support from Landrace Bikes
- A proper finish at Herne Hill Velodrome
- Beer and pizza for every rider who makes it back
Ride done. Stories start here.
Who It’s For
- Riders with some off-road experience
- Those stepping up to a longer gravel challenge
- Riders who enjoy riding properly, not just ticking off miles
- Anyone who likes a challenge, but not chaos
A Ride That Stays With You
Some rides blur into one.
Southern Grit doesn’t.
It’s the terrain, the decisions, the sections you get right, the ones you don’t, and the finish back at the Velodrome — pizza in one hand, beer in the other, swapping stories.
Ride Southern Grit
If you’re looking for a gravel event near London that’s genuinely worth your time — this is it.