Landrace Series | London Gravel Rides

A southbound escape built on chalk, forest and old-world oddities. We leave London behind and ride toward the sea the long way, the better way.

We slip out through the parks before the North Downs rise ahead. The first climb lands early and sets the tone for the day: steady pressure, chalk under tyre, no easing in.

A detour to Chaldon Church and its medieval “Map to Purgatory” marks the shift south. From there we cross the farmland of the Weald, join the Wey & Arun Way through Tillington Woods, pick up the Downs Link and finish with one last exposed crossing of the South Downs before Brighton appears below.

Self-supported, guided ride for experienced gravel cyclists capable of maintaining pace over long mixed terrain. Riders unable to sustain group speed may be dropped.

From woodland trails and sustained climbs to a flat, fast charge across marshland, this 130-kilometre ride delivers proper gravel all the way to Bognor.

We leave London early and head south through quiet lanes before the route tips upward toward Leith Hill. The woodland trails are often empty, the surface quick, the rhythm steady. From there we drop into the Wey Valley and begin the long push toward open country.

The middle miles are about flow and patience. Gravel through woodland gives way to wider horizons before the sting arrives: the Bignor Hill climb, short, sharp and honest. Legs are checked. Gears are used properly.

Then it flattens. A fast race across the marshland into Bognor, wind permitting, wheels humming on hardpack. This is the town King George V supposedly dismissed with “Bugger Bognor” but arriving under your own power after 130 kilometres feels anything but dismissive. Coffee earlier, pub mid-ride, beer at the finish before the train rolls north.

Self-supported, guided ride for experienced gravel cyclists capable of maintaining pace over long mixed terrain. Riders unable to sustain group speed may be dropped.

A full South Downs spine crossing from Winchester to Eastbourne, this is a tough gig, relentless chalk ridges and stacked climbs that few riders complete in a single day.

We start in Winchester and head straight onto the spine of southern England. There is no gentle introduction. The South Downs rise immediately, chalk under tyre, gradient rarely dramatic but never entirely absent. It is a ride of rhythm and resilience rather than bursts.

The ridge rolls on in long waves. Open grassland, exposed flint, wind from any direction it chooses. The views stretch north across the Weald and south toward the Channel, but the terrain keeps you honest. Climbs stack quietly. Descents are fast, loose and unforgiving if you switch off.

Eastbourne arrives only after the final sequence of rollers, legs heavy, horizon wide. It is a pure crossing from cathedral city to coast, ridden properly along one of the most iconic gravel corridors in England.

Self-supported, guided ride for experienced gravel cyclists capable of maintaining pace over long mixed terrain. Riders unable to sustain group speed may be dropped.

From Oxford to London, this is fast Thames Valley gravel, immaculate riverside paths, historic villages and steady miles along canal and river before the city slowly closes in.

We start in Winchester and head straight onto the spine of southern England. There is no gentle introduction. The South Downs rise immediately, chalk under tyre, gradient rarely dramatic but never entirely absent. It is a ride of rhythm and resilience rather than bursts.

The ridge rolls on in long waves. Open grassland, exposed flint, wind from any direction it chooses. The views stretch north across the Weald and south toward the Channel, but the terrain keeps you honest. Climbs stack quietly. Descents are fast, loose and unforgiving if you switch off.

Eastbourne arrives only after the final sequence of rollers, legs heavy, horizon wide. It is a pure crossing from cathedral city to coast, ridden properly along one of the most iconic gravel corridors in England.

Self-supported, guided ride for experienced gravel cyclists capable of maintaining pace over long mixed terrain. Riders unable to sustain group speed may be dropped.