MIXED-TERRAIN RIDING IN WALES & THE MARCHES

Cross Cartel rides are not traditional “events” or mass start rides – they are open to everyone, free of charge and aren’t on private courses or in private venues. They simply offer a carefully mapped route and a named date on which to ride and record your route completion – starting at any time of the day. All rides are on tracks, trails and country lanes that are open to general public, and which we have test ridden many times.

2023 Calendar

The dates for our 2023 rides are below, and include two completely new routes. The four existing rides have seen some significant changes to their routes, while still being very much in the same areas with the same start/finish locations as before. All rides are still free, with the exception of the Blaenau 600, which has now moved to a dedicated website of its own >>

The two new routes will take in the Clee Hills, starting and finishing in Ludlow, and the Cambrian Borders, starting and finishing in Knighton.

All of our rides take place over a single day, and start on or close to the England/Wales border. The idea is to provide a self-sufficient riding challenge, but not one that is super-human or that needs unusual specialist equipment. The rides follow fixed routes on gravel, dirt and back lanes, and are fully self-supported with no event team or infrastructure, and no course direction arrows or check points – simply download and follow the route on your GPS or smartphone app, then upload your ride file after you finish.

From the staff of Epic Cycles, who have been exploring this area by bike for well over a century between them.

SPRING CHALLENGE

16th April 2023

The Spring Challenge is one of our most ridden routes – not too severe, as many of us are still to regain summer fitness levels, but still challenging enough mark the start of the warmer riding season, over tracks and trails that should have dried out a bit after the winter. Starting and finishing in Ludlow, Shropshire, the Spring Challenge takes in a proper mix of forest tracks, bridleways and gritty back roads.

  • Distance: 63Km
  • Total Climbing:  1000m

More Info >>

MORTIMER ROUND

21st May 2023

Starting and finishing in the Mortimer Forest on the edge of Ludlow, the route links together some stunning stretches of off-road riding using quiet byways and true back lanes.  A challenging ride with some some fairly steep off road sectors, it is not highly technical and it’s pretty weather proof.  The rewards for the climbing are some spectacular views and premium stretches of double track.

  • Distance: 76Km
  • Total Climbing: 1230m

More Info >>

MARCHES SKYLINE

25th June 2023

This cracking new route takes in two of the ridgeways that make up the natural borders of the Welsh Marches. With stunning views, the route navigates the Kerry Ridgeway and an extended section of Glyndwr’s Way, that will be familiar to some from the Trans Cambrian Way. Starting and finishing in Knighton, there are testing climbs and some of the finest ridgeway riding you’ll find.

  • Distance: 71Km
  • Total Climbing: 1225m

More Info >>

ROUGH RIDE

23rd July 2023

From one of the team behind the original Rough Ride cross-country MTB event comes the Rough Ride ‘Reborn’. This time around it’s on a new route equally suited to both gravel bikes and cross country MTBs. The route starts and finishes in Kington, Herefordshire, and is as gravelly as it gets – it’s an absolute belter of a ride that explores the wilder parts of Radnorshire on the Welsh border.

  • Distance: 67Km
  • Total Climbing: 1680m

More Info >>

MYTTON 100

27th August 2023

Don’t be fooled by the proportions of off to on-road with this one. The time will be well over 50%, and some of the paved roads are barely surfaced. The route includes some of the finest and most varied ridge riding you’ll find anywhere, with both Wenlock Edge and Long Mynd among the highlights. Be prepared for a couple of short hike-a-bike climbs too, unless the going is especially dry.

  • Distance: 101Km
  • Total Climbing: 1420m

More Info >>

THE CLEES

24th September 2023

A new route that starts and finishes in central Ludlow, and tackles the two highest peaks in Shropshire – Brown Clee and Titterstone Clee – the hills that domiate the horizon from Ludlow Castle.  The climbing starts as you leave Ludlow and takes in the drama of Tittersone before crossing over to the slightly higher Brown Clee, and one of the most enjoyable descents in the area. A perfect way to round off the 2023 season!

  • Distance: 52Km
  • Total Climbing: 850m

More Info >>

Important

You will need to be fully self sufficient – these are self-supported rides on routes that are open to the general public, with no emergency back up or mechanical support of any kind.  You need to take spares and supplies with you.  There will be no rescue vehicle to collect you if you have a mechanical.  Make sure you take a mobile phone for any emergencies.  Call a friend to collect you or the emergency services in the event of a medical incident.  And it is sensible to be insured – you don’t need race insurance, as our rides aren’t races, but general cycle/travel insurance is highly recommended.

The Cross Cartel, Epic Cycles Ltd and any other supporters or associates bear no responsibility for any incidents that occur during your ride – you are solely responsible for your own actions and safety while riding our routes, whatever day you choose to ride them.

Please follow the Highway Code at all times when on the roads, and the Countryside Code when off road – and PLEASE close all gates and take litter home with you.

About Cross Cartel Rides

Cross Cartel rides neither races nor traditional organised leisure rides. They are are similar to what were traditionally called “reliability trials”, where the objective or challenge is to complete a pre-determined route on a particular date within a time limit – but in our case the limit is all day and we have no set start time. The challenge is simply to ride a mapped route on a given day, at a time of your choosing. Go as fast or as slow as you feel comfortable with!

What kind of bike do I need?

We have tested all of the tracks, trails and lanes ourselves on gravel bikes using 40mm tyres, but they would also be equally suitable for hard tail/cross country MTBs which would offer more comfort on the rougher terrain but be a little slower over the faster stuff.

Our rides are not suitable for road bikes, and bigger travel full suspension bikes might prove to be a bit of drag over much of the terrain.

How fit or skilled do I need to be?

We have planned all of our rides to be achievable for any rider with a reasonable level of fitness and who is comfortable riding off road – a challenge yes, but extreme no.  You don’t need to be an expert cyclocrosser or MTB cross country racer, but you will need to be comfortable riding off road on mixed surfaces for several hours.  In places you may even need to “hike a bike” if the weather is very wet on the day – but these sections will be short.  Each ride description will include an approximate break down of surface type (paved vs off road).

How do I sign up for a ride?

There are no entry fees and no registration forms.  All you need to do is sign up for a free Strava account if you haven’t got one; join The Cross Cartel Strava group (Strava calls them “clubs”), and click “I’m in” next to the ride.  It only takes a few minutes, and once you have joined the group you can enter any future rides just with the “I’m in” click.  Full step-by-step instructions will be included alongside each ride overview, once we are ready for sign-up.

When do rides start and what is the time limit?

On the day of the ride you can start at any time you like, with the cut-off for finishing being midnight. As we don’t require riders to sign on or be scanned through a start line, we don’t need to be rigid about start times – feel free to choose a time that’s convenient for you. Most of our rides benefit from riders being spread out in the early stages, as there are narrow tracks near to the ride start, so we would suggest setting out as soon as you are ready, with optimal “bunches” being no more than 10 or so. You would soon be well spaced out anyway, due to the nature of the rides!

What other equipment will I need?

Apart from a suitably equipped bike, the only mandatory equipment would be a helmet and a GPS device of some sort, as there are no route signs.  Most of us use a Garmin type GPS unit, but we have also used a phone with Komoot or similar mapping app loaded up.  In fact, our advice would be take both if you have them, as the phone maps are much more detailed than dedicated GPS units, so are handy if you need to navigate back on course etc.  It’s also wise to have a backup.

Otherwise, please be sensible and take exactly what you would pack or wear for any lengthy ride on your own in remote areas, as there won’t be any support out on the route – such as warm enough clothing, waterproofs, sunscreen, spare inner tubes, chain link, multi-tool, pump, food, plenty of water, phone etc.

How do I record my ride completion?

Just upload your ride file to Strava from your GPS device or smartphone app before 9am on the day following the ride. But remember there are no “winners” and no prizes – this is a challenge ride where the prize is the satisfaction of completing a fine day out on your bike.  Don’t worry if you get carried away during the ride and miss a turn, or pick the wrong trail momentarily; if this happens just back-track and pick up the trail where you left off.

Your GPS unit will soon alert you if you have gone off course, and will record that you have followed the full route – just with a little addition.