ISLE OF WIGHT WEEKENDER 24th to 26th June 2022

RIDE OVERVIEW

Escape the mainland and explore the Isle of Wight on this adventure across the Solent. Two and half days of incredible riding awaits, ridgelines with views across the whole island, perfect forest tracks and the feeling that you have truly escaped. With exclusive rental of a campsite, expect a great post ride atmosphere.

2.5 STAGES | 230KM

RIDE DIFFICULTY 3/5

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY 3/5

PERCENTAGE OF ROUTE OFF ROAD 60%

Bike & Tyre Choice: A mix of smooth gravel, singletrack, backroads & grass sections on the ridgeways makes this an ideal weekend for your gravel bike – we recommend 40mm tyres or wider, we used Schwalbe G-One Allround on our recon rides and they were perfect.

RIDE HIGHLIGHTS

– Panoramic views across the IOW and the Solent

 – Luggage transfer, signed route and friendly atmosphere

 – Rustic campsite with street food, cold beers and a friendly vibe

 – Long, glorious riding on the longest weekend of the year

WHAT'S INCLUDED

FULLY SIGNED ROUTE & TIMING CHIPS

Focus just the stunning views & thrilling ride. The route is marked out all the way & you can check your time for the route at the end.

FEED STOPS

We have feed stops approx every 30-40kms with fruit, cakes, coke, water, hydration tabs & tasty ride nutrition from the experts at Outdoor Provisions.

FERRY & LUGGAGE TRANSFER

The weekend starts on the south coast. We take your luggage & camping equipment to the campsite while you ride to the ferry & head to the Island for an epic weekend.

CAMPING AT CAMP WIGHT

Entry includes two nights of camping at the beautiful Camp Wight. Bring camping equipment. Street food, music, firepits & a bar available for post ride socials.

BIKE RENTAL & MECHANICS AVAILABLE

New to gravel riding? Hire a Pearson Off Grid gravel bike for the day. We also have mechanics on site to support with any issues before & during the ride.

ACCOMMODATION

CAMP WIGHT

Woodland camping in the heart of West Wight. A sustainable campsite which supports a diverse range of ecosystems, a back to basics experience with big plots and fire pits for those post ride chats. There are simple amenities such as solar showers and composting toilets.

Please bring your own camping equipment to the start venue. We will then transfer this to the campsite while you ride & then bring back to your car at the finish. Street food vendors will be available for breakfast and dinner.

STAGE ONE

GANG WARILY TO CAMP WIGHT: 30KM | 200M

Starting on Friday afternoon, day one is a short ride from the South Coast, onto the ferry and a short taste of the Isle of Wight before settling into the campsite for a night under the stars.

We start at Gang Warily. You will drop off your bags and collect your ride number before heading out in small groups. The ride to the ferry terminal may all be on road but the quiet back lanes through the New Forest make for a great start. After an hour on the ferry there will be a short ride to the campsite just outside of Yarmouth.

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: 1/5

STAGE TWO

THE MIGHTY WIGHT: 100KM, 1600M

The first day on the island and the longest ride is in store. Starting with a longer climb we soon hit the rolling hills leading to the east coast. There are some cracking views before we hit some punchy climbs on the south west of the island before a fast descent back to the campsite for some food and beers.

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: 3.5/5

STAGE THREE

CAMP WIGHT TO GANG WARILY: 95KM, 1200M

The second day on the island will start with some gentle rolling before we tackle the Chalk Ridge overlooking freshwater bay and the rest of the island. The route explores more of the south of the island before weaving it’s way back to Yarmouth for our return to the mainland.

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: 3/5

FAQS

WHAT TYPE OF BIKE SHOULD I RIDE?

This route is ideal for gravel bikes with wide (40mm plus) tyres. A mountain bike would be fine on some sections and descents but overall a gravel bike is preferred (and more fun). We have carbon gravel bikes from Pearson available to hire for the day. E bikes are not allowed on this ride.

WHERE IS THE START / FINISH?

The ride starts and finishes in Gang Warily on the south coast. There is free parking available for the whole weekend.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE A MECHANICAL / ACCIDENT?

We have first aiders & mechanics at all the feed stops and ride captains along the route to support.

WHAT SHALL I PACK WITH ME FOR THE RIDE?

You need to have a water bottle, basic kit to repair punctures, inner tubes & riding with a helmet is compulsory. Our feed stops have water, coke, cake, fruit & the best tasting sports nutrition bars & nut butters from Outdoor Provisions. We will send a comprehensive packing list for the ride.

WILL I BE RIDING WITH OTHER PEOPLE?

We will set you off each day in small groups but you can ride at your own pace. The whole route is signposted with regular feed stops so you can go as hard or easy as you like, meeting other riders at the end of the day.

DO I NEED TO BOOK MY OWN ACCOMMODATION?

No, your entry includes 2 nights of camping at Camp Wight. Please bring a tent, sleeping bag etc. We will take this at the start and transfer it to the campsite.