Saturday looks like a dry day with sunny intervals and light winds, but will be a cold start (get the winter kit back on!). Riders are encouraged to be careful while the roads warm up.
This week all routes head north / north-east to explore a bit of Wiltshire. All head out on Bay Road to Mere, before tackling an early climb of Mere Down to warm everyone up! We then descend through the Deverills and on to Sutton Veny. Here the Pink Route splits off to take in part of the Wylye Valley and a lap of the Imber Ranges, before tackling the climb up to the Westbury White Horse. Meanwhile the Blue and White routes cut back through the woodlands of Longleat Forest, where the Blue route will then peel off via Warminster and Westbury. All routes then head into Longleat itself, with a coffee stop at the Chameleon Tree Cafe within the grounds. Refuelled it’s then out via the main drive and uphill to Maiden Bradley, before returning largely downhill to Gillingham via Zeals and Bourton.
Pink Route: 98 km, 970 m elevation – est speed 28 kmh / 17.5 mph +
Blue Route: 75 km, 790 m elevation – est speed 23-26kph / 14.5-16 mph
White Route: 57 km, 601 m elevation – est speed 20 kmh / 12-13.5 mph
Meet at 9.00 am at Wheels car park, Station Road, Gillingham. Please download your route to your GPS device, and bring your ride essentials. All rides are no drop, but please select a group suited to your ability! There is nothing stopping a faster group doing a shorter route or a slower group doing a longer route if they wish!
For those who have issues downloading their routes, here’s the guide for a Garmin device and here’s the guide for a Wahoo device.
