195 miles Bikepacking the Ridgeway

[Heltor Chasca]

50% off road.

My two daughters have gone off for a couple of weeks to visit their mum. Window opportunity to take 4 days off and get out on my bike and get some bivouacing done.

My route took me close to Bath where I joined the Kennet & Avon Canal which I took to Divizes and along the NCN and Wiltshire Cycleway to near Pewsey where I set up my bivi bag for the night. 1 puncture.

Next morning up to Avebury where I joined the Ridgeway. Long day to Goring on Thames and up to Wallingford where I put my bivvy down next to the Thames. 1 Bill Bailey.

Day 3 I turned round and headed back to the start. Head wind. At this point I'll say there was a lot of rain every day and my northbound tracks had all but disappeared. The chalk is like marble and toothpaste when wet. Bivvy bag down again for a kip near Pewsey. 1 off.

Day 4 same as day 1 but backwards. Sunday so lots of miserable old farts and their yapping shoot machines all down the tow path. Should have stayed in doors the lot of you. I enjoyed myself. 1 puncture.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Great pics, good report: thanks for posting this

 

[Arjimlad]

Nifty, what a great idea. Was that a picture of Waylands Smithy there ?

I visit Uffington twice in the season 1 Nov-31 January on the north side of White Horse hill.. .. beautiful countryside.

 

[ozboz]

Good effort !! Looks like a good jaunt , deffo the right bike
Nice ! and I'm
Jealous !

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Nifty, what a great idea. Was that a picture of Waylands Smithy there ?

I visit Uffington twice in the season 1 Nov-31 January on the north side of White Horse hill.. .. beautiful countryside.

That was Waylands Smithy which isn't far from where I clocked a Bill Bailey on his 100 mile charity walk. See you on the Ridge next summer

Good effort !! Looks like a good jaunt , deffo the right bike
Nice ! and I'm
Jealous !

Don't be jealous. Do it. I think your Surly CC would be Ideal. If anything, having suspension forks was a hinderance. Even when they were locked out, my drybag was scuffing the front tyre. I'll work on sorting out the harness or think about some conventional forks. I think you should ignore people who say you can do it on any bike. You can't and not enjoy yourself. It has to be a mountain bike, gravel bike or tourer with knobblies.

The route isn't technical. Small sections have deep ruts so you can't switch off but they weren't particularly full of water given the amount of rain. The chalk was slippery hence my (uphill) off. Slow motion, slipped in/out of a chalk rut and ended up tangled in the bike.

There is one very good curry house where you can stop and have a hearty meal. No other food options unless you drop off the Ridge. 1km or more on average with a 10% climb back onto your route. There are 2 water points where farmers have kindly Td off a tap onto their water mains. Thus plan accordingly. You need lots of water and food fuel as it is hardish graft.

But it is the best off road route I have done for a few years. And the longest in this country that I've done. Out of the 195km I did, 50% of that was off road if you count the canal path.

 

[Arjimlad]

Wayland's Smithy.. if cyclists stay until midnight do you get new tyres?

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Wayland's Smithy.. if cyclists stay until midnight do you get new tyres?

Wish I'd known! My Schwalbe Smart Sams were an ideal all rounder for this trip. The punctures I had at either end of my route were hawthorn from the clearance work along the canal. Those Slime Skabs are very handy I'll add.

The 'afternoon nap' opportunities are innumerable as an additional 'field note' for those of a wilder inclination. It may even be possible there are some cozy looking barns and disused buildings.

 

[ozboz]

That was Waylands Smithy which isn't far from where I clocked a Bill Bailey on his 100 mile charity walk. See you on the Ridge next summer



Don't be jealous. Do it. I think your Surly CC would be Ideal. If anything, having suspension forks was a hinderance. Even when they were locked out, my drybag was scuffing the front tyre. I'll work on sorting out the harness or think about some conventional forks. I think you should ignore people who say you can do it on any bike. You can't and not enjoy yourself. It has to be a mountain bike, gravel bike or tourer with knobblies.

The route isn't technical. Small sections have deep ruts so you can't switch off but they weren't particularly full of water given the amount of rain. The chalk was slippery hence my (uphill) off. Slow motion, slipped in/out of a chalk rut and ended up tangled in the bike.

There is one very good curry house where you can stop and have a hearty meal. No other food options unless you drop off the Ridge. 1km or more on average with a 10% climb back onto your route. There are 2 water points where farmers have kindly Td off a tap onto their water mains. Thus plan accordingly. You need lots of water and food fuel as it is hardish graft.

But it is the best off road route I have done for a few years. And the longest in this country that I've done. Out of the 195km I did, 50% of that was off road if you count the canal path.

Only jealous coz. I can't go just yet , late August early Sept I'm off to Northumbria , dump the ban at mates in Hebburn across the Tyne the hello all the way to Edinburgh , ok , not the longest bike pack , but what a place to tour, can't wait !!

 

[Ticktockmy]

I Rode the Ridgeway some years ago, started at Pewsey and ended at Princes Risborough I found it hard going in places but well worth it as no rain, would recommend it to others to do.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Planning this again. Now I know where the water points are, life will be much easier. Not going to bother with campsites though. 100% wild camp this time.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I've done it twice first as a larger group we rode it over 3 days staying in YHA. That was 2006 from memory. Then in 2008 we rode it in one go, finishing on Ivinghoe Beacon before dropping down to the pub.

On the latter a friend had lent his mtn bike out and not got it back. He was on his CX bike and his arse was so battered he decided from the Goring gap to take roads to the finish. He wasn't there at the end much before us. A CX bike over a few days and slower pace would probably be fine though if not trying to keep up with mtn bikes.

 

[numbnuts]

Very nice well done