Great British Escapades | Racing 500km Around the South East of England

Join me as I take on the 500km bike packing event that is Great British Escapades.

Sleep or no sleep?

Starting in Canterbury and racing across the North and South Downs, this event offers something for everyone.

From those who want a proper bike packing adventure to those travelling light and looking to get round as fast as possible.

Gravel, tarmac, trails, sand – it’s got a bit of everything.

The event is run every June and I like it so much I’ve done it 3 times!

So whether you’re a seasoned bike packer, an ultra racer or a complete newbie, Great British Escapades has you covered.

Hopefully this video will inspire you to check out the event and sign up for the next edition!

As ever, if you have any questions I’d be more than happy to answer them.

#cycling #bikepacking #adventure #gravel #mtb #bikelife #race

issues do not stop Box Hill 2: a.m. rolling over to the start of the Great British Escapade 2024 thank you for coming and uh taking part in this event there’s a lot of choice out there now so really do appreciate you coming and uh playing with us which is always good to see you and it’s nice to see this event grow and grow as it has done since the first one in 2020 1 to 20 and then 21 to 40 will be the first two groups and we are away just 300 miles left to go starting in the rain only light little bit d at the moment some people have already smashed it off up the front Okay now it’s actually raining I mean this wasn’t on the forecast absolutely glorious so a very wet first half hour the only potential benefit cuz it may dampen the sry sand pits make them a bit easier to ride over later tonight SL tomorrow oh you got to love June but it’s nice to be out settling into it now a couple more hours the mine will be on riding nothing else looks like we got a little pause in the rain little wetness update wet feet wet legs wet shorts wet Jersey wet armors wet gloves wet helmet everything’s wet but it’s quite nice just cruising so this is a 300 mile event leaving from Canterbury going up north to Rochester along the north downway over to dorin through s s sanit hind head Hazel Mir down to the South Downs winding its way back up through Kent to the finishing Canterbury again rode it last year didn’t really stop too much and I like to maybe trying that again this year but I have ended up bunging a sleeping bag in just in case didn’t have the best couple of nights sleep in the week so I’ve got it there as a little backup in case I feel awful but for now the plan is to ride to Rochester or petrol station before there top up the water and then ride to checkpoint one which is a train train station 120 mi in the route is about 70% Offroad you’re getting some nice little grally Trails like this but it is being interspersed with a lot of slop it’s nice to have a little bit of a gap between me and the other Riders so I can bimble through those slippy bits at my leisure and we’re raining again nice views down there I can see a rain cloud on rain shower first gate open and closed I think We Roll Along here and then got this really steep little bit of Road up the top of that hill where that Beacon is yeah deep in the rain as well joy of Joys amazing view what is your name my name’s Alex and what did you tell fut Alex uh this possibly wasn’t the best of ideas but good fun anyway right I remember these fun little bits of what I think it’s a North down way before although it’s not as dry as it was last time but lovely no traffic Cruise in issues had a panic moment big stick got around to my rear Mech but we seem to be okay panic over and it happens just as I was about to start munching my Harry B on to the north down way properly now woof woof nice much nicer just had a cheer from a real life Watcher which is always nice helps keep the spirits up slight little change of plan I’m going to stop at the garage off the main road it’s only about 5 miles closer than Rochester but I think I’ll be a little bit safer for a bike and there’ll be other people there and I can get some different layers on for the night stock my water and I don’t think I have to stop again it’s not super hot probably Smash down a chicken wrap as well up and over this little big foot Bridge think we’re on to a bit of a climb now stretch between deadling and the garage up up up down at the petol station restocked restocking got put chicken caesar at without see me for you for an hour or so garage done we back on the trails have a chicken wrap a Coke for later filled up my water next stop well next proper stop checkpoint one bit of a meaty climb straight out of the garage after the chicken wrap maybe not the best idea and then straight into a flight stairs it’s beginning to get dark now at4 9 just had my chicken wrap I wait an hour for it to go down won’t eat anything else but then I brush my teeth an hour after for a nice little refresh before we resume the sugar probably stopped at the garage for slightly longer than I thought I would but I used the L got my leg warmers on reload the chain off it got wet got some gear out my pack put in my pocket so as the temperature drops a little bit I’ve got my G that I can quickly put on and another set of gloves if it gets really cold I’ll be having to get the long sleeve out of the rear as well also topped on my water got an emergency Coke and should have enough stuff now to see me through to checkpoint one so we just carry on spinning along occasional stop here and there for things like brushing my teeth just enjoy being out on the bike through the night oh the run into Rochester Beauty you looking forward to this oh that was an awesome little bit of downhill but the big bonus was Kevin took out a little Loop cuz there was a tree that fallen down or something which on previous editions he basically did a big climb dropped back down and had to do another big climb again which is a pretty beasty climb with the old water bars across it so not having to go up there it was a little bonus anyway we’re nearly nearly at Rochester now place of dreams now on the final running of the Southern divide another great event takes place in May each year check it out if you want another decent Adventure got another Bridge there’s Golden Archers sadly not for me sorry McDonald’s I went to the petrol station so I’m through Rochester now heading back out into the countryside it’s quite a chunk to get over to checkpoint one so gravel Adventure tip break it down into smaller bits so on this one sad as it is and quite looking for to seeing the M25 here in that raw cuz I know I’ll be following it West and that’s Direction checkpoint one so when I seeing here the M25 I’m going to give it a sad little cheer got bit of a beastly climb coming up so I think when I get to the top of that I’m going to take the opportunity to do my teeth put a bit of extra Shamy cream on it’s a bit stressful stopping for a couple of minutes to do that but I know in the long run that’s what helped me get through to the end I’m better to stop now for a few minutes then push through and cause myself a world of pain that causes me to go slower or have to stop more often later into the ride spooky wooo that’s the Wii teeth and Shamy done going to rad through a massive deep puddle so I’ve got wet foot again but 61 Mi over halfway cp1 4 hours 47 moving and I think about 55 actual time it’s about 10 10 so we keep on pushing probably won’t be very many much good footage now cuz it’s pretty dark maybe an update when we get to M25 not listening to any tunes just yet but maybe a couple more hours they’ll be coming out to give me a bit of entertainment motivation oh I think I can hear the M25 there it is we not many cars on it this is what night riding about just peace not much about than that person’s red red light up there in a distance I can see cars on the M25 I think I’ve just gone over the highest point on the course about nearly 85 m in 6 hours 50 of riding time and it’s half midnight so it’s Friday now there’s a little treat think I’m going to put some music on Just saw another 1: a.m. dot Watcher or another dot Watcher at 1: a.m. next little highlight is Box Hill I think it’s about 7 mil away quite a big climb to get up there and then this year it comes down the zigzag there’s something else to look forward to in the darkness up on the top of Box Hill now just hit 100 miles that’s the third third of the way third of the way round can’t speak woo Box Hill 2: a.m. can’t imagine many people have cycled down here this time of night so that was Box Hill the destination for any self-respecting mammal lovely descent only issue now is we get back up onto Ram more common and there a horrible bit of hi bike coming up I think if I remember correctly woohoo R more common then nice road going up there but Kevin likes us to walk up the side of this field as you can see it’s rather steep just going through some Woods ride a lovely bivvy on my first GBE and a little sleep last year but this time not stopping in there time to hike with the bike about4 to 4: bit of color in the sky now just rolling towards checkpoint one not too far to go so that was checkpoint one had a sausage roll or a sausage muffin got a bacon off in my bag for later b a few FL Jacks got some more water and oh boy it’s freezing um so now just setting back off again as you can see it’s getting light sun’s coming out I do need a poo one thing’s for sure when I stop I can feel the tiredness coming in so I think it’s going to be a case don’t stop do not stop keep riding don’t stop and it’ll be okay but the spirits aren’t too bad had a few bits during the night where oh I felt tired probably more like 11:00 a.m. 11:00 p.m. probably about 3:00 a.m. but hopefully the sun will come out in a little while and warm me up I’ll be feeling good again and we got some proper daylight now can see where we’re we’re going can see the views as you enter the sand pit of sori see myself now looking like a bit of a state I think making our way over to guess hind head where we got big Rocky climb up out there then we cross another sort of ridge over the hazel look all quite rather technical oh nice to have a little bit of time AC all the little trails around here are really sandy really hard going it’s slow now on to these really tough old ancient Lanes as you get closer towards hind head and Devil’s punch ball oh climb up Double’s punch bowl I think I’ve done the worst bit it was a big climb a bit of a slippery Rocky surface Devil’s punch bow worth a quick stop to take in Beauty oh there’s the punch bowl now we got a lovely road descent takes us down into Hazel save for this hmer time that was a horrible ratted descent then now I think we’re on the road for a few miles now down to graffam before we join the South downway just ticked over 150 m miles so that’s halfway only another 150 to go bit of breakfast in Graton before we hit the South downway that a little stop for a sandwich some crisps can of Coke a bit of water few more harrybo now I’m riding towards South downway there’s a big old climb to get up there which is mainly hike bike so yes South way next stop there it is South Downs looming into shop hiking the bike up here very Steep and slippy rolling again but oh my that slug up from graffam is horrible Executive Suite few bikes before we drop down off Berry Hill and then ride up a really steep bit out of Hing officially in Gate Hell one of the best bits about South downway Beast of car coming up you see in the distance it’s going to be some hi biking this one starts of a Tac climb there’s a drag your bike for a gate area that’s quite Steep and Rocky levels out a bit then ramps up there’s the old bike drag there’s the am walloo if you’re rolling downhill don’t bother pedaling save your legs for the up it’s a stampede come on boys up up up up up up up up up up good boys see the next beastly Hill in the distance up there yet shant be ring just deployed the Moroccan Factor 50 paid about 30 quid for in the middle of nowhere and for all I know it could just be mayonnaise the guy obviously saw me coming anyway time to crack on chant ring around it six times and the devil come out well if I did that he probably wouldn’t cuz I absolutely wre go on pigs start truly Hill steep chalky climb onto the TAC that chalky bit not going to lie did involve a bit of pushing now just coming around Devil’s dke oh had a few moments there W feeling super hopefully they’ll pass you see where we’ve come from on Devil’s dke over there well we got to go back up here just stopped for the old bacon roll I bought this morning some Doritos review renate hopefully and crack on muddy just been over ditching Beacon and it’s windy up here but in a short while got a lovely descent which is much needed two more big climbs till checkpoint 2 this one goes up here somewhere and goes up up up follows that Ridge line off into the distance going around that Ridge line now feeling a bit battered not going to lie you can see southe in the distance climb that stands between me and checkpoint too there it is the Beast not to 200 M oh that’s 200 miles 200 miles you can probably tell by the look at me another little lump to go over fairly Beacon fairly beacon barly beacon checkpoint 3 Al priston no checkpoint 2 myself p in an orange juice about 20 M to Heathville waitrose which is where I’m going to stop for some CS something hopefully about 2 hours is nice little dinner and then crack on into the night on the final climb of the South Downs one between Alis and dington dington church the final South D way water attack and the South D way is done no bonus sleep this year luckily Kevin decided to remove it on the cuckoo Trail slightly well it’s about 1% uphill for about 10 Mi he field whe a wait whether it’s a weight trose I’m going to grab the pastor or something smash that down as I say then carry on as you can tell the commentary is getting worse finished the cookie Trail went to waitr had a chicken wrap bought water got some Belita now I’m climbing up through this Housing state now into the section of these little lanes that are Mega steep 17% that just come one after the other for about 10 miles we’re here bu buy bu water it’s bit of a slow ground this Lake hopefully it’s not too wet but I imagine it will be if you haven’t already got sore bum by now this place will make sure you do now we’re in the jungle Welcome to the Jungle the true British gravel experience of rutted field gravel free from the lake know I sound a bit grumpy and Mooney but I really don’t like that bit winding around the lake the ground’s really rotted and just slow but it’s done next point to note is St Michaels where there’s a petrol station I’ll probably get another bottle of water just see me through to the end hopefully it’s about 18 19 miles away so a little while yet I think we got go off road again shortly so not quite sure how long it’ll take to get there insides feel a bit like they’re rotting now but I have had six packs of Harry Bay maybe seven packs so that could be the reason why probably not the ideal diet I’m almost back on again starting to get a little bit chilly it’s about 13° I’ve got about 45 miles left got taken out by a crazy Badger darted out front of my wheel now the badger was definitely real but I thought I just saw a clown at the side of the road but it turned out it was just a yellow blanket decided not to stop at St Michaels cuz I got about 2 L of fluid my emergency Coke so should be okay not quite sure what to have as my next marker I need to have a maybe a little think about that I know there’s a real boggy wet puddle ridden Lane at some point then after that I think we begin the climb up to Charing area and then perhaps the first big climb towards the end of the route really think the last 30 mil got some quite big hills in B Lane bog Lane is done both feet got bogged out absolutely covered in mud now while the bike’s absolutely covered and I’m getting sprayed by the tires oh Kevin likes to test us into the shadow realm G through Charing and we’re climbing back up onto the north Downs just deployed the emergency Cola I’ve been carrying around it’s about 9:00 last night hopefully give me that little boost for the last 20 or so miles just what you want when you want to get to the end about 15 mil to go 15 whole miles about Four Hills just have another Badge of charge out on me who took me out we’ve only got about 9 miles to go as well that would been a classic nothing like somehow past midnight edra field rotted gravel oh about four or five miles to go now I think it’s been really really Mucky the last few miles has taken so long to get to get through really probably the muckiest I’ve ever done it but we’re getting there bit of Road action now so hopefully that’ll pass the time a little bit quicker but yeah just looking forward to finishing I’m feeling it now oh less than a mile to go 5 1 I got on the bikee Thurs day at 5:00 p.m. and I’ve sat on it basically it’s now Saturday 1:00 a.m. so 20 7 hours 43 moving time 32 hours move 32 hours aapse time I absolutely love an Escapade such a good event it’s my third one now hoping to have been able to collect the white red and blue mugs that they produce I came back this year just to get that blue mug but I think I’ve gone slightly better than last year in terms of my performance in the conditions that weren’t as good that rainy start and muddy boggy ground so you keep an eye out for it next year and get your name down for Great British Escapade 2025 oh here we are back at the HQ [Applause] 62 recovery