09:30 Friday August 11 2023

Current Participants: 1 space(s) available

• Andrea Bird:
• Ian Bradley:
• Dave Branch:
• David Brewer:
• Julie Buckman:
• Mark Burrows:
• Harry Coxhead:
• Paul Cross:
• John Hampson:
• Peter Kinsella:
• Andy Morton:
• Clare Procter:
• Neil Ross-Jones:
• Ewan Wilkinson:
• Peter Williams:

The ride will be 48 miles long with 2,900 ft of climbing.  A grade B ride in terms of hills and distance, but the pace will be that of a C ride, maybe a bit slower (perhaps walking pace) on some hills.  Don’t worry too much about the distance, the gradients, or the speed; we have all day to complete the ride and expect to take 7 or 8 hours to cover the 48 miles.  We will ride as a group and won’t leave anyone behind.

There are only two significant hills, but they are both big and very steep in some places.  The climb through Stipperstones is 1,000 ft over 5 miles (although we will stop at a cafe just before the top to refuel).  Then down a bit, before climbing 750 ft in under 3 miles to The Burway with fabulous views from the top.  Many of us may walk up some of the steeper sections (so we can appreciate the view; not because we had to stop).  

The ride starts at 9:30 am by Quarry Park in Shrewsbury, just outside the park gates on St Chad’s Terrace, opposite St Chad’s Church.  Please try to get to the starting point by 09:15, so we can discuss the route and organise ourselves into groups.  We plan to stop in the morning for a coffee or tea (and maybe a cake) at The Bog Visitor Centre, near the top of the first climb.  Then on over the second climb and down to the National Trust Cafe at Carding Mill Valley for lunch.  We will stop again in the afternoon at the village cafe in Upton Magna, just in case we need more tea, coffee and cakes.

The route is a broad sweep to the South West of Shrewsbury.  Click here to see the detailed route on Komoot: South West to the Shropshire Hills and Church Stretton or on Garmin Connect here: Shrewsbury to the Shropshire Hills and Church Stretton