If you're looking to plan some action for 2024, you've come to the right place. Next year's gravel calendar is quickly filling up and if you sign up early, you can grab the early bird prices at many of these UK gravel events. The gravel scene is growing rapidly and no matter if you want to race or just ride with like-minded people, participating in some of these events is very much worthwhile. 

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The Gralloch

This year's inaugural, first-ever UCI gravel race on UK soil was a massive success and attracted a host of pro and not-so-pro riders to the tiny Scottish village of Gatehouse of Fleet to compete for… well, what ended up being deer antlers. We saw WorldTour pros Connor Swift and Tiffany Cromwell take the crowns at this year's event, but who knows how 2024 is going to pan out? If you fancy getting into the top-level gravel but prefer to not leave the UK to do so, this event is one to register for. 

Entries start from £68. 

• Read more and register here

Raiders Gravel

Raiders have now been running for a few years at the very same location as the above Gralloch, but it is a lot less demanding - if you want it to be so. This year introduced a "ride" and "race" category to the three-day long event, meaning that you could either smash it on the beautiful Galloway forest tracks or enjoy the views and simply ride the courses that vary between 70 and 80km daily. 

Entries for the three days start from £195. 

• Read more and register here

Dirty Reiver 

Kielder Forest, England
April 2024

Dirty Reiver is a staple of the gravel calendar and one of the most popular gravel events in the UK. This event offers three different route lengths: 65km, 130km or 200km, and although you get a timing, it is not a race. So if you want a podium, this is not one for you - although nothing prevents you from racing against yourself or a few pals. 

The course options are also built so that you can bail out of the longer routes in case things go a bit pear-shaped early on in your ride. Even if they do, though, there's always support around and the Reiver feed stops are some of the best I've ever experienced at gravel events and the overall buzz of the event is not comparable to others. 

This one regularly sells out in hours so mark your calendars: entries open on 1 December 2023 and prices start from £60. 

• Read more and register here

Lauf Gritfest

Rhandirmwyrn, Wales
June 2024

Lauf Gritfest is a timed gravel race open to all off-road bikes. Over the long weekend of incredible riding within the Cambrian Mountains and includes timed special stages on gravel and over a mixture of terrain. You will cover 125km over three days, compete on the seven timed stages and hopefully, have lots of fun. 

• Read more and register here

Hotchillee Stone Circle

Hotchillee is well known for its spectacular, luxurious London-Paris cycles and in 2023 we saw the organisers launch Stone Circle, a one-day gravel event starting from Salisbury. There are two route options available: 130km and 216km and neither is going to be an easy walk in the park. 

This event packs a lot of elevation, history (you will ride right past the Stone Henge) and open vistas of the South-West England ridges. If you enjoy a challenging day out, Hotchillee know how to support you in doing so. 

• Read more and register

Hotchillee London-Paris Gravel 2024

London, England
19-22 September 2024

Hotchillee London-Paris Gravel is a three-day event covering 376km, and it technically isn't all in the UK; the route takes you from London all the way to Paris on some spectacular gravel tracks, across fields and down the gulley of death-like forest paths. I was lucky enough to take part in the inaugural event in 2022 and to this date, no other event has surpassed the organisation, support and premium treatment of the London to Paris gravel event. 

If you don't want massive big crowds and enjoy all-inclusive, point-to-point riding over and prefer sleeping in a nice hotel every evening, this event won't disappoint. 

Prices start from £1,650. 

• Read more and register here

Muck n' Mac Fest

Innerleithen, Scotland
3-5 May 2024

Muck n' Mac Fest is returning for the third year and offers riders a weekend packed with a wee bit of racing and a whole host of off-the-bike activities. You can choose to ride the short (40km), long (75km) or adaptive route on Saturday and Sunday and each route includes six timed stages where you can see how you fare against your fellow riders.

Outwith the riding, you can enjoy live music, yoga, talks and films - and you can bring your non-riding pals along to enjoy the event village, too. 

Entries are open now and prices for one-day tickets start at £65, and full weekend tickets start at £100 for the short route. 

• Read more and register here

Wild Cycles Mason South Downs

Coombes, England
11-12 May 2024

Wild Cycles is renowned for organising gravel events that take you beyond the beaten tracks. This two-day South Downs event is a 165km bike-packing adventure along one of the UK's most iconic gravel routes covering the South Downs National park from West to East. You will be hosted by Mason Cycles HQ overnight and get great scenery, outdoor fireside chats and delicious food - before finishing just outside Eastbourne. 

Price: £95

• Read more and register here

Wild Cycles Wild Wales Gravel Festival

Wales
7-9 June 2024

This is definitely not a race… Wild Cycles' gravel festival takes you to the Welsh hills for a different take on the legendary Rab Wild Wales Gravel Festival. This is a special weekend for those looking for a chilled atmosphere, a no-frills basecamp vibe and just having a great time riding bikes with like-minded folk.

• Read more and register here

Wild Cycles King Alfred's Way

Winchester, England
18-21 July 2024

If you want to go on a group bikepacking adventure, Wild Cycles' King Alfred's Way is a great place to start at. The event spans four days taking on a circular route covering 220 miles through King Alfred The Great's Anglo-Saxon Kingdom. You start and finish in Winchester and will see spectacular Wiltshire, Wessex and Surrey countryside as well as the South Downs Way and England’s oldest Roman road, The Ridgeway. 

Price: £435. 

• Read more and register here

Wild Cycles Mellow and Wild Surrey Escape

Surrey, England

16-18 August 2024

The details of this one are yet to be honed out but Wild Surrey… It sounds good, so keep checking back for when we've got some more info to share with you. 

• Read more and register here

Haldon Heroic

Exeter, England
14 April 2024

The Haldon Heroic is a Gravel Ride/CX sportive set in the Haldon Forest Area, featuring scenic gravel trails that you'll self-navigate. Riders get chip timing, medals, and event t-shirts. There's also camping and post-ride massage services available! There are three route options: 81km, 54km or 24km. 

The price for entries starts at £32.50.

• Read more and register here

Tour de Dart

Dartmouth, England
3-4 August 2024

Tour de Dart 2024 is a new bikepacking adventure in Dartmouth. Riders can choose to ride either 160 or 100km over two days. On Day One, you'll trace scenic bridleways and lanes along River Dart's west side to the Hexworthy campsite on Dartmoor. The campsite is complete with a bar, catered meals, and a live band at the 'Cow Shed.' On day 2, you'll ride back to Dartmouth on the east side of the river. You can choose between fully self-supported bike packing or opt for luggage transfer. 

The price for the two days is £80. 

• Read more and register here

Devon Grit

Devon, England
25 August 2024

This event is making a return for the fifth year and promises to take you on the best gravel trails of East Devon.

There are five routes available (a lot!) spanning from 22km to 100km. The route highlights include Woodbury Castle and "great single track on the common", a section of the Exe Estuary path, a climb up for views of the sea at the top of Beacon Hill, and also Mutter Moor. You get a timing chip with your entry, as well as an event t-shirt and feedstops and all the rest of it. 

Prices start from £25. 

• Read more and register here

Kinesis UK Dorset Dirt Dash

The Kinesis UK Dorset Dirt Dash offers two different events on the same route over one weekend. You can choose to do the 100-mile route over two days or on one go, and both options take you around the amazing scenery on the Isle of Purbeck around Swanage. This was one of the first gravel events in the UK, and is the perfect way to experience the rugged beauty of Dorset and the Jurassic Coast with fine gravel riding, camaraderie and castles.

Entries are £95.

• Read more and register here

Lezyne Cateran Dirt Dash

Perthshire, Scotland
4-5 May 2024

The Lezyne Cateran Dirt Dash, a cooperation with the Cateran Ecomuseum in Perthshire and Angus, is a self-supported, two-day bikepacking event taking you around the dramatic scenery in the Cateran Ecomuseum. It is the perfect way to experience the rugged beauty of Scotland’s only museum without walls. This event has a shorter route than the Dashes in Dorset and Dunoon; it’s the perfect introduction to bikepacking in Scotland.

The route is about 26 miles (42km) on day one and 29 miles (47km) on day two and there might be some technical sections that require pushing your bike. 
Entries are £95. 

• Read more and register here

Lezyne Dunoon Dirt Dash

Dunoon, Scotland
21 - 22 September 2024

The Lezyne Dunoon Dirt Dash is the third Dirt Dash event and it follows the same format as the two above - it's self-supported and not timed. The Dunoon version takes you around the amazing scenery on the Cowal Peninsula not too far from Glasgow. You will have an overnight camp and the total riding distance is about 130km over the weekend - and there might be some techy bits so this is best suited for the burlier gravel bikes or even mountain bikes. 

Entries are £95.

• Read more and register here

Frontier 300

Colvend, Scotland
7-8 June 2024

Is long-distance cycling your thing? Then this 300km gravel event is one to add into your calendar. The Frontier 300 is not a race but an epic, supported ride from the west coast of Scotland to the east coast of England. In essence, you're trying to make it to the East Coast in time for the brunch party… And then ride back (no, joking, that's you finished). The terrain is 50/50 tarmac and gravel and you will be supported by feed stations and good vibes along the way.

Entries open on 1 November 2023 and the prices start from £125 for solo riders - or you can choose to ride as a pair, too. 

• Read more and register here

Grand Old Dukes

Aberfoyle, Scotland
11-12 May 2024

This 111-mile-long, brutal event had its first edition held successfully last spring, and to every gravel rider's joy, it's coming back for 2024! Grand Old Dukes is a new long-distance challenge in Gravelfoyle (Aberfoyle) and you will be climbing a lot (10,000ft) on the predominantly off-road route. You get timing for your effort, three feed stations and there is a festival village to enjoy once you're done. 

The riding around this area is some of the best as far as gravel goes, so if you want to experience it all in one monster day, sign up. 

• Read more and register here

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We're still waiting for many dates to be confirmed for 2024, so keep checking back in on this feature as we'll keep updating it as we get more event info.

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