A low key autumn adventure to cover 670km in just 88 hours from Lands End to Rochester in Kent.

This journey will guide you through a tapestry of ancient byways, former mining trails & world Heritage sites, extensive gravel routes, the untamed moors of Devon, breathtaking coastal downlands, enchanting woodland paths, and a touch of thrilling single track. This self-sufficient adventure is more than just a personal challenge; it's a journey filled with awe-inspiring moments, set against the ever-changing backdrop of southern England's diverse landscapes.

Just 1 ride for this edition - aimed at faster riders.

The EPIC Adventure pace – 88 hrs

*It’s a huge challenge
*You will need to be self-sufficient
*It will be beautiful
*It will be an amazing adventure

*Dotwatcher commentary for family & friends

EPIC Adventure

When: 6:30 am Thu 19 Sep 2024 – 10:30 pm Sun 22 Sep 2024 (88hours)

The Epic Adventure

This is our toughest option. You will be prepared to keep riding and ride at night with minimum sleep. You are likely to bivy in a field, rather than relax in hotels.

This is not an option for the faint-hearted. It will appeal to experienced bike-packers, ultra-riders or fast tourers who want an early-season adventure, and ride either a hardtail MTB or a well-equipped gravel bike with big tyres and low gearing.

Check Out Adventure Guidelines

With regards to bike choice, we still suggest a bike with the biggest tyres you can fit and a wide range of gears. It is gravel bike rideable but a few modifications for comfort are highly recommended. The route is not too technical, but it’s tough, rocky in places, very hilly and there may be plenty of hike-a-bike.

This is proving to be a huge hit with riders and we hope it will soon become a calendar favourite. It is possibly the toughest-timed route across the South and has been created to showcase the spectacular scenery the South has to offer. This new route was introduced in the Autumn of 2023 and includes parts of the South & North Downs Ways finishing on the Kent Coast at Rochester Castle.

What our riders say

“What it gave was a more intimate ultra challenge without endless rules or a deliberately brutal course but where the terrain would push you hard and most importantly an awesome shared experience."

"We may have been riding alone but the atmosphere you created was one of us all being together. That aspect I really enjoyed.” - Niel C

“Friendly event where participants are encouraged to support one another. Marcia has created a classic route across the southern divide of the UK mixing in Cornish heritage, Dartmoor national park and the outstanding areas of the South and North Downs” – Alli H

“Oh wow, what an event” - Colin D

“The terrain is hilly the views are spectacular highlighting the best the south has to offer. The off-road sections are top quality a mix of singletrack, double track, woodland, rocky and smooth gravel” - Steve W

“Bumpy, Breathtaking, Adventure” - Nat S

“A ride where you never know what is around the corner but can be sure it will be beautiful” - Sam W

"A beautiful, brutal race. Stunning scenery, amazing trails and friendly vibe by all. The course isn’t to be underestimated, but would recommend it to anyone interested in racing or bike touring - Lee J

"I entered this event as a solo female rider due to its welcoming and friendly ethos. It exceeded my expectations in all capacities". - Abi S

The format is similar to other self-sufficient rides you may be familiar with, where you cannot accept any outside assistance that isn’t available to all other riders. You are responsible for your own sleeping and eating arrangements, but we do allow you to book accommodation along the way if you are not looking to camp/bivvy. However, time is limited, so if you are not a fast rider, there won’t be too much time to relax in hotels!!  A mixed approach works well for most with some nights in hotels and some camping. Even if you are riding solo, you are never truly alone. A lively WhatsApp group keeps riders in touch with each other, sharing their tales from the road.

There are 4 control points along the route, and all our riders have trackers linked to Map My Challenges so your friends can follow your progress.

There are no prizes for coming first, but riders can savour a beer at the end in the shadow of Rochester Castle & Cathedral

This is an ADVENTURE, not a RACE. It will be a tough journey, but we hope you’ll have fun too.

We take our environmental responsibilities very seriously, and due to the linear nature of the ride, suggest that riders use public transport to get to the start and from the finish. Land’s End is close to Penzance which has a fast train service from London, and Rochester is on a mainline rail route just a short hop to London. There are some hotels close to the finish point. If you are travelling from outside the UK, our nearest ferry option is from Roscoff to Plymouth, with a mainline railway to Penzance.

Camping will be available at the start and is included in your entry fee. We very much hope that riders will get to know each other by camping together on Wednesday night. Registration is on Wednesday afternoon/evening, and as numbers will be limited for this edition only, we will convene at the local pub for the briefing (& maybe food).