PLAIN AND GAIN
Cycling Plus UK|November 2023
Cycling Plus gets stuck into the Ekoi Stone Circle, which is aiming to be the biggest gravel ride in the south of England
Adrian Miles
PLAIN AND GAIN

Cycling Plus has spent enough time riding along the network of gravel roads and tracks of Salisbury Plain on countless photoshoots over the years to know it'd make the bones of a brilliant gravel event. Northern England and Scotland in particular are blessed with the terrain and wilderness to allow several events to develop into bucket-list rides - we count the Dirty Reiver in Kielder Forest and Dukes Weekender in The Trossachs among them. Both are tantalising prospects for anyone north of Manchester, but for riders in the south of England, both are onerous schleps up the motorway. A big hello, then, to the Ekoi Stone Circle, a new addition to the gravel calendar from events firm Hotchillee that levels up gravel riding for fans of the rough stuff in the south, making full use of Salisbury Plain's copious natural gifts for a rigorous test of skill and stamina.

With a name inspired by the world-famous Stonehenge, the ancient monument built to align with the sunrise on the summer solstice (the longest day of the year), it made marketing sense for Hotchillee to stage the event on the solstice weekend, this year on 24 June. It also made practical sense, since the longer Epic 215km route would need as much natural light as possible. For those who took on this route, I doff my cap. The shorter 135km Monumental option that I opted for would prove more than enough...

FROM BC TO BRITISH CYCLING

The longest day of the year got underway for me in a suitably bracing manner, with the roaring of my alarm at 2.30am. The Monumental-course riders were due to start at 5.30am, and it'd be a two-hour drive from my Cheltenham home to the start line at the historic hilltop fort of Old Sarum, the ruined and deserted site of the earliest settlement of Salisbury, dated to 400 BC.

This story is from the November 2023 edition of Cycling Plus UK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November 2023 edition of Cycling Plus UK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM CYCLING PLUS UKView All
Air Apparent - Pollution hasn't gone away. It's still there in every lungful, even if we can't see it in the air or on the news. But there are reasons to breathe easier, thanks to pioneering projects using cycling 'citizen scientists'. Rob Ainsley took part in one...
Cycling Plus UK

Air Apparent - Pollution hasn't gone away. It's still there in every lungful, even if we can't see it in the air or on the news. But there are reasons to breathe easier, thanks to pioneering projects using cycling 'citizen scientists'. Rob Ainsley took part in one...

The toxic effects of pollution have been known about for years. 'Just two things of which you must beware: Don't drink the water and don't breathe the air!' sang 1960s satirist Tom Lehrer.Over recent decades, though, pollution has dropped down our list of things to worry about, thanks to ominously capitalised concerns such as Climate Change, AI, Global Conflict, Species Collapse, etc. That doesn't, unfortunately, mean the problem has expired. Air quality often exceeds safe limits, with far-reaching and crippling effects on our health.

time-read
8 mins  |
October 2024
No limits
Cycling Plus UK

No limits

Not every adventure needs to be that epic, says bikepacking Scotland founder Markus Stitz

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
UNBOUND UNLEASHED
Cycling Plus UK

UNBOUND UNLEASHED

Josh Patterson was one of 34 starters for the inaugural edition of Unbound in 2006. Now, with more than 5,000 riders taking part in today's event, he charts the rise of the most important race in gravel

time-read
8 mins  |
October 2024
FOREST COMMISSION
Cycling Plus UK

FOREST COMMISSION

Looking for a goal race in 2025 that'll stimulate the synapses and live long in the memory? You'd struggle to do better than ENID CRV in Finland

time-read
6 mins  |
October 2024
15 OF THE BEST ADVENTURES
Cycling Plus UK

15 OF THE BEST ADVENTURES

Featuring Yorkshire, the USA, Sri Lanka and more, here are our picks of the world's greatest gravel races and routes

time-read
4 mins  |
October 2024
The stuff of dreams
Cycling Plus UK

The stuff of dreams

Ned sings the praises of the Paris Olympics road-race course

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
"I rode 3,000 miles around Britain on a bamboo bike to highlight our climate crisis"
Cycling Plus UK

"I rode 3,000 miles around Britain on a bamboo bike to highlight our climate crisis"

Recordbreaking cyclist and triathlete Kate Strong, 45, took to the road to raise awareness of environmental issues

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE
Cycling Plus UK

FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE

We venture into the hidden gem of the glorious Creuse, one of France's least populated regions

time-read
7 mins  |
October 2024
STAR TREK
Cycling Plus UK

STAR TREK

New tube shapes and carbon lay-up makes the eighth generation of Trek's legendary Madone an aero and climbing bike all rolled into one

time-read
4 mins  |
October 2024
GOLD RUSH
Cycling Plus UK

GOLD RUSH

With conflict around the world, Paris 2024 was a ray of light. Here are our highs of a mighty Olympics

time-read
1 min  |
October 2024