Might do some of this on Sunday. Not being from round those parts, what’re the ground conditions like ( was there lots of rain today?)
Thanks

Dry up the chilterns end. Rain was just a bit of drizzle overnight.

Any recomendations for a section to do a ” Out and back ride” ?
might be able to spare a few hours on sunday and have never ridden the ridgeway.

singgletrackmind – take your pick! It’s a bit hillier/steeper & wooded in the northern section, more open and “ridge”-like west from Streatley. Lots of small car parks along the Ridgeway so pretty easy to start wherever you choose.

Might do some of this on Sunday. Not being from round those parts, what’re the ground conditions like ( was there lots of rain today?)

Dry round Wantage too, just a few muddy patches

Yay, someone else has already had a crack at the Ridgeway Double!!! (large418) Hopefully he’ll be along later to tell you all about it 🙂

Ok, so was looking for a biggish ride as final training for a couple of events in October, and heard about this route early last week, so I thought that it can’t be that hard can it?

So, got the clearance from home on Friday night, having printed off the maps at work, prepped the bike on Saturday (actually I oiled the chain and blew the tyres up), then drove down and kipped in the van at Overton Hill. Set the alarm for 3.30 hoping for a 4am start. The alarm didn’t do the trick, but a bunch of roadies going over the hill talking woke me up (wtf were they doing at 4.05am on a Sunday morning?). Got riding by 4.30. First puncture at 4.47 (Flint in the new tyre that the sealant wouldn’t seal). Back to the van for more air canisters, spare tube and to switch the lights off in the van. Got going again (having restarted the clock) at 5.20am.

Lots of miles later it got light enough to turn off my headtorch, and I was struck by the wide open views, trails and cracking scenery. I was surprised how few houses were down this way – I thought it would be quite well populated.the riding is easy, nothing technical, except keeping the front wheel either in a rut or out of it, and trying not to hit those sharp flinty rocks. Another puncture at 30km, and a bit of faffing trying to get the spare 26 inch tube into the 29 inch tyre, so then fixed the 29er tube instead. Eventually got to some vaguely familiar trails near Wendover from a few trailquests a few years back, then a monument / pub / visitor centre just before Ivinghoe that was heaving. 100 metres either side of this was heaving as well, then no one until Ivinghoe ice cream van and Beacon. 143km in 7 hours 35 mins, about 1 hour behind my target time, but not bad considering almost all the route was new to me. Quick rearranging of food and start the return leg. This felt quicker, and once I filled with water by a canal, it felt like I was flying. Then it started to seem like a long ride. 160km came and went, then 170, 200, until it got to 230km and it felt like I was nearly home. But I would be home after dark, which wasn’t the intention when I started. The riding is really not tricky, there’s a few fun bits through the woods around Wendover and Grims ditch was fun but too short. It got dark with about 25km to go, then pitch black half an hour later, and I couldn’t remember where the car park was – I was convinced I had about 5km more to go when I almost rode past the van.
Finished! 285 km in 15 hours 18 minutes, riding time 14.31, with an average of 19.6km/hr. Quite pleased, very relieved, but the time to beat was Mark’s time of a week ago but I didn’t have the legs for that.

Plus 7.7km from the aborted 1st bit, so a big day out in all.

The route is a great introduction to ITT’s. It’s a tough route in one hit, but easier than the South Downs double or Pennine Bridleway double etc, it would be a great overnighter as that would give the opportunity to play about in some of the woods, and there’s plenty of tracks that disappear off into the distance. It is never too far from civilisation if that’s a concern as well, so thanks to Mark for setting it up.

Great stuff, Steve! Glad you enjoyed it, and I’m particularly pleased that someone else has had a go so soon :-). Bad luck with the punctures…the perils of flint (I got lucky on my ride). Definitely worth mentioning that Ashridge Estate (near Ivinghoe Beacon) gets very busy at peak times. The trail through the estate is wide, but can nevertheless be rather slow as you (politely!) dodge through the day trippers.

I’ve never heard of this ITT self supported stuff, looks ace like something to train for. As i’m in Blewbury the Ridegway one looks a good starter.

Bump!

Site’s down though 🙁 http://ridgewaydouble.net

Ooh, that’s a shame – I hadn’t spotted it first time around. Anyone got a copy of the GPX they can distribute?

Text is still here:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:5d2sMG2iv5oJ:ridgewaydouble.net/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

And this looks like the route:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zB8c6M2JHoxw.kpvmoe13XHX8

Hi all! Web site is temporarily down while I migrate it to a new web host. Tip – don’t go with Bluehost, they lure you in with cheap prices and then fleece you with the renewal! Hope to have it online in a day or two. If anyone needs the route, ping me an email. Cheers. Mark.

Lil bump for this, anyone done it recently.

I quite fancy it at some point this summer, though as a bikepacking trip over at least 2 days, more like 3 days 2 nights! Was thinking start/finish at Ivinghoe Beacon