The Kemble Round & The White Horse Round - long-distance gravel routes in The Cotswolds and Wiltshire
The Kemble Round & The White Horse Round
My Story
I'm Robin, a keen gravel rider living in Kemble, near Cirencester, and I enjoy researching and riding long-distance routes. I put together The Kemble Round in 2021 and The White Horse Round in 2022, both to raise money for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. If you've followed a link here after visiting the websites for either of the routes, or have come in via social media, please do make a donation (and Gift Aid it if possible). This is the GWAAC's own charity giving platform - donations go straight to them.
The Kemble Round was dreamt up during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020-21 when I found myself with a bit more time on my hands for exploring the backroads, byways and bridleways of Gloucestershire. It starts and finishes in the quiet Gloucestershire village of Kemble, and takes in a great swathe of the picturesque and steep-sided Cotswold edge to the west, from Wotton-under-Edge to Cleeve Hill, via Dursley, Stroud, Painswick, Birdlip and Andoversford. The return leg passes through more remote countryside to the east, and returns down the Churn Valley into Cirencester. At almost exactly 100 miles this is a beautiful but very hilly route - somewhere towards 10,000ft of climbing in total (varying considerably according to what mapping you're using). Pretty tough, but it repays the effort many times over.
The White Horse Round was launched in 2022 and has been revised in 2023. It's almost entirely located in Wiltshire, is a bit longer than The Kemble Round (117 miles), but has less climbing (~5,500ft). It's still doable in a long day, or makes a great two-day bikepacking outing. It's a tremendous, varied route that passes or opens up views of as many as six white horse hill figures. Bradford-on-Avon makes a great start point, and from there it takes in the Kennet & Avon canal, the northern perimiter of Salisbury Plain, Devizes, Cherhill Down, Avebury, The Ridgeway, old hidden routes through Swindon, Cricklade, and the Fosse Way.
Both routes were meticulously researched and the quality of the riding is top class. There are dedicated websites for each, with downloadable GPS files, route descriptions and maps, and tips for preparation and attempts. I hope they inspire (and facilitate) riders to take on these interesting, exciting and challenging outings, in a really magical part of the UK, and can generate some funds for the air ambulance charity. With many sportives and organised rides charging £50 or more for entry I'd encourage anyone to give whatever they can in return for the GPS files and info on offer - we suggest just £5 or £10, or more if you feel so inclined. You'll end up with the warm glow of having completed a brilliant day out on the bike and making a difference for a really valuable and worthwhile charity.
Gloucestershire and much of the rest of the West Country is incredibly fortunate to be served by the Great Western Air Ambulance. As someone who loves the outdoors I wanted to do my bit to support the amazing, life-saving work they do, which is so valued by cyclists, walkers, paddlers and climbers. At the same time these routes really show off some of the most stunning Gloucestershire and Wiltshire landscapes, and will perhaps introduce this beautiful part of the world to more people.
The Kemble Round website
The Kemble Round on Facebook
The White Horse Round website
The White Horse Round on Facebook
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Target
£2,500
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Raised so far
£2,006
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Number of donors
76
My Story
I'm Robin, a keen gravel rider living in Kemble, near Cirencester, and I enjoy researching and riding long-distance routes. I put together The Kemble Round in 2021 and The White Horse Round in 2022, both to raise money for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. If you've followed a link here after visiting the websites for either of the routes, or have come in via social media, please do make a donation (and Gift Aid it if possible). This is the GWAAC's own charity giving platform - donations go straight to them.
The Kemble Round was dreamt up during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020-21 when I found myself with a bit more time on my hands for exploring the backroads, byways and bridleways of Gloucestershire. It starts and finishes in the quiet Gloucestershire village of Kemble, and takes in a great swathe of the picturesque and steep-sided Cotswold edge to the west, from Wotton-under-Edge to Cleeve Hill, via Dursley, Stroud, Painswick, Birdlip and Andoversford. The return leg passes through more remote countryside to the east, and returns down the Churn Valley into Cirencester. At almost exactly 100 miles this is a beautiful but very hilly route - somewhere towards 10,000ft of climbing in total (varying considerably according to what mapping you're using). Pretty tough, but it repays the effort many times over.
The White Horse Round was launched in 2022 and has been revised in 2023. It's almost entirely located in Wiltshire, is a bit longer than The Kemble Round (117 miles), but has less climbing (~5,500ft). It's still doable in a long day, or makes a great two-day bikepacking outing. It's a tremendous, varied route that passes or opens up views of as many as six white horse hill figures. Bradford-on-Avon makes a great start point, and from there it takes in the Kennet & Avon canal, the northern perimiter of Salisbury Plain, Devizes, Cherhill Down, Avebury, The Ridgeway, old hidden routes through Swindon, Cricklade, and the Fosse Way.
Both routes were meticulously researched and the quality of the riding is top class. There are dedicated websites for each, with downloadable GPS files, route descriptions and maps, and tips for preparation and attempts. I hope they inspire (and facilitate) riders to take on these interesting, exciting and challenging outings, in a really magical part of the UK, and can generate some funds for the air ambulance charity. With many sportives and organised rides charging £50 or more for entry I'd encourage anyone to give whatever they can in return for the GPS files and info on offer - we suggest just £5 or £10, or more if you feel so inclined. You'll end up with the warm glow of having completed a brilliant day out on the bike and making a difference for a really valuable and worthwhile charity.
Gloucestershire and much of the rest of the West Country is incredibly fortunate to be served by the Great Western Air Ambulance. As someone who loves the outdoors I wanted to do my bit to support the amazing, life-saving work they do, which is so valued by cyclists, walkers, paddlers and climbers. At the same time these routes really show off some of the most stunning Gloucestershire and Wiltshire landscapes, and will perhaps introduce this beautiful part of the world to more people.
The Kemble Round website
The Kemble Round on Facebook
The White Horse Round website
The White Horse Round on Facebook
