Summary
Where
Warmley Station
Bristol And Bath Railway Path
Warmley, BS30 5JB
Who
Organiser: Luke Hounsome
What
Series: Audax Club Bristol
Brief
In memory of Jon Banks, a much-loved friend and cycling companion in Audax Club Bristol and across the Audax Community, who died suddenly in 2025. Based on Jon’s classic North Wessex Downs event.
Event Info
£10
BR
Audax Awards
200
200 km
15-30 kph
14h24
Rainbow Flat
2019m
Facilities
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Overview
In memory of Jon Banks, a much-loved friend and cycling companion in Audax Club Bristol and across the Audax Community, who died suddenly in 2025.
Description
Based on Jon's classic North Wessex Downs event, we roll east from Bristol across the Cotswolds before arriving at the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
White Horses, natural downlands and historic Marlborough all feature on 100km riding through some of the best of our region's countryside. After a village hall stop for tea and cake, we roll west into the setting sun before crossing the Cotswolds once more for a well earned finish.
What others think.
Go big or go home
Great way to tick the Festive 500 box, but a great ride in its own right. Northampton makes the perfect mid ride stop (Travelodge for me for 25GBP, bargain) for those of us who like a kip in this length of ride.
Blessed with pretty mild weather in 2019, if there was another Beast from the East it would be a different kettle of fish!
Quirky fun
Such a characterful and interesting ride. Loved the concept and gives you a different experience to the normal audax event. Riding into London in the middle of the night is bizarre, and seeing the last train to Bristol leaving from Paddington as you arrive is a little tempting 🙂 Starting in the afternoon was great for me coming down to Bristol from further afield and made getting back easier too.
Thames tickler ride
Great ride into the Cotswolds.
Traffic a bit busy around the Water Park but not enough of an issue to warrant changing the route.
Moonraker and Sunseekers 2019
I’ve ridden a few audax events down the years from 100s to LEL and this was one of the most enjoyable. A 10pm start is actually a sensible way of doing it because it meant I could easily travel down from my home in Sheffield without having to book an overnight stay near the start. Also, unless you’re really fast which I’m not, you end up riding in the dark anyway with a traditional 6am start. Far better to get the night time riding out of the way first!
The route sheet and organisation were fantastic as was the hot food which was provided as part of the event at Poole Harbour. Just what you need after riding through the night!.
There’s certainly something special about seeing the dawn sunlight gradually emerge after a night ride and I was lucky enough to experience it on the section after breakfast where the route takes you off road around the harbour.
Thanks to Will and all the volunteers for making it such a memorable ride.
Nice one
Enjoyed this brisk (for me, anyway) 200km.
Great start, with plenty of parking, coffee shop. Nice winter route. Final control was a ‘banger’ and the soup was pot on.
A couple of suggestions that might make it a little better….
1. A ‘suggested’ stop before the half way post office control which was rammed (luckily it wasn’t raining) – I know we can freestyle and stop anywhere, but not knowing the area a couple of suggestions either side would’ve been nice.
2. The final section through the outskirts of North East Bristol, which is probably unavoidable, was a bit sketchy traffic-wise
Apart from those minor things…. brill!
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