The Jon Banks Memorial

A route which makes Oxfordshire and the South West feel much of a piece, cut from a cloth of warm stone and small village life, animated by different kinds of hills. 600s, I guess, should have good controls — the extra length can add a bit of flexibility to the planning, and the riders need the comfort. The Steam Express delivers in old-fashioned, often train-related style. Benjamin Perry Scout Hut was a near perfect Arrivée. The trip West to the coast at Watchet offered a lighthouse / light-buoy? to look out at while eating some breakfast at the Marina cafe. The hop over to the Exe valley comes to a halt at the dark and mirrored victorian bar of the Beer Engine pub, offering welcome cool, before the route starts to head East via Yeovil Railway Centre towards the Cotswolds, stopping at Ginny’s Cafe and then the Coronation Hall in Kintbury. Pressing on into the night brings up The Iron Duke Sea Cadets’ hut, with a fabulously behatted Duck Iron Duke (or maybe Nelson?). Those last two stops provided hot food in copious quantities, and encouraged you to ride on through the night. But the second halves of 600s tend to drag in the memory; exhaustion greys most stuff out. Bicester as a Free stop and Middle Barton as an Info went with that flow, but Blunsdon Station was a tonic; breakfast in an old railway carriage lifted the spirits (but avoid the coffee). The route only has 2AAA points, but the little hills take their toll; the run into Bristol was mysteriously populated by hills, where none had ever existed before. The Arrivée was full of cake and tea. Great support, particularly on the night section. Pictures #gwrsteam

The name gives a good indication of the intent, as does the inclusion of a 20% climb around the 175 km mark (Simon Warren: 6/10, ‘this vicious little road’) — but that’s not the whole story. The name also refers to Upper and Lower Slaugther, two small villages in the Cotswolds, and this is a route of many chocolate-box villages and towns. In fact, on a sunny day, this would probably be one of the prettiest routes I have ridden. The climbs have views, looking out over counties. The descents have their villages, with their anchoring churches. The roads are generally decently surfaced, though there are some small, muddy and leafy lanes, with cambers and corners. The cafe at the steam railway station in Toddington was, on a Saturday, full to bursting with cyclists. Very well organized.

Bill’s Easton Connection (2019). The hardest 300 I have ridden overall. There are no spectacular climbs, but rather there is a constant war of attrition on the legs, with short and sharp ups and downs and, as the downs are often laney, little oportunity for the more cautious rider to get speed up. Portland Bill makes for a lovely mid-point, especially if you haven’t been there before, and the return North to Bristol is filled with some particularly lovely villages, as well as the cobbled climb up to the cafe in Shaftesbury (which caught me out — the trick, I was told, was to commit early), and Longleat’s grounds. Never has Lansdown Hill seemed so long and so steep. Will Pomeroy, the organizer, increases his reputation as the Torquemada of the Audax world, testing one’s faith in one’s legs. Only the pure of heart survive. All is forgiven, though, when one realizes the elegance of the route’s naming. Pictures #gwrbec

I’ve ridden this event twice in the last three years and it’s a really well-constructed winter 200 – a good mix of quiet lanes, B roads and some minor A roads – and some cycle path. You go through the Bath Twin Tunnels after half an hour and that’s always atmospheric. The controls are excellent- Ginny’s Cafe is in a great location in a village along the Wylye Valley and then the folks at the little village church not far from Salisbury do a great job in looking after the riders. You get a stunning view of the southern half of Dorset from a ridge near Shaftesbury before taking a peek at the famous ‘Hovis advert’ cobbled street in the town. Somewhere on the Somerset Levels we had to do a watery diversion due to a road closure – it only added a few mins. Then I experienced climbing up Cheddar Gorge in total darkness – very atmospheric! So a ride which has great variety and hopefully will run again next year.

A really enjoyable Audax. Well organised while keeping the entry cost minimal. Plenty of cafes and public toilets on the route. Some stunning scenery and a mixture of bike paths, country lanes and more popular cycling roads. The start and finish is ideal for travel from Bath, Bristol or surrounding villages and towns. Good lights are definitely essential for the start and finish.