The Whitchurch Primary Pedal

The 2014 Whitchurch Primary Pedal is a bike ride of 20, 40 or 60 miles through the North Wessex Downs AONB on very quiet lanes. The 20 mile route isn't that hilly, the 40-mile route is quite hilly and the 60-mile route is as hilly as is possible without building some extra hills on top of the existing hills. The 40- and 60-mile routes pass through Hampshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire, going over the highest point in South-East England - Walbury Hill.

The vast majority of the routes are on single-lane country roads bordered by hedgerows and fields. There are no A-roads, and only 1 mile of B-road on the 60-mile route.

All funds raised through entry fees and sponsorship will go to the registered charity FOWPS - Friends Of Whitchurch Primary School.

THE FACTS

Sunday May 18th 2014, 8am - 3pm

Starting from Whitchurch Primary School, McFauld Way, Whitchurch Hampshire RG28 7LS

Three routes:
20 miles with 420m of climbing, suitable for novice cyclists with a halfway stop at the White Hart pub in Stoke
40 miles with 1066m of climbing, suitable for more experienced cyclists with a halfway stop at the Vernham Deane Village Hall
60 miles with 1700m of climbing, suitable for experienced cyclists, with a halfway stop at the Vernham Deane Village hall

Start times:
60-mile route: 8 - 9am
40-mile route: 9 - 10am
20-mile route: 10 - 11am

THE DETAILS

Parking will be on the school field off McFauld Way, Whitchurch. No on-road parking is allowed as the school is in a residential area with limited parking.

You will register at the school and receive your printed A5-size event number, which will be affixed to your bike by folding around the seatpost, toptube or brake/gear cables and stapled onto itself by our friendly assistants.

Riders will be started in small groups at regular intervals, cycling from the school through the centre of Whitchurch and out into the countryside to the northwest. There will be no timing as this is not a race.

The three routes will be signposted with different-coloured A4-size arrows, intersections clearly marked 100m before, at and 50m after the turn. Marshals will be located at key intersections to assist and direct, but they cannot direct or stop traffic. The 40- and 60-mile routes involve crossing the A343 twice, the 60-mile route includes cycling along the A343 for a mile. Apart from that, it's single-lane rural access roads. No part of the course will be closed to traffic, road rules must be adhered to by all participants. Along the route will be 5-mile markers.

At the halfway stops Cake and other suitable comestibles like flapjack and the like will be provided free to participants, along with water and toilets. Some mechanical assistance will be present in the event of need, but no promise is made regarding repairs or availability of spares. All participants should plan to be self-sufficient mechanically, carry spare tubes, pump etc.

SO HOW HILLY IS HILLY?

From Whitchurch at 80m ASL you'll climb over the 250m contour line five times in all, including the fearsome West Woodhay Down (1 in 4) and Combe Gibbet, listed in the book '100 Greatest Cycling Climbs'. The 40-mile route cuts out the 4th, 5th and 6th climbs.

The 20-mile ride features much shorter hills that anyone on a geared bike should be able to tackle.

I WANT TO KNOW MORE

A detailed FAQ can be found on the website

THE BUSINESS

The entry fee is £10. Children under 16 are free to enter.

The event is now open for pre-entry.

Places are limited to 250 paying participants*. Pre-entering guarantees you a place upon payment. Payment will be open in March, you will be advised by email when it opens. Payment will be possible by bank transfer, in cash at the school, by cheque in the post or by PayPal with the addition of a small transaction fee. Once you have paid you will be allocated an event number by email.

To pre-enter, please fill in your details. You will receive a confirmation email to confirm your pre-entry.