I’ve said it many times, but the Hotchillee Stone Circle was one of the best days on the bike last year. That says a lot, considering all the amazing events we get to travel to all over the world. Once again this year, the event came up top trumps. Everything from the route to the idyllic arena at Old Sarum to the slick organization and laid-back atmosphere makes this an event I would recommend to anyone.
The event offers 220, 165, and 50 km distances, with the earliest start times between 4:30 and 5:30 AM—a truly eye-watering, coffee-needing, ridiculous time! With the 220 km event likely to take the fastest riders 8 to 10 hours and the more casual riders well over 15 hours, I can see why the early start is necessary. But wow, it makes for an early morning! Do you skip breakfast for an extra 20 minutes in bed?
We stayed a five-minute ride away in the local Premier Inn, which would be my recommendation if you were to do this event next year. It’s particularly handy as you can leave the car there for the day. An even better idea would be to hire out a big house with a group of friends, like some other riders did who are part of a cycling club run by a local bike shop. I did not envy the people who drove to the event from home that morning!
Before the sun had a chance to rise, the first riders departed the English Heritage Iron Age hill fort and dropped down the hill through fun singletrack that led towards hours of beautiful gravel riding. We arrived at the start around 5:15 AM, letting the eager racers set off at the earliest times. For me, this was a chance to do an event without the usual race weekend pressures and simply enjoy riding my bike in a great location with some friends. There would be no power PRs on the Rotor power meter today.
Just as the sun began to poke its head over the hills, we set off with big smiles and energy products filling every bit of space in my Apidura frame packs and hydration pack. There was a long epic ride ahead, and many snacks would be needed. One particular rider who set off just in front of us had a tub of Pringles in their jersey pocket—chapeau to you!
I rode with a coaching client, which was super fun and a chance to spend hours catching up. This is someone I used to race with, and sadly, we don’t get to meet up too often these days.
As we rode through the opening kilometres, the early start immediately made sense—the sunrise cast the most amazing views in every direction. After about 30 minutes, we got our first sighting of Stonehenge. From high above, we could look down on these mysterious stones. The view was too good not to stop for a photo, we found ourselves pausing many times to take photos of the stunning scenery along the route.
Upon reaching Stonehenge, we took the bikes for a little walk along a path normally closed off to cyclists, giving us a close-up view of one of the best-known prehistoric monuments in Europe. It was a truly special moment, connecting us with the ancient past as we prepared for the challenging ride ahead.
Once back on the bikes, we entered Salisbury Plain, riding on tracks specially licensed by the Army that aren’t normally open to the public. This unique experience was a highlight of the route, leading us to the iconic fast-rolling gravel of the Imber Range perimeter path. The climbs here are steep and relentlessly frequent. Despite the tough terrain, the kilometres tick by quickly.
After about 2.5 hours, we reached the first feed zone, nestled atop the hills with stunning views looking north towards Bath and Chippenham. This picturesque spot provided the perfect backdrop for a much-needed break, where we could refuel and take in the beautiful landscape.
The feel of the ride changes after Warminster as you leave the wide open plains and enter the ancient woodland of Longleat Forest. Here, there’s a mix of singletrack, punchy climbs, and beautiful forestry. The terrain becomes quite rough in certain sections, but the Lauf Seigla with its Grit fork, offering 30mm of travel and wide tire clearance, made the ride significantly more enjoyable. Remembering the numerous punctures from last year, I opted for the bombproof Schwalbe G One Overland tires in 50c—my go-to winter tires for the flinty hills where I train.
This section of the route takes you to King Alfred’s Tower at the 100km mark, where we find the second feed zone. It was at this point we began catching up with a few similarly paced riders and groups. We even bumped into a few sponsors out on the course. It was fun to chat with different people and hear their stories from the kilometres completed so far.
The feed zones were piled high with delicious snacks, including white chocolate cookies, which I couldn’t resist sampling at three of the four feed zones! It’s at this feed zone where the 220km and 165km routes split.
After another thrilling 10km of fun and mostly downhill trails, the course transitions into a long tarmac stretch of around 25 kilometres through narrow, quiet country lanes. This section provides a great opportunity to cover some distance quickly, refill glycogen stores, and recover a bit before tackling the next off-road segments.
Soon, you pass through Sturminster, a perfect spot to add an extra feed zone or grab some lunch or a coffee if you’re feeling particularly relaxed about the ride. After this brief respite, you join the North Dorset Trailway, a converted railway line that offers a flat stretch, giving your legs a break from the continuous undulations. Along this scenic path, you pass the old Shillingstone station, where on a more leisurely day, you could take a longer look at the steam engines or enjoy an afternoon cream tea.
At this point, both of us were starting to flag, our legs feeling the effects of the distance already covered. With the final push to the line looming, we each took a caffeine gel to summon the last reserves of energy.
Exiting the trailway we were almost 6 hours into the route, a quick fill up of the bottles at feed zone 3 and then up ahead the hills await. The Wiltshire Downs create a few more tough challenges but they reward with more amazing views. Even in this part of the ride there’s such a mix of riding, one minute you’re bombing down through a farmers field, the next you’re out on wide open gravel, then you find yourself in thick woodland. There’s plenty to keep you occupied but the kilometres keep coming. A few rough sections pop up at you to slow the speed and test those achy legs. We’re thankful to have filled up the glycogen stores earlier because you could quite easily go pop here and have nothing left to get home.
Suddenly, the Wahoo computer shows we are just a few kilometres from the end. We cross the River Avon and ride out into the open, where Old Sarum can be seen perched atop the hillside. We can already taste the salty cheesy chips awaiting us at the finish line!
We push up the singletrack, into the arena, and finally, over the line. What a great day on the bike! Yet, there’s a tinge of sadness because the ride has been so enjoyable that you almost wish it would go on forever. This truly epic ride provided countless great memories over the course of 220 kilometres. It’s days like these that remind us why we love cycling.
