← All eventsThe Affric Gravel Sportive
Remote Highland gravel sportive through Glen Affric on rugged estate and forest tracks — self-reliant, weather-exposed, grassroots. Long and short routes; exact distance/climbing and the early-October 2027 date are approximate (confirm with organiser).
A gravel sportive deep in Glen Affric, one of Scotland's wildest glens. Ancient Caledonian pine, a chain of lochs, and estate tracks that climb away onto open moorland. Rugged, remote, unmistakably Highland.
This is self-reliant riding. Limited signal, long gaps between help, minimal feed. You carry your own spares and food and you are your own mechanic out there.
It's a timed sportive with a rolling start, not a race. A long day decided by durability and self-sufficiency, with a shorter route for those who want the glen without the full exposure.
Is The Affric Gravel Sportive for you?
- Riders who love an adventure over a bunch race. This is a remote glen day, self-navigated and self-supported, not a wheel-to-wheel scrap.
- Self-sufficient riders comfortable fixing a flat and staying warm miles from help. Out here that skill matters as much as your fitness.
- Durable diesel engines who can hold a steady effort for hours. The day rewards patience on the glen floor and grit on the tiring run home.
- Anyone who'll dress for Highland October. Cold, wet, windy moorland respects riders who pack proper layers, not a mild-autumn spin.
Training plan for The Affric Gravel Sportive
A training plan for The Affric Gravel Sportive isn't a generic base build. Beina reads the event's exact demands, looks at your specific profile and the time you actually have, and maps a highly adapted plan to the start line.
- Loose-surface climbing: power on gravel comes slower than on tarmac, especially on the sustained drag out of the glen
- Full weather exposure on open moorland, with wind and cold and a high chance of Highland rain
- Rough estate gravel where confident handling saves real time and energy
- A long aerobic day on tiring legs, finishing on the gravel miles back to Cannich
- Long Z2 gravel rides building steadily toward the full route duration, the core durability work
- Back-half durability: tempo efforts placed late in a long ride to rehearse the tiring run home
- Loose-climb tempo, 3 to 4 by 8 to 15 minutes on gravel climbs, plus sweet-spot blocks
- Kit and fuelling rehearsal on a full remote-ride setup, proving your self-sufficiency before the day
- Built from your current fitness and the time you actually have
- Adapts every week as Beina learns how you respond
- Syncs your sessions straight to Garmin and Wahoo
- One clear next session, never a wall of spreadsheet
