← All eventsPeak District Gravel Epic
HARDER (grade D) gravel sportive on mixed White Peak limestone + Dark Peak gritstone from Bakewell — 109/77/51km, feed stations, no cut-offs. Climbing estimated (~2,400m). Date approximate.
It threads both faces of the Peak District: fast White Peak limestone trail and steep, rough Dark Peak gritstone. 109km out of Bakewell, with 77km and 51km options, in early June.
Elevation is not officially published, but the Epic packs an estimated 2,400m of climbing into rough and smooth ground. Graded D, it sits at the hard end of the Glorious Gravel series.
No cut-offs, e-bikes welcome, a medal and a beer at the finish. Do not read that as easy. The gritstone climbs are steep and loose, the descents chunky, and the tops open and weather-exposed.
Is Peak District Gravel Epic for you?
- Confident descenders. The chunky rutted bridleway descents are the biggest source of free time, so good handling pays off more than raw power here.
- Riders who like their pace to keep changing. Fast limestone trail flips to steep loose gritstone constantly, rewarding anyone who reads terrain and shifts gear early.
- Anyone matching ambition to the right route. The 51km is a genuinely approachable half-day, the 109km a serious 5.5 to 8 hour mixed-terrain test.
- Gravel riders happy on rough ground. Rugged tyres and low gears, not a road-ish setup, are what get you up and down the gritstone comfortably.
Training plan for Peak District Gravel Epic
A training plan for Peak District Gravel Epic 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.
- Steep, loose gritstone climbs that demand low gears and real traction
- Technical rocky descents where handling wins or loses the most time
- Constantly changing pace, fast limestone trail into rough steep sections
- 5.5 to 8+ hours on the Epic, exposed and weather-swept on the moorland tops
- Steep gravel climbs: 4 to 6 x 4 to 10min at 85 to 95% FTP on loose, low-gear climbs
- Technical descent reps: repeated runs of chunky rocky descents for confidence and speed
- Mixed-terrain long ride building to 4.5 to 5.5hr, alternating fast trail with steep climbs
- Event-pace long ride at target IF on mixed ground, rehearsing full fuelling
- 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
