Made a decision to get out today...Looked back at a route I had done many years ago, over at Bredon Hill, Worcestershire. The route is taken from the 'Retro' Guidebook, 'MTB in The Midlands'...Published 1994. Spot on for a '94 Lobster then...
I've attached the route & info from the book, (hope no copyright infringement??) Easy to follow & only back-tracked a couple of times, but I'm pretty useless with a Map.
The route is scheduled to start at the Church in the Village of Beckford, but had a couple of incidents which put paid to that. First off, some Teenage Girls crossed over, asked if I'd got a light then sat down on the bench...now you can imagine how rubbing in the Chammy Cream is going to go down here... :roll:
Just rolled out of the car park & the Village Store owner came over saying there's a wedding on, so could I move my car. Parked further down at the Village Hall, which is fine, but posed a problem later on my return...
Rolled out along minor country roads through the Villages of Beckford & Alderton, before joining a Bridleway around fields & up a BITCH of a climb. Being wary of the sheep at the top, (I won a stare out with a Ram, who I felt at one point may charge...) I descended down on an estate Track to the village of Dumbleton. Fast, with a couple of Cattle grids & speed bumps...Air Time!
A bit more B Road lanes & bridleways along fields which are fine, not boggy today & gives the legs a chance after the slog up early on. Arriving in Ashton under Hill, there's an enticing pub with benches on the high street, but far too early in the ride to stop. So onwards & upwards again! This is where it really begins to slog...not helped by the amount of gates you need to go through. The relentless climbing upwards brings you onto a nice gradual ascent up to the top of Bredon Hill, where you pass the Iron Age Fort, a Sacrificial Stone & a Communication Tower. (Nice short drop into the bowl of this here!) After traversing the top, apparently you can take in all the views of Evesham Vale & The Cotswolds, but due to the low mist today it was looking more like Belgium's flatlands...Some Great descents follow through singletrack, rolling woodland & very rocky wide tracks.
These bring you down into the Village of Kemerton, where you could stop for a pub lunch & then decide to climb back up over Bredon Hill from another route, but my legs wouldn't have stood for that. Some climbing through the village of Overbury and picking up some last Bridleways which culminate in a fast descent back to the start in Beckford...
Now, having parked up at the Village Hall, there's a Caravan site at the back & do you think I could change in peace! Why do people go caravanning to sit indoors?...With the prospect of a 2nd indecency charge looming, I dropped the bike into the car & continued on my way...
The route states 30km - (18km Off Road & 12km On Road), 3-4hrs but it took me 3hrs with all the stops of Pics & catching a breather. Quite a lumpy route, a bit of a slog up to Bredon Hill but you're rewarded once up on the top with views?? Some nice descents & if you were planning a full day up there, it seems there's more Bridleways to go at, especially being on The Wychavon Way at various points.
I've attached the route & info from the book, (hope no copyright infringement??) Easy to follow & only back-tracked a couple of times, but I'm pretty useless with a Map.
The route is scheduled to start at the Church in the Village of Beckford, but had a couple of incidents which put paid to that. First off, some Teenage Girls crossed over, asked if I'd got a light then sat down on the bench...now you can imagine how rubbing in the Chammy Cream is going to go down here... :roll:
Just rolled out of the car park & the Village Store owner came over saying there's a wedding on, so could I move my car. Parked further down at the Village Hall, which is fine, but posed a problem later on my return...
Rolled out along minor country roads through the Villages of Beckford & Alderton, before joining a Bridleway around fields & up a BITCH of a climb. Being wary of the sheep at the top, (I won a stare out with a Ram, who I felt at one point may charge...) I descended down on an estate Track to the village of Dumbleton. Fast, with a couple of Cattle grids & speed bumps...Air Time!
A bit more B Road lanes & bridleways along fields which are fine, not boggy today & gives the legs a chance after the slog up early on. Arriving in Ashton under Hill, there's an enticing pub with benches on the high street, but far too early in the ride to stop. So onwards & upwards again! This is where it really begins to slog...not helped by the amount of gates you need to go through. The relentless climbing upwards brings you onto a nice gradual ascent up to the top of Bredon Hill, where you pass the Iron Age Fort, a Sacrificial Stone & a Communication Tower. (Nice short drop into the bowl of this here!) After traversing the top, apparently you can take in all the views of Evesham Vale & The Cotswolds, but due to the low mist today it was looking more like Belgium's flatlands...Some Great descents follow through singletrack, rolling woodland & very rocky wide tracks.
These bring you down into the Village of Kemerton, where you could stop for a pub lunch & then decide to climb back up over Bredon Hill from another route, but my legs wouldn't have stood for that. Some climbing through the village of Overbury and picking up some last Bridleways which culminate in a fast descent back to the start in Beckford...
Now, having parked up at the Village Hall, there's a Caravan site at the back & do you think I could change in peace! Why do people go caravanning to sit indoors?...With the prospect of a 2nd indecency charge looming, I dropped the bike into the car & continued on my way...
The route states 30km - (18km Off Road & 12km On Road), 3-4hrs but it took me 3hrs with all the stops of Pics & catching a breather. Quite a lumpy route, a bit of a slog up to Bredon Hill but you're rewarded once up on the top with views?? Some nice descents & if you were planning a full day up there, it seems there's more Bridleways to go at, especially being on The Wychavon Way at various points.
