Off-Piste in the Peak District

Earning pints is one of my favourite things about riding bikes. And it’s a joy that seems only to be amplified when riding off-road in good company.

Mid-October, The Service Course hosted their inaugural Gravel Bonanza event: a 100km all-road route carefully crafted by the team at Outdoor Provisions and Second City Divide. Starting with breakfast at their cafe cum shop in Wilmslow the day proceeded to take in some of the finest gravel, forest tracks and asphalt the Peak District has to offer whilst sure to pass through every manner of gate along the way, before winding back along canal towpaths and old cobbled city streets into Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

No racing, no competition. Just a self-paced social roll-out aimed at bringing like-minded souls together to explore and connect. With a very welcomed mid-way sustenance stop with all the coffee and nut-butter you could ever want before ending at Tracks Brewery, there was plenty of opportunity to share stories from the ride and solidify newly forged friendships.

The ride even managed to raise some cash for The Peak District National Park with each ticket including a £5 donation.

Thanks to The Service Course for inviting us along.

For more events like this, be sure to keep an eye on @theservicecourse .

You can check the full route out for yourself here.