
Supported by

Oct
2
2022

E-bikes are welcome at this event.
Tick the e-bike option when you sign up, and we’ll put you in the e-bike category for the event
Badlands returns with a new October date!
The Chilterns are a near perfect mix of roads tracks and trails for CX/gravel riding. Badlands spins out it’s route at the north of their range, allowing us to explore some of the darker, grittier folds of these deceptively demanding hills.
While the Chilterns might enjoy a genteel reputation today, their hidden history recalls them as a hotspot of dashing villainy, and for awhile at least, the dark hills north of the Thames were justifiably known as the badlands. Coaches loaded with cargo from trading vessels that docked at Henley had to make their way through the wooded hills where robbers watched and waited. The truth of these robberies were usually far from the romantic image of the gentleman robbers we have today, making this part of the country a forbidding proposition for tradesmen and travellers.
And the very things that made this area perfect for highway robbery, make it ideal for CX/gravel riding today. The densely folded and wooded hills conceal a network of lanes, tracks and trails the wind and climb and fall continuously. It’s a surprisingly harsh corner of the home counties; where the crumbling tarmac on the back roads can prove perilous for skinny road bikes, but where CX or gravel bikes come into their own. 29ers and 27.5in hardtails will eat up the miles on the dirt, and the constantly switching surface provides an entertaining ride and acts as a great leveller between the variety of bikes on the route.
Start Location
Princes Risborough School
Merton Rd
Princes Risborough
HP27 0DR
Start Time
Finish Time
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Add Junior Riders Here
Route Stats
The lowdown on this ride in numbers, profiles and maps; where the route goes, where it hills are, how demanding it is and which bike to use.
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Physical severity
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Technical severity
Short Route
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Mid Route
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Full Route
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Bike Suitability
Which bike will be best or this ride? The Wildwood is open to any bike and any rider – but here’s our guide to which type of bike suits this course best.
- Gravel / Adventure Bike 85%
- CX (race style cyclocross) 75%
- MTB 80%
- MTB (29er) 85%
- Hybrid* 65%
- Road* 45%
Warning: This ride contains off road sections and rough surfaces. Only use road bikes that are capable of some off road. DO NOT use any bike you do not want to expose to dirt and the risk scratches or some damage. Only use a bike with strong wheels and off road capable tyres. Remove commute style mudguards prior to the ride.
- Road 45%
- Gravel 35%
- Dirt 25%
Show / Hide Route Map
Riding the Chiltern Hills
The Chilterns are distinctive for their high ridges, dense woods and closely folded hills. It all makes for a tough but hugely enjoyable place to ride!
You’re at the eastern end of the Ridgeway here, and the ride takes you straight out onto that ancient trail before a brief clip thorough corner of the town and then quickly out into the countryside for the rest of the day. You’ll soon find yourself climbing, as the pattern of the day is established. The Chilterns don’t lie flat for long; the climbs and descents come in continuous succession. And as well as rising and falling, the Chilterns twist and wind too; long, don’t expect straight sweeps of terrain. It’s a mix that creates plenty of physical and enough technical to test and entertain you, all the while leading you through the sort of landscape that makes cycling good for the soul!
75km Full Route
The full Gravel challenge, taking on the best and toughest riding in the area!- Fully route marked by the event team
- Route map for all riders
- GPS files sent to pre entered riders (enter in advance to receive these)
- Rider timing by transponder tag. Results posted to these web pages.
- Mid ride Feed/Support Station.
- Finishers medals
- Hot food and drink available at event base.
- Emergency contact numbers for our team made available for you to carry with you.
- Additional late booking charges apply from 1 week before the event: +£2 in last week of booking, +£3 on the day entry.
55km Mid Route
A great day of riding, including the pick of the riding on the full route.- Fully route marked by the event team
- Route map for all riders
- GPS files sent to pre entered riders (enter in advance to receive these)
- Rider timing by transponder tag. Results posted to these web pages.
- Mid ride Feed/Support Station.
- Finishers medals
- Hot food and drink available at event base.
- Emergency contact numbers for our team made available for you to carry with you.
- Additional late booking charges apply from 1 week before the event: +£2 in last week of booking, +£3 on the day entry.
35km Short Route
Shorter, sharp and fun, a terrific ride that avoids the hardest sections of the longer routes.- Fully route marked by the event team
- Route map for all riders
- GPS files sent to pre entered riders (enter in advance to receive these)
- Rider timing by transponder tag. Results posted to these web pages.
- Mid ride Feed/Support Station.
- Finishers medals
- Hot food and drink available at event base.
- Emergency contact numbers for our team made available for you to carry with you.
- Additional late booking charges apply from 1 week before the event: +£2 in last week of booking, +£3 on the day entry.
Book Your Place Now
Add Junior Riders Here
Event Logistics
On the Ride
Entry on the Day
Registration
Following the Route
(Please note, in spite of our best efforts, signs can go missing or be tampered with during the course of the day. Make sure you pick up a copy of the route map at event registration, and carry it with you for use if needed. We also send out GPS files to all pre entries prior to the event, so if oyu want ot have the route on your phone or GPS device, sign up online now!)
Food and Drink
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Rider Timings & Medals
PLEASE NOTE: rider timings are provided for personal interest only and time bands are an optional target that you can choose to ignore. This event is not a race. No winner is declared, and no status or prizes are awarded for ‘beating’ other riders. The ride time and completed distance for any individual rider is taken on trust and cannot be definitively verified by the organisers.