Tour of the Hopfields
100k off-road sportive
I found this sportive by BeastwayMTB on the British cycling website where you can enter for a cost of £28. They keep the numbers low, under 80 for this ride. This is not just another marketing opportunity by an events company but organised by people who love cycling the local trails themselves.
The start was from the Crown Point Pub, Sevenoaks Road. We started off a little entrance into the woods from the side of the busy A25. We hit some single track but underneath us is sand and my tire pressure is way too high for it. I am the last person to set off so struggle to keep upright as I slip off the back. Up some very large steps and then onto a nice ridgeway through the woodlands.
The one and only feed stop was 54km ahead. But before this there was Rooks Hill to descend, some unmade roads to pass at Tonbridge and a fantastic view from the woodlands at Ide Hill. We weave on through a network of lanes, forest tracks and field-edge bridleways into the suberbs of Sevenoaks.
Onto the north Downs and we come up against some technical downhills with mini ravines filled with flints! After the feed stop that supplied us with hot tea and snack |(all included) we head onto Pilgrims way. But the first climb is a nasty chalk covered affair that makes me and someone much younger than me get off our bikes and push! At the top we are rewarded with MTB style bridleways cycling past small village church’s and vineyards.
Onto the Weald and up into Mereworth Woods Here we meet muddy trails that are challenging to keep upright on. But soon we were back onto long gravel roads that were firm and fast rolling. Over a freshly ploughed field that was hard work leading to fantastic views over the South Downs.
The route had given a lot of hard climbs and there was still more to come on broken bedrock that is super steep, a massive grassy climb. One last short sharp climb on tarmac and then a valley road down to the start/finish line.
Ightham Mote near Sevenoaks in Kent is a medieval moated manor house.
The 100k off-road sportive is ideal for cross and gravel bikes. It’s the perfect loosener on the eve of the cyclocross season. Mountain bike riders will like it too because it’s a fun day out with some interesting trail sections around.
Some parts were pretty muddy!
Overview
A really good course with lots of varied single tracks, bridleways and paths. You will need a gravel bike or an MTB. They say you can do it on a sturdy road bike but I do not recommend this as you will keep getting flats. I did see someone on a Bianchi but they kept having to stop to get mud out from the break callipers! It’s a long day with some hard riding but really enjoyable and you can always come back and just do some of the trails that you liked on a 50km section.
The course is marked but far and few between and you will need a sharp eye. Make sure you have loaded the GPS and tested it on the Garmin/Wahoo.
Good mixture of terrain with some stunning views.
You will be sharing with horses and dog walkers so remember it is not a race!
One feed station so make sure to take your own food. I took a camel back to store food and had a 2L water pouch also. I recommend this as water bottles can fly out and be lost on some of the downhills.
Good atmosphere from volunteers and riders.
No mechanical support or sag van so take spares and tools and know how to use them.
There were some photographers there and you could purchase images from their website a few days after the event.
For more information and to check out their next rides go here.
