Date: Sunday 8th September 2024

Start: Arrival from 7am for 8am start

Distance: Short, Medium, Long

Location: St Giles Hospice, Whittington, WS14 9LH

Entry: Starting from £35

Fundraising Target: £150 (hit the target and you will receive a cycling jersey)

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Support us from your saddle this autumn!

Whether you’re a regular rider or new to cycling, we’d love you to support us from your saddle this autumn and help celebrate the 10th anniversary of our St Giles Cycle events.

With three routes to choose from, including revisiting our original Long route, you won’t struggle to find a cycle to suit you or the whole family. Children aged 10+ can join our Short route, whilst everyone aged 16+ can join our Long and Medium route.

Supporters taking part in our cycle events over the last nine years have raised more than £520,000 to fund care for local people, which is truly amazing! Can you help make our 10th anniversary of Cycle St Giles the biggest yet?

Entry closes at 12pm on Saturday 7th September 2024.

What’s included in your entry fee?

Route information

Short route

(ages 10+)

Approx. 25 miles

Download GPX route

Starting at the hospice, its time to enjoy the flat lanes out to Elford and on to Clifton Campville.  A steady climb brings you to Grangewood and head back west through Rosliston to the feed station at the Bulls Head.  Sorry everyone it won’t be open yet!

Everyone then heads to Walton on Trent (where you say goodbye to the medium and long route riders) and you get to enjoy the road by the Trent, a short climb and then pedalling past Catton Park. If the wind is in the right direction, you will get blown along here. If not, you will know it!!

After passing the Catton Hall estate, you turn left toward Croxall and then wind your way back to the hospice via Edingale and Harleston, before crossing the A513, the River Tame and back to the hospice for medals, drinks and some well earned food.

For your safety we will have a sweep vehicle on the route who may be able to assist you with any small mechanical issues. Call Event Control if you have an issue and we will get someone to you as soon as we can. We also will have medical support out on part of the route as well as at the hospice.

Medium route

(ages 16+)

Approx. 47 miles

Download GPX route

Starting at the hospice, its time to enjoy the flat lanes out to Elford and on to Clifton Campville.  A steady climb brings you to Grangewood and head back west through Rosliston to the feed station at the Bulls Head.  Sorry everyone it won’t be open yet!

Everyone heads to Walton on Trent where the short route leaves you and you travel over the River Trent to Barton Under Needwood and the feed station at John Taylor High School. There will be mechanical support here kindly provided by 2Wheels Only.

Cycling through Barton under Needwood, you turn right at the Little India Restaurant and then a first left through the lanes, crossing the A515 at the Forrester’s Arms.

A right turn at the bottom of the hill and it’s a flat(ish) pedal to Hoar Cross and the first major hill as you turn left at the Meynell Arms and tackle the undulating roads all the way to Abbotts Bromley and a second feed station.

Out of Abbotts Bromley you turn left and enjoy the exhilarating descent to Blithfield Reservoir. Take care here as you will descend at speed and will need to save some energy as after crossing the Reservoir there is another short sharp climb to Admaston.

About a mile onwards, at the bottom of the steady descent the Medium and Long Routes split, and Rugeley Cycles will be here to help you if needed.

The Medium Route turns to Colton (passing another pub!) before visiting ‘the sisters’ two short sharp climbs whose gradients peak at around13%.

After saying a fond farewell to ‘the sisters’ (if you still have any breath!) the Medium Route joins up with the long route and you head back through Hill Ridware, Kings Bromley and then turn right (if the wind is in the right direction, you will fly along this wide main road. If its not, it might be hard work).

On seeing the sign for Orgreave carrying straight on toward Alrewas, staying on the A513, over the A38 flyover and past the National Memorial Arboretum.  Take care as you cross the narrow bridge over the River Tame, go under the railway bridge and branch left, then right turn toward Croxall.  You then wind your way back to the hospice via Edingale and Harleston, before crossing the A513, the River Tame and back to the hospice for medals, drinks and some well earned food.

For your safety we will have a couple of our volunteers on cycles pedalling at the back. They may be able to assist you with any small mechanical issues if you can’t get to where we have mechanics (John Taylor School in Barton Under Needwood and near Colton). If you are not able to get to these places, call Event Control if you have an issue and we will get someone to you as soon as we can. We also will have medical support out on the route as well as at the hospice.

Long route from 2014

(ages 16+)

Approx. 63 miles

Download GPX route

To celebrate our ten year anniversary we’re taking you back to that very first long route.

Starting at the hospice, its time to enjoy the flat lanes out to Elford and on to Clifton Campville.  A steady climb brings you to Grangewood and head back west through Rosliston to the feed station at the Bulls Head.  Sorry everyone it won’t be open yet!

Everyone heads to Walton on Trent where the short route leaves you and you travel over the River Trent to Barton Under Needwood and the feed station at John Taylor High School. There will be mechanical support here kindly provided by 2Wheels Only.

Cycling through Barton under Needwood, you turn right at the Little India Restaurant and then a first left through the lanes, crossing the A515 at the Forrester’s Arms (another pub that wont be open. There is a theme developing here).

A right turn at the bottom of the hill and it’s a flat(ish) pedal to Hoar Cross and the first major hill as you turn left at the Meynell Arms and tackle the undulating roads all the way to Abbotts Bromley and a second feed station.

Out of Abbotts Bromley you turn left and enjoy the exhilarating descent to Blithfield Reservoir. Take care here as you will descend at speed and will need to save some energy as after crossing the Reservoir there is another short sharp climb to Admaston.

About a mile onwards, at the bottom of the steady descent the Medium and Long Routes split, and Rugeley Cycles will be here to help you if needed.

The Long Route heads for Little and then Great Haywood. Tixall is the next village we get to, then it’s the toughest part of the ride. Up Brocton Road and on to the final feed station at Brocton Village Hall (which is just a few yards off the route)  where again mechanical support will be available if needed.

Take on water and food here as once you turn out of the Village Hall and get back on the route, it’s time to get in to a low gear and turn right up Brocton Hill, a category two climb that has been cycled by the likes of Bradley Wiggins in the Tour of Britain.

Coming off the Chase there is a lovely descent to Rugeley. Crossing Western Spring Road and into Church Street, there’s a quick right and left and we head out of Rugeley, climbing Blithbury Road and you head back through Hill Ridware, Kings Bromley and then turn right (if the wind is in the right direction, you will fly along this wide main road. If it’s not, it might be hard work).

On seeing the sign for Orgreave carrying straight on toward Alrewas, staying on the A513, over the A38 flyover and past the National Memorial Arboretum.  Take care as you cross the narrow bridge over the River Tame, go under the railway bridge and branch left, then right turn toward Croxall. You then wind your way back to the hospice via Edingale and Harleston, before crossing the A513, the River Tame and back to the hospice for medals, drinks and some well earned food.

For your safety we will have a couple of our volunteers on cycles pedalling at the back and others riding the route and saying hello as they go. They may be able to assist you with any small mechanical issues if you can’t get to where we have mechanics (John Taylor School in Barton Under Needwood, near Colton and at Brocton Village Hall). If you are not able to get to these places, call Event Control if you have an issue and we will get someone to you as soon as we can. We also will have medical support out on the route as well as at the hospice.

Special thanks to the following companies for supporting Cycle St Giles:

Frequently Asked Questions

All three routes start at St Giles Hospice, Fisherwick Road, Whittington, WS14 9LH.

There are limited parking spaces available a short walk from the hospice. Marshalls will be on-hand to direct you. Car sharing or cycling to the route is the best option as the area will be very busy.

Please fill in your emergency contact details, medical conditions and allergy information on the back of your rider number and attach this to your handlebars or brake cables. If you haven’t received your cycle number, please collect it at the check-in desk.

Check-in opens at 7am but please ensure you’re here by 7.45am latest, ready to set off from the hospice in waves from 8am. On arrival please head to the check-in desk with your QR code ready to be scanned. This can be found in your confirmation email.

An EN 1078 approved safety helmet must be worn at all times during the ride.

There will be tea and coffee, pastries, and bananas available to fuel you before you begin your ride. Feed stations will be available on all routes, see below for more information. There will be freshly cooked chicken or falafel wraps for you to enjoy after completing your ride.

We have water and snack stations on all routes. Please be mindful of other cyclists following behind you and take only what you need so that there is enough for everyone.

We recommend that all riders bring at least one full water bottle and sufficient snacks for the route, using our feed stations as back-up.

Access to toilets will be available at each feed station.

Refreshment stations will be available at:

1) The Bulls Head, Rosliston – All routes (13 miles in)
2) John Taylor High School – Medium and long routes only (17 miles in)
3) Infinitii, Abbotts Bromley – Medium and long routes only (26 miles in)
4) Brocton Village Hall – Long route only (39 miles in)

Please return to the hospice on completion of your ride so that we can ensure all participants have returned safely.