About The Routes

Road routes

 

The Classic – 166.8km. 2,189m (104m, 7,181ft)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54578456

This is a tough route designed for regular club riders with experience and plenty of miles in their legs.
The route revives the classic Chiltern 100 parcours including many of the best-known climbs throughout
this very scenic AONB. There are challenging ascents and rapid descents, mostly on country lanes and
generally avoiding traffic routes wherever possible.

En route you will encounter Bison Hill, Dunstable Downs, Ivinghoe Beacon, Hemp Lane, Longdown Hill,
Whiteleaf, Wardrobes, Kingston Hill, Balham’s Lane, Fingest Lane, Smalldean, Frith Hill, New Road, Red
Lion Hill to name but a few! Challenging but very achievable.

The route is unsigned so you will need to follow the GPS. The ride is self-supported so there are no feed
stations. You are advised to ensure you are well-stocked at the start and on leaving Chinnor as quick on
route water availability is limited for the next 50km after that point (although there are cafes).

Key refreshment stop options are:

  • Dunstable Downs Visitor Centre 21km
  • Poppies Café, Aldbury 38km
  • Wigginton Village Shop (at the sports ground) 42km
  • Wendover High Street (multiple options) 58km
  • Chinnor (multiple options) 85km
  • The Barn at Turville Heath (café) 105km
  • Hell Fire Caves (café) 116km
  • Speen Stores 124km
  • Matildas Café, Great Missenden 132km (plus multiple options)
  • Chiltern Velo Café 145km
  • Berkhamsted High Street (multiple options) 151km

 

The Challenger – 102.3km, 1,234m, (63.6m, 4,048ft)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55260423

Visiting many of the ‘famous’ climbs of the Chiltern AONB, the Challenger has enough elevation in its
100kms to provide a demanding circuit and a worthy alternative to the 100 mile Classic.

En route you will encounter Bison Hill, Dunstable Downs, Longdown Hill, Whiteleaf, Wardrobes, Frith
Hill, New Road and Red Lion Hill plus other ‘uncategorised’ climbs. It’s a tough challenge and you will
need to be in good shape!

The route is unsigned so you will need to follow the GPS. The ride is self-supported so there are no feed
stations.

Key refreshment stop options are:

  • Dunstable Downs Visitor Centre 21km
  • Wendover High Street (multiple options) 45km
  • Matildas Café, Great Missenden 67km (plus multiple options)
  • Chiltern Velo Café 81km
  • Berkhamsted High Street (multiple options) 87km


Life Saver Routes
The Chiltern 100 routes are all designed to give an excellent experience and certainly the Classic and
Challenger versions are for the more experienced club cyclists. Because they are tough, we have also
designed a ‘Life Saver’ route for each that you should also load to your GPS device. Each of these follows
the main routes but provides a ‘life-saver’ opportunity, if on the day you need to reduce the distance
and elevation. Not three extra routes but a safe way to cut your chosen route a little short should you
need to on the day.


The Classic Life Saver – 144.2km. 1,910m (89.6m, 6,267ft)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55484995

Takes Station Road from Chinnor. Climbs Chinnor Hill but avoids Kingston Hill, Balham's Lane climb &
Fingest Lane climb. 32km net reduction, 289m net elevation reduction.


The Challenger Life Saver – 91.4km. 983m (56.8m, 3,225ft)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55484871

Avoids Whiteleaf and Wardrobes climbs. 11km net reduction, 280m net elevation reduction.

 

Gravel routes

 

The Epic - 90km, 1,250m (58m, 4,050ft)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55386004

This is a tough but very doable ride taking in Ashridge Estate, Tring Park, and Northill Wood on the way
to doing a few circuits of the tracks in Wendover Woods and then returning on a parallel route. There
are some challenging ascents, rapid descents, and flowing tracks around some of The Chilterns’ most
scenic areas. The ride definitely suits a gravel bike as there are some tarmac sections of a few miles to
join up the different parts of the ride. But of course, it can be done on a mountain bike too. Other than
for very fit riders, expect 5 to 6 hours of riding.

The toughest climb is up to Studham at 48.5 miles just after crossing Leighton Buzzard Road. This peaks
at 25% - if you want to avoid this you can turn right onto the main road and then turn left up Pedley Hill
and left again to Studham to pick up the route.

There are some steep descents with roots, rocks, and minor drops although nothing very technical - take
care and be aware that especially around Ashridge and Wendover there will be walkers with dogs and
children so be careful and considerate on the descents especially. In a couple of places in Ashridge /
Pitstone fallen trees block the path and you have to navigate around them. In one place you go through
a field with sheep so please shut the gate after you.

The route is unsigned so you will need to follow GPS - it is quite straightforward. Ashridge and
Wendover can be a bit confusing with multiple paths so keep an eye on the route. In Wendover Woods
you are following a mix of the Juniper Cycle Trail and the Cycle Link Route signed with arrows. If you do
go wrong you can normally carry on and reconnect with the route further on.


Refreshment stop options are:

  • Bakehouse Cafe Ashridge House - 14m
  • Wigginton Village Shop (at the sports ground) - 19m
  • Wendover Woods Cafe - 28m
  • Monument Pitstone Common - 44m
  • Bakehouse Cafe Ashridge House - 46m
  • Red Lion pub Studham - 50m


The Explorer - 55km, 650m (35m, 2,150ft)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55387732

This ride takes you out to the Ashridge Estate and Pitstone Common, where we explore the tracks
before returning. There are some challenging ascents, rapid descents, and flowing tracks around some
of The Chilterns’ most scenic areas, but nothing too difficult or technical. Be aware that especially
around Ashridge and Pitstone there will be walkers with dogs and children so be careful and considerate
on the descents especially.

The ride definitely suits a gravel bike as there are some tarmac sections of a few miles to join up the
different parts of the ride. But of course, it can be done on a mountain bike too. Other than for very fit
riders, expect 3 to 4 hours of riding.

The route is unsigned so you will need to follow GPS. Ashridge and Pitstone Common can be a bit
confusing with multiple paths so keep an eye on the route. If you do go wrong you can normally carry on
and reconnect with the route further on. In a couple of places in Ashridge / Pitstone fallen trees block
the path and you have to navigate around them. In one place you go through a field with sheep so
please shut the gate after you.

Refreshment stop options are:

  • Bakehouse Cafe Ashridge House - 12m
  • Monument Pitstone Common - 21m
  • Bakehouse Cafe Ashridge House - 23m