THE BLAENAU

The Blaenau 2027 will kick off on Saturday 12th June, with the rider party on the following Tuesday evening.

All routes share at least the same first day, so you will have plenty of company as you get under way.  The routes are fixed, so you won’t need to be an experienced route planner. The Blaenau is a self-supported ultra cycling event, and will be fully GPS tracked for Dot Watching (but no prizes or podiums).

For 2027 we are increasing entry numbers slightly, to 100, including people who deferred their entry from 2026.  This should ensure that we can retain the friendly and sociable feel that we all love, while having a few more people on the start line to add to the buzz. Once again, we are keeping the entry fee at £99 for all distances (our overheads are the same regardless of route option chosen) to keep it as affordable as possible.

ROUTE OPTIONS

There will be three route distances to choose from, including the original ‘classic’ Blaenau 600, taking in all of the key hill and mountain ranges of Wales and the borders, with the challenge of the landscape equalled only by its beauty. Blaenau translates roughly as ‘remote uplands’, so you get the idea!

Blaenau Classic (620km/11,000m+ of climbing) – taking in the Clwydians, eastern Snowdonia, Cambrains, Brecons and Black Mountains amongst others

Blaenau XL (750km+/14,500m+ of climbing) – including Snowdonia with some proper ultra cycling hike-a-bike

Blaenau North (480km/8,500m+ of climbing) – covering the northern ranges of the Classic route, before returning to Ludlow via the Elan Valley and Trans Cambrian Way 

For riders who take on the Blaenau XL, a route that only one rider has completed to date, there will be a bail-out option that returns to Ludlow via the Blaenau North route, which cuts around a day from the ride. Similarly, you can start out on the Classic route and switch to the North route mid-ride if you start to fall behind your planned schedule.

TERRAIN

All routes cover a number of Welsh uplands, with connecting lowland valleys. It’s remote in places and it’s hilly throughout, and we’ve worked hard to avoid busy roads. You’ll cross several mountain ranges and experience a wide range of surfaces, from tarmac to rough rocky stretches, with everything in between.

BIKE SUITABILITY

The routes are definitely rideable on a gravel bike, and this has been the choice of over half of finishers in previous years – however the terrain is rough for long stretches and you ideally need to be able to fit a capable 45mm+ tyre.

As organisers we would probably choose a cross-country MTB ourselves, especially if we were considering the Blaenau XL route. Slower rolling on the road and smoother gravel perhaps, but certainly the more comfortable, resilient and less tiring option overall. Although there will be some hike-a-bike no matter which bike you ride, a cross-country bike will allow you to keep pedalling over more of the terrain.

The route is not suitable for road bikes.

START/FINISH LOCATION

All routes start and finish at Epic Cycles/Epic Coffee House in the centre of Ludlow, Shropshire.  The departure time will be 9:00am.

This is also where you will sign on, collect your tracker, and enjoy the post-event party.

RIDER TRACKING

All riders will carry a tracking device provided by the event, and their progress will be published live by Follow My Challenge.

ROUTE FILES

The final GPX route files, with any last minute changes due to local circumstances, will be sent to all riders around ten days before the event, along with the event manual.

ENTRY FEE

The entry fee is £99 for all routes, and includes:

• Tracker rental and live tracking (aka dot watching)
• Route GPX files
• Rider manual, which will include a list of key resupply locations and campsites/bothies etc
• Barista coffee and locally baked pastry or cake at the start
• Finish party with hot food – open to all riders, whether they finish the route or not
• Event insurance – riders must also have their own personal 3rd party liability insurance
• Event tee shirt
• Ride planning, kit, bike set-up and preparation hints, tips & checklists – new for 2027 
• WhatsApp rider group – probably the most active group we know