The grade of a holiday indicates how fit and strong you need to be to enjoy it, to complete each day with time for unhurried refreshment stops, a little sightseeing, to take photos… and arrive in time to relax before dinner. These are represented by the ‘speedo’ that you see against each tour.
It is roughly calculated based on the distance travelled and elevation gained on the hardest day using the matrix below, though the Tour Organiser may adjust it if they don’t feel the calculated number is a fair indication of the difficulty of the tour. Not that off-road (aka gravel or trail) cycling has been adjusted compared to road cycle to account for it being more arduous.
Regardless of grade, our tours are meant to be a holiday, not a trial of endurance! The occasional day may be longer, but an average day should include some spare time, providing you choose an appropriate grade.
About our holidaysBooking a Holiday
1-Very Leisurely / 2-Leisurely / 3-Leisurely / 4-Moderate / 5-Moderate Energetic / 6-Energetic / 7-Very Energetic / 8-Athletic / 9-Very Athletic.
When a tour is stated as being ‘Off-road’, it means that over ~5% of it is on surfaces that are unpaved. This covers what some call gravel riding, but its roots span trail riding, cyclocross, cycle touring, mountain biking, and adventure riding. Rather than narrowly define “gravel riding,” we think it’s more useful to use the term of “off-road riding”. We have put together a scale from 1 to 5. Typical gravel riding usually falls between Grades 1 and 3. This does not attempt to cover full on mountain biking such as cross country, downhill or enduro riding.
· For first-timers or those with beginner fitness and technical skills
· Non-technical, smooth gravel tracks
· Ideal for gentle rides and building confidence
· For semi-regular riders developing fitness and skills
· Rolling trails, some climbs/descents, loose surfaces
· Suitable for riders with some off-road experience, ready for moderate challenges
· For riders with good fitness and technical ability
· Mix of rough trails and non-technical singletrack
· Requires off-road skills and confidence on varied terrain
· For skilled, fit riders with excellent technical capability
· Demanding trails, technical sections, steep climbs/descents
· Includes flowing descents, occasional small drop-offs up to 15cm, off-camber sections, roots, and loose rocks
· Short river crossings may be rideable
· Suitable for those confident on technical terrain and longer rides
· For highly skilled, very fit cyclists with expert technical ability
· Fast descents requiring careful line choice, occasional more significant drop-offs up to 30cm, exposed edges
· Borderline mountain biking: off-camber sections, roots, rocks, loose boulders, mud, singletrack
· Short “hike-a-bike” sections and river crossings that require carrying the bike
· Designed for experienced gravel and mountain bike enthusiasts