Curious about the world of adventure cycling, bikepacking, and gravel bikes? The inaugural 'Adventure Cycle Festival', due to be held from 2nd-4th June at Brathay Hall, near Ambleside in the Lake District, could be the perfect introduction.
According to the organisers, the festival's general aim is to inspire people to use their bikes for adventure, whether that's in the form of a day in the mountains, a coast-to-coast epic, or an overnight bikepacking trip.
Brathay Hall grounds
The event village will play host to various activities across the weekend, including a 'cross challenge event', guided overnight bikepacking trips around the lakes, a loaded hill climb, and self-guided trips around the National Park. As well as that there will be a chance to test demo bikes and equipment from a number of brands - which could be quite useful with the amount of overlaps in the 'adventure bike' sector - as well as workshops, talks, film screenings, and an evening bar with live music.
Confirmed attendees include Shand, Salsa, Bombtrack, Ortlieb, Exped, and Optimus, all long-time proponents of adventure riding, with further brands to be confirmed. Bearbones Bikepacking, Backcountry Scotland, Ghyllside Cycles, Pannier.cc, EDS Bikes and other experts will also be running workshops and talks.
There will be on-site accommodation available, ranging from a place to pitch your tent to luxury lodges, as well as a host of other accommodations nearby.
Weekend tickets are £20 per person, while under-16s get in for free. The organisers say any surplus funds will be reinvested into subsequent festivals, or donated to charity. They have aligned themselves with the Brathay Trust, who aim to inspire young people by encouraging positive engagement within their communities.