Birdlip, Handy for Cheltenham
Although titled Birdlip this ride only briefly passes through the small village of Birdlip located on the edge of the Cotswolds over looking Cheltenham. Meandering though the edge of the Cotswolds the ride passes though small villages and open countryside.
This is one of my goto rides as it's fairly close, and has enough to maintain interest for the couple of hours it takes to get round, The ride has a bit of up and down a couple of great descents, but no long sustained climbs. The route mostly stays clear of busy roads, there are a couple of main road crossings, and meanders though quiet back lanes to link up the offered sections.
The off road sections comprise of bridleways, farm tracks, forest roads and fields. Most of it is fairly solid and the descents are mostly rocky / gravel. There are a couple of fields to cross which at times can be muddy, being the classic Cotswold clay this can clog up your wheels, especially int he depths of winter.
On a summers day or after a long day staring at the sunshine through the office windows, this makes a nice relaxed ride.
Birdlip Mountain Bike Route
| Distance | 27km |
| Time | 2-3hrs |
| Starting location | Shab hill |
| Pubs, cafes | Royal George, Birdlip |
| Parking | Shab hill, view point |
| Route | View route on Strava View route on Garmin Download GPX |
Cotswolds Mountain Biking, contains 20 mountain bike rides in the Cotswolds, covering different terrains, routes and abilities. Grab a copy on Amazon now.
Don't forget to check out my favourite Cotswold routes!
Josh
Had a go at this route this weekend, really enjoyed it. As a newcomer to cross country and adventure biking, this route had so much variety. Glad it's still available to easily follow 2 years later. Sometimes it felt like I was going a bit off course, but trust the route and it delivers!
Thanks
Alan Dawson
Excellent route, even on a muddy day. Many thanks