Gravel Culture: Raiders Gravel
Posted By Gravel Union
On 27 May 2021
Maybe we’re just easily pleased, but all it takes is a few beautifully lit, well-framed images of some gravel riding and we’re mentally packing our bags to head there before you can even say #travelgravel.
Those of you who follow the Gravel Union Facebook page will have seen last week we posted the promotion video for the inaugural running of the Raiders Gravel event. The video did a great job of capturing all that is brilliant about riding in the Scottish Border region. Normally a video is good enough to sell an event to us, but the still images the organisers sent over are equally brilliant, so we thought we would give them a bit of exposure too.
With 2021 feeling somewhat like a mirror image of 2020 (except with significantly less sunshine so far), multi-day gravel events have been pretty scarce. We suspect that like us, you’re itching to get back out there are ride somewhere a little different. At the minute no-one really knows how the world will look by October, but we have our fingers firmly crossed that we’ll be allowed to travel and that events will be back to full-steam-ahead by then.
The Raiders Gravel event is joining a very niche group of multi-day events which are springing up on the calendar, but the organisers are trying to differentiate their event with a host of inclusions, normally only seen in premium small-scale road events. The event is billed as being all-inclusive and they really do mean all-inclusive - everything from meals to entertainment to laundry to a bike wash service.
Obviously, there is some decent gravel riding (and racing for those who are feeling the urge to be competitive too) – three stages, all with digital chip timing and GPS tracking. The routes have been designed with the help of local residents Galloway Cycling Holidays
With the event so close to the UK Gravel Union office, we’re planning on heading over to Galloway later in the summer to check out the location and get the inside scoop on the event. We’ll bring you the story later in the year, but for now enjoy the stunning photos and start planning your next #travelgravel trip.