The idea of professional cyclists from across the world racing in my home county has captured my imagination for decades. I’m sure this passion is shared with many other Notts born cyclists. My first memory of being inspired to watch such events came when I was just 10 years of age, or thereabouts. Sneaking a day of school to watch the Milk Race. I pedalled six miles to Oxton roundabout, all the way imagining being in a peloton spinning the little cranks on my 24” wheeled racer. OK, since then the wheels have grown to a metric 700c and the dream is extinct but the enthusiasm remains.
These days it’s almost like paying homage to Nottinghamshire as a great cycling county, home of Raleigh and Carlton bikes but most of all the memories of growing up and escaping the realities of life in a mining town. Cycling off into the countryside each weekend and racing mid-week time trials on the same bike in the summer months.
The matter in hand is that Nottinghamshire offers some great scenery and rural cycling that should be better known to gravel riders. In recent times the expansion of the National Cycle Network has improved this experience. Stage 4 of the Tour offers you a chance to find out about the county whilst watching some cycling greats of the modern era.
The Tour of Britain returns to Nottinghamshire for the fourth time on 6th September 2023. Stage 4 snakes its way around our beautiful county starting in Edwinstowe and finishing in Newark. The race passes through the Notts & Yorkshire boundary town of Harworth home to the first British road race world champion, classics winner and our first cyclist to wear a yellow jersey in the Tour de France. Tom Simpson’s life is well documented by Chris Sidwells in the Cycling Legends series.
Harworth marks the most northerly point of the race and provides a great atmosphere for cycling events so do include this in your considerations. If all goes to plan, I’ll be watching the race from neighbouring Bircotes simply because my companion for the day, a cycling mate of almost 30 years, was born and bred on Scrooby Road where there now stands the Tom Simpson memorial. I seem to remember a few post race pints being enjoyed after the Tour of Yorkshire some years ago.
Anyhow, apart from slurping a few beers in Harworth here’s my tips for seeing the Tour of Britain Stage 4 by gravel bike.
How to watch the race by gravel bike
The full route timetable has now been published. Use some of the suggested National Cycle Network routes to build your own plan for watching the race by gravel bike or follow some of our suggestions later on in this blog. All times stated are estimates so please allow yourself plenty of time. Also check Nottinghamshire County Council’s latest information on road closures and parking restrictions, although we would encourage readers to arrive by bike and for those from outside the area to park well away from the race route and cycle in via one of the cycling networks highlighted below.
The trails around Nottinghamshire offer gravel riders the opportunity to watch Stage 4 from multiple vantage points that would be difficult by road, especially with road closures. In this blog we suggest some possible options to see the race pass more than once. There’s a clear message, definitely leave the car at home and probably take advantage of the connectivity offered to gravel cyclists.
There are a few key National Cycle Network routes that will be useful. Please be mindful that on the day others may have the same idea so the trails are likely to be busier than normal. They are:
NCN 6; leaves the city and runs as far north as Worksop and beyond into Sheffield. Great if you are travelling from north or south.
NCN 645; the Southwell trail links Sherwood Forest with Southwell. NCN 645 offers a quality off-road trail to see the tour with drop-off points along the route to Southwell including a vantage point in Kirklington.
NCN 647; links Tuxford (if you include a few kilometres of country lanes) to Lincolnshire via the Fedborough Viaduct. It cuts across the route in two places, three if you are a potential UCI gravel world champion and can get from Tuxford and over the Fledborough Viaduct in the time it takes the peloton to reach the east bank of the River Trent.
NCN 64; offers a route towards the finish in Newark from the south of the county and from the city you can link to this by NCN 15 that runs from Trent Bridge.
Adding country lanes, you may be able to expand your options. I find the OS online map a great resource for planning gravel rides.
Getting to the start
The Tour starts at the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre (Edwinstowe) at 11.15 and can be reached from both directions (north or south) via NCN 6. Pick up Broad Lane, which is an ancient forest track heading east from NCN 6. This takes you to the Major Oak from where you can make your way south (for approximately 1km) towards Edwinstowe village and to the start at the Visitor Centre.
It’s worth mentioning that there are no hills on the route that will trouble the professional peloton so whilst it’s worth seeking out vantage points on a climb, don’t expect the pace to drop much below 30 kph anywhere in Nottinghamshire. If you decide on waving the riders off close to the start then you have a few options to see the race again at a later point.
Suggested routes:
From the start in Edwinstowe
2nd KOM – Redhill Lane Eakring (21 km)
The Tour heads north from Edwinstowe before returning southwards providing just enough time to intercept the race at the second KOM north of Eakring village. There is an excellent gravel route of approximately 21 km but you’ll need to be confident of holding a pace to take this option. If you’re not sure of your ability to make the timings then this KOM would make a great vantage point in it’s own right. The racing time from start to Redhill lane (KOM) is estimated at 1hr 54 minutes (fastest estimate).
Directions to KOM from Edwinstowe
Take the B6037 out of Edwinstowe and turn right into Mill Lane, just after the River Maun. At the T-junction turn left then immediate right into Sherwood Pines. From there pick up NCN 6 until you reach NCN 645 were you follow NCN 645 until exiting at Bilsthorpe onto Eakring Road. Turn left then right into Swish Lane then right again at the T-junction. Arriving in Eakring turn left into Wellow/Redhill Lane heading north towards the KOM.
Wellow village (6.5km)
A shorter option involves travel by road and the quietest option is to leave Edwinstowe by B6034, go straight on at the crossroads then take a left into Vexation Lane that turns into a byway. At the end Rufford Lane is facing you over the A614. Rufford Lane is famous for its ford videos on YouTube. I’d suggest using the bridge to cross. Go to the end of Rufford Lane and you will pick up the ToB route at the junction with A616. Turn right for a picturesque vantage point on the village green at Wellow with its tall maypole. The arrival time in Wellow Village is 13.06 (1hr 51) fastest estimate.
Viewing the race, other options
Southwell/Kirklington
Access to the southerly point of the ToB course can be reached via the Southwell Trail (NCN 645) where the ToB course turns back north again at Southwell. The race arrives in Queens Street Southwell between 13.29 and 13.56. NCN 645 is also a good option to see the race as it speeds through Kirklington, estimated arrival 13.22 and 13.28. You will have to leave NCN just after the carpark in Kirklington and turn left on Station Road where you will intercept the race route.
If you remain on NCN 645 to the end point and you can watch the race from the National Trust Workhouse, Station Road (13.30 – 13.38).
Fledborough
The Fedborough Viaduct NCN 647 acts as a convenient link between two points of the ToB as it loops north and south again crossing the River Trent at Dunham Bridge (A57). This is a great route if you are cycling from Lincoln. The two points to see the race from each side of the river Trent are only around 2 km apart whilst the race has to cover 8 km crossing the Trent north at Dunham Bridge. There may be a mad race across the viaduct so be careful.
The race arrives at Fledborough Road between 14.10 – 14.47 (west bank) and arrives at the opposite side (east bank) approximately between 14.19 – 14.58. The route timetable does not give an exact marker for this point.
Clumber Park – Bothamsall
The ToB cuts through the west of Clumber Park travelling along Limetree Avenue. This is directly accessible from NCN 6 so you will be able to travel to the start from the north or south via NCN 6. There is then the option to travel the short 8km to view the race as it passes (southbound) through Bothamsall on the B6387. You will have approximately a hour to make the link by taking NCN 6 over the Ornamental Bridge in Clumber Park and then taking a left (east just after the lodge) along Freeboard Lane until you reach the A614. Go straight over onto the unclassified road, passing Nottinghamshires last oilfield, and then taking the left turn towards Bothamsall village and the junction with the B6387.
Wider exploration of Nottinghamshire
If you are visiting Nottinghamshire for the Tour why not take advantage of some of Gravel Notts nine routes. They can be found here.
Key:
KOM: Kind of the Mountains
NCN: National Cycle Network
ToB: Tour of Britain