Tawara Cycling Festival

We are delighted to announce the return of the Tawara Cycling Festival this summer. The event
will be held on Sunday 27 August 2023 and is open to all club members and visiting cyclists. It will
be the largest cycling event in the region this year. We have spectacular routes, beautiful scenery
and exceptional entertainment planned in an amazing location. This is an event where the whole
family is welcome, either cycling the family-friendly short route together or cheering the return of
cyclists completing the longer routes. There are plenty of activities planned to make it a fun day out
for all. Every penny of your entry fee helps to give you the best day possible and we reinvest any
leftover funds into local cycling ventures and community projects.
The Tawara Cycling Festival is a recreational cycle event with fantastic routes of varying lengths
for all experience levels, ages and abilities. There are five longer trails available covering 25, 50,
75 and 100 mile routes, with a new distance of 150 miles to challenge you in 2023. We also have a
family-friendly ride of 6 to 10 miles which should take about an hour to cycle – perfect for younger
children. All routes have been planned to accommodate the riding ability of all participants from
expert riders to complete novices.
The Trails
The festival is set in the beautiful West Swade nature reserve. Each trail offers the chance to ride
through the stunning countryside, enjoy the wild spaces and explore one of the most bio-diverse
areas in the country. The routes pass through beautiful woodlands, open heathland, wetland
habitats and rolling farmland.
All trails start and finish at the lake. In order to keep all riders as safe as possible cyclists must start
within twenty minutes of the listed start time for their trail. The trails are all fully signposted and
designed so you can explore and ride at your own pace. On the longer trails there will be three
feed stations. These are perfect locations to take a break and refuel yourself ready for the next
section of your ride. There will be a selection of hot and cold food, water, high energy drinks, sweet
and savoury snacks and fruit. All feed stations have toilet facilities, mechanical support services
and medical help if needed.
Registration and Participation
Event registration and payment must be completed online prior to the festival. Please ensure you
provide valid contact information and details of an emergency contact. Cash transactions cannot
be accepted. Entries are limited to 150 for each trail distance so early registration is advisable.
Entries will close on 20 August or earlier if a trail is fully subscribed. Details of the available trails
are as follows:
Trail Details Distance (mi) Lunch Fee Climb (ft)
6 to 10 No £7.00 209
25 No £15.00 949
50 No £20.00 1,640
75 Yes £25.00 2,112
100 Yes £25.00 2,637
150*NEW Yes £32.00 4,169
Registering and participating in a trail is taken as acknowledgement that each cyclist accepts the
event regulations. This is a non-competitive cycling event and participants must enter for reasons
of recreation or personal challenge. Anyone considered to be competing with other riders will be
prevented from entering future events. No finishing times will be published. All riders under the age
of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult who is also participating in the same trail
distance. An adult may accompany more than one child. Prior to the festival all registered riders
will receive full event details including the event regulations, route maps, feed station locations,
emergency contact numbers and hazard signage to ensure riders can adequately prepare for the
event.
On the day of the festival riders will need to check in by showing a copy of their confirmation email
or photographic identification. All participants will be given a rider number. Riders are responsible
for their own bike and equipment. The bike must be fully roadworthy and a cycle helmet must be
worn. Headphones and musical playing devices are not permitted for riders whilst on the trails. It is
the rider’s own responsibility to ensure they are fit and able to take part in the event.
All volunteers, marshals and staff involved in the event will be clearly identifiable. They give their
time freely and without their assistance we would not be able to run the festival. Please obey their
instructions and be polite to them.
Cancellation
In the unlikely event of extreme weather conditions, insufficient rider numbers or circumstances
outside of our control we reserve the right to cancel the festival. If for any reason it is cancelled you
will be notified by SMS and email at the earliest opportunity. Your entry fee will be refunded in full
using the same method you used to purchase your entry. If the festival is postponed your entry will
be carried forward to the rescheduled event. If you need to cancel your entry you can do so up to 5
days before the festival and receive a full refund. Cancellations made within 5 days of the festival
will not be entitled to a refund.
Entertainment
Alongside the cycling, the festival will also have stalls and a wide range of free attractions and
special events planned to keep all the family entertained. Many of the stalls have produce sourced
from local retailers and suppliers within a 20-mile radius of the event. Activities will include:
bike handling for children
bubble bikes
cycle maintenance sessions
get back on your bike sessions for mature riders
guided walks around the nature reserve
post-ride massages
professional shows with stunt bike sessions
rental bikes
yoga for cyclists.
There is also a tranquil lake for supervised water activities such as canoeing, paddleboarding and
wild swimming. There will be an indoor cycling centre where people can test out some of the
newest bikes on the market. Secure bike storage is available so cyclists can enjoy the
entertainment in the knowledge that their equipment is safe.
We look forward to seeing you at the festival. Please remember to enter as early as possible to
avoid disappointment. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to
contact us via our website.