Past Ride
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Sat Sep 12th 2026
| Ride and Stride for Historic Churches 2026 (2* with 1* option) | 2* |
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Leader:Steve Swanton |
Start Time:9:45 am |
Start Location:OMH |
Description:Note the 9:45 start, although riders are welcome to join us along the way.The second Saturday in September sees the annual Ride and Stride event in aid of the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust (further details at: https://ohct.org.uk/ride-stride/ ). The idea is to either stride or ride (awheel or ahoof) to visit as many Oxfordshire churches as you like during the day. Many churches will be open between 10am and 6pm (thanks to the generosity of many volunteers). Discovering historic gems, often in hidden corners of local villages, away from the beaten track, is one of the great charms of this event. We have supported Ride and Stride with a club ride most years since 2018; it makes for an interesting, sociable ride and a great day out. The intention is for an all-day ride at leisurely 2* pace (17-20km/h or 11-13mph) covering around 40 miles with not too many hills and (obviously) a lot of stops. Some will be brief and some longer depending on particular points of interest and, where churches are open, the chance to look around and the temptation of refreshments. In recent years we've been north to Witney (2021), stayed around Wantage (2022), ridden northwest to Faringdon (2023) and eastwards to Didcot (2024). So this year, we will head westwards through the springline villages in a figure of eight loop to Shrivenham and Ashbury, returning through the Vale via Uffington- see provisional route below. This would enable us to visit up to 19 churches if we manage the whole route. But we won't be in a rush and there are lots of short-cut options depending how the time goes... We will stop for a café or pub lunch along the way, probably in Shrivenham. It's not compulsory to do the whole ride and we can advise on routes home. A shorter 21-mile route option to Kingston Lisle and Uffington visiting up to 12 churches can be found here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56894436 . This route avoids the climbs around the Letcombes by taking the canal path from East to West Challow and would be suitable for 1* riders. For those who fancy the whole day, we'll expect to be back in Grove between 6 and 7pm - but lights recommended. Participants are encouraged to seek sponsorship or make a donation. This is split between the OHCT and a participating church you can nominate. Lorna and I have set up a donation page through Goodhub supporting St John's parish church in Grove: https://www.goodhub.com/go/ohct-lorna-and-steve-ride-stride-2026 . Please contact me for more information and/or please let me know if you’d like to come for all or part of the ride. Guest riders will be very welcome. It's an interesting and fun day out and a very social day awheel. Do join us for some or all of the day. |
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Report:As always, a long, absorbing but enjoyable day out. We managed to visit 20 churches between us covering some 37 miles in nearly 8.5 hours. A big thank you to all the welcomers we met along the way. A selection of pictures from the day below. Fuller report to come. | ||
Distance:60.19 km (37.40 mi) | Ride Details:https://ridewithgps.com/routes/57130718 | |
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| Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56509801" | ||
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- 1* - Suitable for irregular, social, beginner or family riders, pace will match the slower riders. Not hilly or long. Expect rides up to 3 hours. Gentle exercise.
- 2* - Suitable for regular riders who prefer to cover some distance but at a more relaxed pace. Likely to be half-day rides. Solid exercise.
- 3* - Suitable for experienced riders, may be hilly, long, quick, or any combination! Likely to be half or full-day rides. Challenging exercise.
- 4* - Suitable for athletic riders who can ride safely above the 3* standard. Quick rides for the fit.
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