Winter Gathering

Length

Trip Style

Dorm rooms, private rooms, camping, vans

Terrain

Challenge

Suitable for all levels

Distance

Mixed gravel & tarmac

Price

5km - 50km

From £100

Basecamp Gathering

2 nights

Dates

Location

Peak District - Thornbridge Outdoors near Bakewell

31st Jan to 2nd Feb 2025

Accomodation

Our first Sisters in the Wild Winter Gathering is all about connecting our community through the long winter months. Expect creative workshops, wellness sessions, inspirational talks, films, gravel skills, mechanics workshops and cosy mealtimes. Oh, and there’ll be gorgeous relaxed local bike rides for those who want them!

We’ll be taking over the gorgeous Thornbridge Outdoors near Bakewell in the Peak District. with lots of sleeping options. We’ll have a bunch of beds inside, and gorgeous camping space (with plenty of warm places hang to hang out until you’re ready to jump in your sleeping bag!)

Highlights

✔ Two days of chilled community hangs in the gorgeous Peak District

✔ Beds, campervan + tent options

✔ Options for all levels - ride from from flat 5kms to 40km…or don’t ride at all!

✔ 2 communal dinners & 2 breakfasts included

✔ Lot’s of cosy basecamp stuff & skills sessions whatever the weather

✔ Option to book additional skills coaching or mechanics on Sunday

Booking Info

Pricing Info

Our venue has a great mix of sleeping options, and related ticket prices. All tickets have the same access to our basecamp activities, and two dinners and breakfasts included.

  1. Bed in a shared dormitory room (5 - 8 people) - £155 per person

  2. Bed in a private twin/trip room - £180/£190 per person

  3. Sleep in your own van - £140 per person

  4. Tent spot (bring your own camping gear) - £120 per person

    • We’re offering a £20 discount for tent campers who arrive by public transport or bike! - £100 per person

Booking is through our secure booking partner Ticket Tailor, and you can choose which room to book into. Friends who want to share a room should co-ordinate before booking to ensure you book the same room. Unfortunately we can’t accommodate room changes after booking.

Optional Add Ons

  • Full day gravel skills coaching or mechanics school on Sunday (limited spots) - £100 per person

  • Navigation device - £10

  • Bike hire - Bookable through Bike Garage for £65 for the weekend, including delivery/collection to basecamp. See Bike Hire section for details

Cancellation policy

Refunds are available up to 45 days before the event. After this point, you’ll be able to transfer your ticket to someone else of your finding up to 14 days before the event. We may not be able to accommodate new dietary requirements after this day. View full booking terms and conditions here.

What’s included?

  • You’ll have a place to sleep on Friday and Saturday night, related to your ticket type (dorm bed, van spot, tent spot etc). Regardless of ticket type, you’ll have access to our warm common areas, and all of our basecamp activities! There are plenty of hot shower and loos, and there’ll be a simple kitchen available for community use.

  • Riding at this event is optional! Who knows what weather January will bring, so we’ll be making basecamp a great place to hang out. We’ll be bringing together some inspiring speakers, cosy film sessions, wellness sessions, and hands on creative workshops.

  • Dinner on both Friday and Saturday night is included, and will be vegan friendly.

    A simple breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday morning is also included.

    For those who don’t want to head out for lunch in the daytime, we’ll have something warm and filling available to buy on site.

  • Each participant will be provided with a specially curated collection of routes and route briefings via Komoot, and a free map bundle to access/navigate them.

    From flat 5km routes and gentle walks, to bigger rides, there’ll be something for everyone (and every weather!).

    In general, the rides will be self-navigated and not guided. However, we will have two relaxed social rides led by local heroes Peak Gravel Gang leaving at a set time on each day.

    And there’s no pressure to ride :) We’ll have gentle activities at basecamp like films and board games in the day for those who just want to hang out.

  • We’ll have qualified female coaches and mechanics delivering short and fun skills sessions over the weekend. Great for those building their confidence in riding independently.

  • We’ll facilitate space on Friday night for those coming along solo to meet fellow riders! We love that many people come to our gatherings solo, and work hard for people to connect and find riding buddies.

  • Try out our Ortlieb bikepacking bags for free over the weekend

Not included

  • Lunch and snacks are not included. We’ll make sure you know where you can pick up food on the ride, and have options available at basecamp for those not heading out.

  • Riders can bring their own bike, or hire via our partners at Bike Garage who will deliver and collect to basecamp for £65. See FAQ for info.

    Riders should carry simple tools/spare for their bike in case of bike issues. See our FAQ section for details.

  • Riders are responsible for getting themselves to and from basecamp. See our FAQs section for travel info and public transport suggestions.

  • We highly recommend riders take out public liability for cycling through an operator like Cycling UK, Bikmo or Yellow Jersey.

    Membership of both Cycling UK and British Cycling includes this.

Basecamp info

Our basecamp for the weekend is at Thornbridge Outdoors, 5 mile from Bakewell in the Peak District.

Address: Great Longstone, Bakewell DE45 1NY

There are a series of lovely buildings clustered around a yard, with twelve dorm rooms, 5 private rooms, and several common rooms that we’ll be using to host talks and sessions. Each building has plenty of loos and showers.

Vans and campers

Behind the buildings, is a beautiful field for camping. Campervans will be on the small hardstanding car park next to our basecamp buildings. Vans and campers will have access special outside toilets and (hot!) showers. It’s a 2 minute walk from the camping field to our buildings, and we’ll keep a warm space open through the night for campers just in case the weather comes in!

Kitchen access & charging

Riders will have access to a small kitchen over the weekend for making brews and heating food. Fridge space will be limited. There are plenty of plug sockets in each inside room. We’ll have a charging station for campers and van ticket holders.

About the riding & bikes

Ride approach

We will specially curated collection of local bike and walking routes and route descriptions via Komoot, and a free map bundle to access/navigate them. From flat 5km routes and gentle walks, to bigger rides, there’ll be something for everyone (and every weather!).

In general, the rides will be self-navigated and not guided. Riders will be free to ride when and with whoever they wish, and we’ll have a sign in and sign out process to keep track of everyone returning safely! However, we will have two relaxed social rides with local heroes Peak Gravel Gang and some SITW volunteers, leaving at a set time on each day. These will be no drop rides, but it’s still important that all riders are self-sufficient and able to look after themselves and their bikes.

And there’s no pressure to ride :) We’ll have gentle activities at basecamp like films and board games in the day for those who just want to hang out.

About the rides

Our basecamp is located on the beautiful and almost FLAT Monsal Trail! That means we’ll have a range of routes available that are suitable for everyone from beginner riders to experienced gravel riders. Our shortest ride options will be around 10km and almost flat, with longer route options up to around 50km with closer to 1000m of climbing. The routes will generally be mixed terrain, with some bits of gravel, single-track and mud, though there is the option to stick to smooth terrain on the Monsal Trail and quiet roads.

Recommended bike

The most important thing is that your bike is in a good condition and safe to ride, so we’d recommend having a safety check of it before the event. To ride the longer mixed terrain routes, we recommend a bike with 38mm+ tyres such as a gravel bike, or a hardtail MTB. However, if you are happy riding the shorter Monsal Trail based routes, any bike in good working condition would work.

Bike hire

Bike hire can be arranged directly with Bike Garage in Hope, who can deliver and collect from basecamp. If you are travelling via Hope, you may wish to pick up and ride to basecamp. Rental can be booked through their website, and just write SISTERS IN THE WILD - THORNBRIDGE in the comments to arrange delivery. We recommend the Trek Marlin. The price is £60 for the hire, and £5 for delivery, with a £50 deposit. The £5 will be taken out of the deposit after the hire.

Book here: https://rentle.store/bikegarage/product/UMNnoIfyDj9u799YtzJ9

Weather

We’re excited to embrace winter, and all the weather may bring! We may need to adjust our recommended routes over the weekend due to weather, but with the Monsal Trail right on our doorstep, we’ve got options!

Travel to basecamp

Public transport

The closest bus stop is Great Longstone (800m north of basecamp), or Ashford in the Water (1 mile south of basecamp) Buses run between Buxton and Bakewell/Derby, stopping at Ashford in the Water on the way. Bakewell is connected by Sheffield by bus, and Buxton is connected to Manchester by bus and train.

The closest train stations to basecamp are:

Best for travelling without a bike (bus connections):

Buxton Station (West)- Connects to Ashford in the Water by TP bus (50 min). See timetables on Traveline Website

Matlock (South East) - Connects to Ashford in the Water by TP bus (6 0 min). See timetables on Traveline Website

Hope Station does not have bus connections for the return journey on Sunday.

Best for travelling with a bike (cycle from station):

Grindleford - 7 mile cycle. Connected to Sheffield and Manchester.

Ride sharing

We love that our riders connect before events to share lifts, and will set up an optional rider whatsapp group to help riders connect before the event and share travel plans. You can also join the SITW rider share facebook group.

Arriving by car

Parking on site is limited, but there is additional on street parking around the venue. We’ll share maps in the joining instructions. We’d encourage lift sharing where at all possible to minimise the number of vehicles we bring to site. There’ll be a reward for anyone who brings a rider with them!

Mechanics & Gravel Skill School

On Sunday, there is the option to add a full day (9 - 4pm) Mechanics School, or Gravel Skills School to your booking. Spots for both of these are limited to 12 places, and will have ratio of max 1 tutor to 8 riders. Led by our crack team of SITW coaches and mechanics, these are great opportunities to invest in developing your skills.

Gravel Skills

We’ll begin with building some foundational skills at basecamp, before taking them out in to the wild on a local ride.

Read full info about the itinerary here

Mechanics School

If you’re looking to build on the free basic puncture sessions we run, our small group mechanics class are the perfect next step. Over the day, we’ll cover more topics in depth, including Gear Tuning, Brake Adjustments, and how to check the parts on your bike for safety and feel empowered to go to your local bike shop knowing what the issue is.

Read full info about the itinerary here.

FAQs

  • Refunds are available up to 45 days before the event. After this point, you’ll be able to transfer your ticket to someone else of your finding up to 14 days before the event. We may not be able to accommodate new dietary requirements after this day. View full booking terms and conditions here.

  • Bike hire

    Bike hire can be arranged directly with Bike Garage in Hope, who can deliver and collect from basecamp. If you are travelling via Hope, you may wish to pick up and ride to basecamp. Rental can be booked through their website, and just write SISTERS IN THE WILD - THORNBRIDGE in the comments to arrange delivery. We recommend the Trek Marlin. The price is £60 for the hire, and £5 for delivery, with a £50 deposit. The £5 will be taken out of the deposit after the hire.

    Book here: https://rentle.store/bikegarage/product/UMNnoIfyDj9u799YtzJ9

  • We have capacity for around 100 riders to join us this weekend., with 70 beds plus additional space for vans and tent campers.

  • For our meal at basecamp, we will try to accommodate dietary requirements shared at time of booking. There’ll be a spot to put this on your booking form. Vegan, Veggie and Gluten Free will be fine. However due to the small food prep area, we may unfortunately struggle to accommodate serious allergies due to the risk of cross contamination. feel free to drop us an email with any questions.

  • We highly recommend riders take out public liability for cycling through an operator like Cycling UK, Bikmo or Yellow Jersey.

    Membership of both Cycling UK and British Cycling includes this.

  • Riders need to be able to ride a bike safely, but this event is open to all levels of riders and fitness. We’ll have different ride options for all fitness/experience levels. You can also choose not to ride at all.

  • Unfortunately not. Please do not arrive at basecamp earlier than 7pm on Friday as there are school groups on site. We will need to be out of basecamp by 5pm on Sunday.

  • We’ll share a recommended paacking list in our Pre Event info.

  • What spares and tools to bring

    • 2 x spare tubes and patches

    • Small pump

    • Tubeless plugs/spare sealant if running tubeless tyres

    • Multitool with what you need for your bike e.g. allen keys

    • Spare set of brake pads (specific for your bike)

    We also recommend bringing a few spares that are specific to your bike. We don’t expect you to know how to fit these! But having them to hand can mean our team or local bike shop is better able to get you back on the road.

    • Chain quick link

    • Spare derailleur hanger

    • Extra brake pads just in case!

  • Yes, subject to availability (spots are limited to 12).

  • Item description