For cyclists everywhere, I have devised and ridden a route that can be done in a single day by elite athletes, in two days by pretty fit cyclists and divided into smaller chunks by everyone else. If I were to advertise this ride in a glossy magazine, this is how the advert would go: “Our two-day adventure will take you on a trip through time where you’ll visit J. K. Rowling’s childhood village and wander around Harry Potter’s personal film set. We will take you past ancient castles and iconic abbeys. You’ll experience the thrill of winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup and racing down the wing at the home of rugby. You’ll visit the exact location where the Domesday Book was signed and marvel at the sensation of standing where Kings are buried and battles were fought. Our exclusive excursion starts promptly at 7am on the magnificent Old Severn Bridge, opened by the Queen in 1966. We climb high into the Forest of Dean, sweep down into the Severn Vale, lunch at the magnificent Tewkesbury Abbey, and end day one with an ascent into the dreamy North Cotswolds with a visit to Chipping Campden and an overnight stay in Moreton-in-Marsh. 

We depart from Moreton promptly on day two at 8am to capture the magic of many classic Cotswold towns and villages. After a barbecue lunch in Poulton we make our way to the Roman town of Cirencester, take in Stroud and Frampton on Severn, finishing at the historic Berkeley Castle. Your ending here will be far more joyous than Edward II’s who departed this earth at the castle with the help of a red hot poker…allegedly. The price includes transfers, unlimited fresh water, a complimentary drink at the Swan Inn at Moreton and a full English breakfast, plus a cool cider at the end of day two.” 

My aim was to create an official route that would highlight the incredible diversity, beauty and history of Gloucestershire. The mix of ingredients included the physical agony which came in the form of Cleeve Hill, the stretches from Chipping Campden to Moreton and Selsley Hill. Into the pot we had the magical moments which included cycling around the cloisters at Gloucester Cathedral, along the touchline at Kingsholm and past the finishing post at Cheltenham Racecourse. We enjoyed the sheer beauty of cycling through the Forest of Dean with the River Severn a constant companion, the rolling lavender-scented fun of the north Cotswolds and the homecoming cuddle of the Stroud valleys.