The Woods Rat Run is a long-weekend route that links a National Park, a World Heritage Coastline, and an Area of Outstanding National Beauty in South West England. Primarily off-road and some 160 miles in length, it knits together all flavours of gravel roads, bridleways, and woodland singletrack, taking in the New Forest, the Isle of Purbeck, and Cranborne Chase in one fell swoop…
Years of shop rides and local campouts has made Tom Farell (co-owner of The Woods Cyclery bik eshop) a guru of the trails surrounding The Woods. One day, he compiled all the best bits of his stomping ground into one 160-mile loop – and The Rat Run was born.
The terrain is pretty varied, with flowing gravel roads interspersed with bridleways and singletrack, so a certain amount of off-road riding confidence is helpful.
While the route takes you into to incredibly secluded areas of woodland, you're never far from civilization. Pubs and shops to refuel are easy to come by. A mountain bike or gravel bike with larger tyres is required for this ride, and there are some very steep hills.
Created by the local legends at the Bikepacking bike shop speacialists The Woods Cyclery, "The Rat Run" is a classic three day loop that trades the paved road for the best trails that the south of England has to offer.
The route begins at The Woods Cyclery in Lyndhurst, who offer some great coffee and pastries to start you off.
For more information see:
The Rat Run – The Woods Cyclery
The Woods Rat Run - BIKEPACKING.com
Route type: Long Distance Circular