This Sunday, 20 September, the Wild Boar Chase is back. Hundreds of riders will roll out from Speech House Field for the Forest of Dean's biggest off-road ride of the year: up to 51 miles of forest tracks, bridleways and big descents down towards the River Wye, with 5,000 feet of climbing for anyone brave enough to take on the Full Boar.
Now in its fourteenth year, the Chase is run entirely by volunteers from Severn Dean Lions Club and Forest of Dean Lions Club. There are no shareholders and no profit motive. Every penny of profit goes straight back into local good causes.
Pick your Boar
Five routes share one start line, and you can change your mind on the day. Start the Full Boar and take a shortcut if the legs say no, or push on for the whole thing.
- Small Boar, 21 miles (1,950 ft): a loop inside the Forest, ideal for gravel bikes and first-timers.
- Woody & Hog, 41 miles: both shortcuts, saving around 1,000 ft of climbing.
- Woody, 44 miles and Hog, 47 miles: one shortcut each.
- Full Boar, 51 miles (5,000+ ft): the complete route, CTC Red grade, with the descents to the Wye.
E-bikes are welcome as long as they are legal on UK roads, and gravel bikes suit the Forest loops. GPX files for every route are on the event website, and the whole course is marked and marshalled by local volunteers.
Bringing the kids? Try the Humbug Chase
Riders aged 8 to 12 get their own event. The Humbug Chase is about 9 miles, completely off-road with no road crossings, and guided from start to finish by experienced riders from the Royal Dean Forest Cycling Club. Every finisher gets a medal and a goody bag. It starts from 10:30am and costs just £10.
Every entry does good
Money raised by the Chase has funded a £5,500 jaundice scanner for local midwives, along with many other projects across the Forest of Dean. When you enter, you are backing your own community.
On the day
- Where: Speech House Field, beside the Speech House Hotel, Coleford, GL16 7EL.
- When: Sunday 20 September. Staggered starts from 10am, Humbug Chase from 10:30am. Sign on at event control before you ride.
- Bring: a roadworthy bike, a hard-shell helmet (no helmet, no ride) and kit for the weather.
- Clean bike, please: arrive mud-free to protect the Forest from tree diseases. Wash facilities are available at Pedalabikeaway.
- Under-18s need a signed parental consent form. Under-13s must ride with an entered adult.
There is still time to enter
Entries are £35 for the Wild Boar Chase and £10 for the Humbug Chase. Enter the Wild Boar Chase, enter the Humbug Chase, or visit the Wild Boar Chase website for routes, GPX files and full details.
Not riding? Come along anyway. Speech House Field is a great place to cheer the riders out and welcome them home, and the volunteers would love to see you.
Our thanks to this year's sponsors: The Speech House Hotel, Pedalabikeaway, Dean Forest Cycles, Apex Architecture, NFU Mutual Cinderford, PSW England, Forest Products, Viney Hall Physio, Cinderford Town Council and Graith Internet.