Bilsthorpe & the Southwell Trail loop from Southwell

Bilsthorpe & the Southwell Trail loop from Southwell

Hard

4.5

(4)

riders

Bilsthorpe & the Southwell Trail loop from Southwell

02:45

35.9km

220m

Gravel riding

Fittingly for one of the flattest parts of the county, this tour takes you out the postcard-perfect town of Southwell and straight onto the pristine Southwell Trail. There's a great lollipop-shaped loop that takes in Eakring (for plague-related history and the UK's first ever commercial oil well in Dukes Wood), Bilsthorpe, a brief dalliance with Sherwood Pines and Farnsfield before rejoining the Southwell Trail.

It's a really family-friendly tour that stays pretty dry, even in the grimmest conditions that winter throws at us.

When passing Eakring keep your eyes peeled for the Mompesson Cross – it's in remembrance of a certain Reverend Mompesson who moved to the village from Eyam after he'd made some valiant efforts to contain the plague. When he moved to Eakring, the local residents were convinced he was carrying the contagious plague and forced him to live and preach on the outskirts of the village. (Although, to be fair, the agricultural outskirts of Eakring are probably the nicest place to live!)

End the route with a coffee and cake at one of Southwell's many, many cafes. If you run low on energy while out riding then The Veg Shop in Farnsfield is your best bet.

Last updated: July 29, 2024

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

9.41 km

Eakring to Bilsthorpe Gravel Trail

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

Cheeky off-road shortcut from Eakring to Bilsthorpe. Mostly old service roads with a short section along the edge of a meadow field.

Tip by

12.9 km

Bilsthorpe Railway Path

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

A super handy section of disused railway that links Route 6 in Sherwood Pines with the Southwell Trail. It runs for a number of pan-flat kilometres, making it the ultimate gravel grind on cruise control.

Tip by

34.6 km

Southwell Garden Centre Café

Highlight • Cafe

Cycle friendly Cafe with bike racks.

Tip by

35.9 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

13.9 km

12.8 km

5.26 km

2.17 km

1.11 km

547 m

103 m

Surfaces

15.0 km

13.1 km

3.96 km

3.22 km

647 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (120 m)

Lowest point (20 m)

Weather

Thursday 8 October

18°C

9°C

91 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 27.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

July 12, 2018

Fittingly for one of the flattest parts of the county, this tour takes you out the postcard-perfect town of Southwell and straight onto the pristine Southwell Trail. There's a great lollipop-shaped loop that takes in Eakring (for plague-related history and the UK's first ever commercial oil well in Dukes

January 6, 2019

Went to Eakring to look at Mompesson Cross and followed route to Bilsthorpe past Brail Wood. Between points 5 &6 many branches and larger rotten tree trunks. Looked like deliberately placed to stop cyclists.