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The South Scotland Outdoor Festival is the biggest festival in the series - a full-throttle celebration of adventure, community and fun set in the spectacular landscapes of southern Scotland. This year, the festival plays host to Grinduro UK, which also doubles as a key round of the GrALBA.
Renowned for blending challenging, beautiful riding with an unforgettable festival atmosphere, Grinduro brings together epic gravel routes, live music, great food, camping and post-ride parties - proving it’s as much about the entertainment as it is about the riding. With a packed programme of outdoor activities alongside the headline race, the South Scotland Outdoor Festival is a must-visit weekend for riders and non-riders alike.
The ride will take place on the 27th June but there is a full programme of activity from Friday right through to Sunday evening, inclusing talks, music, wellness, trail running and road sportive up the Mennock Pass on Sunday, if the legs are still feeling fresh...
Race Format
09:00 ride start
The riding at Grinduro is built around a distinctive stage-based format that rewards both strength and skill.
Riders tackle one large loop that threads together quiet roads, fast gravel, forest tracks and technical off-road. Along the route are a blend of short, punchy stages and longer endurance stages, each timed and carefully chosen to showcase the best riding in the area — from sustained climbs to flowing descents and demanding gravel sectors.
Between the stages, the route is untimed, allowing riders to recover, ride socially and manage their effort before lining up for the next timed effort. Overall results are decided by combined stage times, making the day about smart pacing, versatility and well-rounded gravel riding rather than flat-out racing from start to finish.
