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Held on the second Sunday in September, the Grindleford Goat has grown into a five-ride cycle sportive. First run in 2013 as a fundraiser for our then very new community shop the popular event now raises funds for its own charity, The Grindleford Goat Charity, to benefit residents of the Parish of Grindleford, including community groups that work and play within the local area.
Alongside the cycle sportive, we have co-hosted the Sir William Hill Climb. In 2015, to celebrate the Tour of Britain coming through the village, we put on a hill climb up the infamous Sir William Hill. It was such a success that it became an annual addition to the weekend, and an event in its own right, raising vital revenue for the Grindleford & Eyam Playgroup.
In 2020, due to the pandemic, the village decided we still wanted to organise a unique month-long virtual cycling event, the ‘Untethered Goat’. In lieu of a single day Sportive, riders were encouraged to complete any or all of the routes in their own time, alone or with others, and to post up their rides, pictures and stories. We had an incredibly positive response, with most starting and finishing at the shop with a coffee and a goody bag. We raised more than enough to cover our costs and created a Strava club, now hosting more than 450 local riders. 2023 was our 11th and most successful event yet.
Timetable of events:
8 a.m. field open: Gruff and Billy No Mates riders register
9 am: breakfasts, coffee and general registration
10 am: in a ‘staggered’ start, the Billy (108 km) sets off from the Pavilion followed immediately by the Nanny (54 km)
11.00 am: the local Kid family ride (21.7km) with mixed terrain or tarmac options (NOTE! this is the new more interesting but longer route)
This event is very popular attracting over 400 riders of all ages in 2023
There are opportunities for all abilities and ages. The two big rides are fully supported road routes, whilst the Gruff Gravel route for adventure riders who like being independent and finding their own way round. The challenging family MTB ride goes through local villages and finishes in private farmland, kindly opened just for this event. All the events start and finish in Grindleford.
For our 11th year we finally got to add an Imperial 100, the Billy No Mates! Lovingly curated by our very own, this is a big but breath taking ride of epic proportions - don't do it if you don't want to!
The signature ride is the 'classic' 108km Billy, featuring some of the most demanding climbs and exciting descents in this part of the Peak District. The mid-route Nanny, all signed and on mostly quiet roads, is a 54km tour, suitable for reasonably fit adults and takes in some of our most stunning scenery and natural beauty as well as a killer climb! The 'free' Kid is a family route with options that will take place on quiet roads and rough tracks including a beautiful 2km section on private tracks linking Bank Top and Mag Clough farms. Last but definitely not least, the popular Gruff Gravel, making its third appearance this year, will extend your knowledge of green lanes, quarry tracks and take you down drove roads you never knew existed.
Food. The Goat is so called because the riders climb steep hills and eat a lot! All the routes will provide opportunities for refreshments and other interesting diversions. We will provide a feed station in Monyash on the two longer rides and some retail encouragement along the way for the Kid and the Gruff!
The rolling ‘staggered’ start will be preceded by
quality espresso coffee
local, dry-cured bacon on ciabatta rolls or brie and mushrooms on Derbyshire oatcakes (you can pre-order these when you register for the ride).
Then
quality home-made cakes will be available on the 2 main routes (the Billy has an additional Snack Stop at Mam Nick)
an optional South Asian curry and rice meal and beer will be available at the finish. This is bookable in advance online. (You will definitely have deserved this by then!)
Coffee and cakes will be available through the day at the event centre.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR EVENT!