Cambridge Saffron 100 Perm  Enter this ride

This is a permanent ride and can be ridden at any time.

109km, 12.5 to 30kph (3h38 to 8h43m).  770m of climbing.

An easy 100km ride to an excellent pub stop at the Tally Ho in Barkway (opens for breakfast), a quick leg through Essex to Saffron Walden. Some minor lumpiness to Cambourne is rewarded with a fast, flat and quiet run back to Cambridge with a welcome descent past the American War Cemetery. A generous time limit as well as high speed limit mean you can tackle this as a slow ride in the sun on any bike, or as a quick training ride on carbon.

Riding permanent events in covid times

Audax UK has imposed restrictions on how many riders can ride any single permanent event on any single day: currently there is a limit of six riders per day on any perm.  This rules applies in all four administrative zones of the UK and is in line with British Cycling's current advice.  Check with Nick before riding that there is available space on the road.  More information is here.

Riders must adhere to Audax UK's Covid-19 Behaviour Code.

(updated 5 May 2021)

       

There are quite a number of pubs along the route if you wanted to turn it into a grand day out and you've got nearly nine hours to get around the route, so plenty of time to enjoy them.

This is an ideal first ride for anyone wishing to try audax but who is wary of the longer distances: easy navigation, great scenery, plenty of time, no significant hills.  You won't get any points, but it is a lovely route.  Note that you don't need a GPS to ride this — when you enter we will send you a complete paper routesheet (or you can print your own from links below) and you can easily navigate the course using just this routesheet to guide you.

The route

This is a figure-of-eight route, starting from the centre of Cambridge and following the classic old London road through Newton, Fowlmere, Barley to the newly refurbished Tally Ho in Barkway for breakfast. 

       

A left turn and some lovely lanes lead across the western margins of Essex to Saffron Walden past Audley End house (it's worth missing the right turn and going on 50m to see the magnificent vista of the house across the front lawn), where you have to climb in and climb out. 

Map of the route 

A few longer climbs take you back into Cambridgeshire — including a 1-in-10 descent! — to Barrington where you can refuel for a sharp climb over Chapel Hill to Haslingfield and then it's a more steady Cambridgeshire ride across huge open fields to the new-town of Cambourne.

Finally, a fast, flat and quiet homeward run with a fast descent into Cambridge itself.

This is a mostly rural route passing through pretty Cambridgeshire and Essex villages, and includes a visit to Audley End House near Saffron Walden.

The controls

Start and finish in the centre of Cambridge.  The route starts from King's Parade, opposite King's College.  There are plenty of banks, shops and cafés within 100m of the start.

Alternatively you can start at any control on the route and ride in either direction (ask the organiser for the reverse GPX files if you need them).  If you wish to start at a point along the route, please confirm with the organiser first.

The controls are well-serviced, commercial controls with early-to-late provision — Cambridge, Barkway (not 24-hour), Saffron Walden, Barrington (not 24-hour), and Cambourne.  Especially recommended is Tally Ho pub in Barkway for breakfast.

Toilets are available at all controls (some are pubs), or behind some hedges on the route.

The routesheet and GPS files

There are two versions of the routesheet, depending on what you want: one has distances between instructions and holds your hand; the other contains just the turn-by-turn instructions with only as many distances as necessary for navigation and planning, as preferred by old-school audaxers:  (updated 30 May 2015)

There are several versions of the GPS files, depending on your device and preference: TCX files provide turn-by-turn in Garmin Edge devices; GPX files provide a track to follow on-screen on all devices, although older devices need tracks with fewer than 500 points. They're all here, although you only need to download one:  (updated 30 May 2015)

IMPORTANT — the route crosses itself in Fowlmere so make sure you follow the correct track on your GPS!!  Your ride will not be validated if you get this wrong.  Basically follow the B1368 thru Fowlmere on the outward leg without deviating; use the non-main-road route on the return.  You have been warned!  (The GPS files include cues/waypoints to indicate when you need to double-check; the routesheet includes all the information you need.)

Getting to the start

Hopefully you live close enough to cycle to the start, but if not then park in any of the outer suburbs of Cambridge and cycle in — parking all day in central Cambridge is very expensive!

Cambridge is well-served by train, and it’s an easy 2km ride from the station to the centre of Cambridge.

Before you start

It is a requirement that you notify the organiser of the date of your ride for validation and insurance purposes — a text or email is sufficient.

On completion

When you have completed the ride, write the control establishment names and times on the brevet, complete your details on the reverse and then send your brevet card and receipts to the organiser (details are on the routesheet). And please remember to sign your brevet!

Have a great, safe ride!  Enter this ride