Dirt

The Mondraker Gravity Rally, in association with the National Trust, is an ideal introduction to the gravity racing scene, bringing mountain bikers together to have a good time riding some of the country’s best natural trails. Over the past couple of years, it has established itself as one of the UK’s best gravity enduro weekends, with good vibes, good beer and great riding.

It was first staged in 2012, based at the Holnicote Estate in Somerset – taking place in September in Exmoor it proved a great way to finish off a summer of mountain biking in style. Timed downhill sections helped organisers find the fastest rider, but simply having fun was top of most riders’ list of priorities, even legendary mountain biker Fabien Barel who flew in especially for the event.

The event returned to Holnicote in July 2013, and cemented its reputation as the UK’s least serious Gravity Enduro. With a completely new route, more timed downhill stages and more entertainment, the event was even bigger than before but remained focused on fun with no pressure to rush between stages.

For its third edition in 2014, organisers announced a second date to make up a mini-series across the summer – the first event will be held on the weekend of 5/6th July at Holnicote, while the second will be on 13/14th September at Newnham Park, Plymouth, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. There will also be a completely new timing system to ensure times are available immediately after each stage.