Event: The Bull Ring 200
Date: 17th/18th/19th May 2024
The Bull Ring 200 is a MTB sportive over 3 days covering 338km and 5,000m of climbing that orbited Birmingham, linking some great and often lesser-known off-road riding spots.
Riding through Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire, the many highlights included some of the best off-road biking trails found in the West Midlands.
We encountered a huge array of trail gems, taking in bridleways, byways, singletrack, moorland, woodland, urban and some purpose-built MTB trails.
Not only was the riding superb, the views from the likes of Bredon Hill, the Malvern and the two Clee Hills were fantastic too.
The event started in the historical Forest of Arden area in Warwickshire and headed towards the Malvern Hills. The route then turned into the Shropshire Hills (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) before crossing the Severn Gorge at the UNESCO World Heritage site at Ironbridge.
It then went across the top of the West Midlands metropolis to join a full traverse of Cannock Chase, one of the best riding areas in England!
The final part of the route headed South and utilized some of the plentiful canals found in the West Midlands, as well as a full mixed bag of woodland and rural trails.
There were many surprises on this route, ranging from superb singletrack, gut wrenchingly steep climbs, great architecture, and a fascinating history.
Fortunately for once, the weather was kind to us, so we didn’t have to deal with wet kit whilst camping after tough days of riding!
