A 3 day bikepacking adventure through the New Forest, Isle of Purbeck and Cranborne Chase
18 - 20 September 2026
For people who care about pitstops not FKT’s
for a long weekend of incredible off-road adventure riding. The inaugural Rat Run Rally, designed by Tom Farrel, is a self-supported bikepacking rally starting and finishing in Lyndhurst, linking some of the best gravel, bridleways and woodland singletrack in southern England.
JOIN US
YOU COMIN’? 🤞 👀
We hope so! Enjoy a curated 160-mile loop that connects the New Forest National Park, the Jurassic Coast and the rolling chalk landscapes of Cranborne Chase.
Ride at your own pace, carry your gear, stop for coffee, swim in the sea, camp under the stars, and roll back into Lyndhurst on Sunday ready for a well-earned celebration.
Think, “How many pub stops can I fit in” not “Can I be the first back”
ABOUT THE ROUTE
The route follows the Woods Rat Run — a 160 mile (256 km) bikepacking loop developed by Tom Farrell of The Woods Cyclery after years of exploring the best trails across Hampshire and Dorset.
The loop stitches together a huge variety of terrain:
flowing gravel roads through ancient New Forest woodland
quiet bridleways and hidden “rat run” trails
coastal riding along Bournemouth seafront
rugged singletrack and big views across the Isle of Purbeck
chalky drovers roads through Cranborne Chase
remote woodland tracks before returning to the Forest
We’ll be riding over three days. We want people to stop and enjoy the many local gems of the area from swim stops, to excellent local pubs, cafes and farm shops.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THE ROUTE
“Although I'm a little biased because I love the Isle of Purbeck especially, I couldn't recommend this route more highly, especially if the weather gods are looking favourably upon you. Tom has done a fabulous job connecting all kinds of forgotten bridleways, and he has a real nose for full bodied woodland singletrack!
I reckon this one has what it takes to become an English Classic!”
The route moves you through stunning and ever changing landscapes, sometimes challenging, sometimes meditative, always surprising, always alongside the local wildlife (hares, deer, red kites courting, the song of skylarks, the spooky electronica call of nightjars in the dark).
— Dave Taylor
A SPECIAL FILM MADE BY OUR FRIEND JEANNE LE POIX
Made back in 2024 when we first got the idea for the rally
Watch it to get a sense of what you’re in for
COME ONE COME ALL
THE PLAN
Meet us at The Woods Cyclery at 9:30am on Friday 18 September, bikes packed and ready for a weekend of trails, pitstops and good company.
Friday night, we’ll be pitching up at Camp Hartland at mile 61. Saturday takes us to Salisbury Campsite at Bake Farm, at mile 117.
On Sunday, we’ll come back together at The Stag in Lyndhurst at 4pm to swap stories and raise a pint to the weekend’s adventures.
Both campsites are expecting us, bring cash. £15 per site.
The New Forest Off Road club is a community interest company. Any profits raised from running the event will be reinvested in the community.
What’s the riding like?
Expect around 160 miles with roughly 2,300m of climbing, with a mix of surfaces and plenty of character. You’ll encounter fast rolling gravel tracks in the New Forest, bridleways and doubletrack, and some more technical singletrack (around 10 percent). You’ll find some steep climbs on the way - the Purbecks in particular don’t give the views away easily.
The terrain is varied and occasionally technical, so a gravel bike with big tyres or a hardtail mountain bike works best.
The beauty of this route is that it never feels too remote – towns, pubs and shops appear regularly, making resupply simple and letting you ride the weekend your way. And there are plenty of options to take a short cut if your legs are tired.
What to expect
from the weekend
This isn’t a race. It’s a rally. You get points for how many pit stops you enjoy, not for how fast you ride.
Friday 18th September
Meet at the Woods Cyclery for 9:30, aiming to leave at 10:00. We’ll be camping at Camp Hartland Friday night.
Saturday 19th September
Camping at Bake Farm, Salisbury.
Sunday 20th September
Arrive back in Lyndhurst, pints at the Stag between 16:00 - 18:00.
FIRST TIME RIDING A BIKEPACKING EVENT?
Perfect – the Rat Run Rally is designed to be approachable as a first bikepacking event.
A few reasons why it works well for first timers:
The route is a loop, and you’re never far from towns or transport links.
There are plenty of pubs, shops and cafés along the way for resupply.
You’ll be riding alongside a community of other riders doing exactly the same thing.
KEEN BUT NEED A BIKE & BAGS?
Our mates at the Woods have sorted us out with a 20% discount for people to ride the route on a Surly Straggler FULLY KITTED OUT with a suite of Wizard Works bags.
If this sounds like a bit of you, we’ll share a discount code when you get your rally ticket via ticket tailor
COMING FROM ABROAD?
If you’ve not ridden in the UK before and have been looking for an opportunity, this is it. This route gets you knees deep in British culture. From chip shops to watering holes (pubs), to award winning scotch eggs and hand made fudge, this route is a love letter to the British Isle.
If you’re flying, nearby Bournemouth and Southampton both have international airports and Poole has a ferry with easy train connections to Brockenhurst.
Questions?
-
The route is 160 miles (256km).
-
No. This is a self-supported rally. Ride at your own pace.
-
No. You can camp, stay in B&Bs, or mix of both.
-
A gravel bike with large tyres (45–2.3") or a hardtail MTB is ideal.
-
You should be comfortable riding off-road and able to ride 50–60 miles per day with gear.
-
Yes! We know it can be daunting turning up to an event on your own, but you’ll meet loads of wonderful like-minded people, and leave with a whole collection of new adventure pals.
-
This is a community event. Tickets are free (although you can donate to the club if you’d like). Payment to campsites are done on an individual basis, bring cash!
-
The nearest car park is Boltons Bench. If you have FE membership it is free. There are also residential roads around Lyndhurst that are free to park.
-
Yes — The Woods Cyclery will offer a special bikepacking package including a Surly bike with Wizard Works bags. We’ll share a 20% discount code to book once you’ve bought your ticket.
-
Brockenhurst, a short 20 minute off road ride to The Woods Cyclery.