Tour of the Hopfields is run by the same team as Beastway MTB and Beastway London Summer Cyclocross Series. It's an off-road sportive modelled on our super-popular Tour of the Cornfields which has been running since 2006. With its inaugural run postponed from Sunday 12 July to Sunday 11 October 2020, our thoroughly-researched and ridden route takes you around 100km of byways, bridleways and lanes just outside the M25 where it meets the M20. We have a great refreshments stop for cakes and a good start finish at a country pub*!

Suitable for gravel bikes, cyclo-cross, MTB, hybrids and sturdy road bikes, the 100km off-road route loops around the bridleways, byways, lanes and minor roads in the North Downs and Weald of Kent - Not a flat part of the country so there are some exhilarating sections of gravel, tracks through forests and along old rides including the famous Pilgrim's Way of Geoffrey Chaucer fame.

We ride regularly in this area and it's obvious for us to apply what we've learned from Cornfields to bring you another properly-insured and 'official' event linked in with the relevant authorities. We keep our events small and friendly. We don't do medals or 'merch' and it's up to you about giving money to charity. This is a ride to enjoy and it comes right in the middle of our Beastway London Summer Cyclocross Series 

Your start is at a lovely country pub* with a big garden, restaurant, lots of quiet lay-by parking, and a great welcome back for riders who will be hungry and thirsty. We take you through scenic country and sweet villages we know well as local riders. There is the half-way cake stop - and what lovely cakes they are....!
This ride is ideal for cyclocross riders who want a big day out and it comes right in the middle of our Beastway London Summer Cyclocross Series at Leyton, Bethlem, Hog Hill and Herne Hill on Thursdays in July.


*If the pub ever re-opens post COVID, but that won't affect our car parking.

Info for Riders

Whether 100km off-road represents a challenge or just a simple morning's stretch, you will find this loop is a really nice ride. There are several long sections of old byway and farm track, some hedged bridleways and forest rides making over 70% of the loop off-road. We take you to some surprisingly un-well-known rights of way where the riding is really good yet we hardly ever see anyone else on a bike.

This ride is PRE-ENTRY ONLY. You will receive the full route info on the eve of our event. Make sure you supply an active email address for us to send you the route details, so check your BC details or send us a 'real email' address to go with your paid entry to beastway'at'btinternet.com

You can ride at your own pace or team up with others as you follow the route we issue for GPS. We also provide the route for your smartphone as routes and a map image. Our signage scheme is minimal but effective when we tell you what to look for at the rider briefing. Though we really only recommend this ride for those with GPS.
We estimate you will complete the ride in four hours but we know it will take some as long as seven hours. That's fine. 

We start riders in groups of 6 at intervals to avoid trail blockages. Your start time and finish times are recorded. Time spent at the mandatory refreshments stop is subtracted, which means you can take your time to enjoy the tea and the cake.

This is an unsupported ride with no sag wagon but we have been known to retrieve a rider. Mainly it's nice to rely on the kindness of others or bring your own toolkit and spares. You know what you're doing.

We provide cakes, savouries and drinks at the refreshments stop at a village facility that's been carefully chosen. The start / finish is at a great pub with lots of parking and a large garden for riders to mix at the end of the ride. The pub* will be delighted to sell you hot food and cold beers. 

The event start is just off the A25 between Sevenoaks and Borough Green with ample parking. Sign-on is in the pub which will be open for toilets and the sale of drinks.