In 2025, Rouleur will be the media partner for Focal Events, the masterminds behind the UK’s premier gravel events.
From the iconic Dirty Reiver to Gravel Rocks, Frontier 300, Dalby Grit, and Just Gravel Grizedale, these are the rides every gravel enthusiast dreams of conquering, and Rouleur will be at the forefront of these events, bringing you all the stories from the trails and those riding.
Focal Events co-director Neil Atkinson commented: “As long-time readers of Rouleur and also visitors to the excellent Rouleur Live event each year, we’re proud to be partnering with the team to bring our gravel events closer to Rouleur’s community. We’ve got some exciting content plans in the diary for the season ahead and will be bringing to life different ways of connecting Rouleur’s readers with our events throughout the year.”
Focal Events founded Dirty Reiver in 2016 – the first and largest gravel event in the UK. The 200km-long event (you can also ride the 130km and 65km routes) has become a rite of passage in the gravel world and a real test of stamina, skills and self-reliance. The event was based on the Gravel Grinder format found in the American Midwest and sees riders traverse gravel forest access roads on the border regions of England and Scotland. It has grown in popularity since its inaugural event almost 10 years ago, and the 2025 event sold out in a matter of hours, with 2,000 gravel riders making their way to Kielder in April. Rouleur writer Rachel Jary rode the event in 2023 – you can read more about her experience here.
Focal Events' other races have also become important events in the gravel calendar, and all have unique characteristics. Gravel Rocks is the company’s enduro-style gravel race with a festival atmosphere. The event in the North York Moors is spread across two days and includes experiences such as a 10km night ride, social rides, and family activities. However, the racing element includes seven timed stages over the two days. But there is a twist: the exact locations of the timed stages “remain a mystery until you discover them en route” according to the Gravel Rocks website.
Frontier 300 is a coast-to-coast challenge, which can be completed in one or two days on 6-8 June, from the Irish to the North Sea, journeying through the heart of the old Border Marches via quiet lanes and gravel trails. Focal Events also has another race in June, called Dalby Grit – it's a new gravel race that’ll be experienced for the first time this year, the only one of its kind in England this year. The 110km-long course is set within Dalby Forest on the southern edge of the North York Moors National Park and features over 1,800 metres of climbing, making it a challenging race.
Later in the year, Focal Events runs Just Gravel Grizedale in September. This event has three routes available for riders to choose from, including a route for families (15km), a route for fun (32km) and one that is aimed at challenging participants (45km). The event is for all abilities – with guaranteed places for female riders and families, free child entries and bursary places for those on low income – and takes place in the Lake District’s Grizedale Forest.
Each of Focal Events' gravel races and challenges is in partnership with a range of cycling’s biggest brands, including Panaracer, Crankbrothers, SCOTT, Wahoo, SRAM, Camelbak, Clif, POC, Lauf, Topeak, Le Col, Ergon, Exposure Lights, Action Medical Research, and many more. Rouleur is delighted to now be amongst those supporting the UK’s best gravel events as Focal Events media partner.
Are you taking part in one of these events? Rouleur will have a dedicated area at each where you’ll be able to get a copy of the magazine and meet some of the team.
