Sure, winter riding can come with its challenges, but it’s also a great time of year to get out and enjoy your bike. Plus, some of the best off-road events happen to be put on at this time of year. From 24-hour cross-country challenges to gravel events, and from the Highlands in Scotland to Devon in England, there’s something for everyone. 

And to inspire you to keep your wheels rolling outside this winter, we’ve put together a list of some of the best off-road riding events to get your teeth into over the colder period. 

BikePark Wales Women’s Day

When: 12 October

Where: Merthyr Tydfil, Wales

If you’ve not been to BikePark Wales, then you seriously need to get yourself there. In my humble opinion, it’s one of the best uplift parks in the UK, and what I love is that there are tracks for every riding level. 

The women’s day on the 12th of October offers a space for women of all abilities to meet up with BPW ambassadors and have a fun day on the trails. It’s a great initiative to meet new riding buddies or push yourself with some advice from more experienced riders. 

It doesn’t close the park, so men, yes, you’re also able to ride BPW that day, but there are just focused social rides for women riders alongside the general opening. Tickets cost £56 and they include your uplift for the day. 

Find out more on the BikePark Wales website. 

Danny Hart’s Descend Winter Series

When: 19 October, 30 November, and 1 March

Where: Hamsterley Forest, North East England

When Danny Hart isn’t busy on the World Cup scene, he’s back home in the north east overseeing his Descend bike park. And back for 2025 is the super popular Winter Series, three downhill MTB races throughout winter running in the Descend bike park. 

The course will be announced closer to the day, and tickets cost £65 + fees per round. It’s a sell-out event series for a reason, offering racing for all ages at one of England’s top DH destinations. 

Find out more on the Descend Bike Park website.

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Clans o’ the Croft-18.jpg, by Pete Scullion

Clans @ The Croft

When: 25 October 

Where: Comrie Croft, Scotland

Ever wanted to race as a ‘clan’? Now you can. In racing terms, a clan is a team of three, and this enduro MTB style event is the only one in the UK that offers this option – but if you don’t have two other riding buddies, you can enter as a solo rider too. 

Every rider is timed on five stages, featuring jumps, berms, rock slabs, and more off-piste sections from Comrie Croft’s trail network. But if that sounds too technical, there’s a LITE category with a bit less gnar. 

Tickets cost £65 for the full course and £50 for the Lite, and more information can be found on the website. 

Ride to Remember

When: 8 November

Where: Marlborough, Wiltshire, England

The Ride to Remember is a mountain bike event that raises money for the Royal British Legion and commemorates those lost in battle. It’s gravel and MTB friendly, with some parts of the route favouring MTB gearing and some favouring the faster riding a gravel bike can offer. 

There are three routes to choose from: short at 31km, mid at 41km, and long at 54km. Prices start at £38 for the short route. More information can be found on the Trail Break website. 

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The Chiller 24 2025

When: 8-9 November

Where: Kielder, Northumberland, England

24 hours on an MTB sounds like fun, right? There’s nothing like a good endurance race to really put yourself in the pain cave, and the Chiller 24 looks like it’ll be a cracking event. It consists of a seven-to-eight-mile lap with a mix of red grade trails and forest track, and roughly 350 metres of climbing. 

You can enter as a solo, a pair, or a team of four riders, so there are options for everyone if you don’t fancy doing it on your tod. The concept is simple, just complete as many laps as you can within the 24-hour period, but when the clock reaches 10 AM on the Sunday, then the race is over. 

Tickets cost £80 for a solo rider, £120 for a pair, and £180 for a team of four. More information can be found on the Cold Brew Events website. 

Brass Monkeys XC Series

When: 30 November, 4 January & 1 February

Where: Minley Warren, Hampshire, England

If endurance XC racing is your kind of thing and you’re in the south of England, then the Brass Monkeys series shouldn’t be overlooked. Consisting of three rounds, the series offers a choice of two, three, or four-hour races over five to six-mile laps. 

The laps consist of singletrack, some technical features, and woodland trails. Prices start at £35 for two-hour races, and more information is available on the website. 

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Dirty Santa Xmas Trail Ride

When: 7 December

Where: Chilworth, Surrey Hills

A great ride to blow out those pre-Quality Street indulgence cobwebs, the Dirty Xmas Trail Ride in Surrey is suitable for both gravel and mountain bikes. There are two routes to choose from: 45km and 34km distances. 

Both offer manned feed stations with mince pies and other Christmas-themed goodies, and at the end, you get a bottle of Dirty Santa beer. What more could you want from a winter event?!

Find out more on the Trailbreak website. 

Strathpuffer 24 MTB 2026

When: 10-11 January

Where: Contin Forest, Scottish Highlands

Starting in 2005, this legendary race has been called one of the toughest MTB events in the world for good reason. Riders tackle a 12.5km course that’s not only filled with interesting features, but given the event is in the Scottish Highlands in the middle of winter, the weather usually makes things somewhat unpredictable. 

It’s open to solos, pairs, and teams of four, but there is no e-bike category. The event is so tough that riders have to carry mandatory kit – partially because there are 17 hours of darkness during the event, but also because of the remote location and toughness of the Scottish winter!

Find out more on the Strathpuffer website. 

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