Solstice Sprint | Unsupported Cycling Trial
A 1000km unsupported journey from Warwick and back, following a fixed route through the UK. The longest days give riders more light to work with, but eventually the question becomes simple: how far are you prepared to carry on?
1000KM of light
The Summer Solstice
The summer solstice marks the height of the year. Day overwhelms night, the sun reaches its northern limit and Britain experiences its longest hours of light. For thousands of years that turning point has been watched, measured and marked, from ancient monuments aligned to the sun to gatherings that continue around the solstice today.
The Sprint begins in the days immediately after that turning point and takes the longest light of the year out onto the road. Daylight stretches the possibilities, but 1000km stretches further. Eventually the sun falls, rises and falls again, and what began as abundance becomes a question of how long the rider is prepared to continue.
About this trial
The third trial belongs to the longest day: 1000km, a fixed route and a passage through the full reach of summer light. From Warwick, the road moves out across the country and returns again, carrying riders through high ground, long horizons and the strange abundance of a day that seems unwilling to end.
The light is generous at first. Later, it becomes a witness. As distance gathers and fatigue takes hold, the trial asks for patience, discipline and the willingness to continue when progress is measured one road at a time. This is the long passage of the Series, held at the height of the year.
- Series role
- Core Series trial · Summer
- Current edition
- 2028 edition
- Trial date
- 22nd June, 2028
- Distance
- 1000KM
- Location
- Warwick, Warwickshire
- Format
- Fixed Route
- Entry fee
- £220
- Entry status
- Availability via Eventrac
Trial entry
2028 edition takes place on 22nd June, 2028. Entry costs £220. Current entry status: Availability via Eventrac. Eventrac, Solstice Series' booking partner, handles availability, rider details and payment.
What’s included
- Curated 1000km fixed route
- GPX route file
- Live Follow My Challenge rider tracking
- Rider registration and pre-trial briefing
- Welcome meal at HQ
- HQ start and finish
- Bag drop, showers and water refills at HQ
- Trial photography
- Hand-designed take-home route map by Nicky Shaw
- Signature Solstice Series cycling cap
- Completion recorded in the Series archive
Trial format
- 1000km fixed-route trial
- Seven-day completion window
- Staffed HQ until Monday afternoon
- Self-finish available after staffed HQ closes
- Route must be followed from start to finish
- Self-navigated throughout
- Unsupported between publicly available commercial services
- Female Solo, Male Solo and Pairs classifications
- Riders manage their own navigation, food, water and sleep
2028 Route
Each Solstice Sprint follows its own 1000km line from Warwick and back. The 2028 route is currently being developed, with the final draft expected to explore North Wales and the Midlands before returning to Warwick. More of the route will be shared here as it takes shape, while confirmed riders will receive the final GPX before the trial.
The 2026 Journey
The 2026 Solstice Sprint began in Warwick before heading west into the Forest of Dean and the Black Mountains, where the climb over Llangynidir Mountain opened the route to vast skies and exposed roads. From there, riders crossed the Severn towards Bristol and Somerset, passing Clifton Suspension Bridge and Cheddar Gorge before turning through the New Forest. The return carried the route through Sherborne, Gold Hill, Avebury and Dragon Hill before the final passage through the Cotswolds to Warwick.
Every edition follows a different line. The 2026 map is shown here as a record of that journey, not as the route for 2028.
Trial schedule
- Wednesday 21 June · 1500H
- HQ opens and rider check-in begins
- Wednesday 21 June · 1700H
- Kitchen opens for the welcome evening meal
- Wednesday 21 June · 2100H
- Evening check-in closes and HQ closes for the night
- Thursday 22 June · 0700H
- HQ reopens and morning check-in begins
- Thursday 22 June · 0830H
- Morning check-in closes
- Thursday 22 June · 0845H
- Final start-line briefing
- Thursday 22 June · 0900H–0908H
- The field departs in staggered waves
- Thursday 22 June onwards
- Follow My Challenge tracking remains active throughout the trial
- Monday 26 June · 1600H
- Staffed HQ closes. The trial remains open and self-finish begins.
- Thursday 29 June · from 0900H
- Seven-day completion window closes according to each rider’s individual start time
Gallery
- Cyclists preparing at the start of the 2024 Solstice Sprint (2024)
- Pre-trial briefing at the 2024 Solstice Sprint (2024)
- Riders on open roads during the 2024 Solstice Sprint (2024)
- Cyclist climbing through the Cotswolds (2024)
- Dawn riding on the 2024 Solstice Sprint route (2024)
- Riders pushing through the night hours (2024)
- Reaching Wales on the 2024 Solstice Sprint (2024)
- Finishers at the 2024 Solstice Sprint (2024)
Community media
- Paul Jennings — Solstice Sprint 2026: Paul Jennings documents the 2026 Solstice Sprint, covering 1,028km, 10,965m of elevation and 58 hours 11 minutes on the road.
- Paul Jennings — Solstice Sprint 2025 (1000KM): Paul Jennings documents the 1,001km Solstice Sprint through England and Wales, including 9,700m of elevation.
- Harry Johnson — Full Beans Cycling Co: Harry Johnson’s experience of taking on the 1000km Solstice Sprint through the UK.
- Paul Jennings — Solstice Sprint 2024: Paul Jennings’ account of completing the 1,000km Solstice Sprint through England and Wales in 57 hours and 32 minutes.
Common questions
Is the route fixed?
Yes. The Solstice Sprint follows a fixed, curated route of approximately 1000km from Warwick and back. Riders receive the final GPX before the trial and must follow it from start to finish. If a rider leaves the prescribed route, they must return to the point of deviation before continuing.
When is the 2028 route released?
The route is developed specifically for each edition. More detail on the 2028 route may be published as development progresses, while confirmed riders will receive the final GPX before the trial. Previous-edition routes shown on the website are records of those journeys and should not be used to plan the current edition.
What is the time limit?
Each rider has seven days from their individual start time to complete the full route. The field departs in staggered waves between 09:00 and 09:08 on Thursday 22 June, so the completion window closes at the corresponding time on Thursday 29 June.
What is a Trial Pass?
A Trial Pass is earned by completing the full prescribed Solstice Sprint route within seven days of the rider’s individual start time. Successful completion is recorded as part of the rider’s progress through the four core Solstice Series trials.
What happens when staffed HQ closes?
Staffed HQ remains open until 16:00 on Monday 26 June. The Sprint itself remains open for the full seven-day completion window. Riders finishing after staffed HQ closes complete the route and finish at HQ as normal, with their arrival recorded through their Follow My Challenge tracker. Where possible, a member of the HQ team may meet later finishers, but this is not guaranteed.
What happens to my tracker and belongings if I finish after HQ closes?
Riders finishing after staffed HQ closes return their Follow My Challenge tracker by post using the instructions provided by the organiser. Any bag left at HQ, together with the rider’s take-home route map where applicable, will be posted to them after the trial.
Is the trial supported?
No. The Sprint is unsupported. There are no organiser feed stations, following support vehicles or private support crew along the route. Riders are responsible for their own navigation, food, water, sleep and onward decisions. Publicly available commercial services such as shops, cafés, hotels and petrol stations may be used.
Is there live tracking?
Yes. Riders carry a Follow My Challenge tracker throughout the Sprint, allowing their progress to be followed for the full seven-day completion window. The tracker must remain with the rider throughout their attempt.
Can I ride solo or as a pair?
Yes. There are three classifications: Female Solo, Male Solo and Pairs. Riders entering as a pair must remain together throughout the trial and complete the route and finish together.
What equipment is mandatory?
Hi-vis, a foil blanket, bike lights, a helmet and a charged mobile phone are mandatory. This is the minimum required personal safety equipment. Riders are responsible for carrying any additional clothing, food, drink, tools, navigation equipment and spares they judge necessary for a 1000km unsupported journey. The supplied Follow My Challenge tracker is required throughout the attempt but should not be presented as part of the rider’s personal mandatory-equipment list.
Is insurance required?
Yes. All riders must hold valid third-party public liability insurance and provide proof at registration. A minimum of £1 million cover is recommended. Riders are responsible for confirming that their policy covers participation in the trial.
What bike is suitable?
Any roadworthy, non-motorised bicycle may be used. The Sprint follows an all-road route over approximately 1000km, so riders should choose a bicycle they are comfortable riding over several days and across varied terrain.
What happens if I scratch?
Notify the organiser as soon as possible using the contact details provided at briefing. Riders who scratch are responsible for making their own safe onward arrangements and returning their Follow My Challenge tracker as instructed.
Are entries refundable?
Entry fees are non-refundable unless the trial is cancelled by the organiser. If the trial is cancelled, riders will be offered a transfer to the next available trial date or a full refund. Entries are personal and non-transferable unless expressly permitted by the organiser. Full details are set out in the Terms & Conditions.
Explore the Series
Previous trial: Equinox Omniloop. Next trial: Equinox Sun Race.