#023 Skövde Gravel

Skövde Gravel
It doesn’t have to be epic to be good

Distance: 81km
Height: 570m
Direction: Clockwise
Percentage:75% gravel  25% road
Style: Gravel roads with some short single track sections
Route designer: Tomas Niska ( instagram https://www.instagram.com/tomas82swe/ )

Bike: Gravel/Cross/MTB/Fatbike
Tires: 35mm or wider (I ride on 38 mm Specialized Pathfinder)
Bike shop: 30K at gamla kungsvägen 54.

Tomas: A nice, but not epic, gravel ride.
Michael: That’s a bit harsh. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder you know!
Tomas: Well, it is one of my favourite routes so maybe it doesn’t have to be epic to be good.

The route start from the parking at Billingens Fritidsområde and will take you through the city to the start of the gravel at the military training area.
You then continue on gravel to south east to the small villige of Varola and on an old farm road.
Next is the road called the Ringvägen that circles around the training area for live firing. Do Not Pass any closed barriers!
If you follow the route you will have warning signs on you right hand as you ride. When the road turns to the north you have the perfect road for some racing
(segment called Slutspurten on Strava)!

After the racing segment the route will take you to north-west and the first climb to mount Billingen will be at 36km.
On this part of the route it will be some asphalt, but it is really nice roads to ride your bike.
When arriving at the south part of lake Simsjön you can refill your water bottles in the restrooms during summertime,
on the north shore you can buy ice cream when the sun is shining. ( editors note: important fika stop! )

After the lake you will have a nice descent but there can be some traffic on the road.
when you reach the road crossing in Våmb, you can take a short cut back to Skövde or continue the ride.

You will ride on an old railway and after 57km you will have a nice descent on gravel before the last climb at 63km.
This is the final climb on the route and you can enjoy the rest of the ride on a nice gravel road.
When you hit the asphalt you will ride for approx 4 km before you start the final push to Billingens fritidsområde.
This part will shares with mountainbikers, runners and families so take it as easy as possible.
Follow the green signs with a bike on them. The route will take you to a viewpoint above Skövde before you ride the last kilometre to the Bike Wash.

A great but not an epic route ;)