Good Omens | The London Orbital 300km Audax
Saturday 27 June 2026
Event information
Event HQ
Sandridge Scout Hut, Sandridgebury Lane, Sandridge, St Albans AL3 6JB (Gmaps)
Start: 7am on 27 June 2026
Simple refreshments available at the start and end of the ride (hot & cold drinks, some snack foods).
Wherever possible please plan to arrive by bike or public transport - St Albans City is a short ride away. (NOTE Engineering works are now scheduled for weekend of 27-Jun-2026)
Parking
Limited parking is available at the scout hut. If this fills up, we will post someone at the entrance to Sandridge Lane to indicate this. Please heed their direction, and find alternative parking in the village or back towards St Albans centre.
Controls
The descriptions below assume traditional paper-based proof of passage. If you'd rather use the e-Brevet mobile app, follow these instructions, using Brevet Code 26-634
- 48km - Windsor: Open control - Get a receipt!
The Cinnamon Cafe inside the central station old ticket office is very popular with cyclists, and has good bike parking options (plus a 10% discount for anyone in lycra). But plenty of other options available in the town - just make sure your receipt has the location and time. - 91km - Elstead Village hall: Checkpoint
This is a staffed control, get your brevet card stamped, and grab a bite from the simple food and refreshments provided. - 154km - Lingfield: Open control - Get a receipt!
Co-op, Morrisons etc or Costa or other cafes. Public Toilets on Godstone Rd behind the Shell petrol station.
Good choice for a toilet stop as there aren't any further mandatory control stops with facilities until after the Thames crossing. - 185m - Ivy Hatch: Info control
Answer the question on the brevet card - 210km - Dartford Crossing: Checkpoint
We'll have a small pop-up rest stop with some simple refreshments while you wait for the shuttle service. See below for detailed information on the bike crossing. NOTE there are no toilets available! - 240km - Billericay: Info control
Answer the question in the brevet card. There's also a 24hr BP Garage in case you need resupply, and toilets (until 10pm) - 270km - Harlow: Open control - Get a receipt!
The suggested route has a short out-and-back to a 24hr BP just before reaching the town, but you are welcome to deviate to any other shop/cafe of your choice. Just get a receipt with the location and time/date. Harlow boasts a fine selection of Kebab houses.
Dartford Crossing
Due to the demise of the Gravesend/Tilbury Thames Ferry, you will be passing under the Thames via the Dartford road tunnel bike shuttle. We will be providing additional shuttle service for participants, running alongside the Highways Agency Dartford bike crossing service. We will make every effort to facilitate a speedy crossing for all, and accommodate all riders, but ask for your patience and understanding at this pinch point.
- If you intend to ride an unusual or funky bike (tandem, recumbent, etc) please contact the to the organiser ASAP, ideally before entering
- at Dartford a pop-up rest stop will be provided while you wait for your transit; your cooperation in patiently waiting (and refuelling) and then promptly loading will help everyone have a smooth crossing
- you are responsible for loading and securing your own bike, whether traveling in the Highways Agency shuttle or the club minibus and trailer. Use the bungies or straps provided to secure bikes for transit. We plan to have volunteers available to assist, but transfer is at your own risk
- in the extremely unlikely case an emergency forces road or tunnel closure, the event may have to be cancelled potentially without notice. Should this happen we'll make every effort to assist stranded riders but self recovery (via Dartford or Ebbsfleet railway station) may be required, and no refund will be possible.
NOTE: Unfortunately there are no toilet facilities available at the Dartford Crossing. The next available convenience is in the Lakeside shopping area (Costa, Burger King etc) on Western Avenue after the crossing drop off.
If you think you may need a bathroom break while waiting, please stop at the BP/McDonalds or Public WCs in Hesketh Park at 207km point (about 3km prior to the crossing).
Additional facilities on route
- 115km - Ewhurst
Hazelbank Country store (opposite the village Porsche showroom) - 140km - Horley
Esso on roundabout before town has customer toilets.
In town just before the railway underpass there’s various cafes, corner stores etc.
Tip: I stopped at Dijo Cafe & Deli on the way out of town, very accommodating staff serving delicious Portuguese food. - 177km - Hilden Park Golf Club
OPEN UNTIL 5pm
Friendly basic cafe; likely last sit-down cafe stop for most riders. On the right before the train station. - Billericay, 240km
This is an information control, but as noted above there’s also a handy BP Garage with toilets open until 10pm.
DNS / DNF (Scratching)
If you no longer plan to participate, please use the AUK Members page to withdraw your entry (click Upcoming Events -> Good Omens -> Withdraw). Note no refund will be possible, but this helps us greatly with catering planning.
If you cannot complete the ride, please let us know via the day of ride contact printed in the brevet card.
Please remember: this is a self-supported excursion, we cannot provide sag waggon recovery service for anyone. Fortunately the route does cross over all the radial train lines out of London so your best option will be to find the nearest train station and use that to return home, or to St Albans if you need to collect your car or belongings from HQ.
Route Sheet and GPX
The route sheet and GPX files are available for download here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54635836
The GPX file includes Waypoints (aka Course Points) for the controls and points of difficult navigation: you are encouraged to familiarise yourself in advance with how these can be displayed on your specific bike computer.
Route description (informative)
Organized by Verulam CC, the "Good Omens" 300km Audax is a formidable self-supported challenge that tests both endurance and spirit. The journey begins at 7:00 AM from the Sandridge Scout Hut in St Albans, where riders set off on a grand loop around the capital.
The Opening: From the Chilterns to the Surrey Hills
Starting from Sandridge, the route turns right onto Sandridge Road, climbing steadily away from St Albans. Riders soon trade the bustle of the city for narrow lanes, beginning the ascent into the Chilterns. After passing Hemel Hempstead, the climbing intensifies as the route traverses this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The first major milestone is Windsor, where the historic town and castle provide a picturesque backdrop for the first control stop. From here, a short transition leads to Windsor Great Park—a traffic-free haven for cycling. Entering through Ranger's Gate and exiting via Blacknest Gate, riders make their way toward the Surrey Hills, widely considered the "gem" of the ride.
The route winds through Chobham and Pirbright before crossing the Hog's Back. Here, the landscape transforms into the quintessential Surrey Hills country lanes. After a control stop in Elstead, the ride completes its crossing of this National Landscape, dropping off the North Downs into the enjoyable cycling terrain of the Weald.
The Crossing: the Weald and North Downs
The journey continues east through charming towns like Ewhurst and Hever, with an interlude at Horley where more shops and cafes are available for refuelling: be prepared to search twice for the railway underpass entrance!
On reaching the southeastern corner of the route at Leigh, the direction shifts north for a sustained ten-mile climb back over the North Downs, including the locally renowned ascent through Ivy Hatch and up Exedown Hill.
As riders approach Dartford, the environment becomes increasingly urban and technical. Navigating the M25/A282 interchange leads to the Dartford Crossing pop-up control. At this critical 210km mark, a shuttle service transports cyclists through the Dartford Tunnel.
The Final Stretch: Essex to Hertfordshire
Emerging on the north side of the Thames, the route winds through the Lakeside area before the urban sprawl gives way to rural Essex. Riders head toward the Billericay info control, marking the easternmost point of the journey.
Quiet Essex lanes guide the way into the night, skirting Harlow for a final resupply. The last major hurdle is the sustained climb from the Lee Valley at Broxbourne, passing Paradise Wildlife Park before dropping into Welham Green and Colney Heath. The circle finally closes back at the Sandridge Scout Hut, completing this audacious London 312km circuit of the capital.
