The best places to watch the 2013 Tour of Britain
This year’s Tour of Britain is a great opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the world’s finest cyclists. Whether you fancy mingling with the riders before the stages begin, bagging a prime seat along the road to watch them whizz by, or cheering them home at the finish line, there are loads of fantastic opportunities for spectators. We take a look at some of the highlights of the 2013 route.
Stage one: Sunday 15 September 2013
Peebles to Drumlanrig Castle (201km)
This year’s Tour of Britain kicks off in Scotland. Stage one is a 200-kilometre route passing through Selkirk, Hawick, Gretna and Dumfries. Stunning Drumlanrig Castle in Thornhill, Dumfries & Galloway, will be a beautiful place to watch the riders’ finishing circuit.
Stage two: Monday 16 September 2013
Cumbria, The Lake District, Carlisle to Kendal (225km)
Stage two is set to be a cracker, showcasing some of the Lake District’s best scenery – and putting the riders to the test. This will also be the longest stage in modern Tour of Britain history. Great places to watch the riders – especially if you want to see them powering up some challenging inclines – include Honister Pass in the North Lakes, and Beast Banks in Kendal.
Find out more about cycling in Carlisle, and join a free organised bike ride.
Find out more about cycling in the Lake District, and join a free organised bike ride.
Stage three: Tuesday 17 September 2013
Knowsley Individual Time Trial (16km)
The Tour of Britain’s biggest ever individual time trial takes place on Merseyside this year. Riders will face a ten-mile (16-kilometre) test against the clock, starting and finishing from Knowsley Safari Park.
Find out more about cycling in Knowsley, and join a free organised bike ride.
Stage four: Wednesday 18 September 2013
Stoke-on-Trent to Llanberis (190.9km)
Stage four of the race will start in Stoke-on-Trent, in the heart of The Potteries before heading west through the Snowdonia National Park to a finish in Llanberis. Take your pick of gorgeous places to watch the race whizz by – like the popular village of Betws-y-Coed – and perhaps try some off-road riding yourself on one of the area’s many amazing trails.
Stage five: Thursday 19 September 2013
Machynlleth to Caerphilly (177.1km)
Stage five is another one for the climbers – and therefore great for the spectators too, and the action takes just a little longer to pass you by. This stage starts from Machnylleth (where there’ll be free bike parking at the Bro Ddyfi Leisure Centre) and heads south through the awesome Brecon Beacons National Park. 271 metre-high Caerphilly Mountain will be good value as a spectating spot as the riders will make two ascents – the famous wooden snack bar at the top is open all day. Riders end the day with an iconic finish alongside Caerphilly Castle.
Stage six: Friday 20 September 2013
Sidmouth to Haytor, Dartmoor (137km)
Stage six sees a little bit of history being made, as it becomes the first stage of The Tour of Britain to host a summit finish. Starting in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Devon’s gorgeous Jurassic Coast in Sidmouth, the route passes through Honiton, Cullompton, Tiverton, Exeter, Moretonhampstead, and Bovey Tracey before the challenging climax in Dartmoor National Park. The atmosphere’s always great in this part of the world – especially as local hero Jonathan Tiernan-Locke won the race in 2012.
Stage seven: Saturday 21 September 2013
Epsom to Guildford (150.4km)
With Surrey certainly no stranger to staging major cycling events, this year’s spectators are in for a treat. This stage features some daunting climbs during the first half of the race before some flat-out sprints in the run up to Guildford. The route will pass through some quintessentially English towns and villages including Holmbury St Mary, Cranleigh, Woking, Ottershaw, Farnham and Guildford.
Find out more about cycling in Surrey, and join a free organised bike ride.
Stage eight: Sunday 22 September 2013
The London Stage, presented by TfL (88km)
Starting and finishing on Whitehall, the riders will face ten laps of the London circuit racing along the Thames at Victoria Embankment and Upper Thames Street to the Tower of London, before returning via Trafalgar Square and Parliament Street to Whitehall. The streets will be lined with spectators, so get there early!
Find out more about cycling in London, and join a free organised bike ride.
Inspired to get cycling? Join a free guided bike ride or create your own.
More on the Tour of Britain:
Our indispensable guide to the 2013 Tour of Britain
Ten reasons to love the Tour of Britain
So you’ve been inspired by the Tour of Britain?
