Three days in Galloway, ahead of the main event. New faces, familiar ones, and a proper look at the lines before the main event weekend.

Galloway doesn't reveal itself all at once. That was rather the point of this one.

The inaugural Gralloch Community Weekender brought riders to Gatehouse of Fleet for a relaxed, social lead-in to race weekend. Past Gralloch riders, first-timers, and plenty in between. The brief was simple: get out on the routes, share the miles, and make the run-in to May feel earned rather than anxious.

Friday: deep into Ultra territory

We started early, joined by our friends at Genesis Bikes and Kerry MacPhee, a fellow event organiser and an all-round badass bike explorer. We headed deep into Ultra country to film some final insights for the riders taking on the 323km this May. More of that content is coming soon.

Saturday: the routes, and the weather

Saturday was the recce. The team at the Ship Inn opened up their garden beside the Fleet for us, and the weather played its usual Galloway games. We woke to rain and wind. As riders arrived to meet us and the Red Bull team, the rain eased off. A few miles in, the sun was breaking through.

Riders of all ages and abilities came out. Our guides, a mix of Gravel Captains, our race director, ex-pros and one of our co-founders, split the field into three groups. Two took on the full UCI race and Stag Sportive route. Another rode a modified version of the Fawn. Race tactics were chewed over on the climbs, the banter was good, and only the odd puncture slowed things down.

Jimmy Mac, one of our guides and the host of our upcoming content series, flagged some notable shifts in surface conditions since last year. Raiders Road is harder packed and faster rolling than it has ever been. Expect fireworks there on event weekend. Other sections, where extensive forestry extraction has been working through the winter, will ask for more careful handling. This was the kind of intel the recce was built for.

Halfway round, the Red Bull team set up an Energy Station at Otter Pool to keep morale and energy stores topped up. It's easy to forget how special the places we get to call home for The Gralloch really are. Otter Pool, a quiet stretch along Raiders Road, is one of them. A fine spot to rest, refuel, and trade stories with good company.

Back in Gatehouse, riders dispersed into the many restaurants and cafes that now line the High Street. What a special place it's become.

Sunday: first Gralloch Gravel Hill Climb Champs

Sunday took things in a different direction. Deep into the pain cave. We took one of The Gralloch's most relentless climbs and turned it into a straight battle against the clock. 5.1km, full gas, to the top of Fuffock Hill.

Riders went deep. They reeled in friends and rivals on the way up. Great vibes, great views, fierce but genuinely fun competition. A real joy to put on these first Gralloch Gravel Hill Climb Champs. Should we bring it back? Let us know.

See you next month

That was the weekend. A fine way to meet, connect, and enjoy Galloway together before the main event rolls into town. Thanks to everyone who came down. Past Gralloch riders, new faces, and everyone in between.

We'll see you all next month.