A hazard to one cyclist is normal riding to another. To get to the beautiful places we take you, expect plenty of potholes and loose gravel, grass growing in the middle of the lane. Some ascents will be very steep and some descents also, with a few sharp blind bends which may hide an approaching vehicle.

The Highland Challenge remains an un-marshalled ride with no warning signs before potential hazards: you are responsible for your own safety. But we do inspect the route carefully and complete the following Risk Assessment, which we ask entrants to read, either using this link or reading its text below:

https://1drv.ms/w/c/0dff9d58c1dd0404/IQC2pbTeu7D3S5ZG4pohPfdOAWNFg-qU7rnXu9pnEEFReLI

Risk assessment

Organisation name:Ludlow Cycling Club
Assessment carried out by: Charles Edwards
Date of assessment: June 4^th 2026 Date of next review: May 2027

For: Ludlow Cycling Club’s Danny Mason Highland Challenge, an annual non-competitive sportive/audax type ride, going since 1991, through and sometimes a little beyond the Shropshire Hills. Its aim is to get riders to appreciate the beauty of the Shropshire Hills and to foster positive attitudes to cycling outdoors, and to cycling as an effective and social form of exercise. The event raises funds for Shropshire Wildlife Trust. A new route, typically between 64 and 69 miles, is used each year. There are 3 feedstops en-route and the ride starts and ends at an HQ at Ludlow Rugby Club

Route: 68 miles from and back to Ludlow Rugby Club via feedstops at Chapel Lawn, Kerry and Mainstone. The route is signed at every turn/junction the day before the ride and each rider is sent the route link electronically to download onto any devices they may use on the ride.

Organisers: Charles and Gwyneth Edwards organise the event on behalf of Ludlow Cycling Club. It is their responsibility to ensure that all the actions in this Assessment are carried out by the date of the ride.

What are the hazards?		Who might be harmed and how?	What are you already doing to control the risks?	What further action do you need to take to control the risks?
1. As the riders are unled over 68 hilly miles, often on narrow lanes, poor surfaces, steep ascents & descents and blind bends, there’s a moderate risk of rider accident. Some inexperienced or young/elderly riders may be more accident-prone and a danger to themselves, other riders and other road users. Because riders are responsible for ensuring their own bikes are suitable for the ride, there’s a risk of unsuitable or even dangerous bikes.		Riders, other riders and other road users	Very clear spelling out of the nature of the event, road conditions, organiser contact info, and requirements of riders and their bikes on a mixture of: · Pre-signing up info · Event website · Final joining instructions Have track pump & spare tubes & tyres each feedstop	Post this risk assessment up on the event website, and signpost riders to it in the final joining email to all of them. This action itself serves as a notification to riders of the range of hazards to expect Explain a ABCD bike check on the event website
	2. Not knowing who the riders are, whether they need parental consent*, who their In Case of Emergency contacts are, what special issues they may have	Riders and their families & friends	Pre-ride register of name, phone no. and ICE details – each rider
	3. Not having 1^st aid equipment to deal with minor injuries en-route	Rider		Ensure in-date 1^st Aid kit kept at each feedstop
	4. Riders coming inadequately supplied or dressed	Rider, and potentially other riders		Spell out in final joining instructions which are emailed to each rider
	5. Risk of bad/dangerous weather on the day	Riders, other riders & other road users		Brief riders when they sign on. If seriously dangerous, cancel the event
	6. Riders getting lost	Riders	The route is checked the day before the ride and each rider is sent the route link electronically in advance to download onto any devices they may use on the ride.	Route fully signed (every turn and junction) in 2026
	7. 0.1 miles in, right turn across light traffic	Rider, other riders & other road users		Warning signs (to approaching vehicles) put up ca. 100 metres either side of turn Marshall at junction
	8. 0.2 miles in, right turn across light traffic	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn Marshall at junction
	9. 0.5 miles in, right turn across light traffic	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn
	10. 4.6 miles in, right turn across traffic, onto first poor surface lane	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn. Poor surface in general warning (see 1 above)
	11. 7.8 miles in, unclear road marking	Ditto		Directional signage
	12. 8.5 miles in, right turn across traffic	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn
	13. 10.1 miles in, crossing A road	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of crossing
	14. From 10.1 miles in, the 1^st of many poor road surfaces	Ditto	Generic warning to expect poor road surfaces
	15. 11.5 miles in, an easy to miss right turn	Riders	General signage & route-finding responsibility comms	Extra prominent road signage
	16. 12.5 miles in, right turn across traffic with limited visibility	Rider, other riders & other road users		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn Warning sign for cyclists at turn
	17. Riders cross rail tracks at level crossing, risk of trapping wheel in tracks	Rider, other riders		Publishing and signposting this Risk Assessment to riders
	18. At 16.5 miles in, right turn across traffic to Feedstop, and again exiting from Feedstop	Rider, other riders & other road users		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn
	19. At 17.8 miles in, a staggered crossing of an A road	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of crossing
	20. From left turn at 18.9 miles in to the crossroads at 22.4 miles in, a particularly poor stretch of road surface	Rider, other riders & other road users	Generic warning to expect poor road surfaces	Publishing and signposting this Risk Assessment to riders
	21. At 27.3 miles in, an easily missable Give Way when proceeding straight over at a crossroads	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of crossing Warning sign for cyclists at crossroads
	22. At 34.7 miles in, an easily missable left turn to Kerry	Riders	General signage & route-finding responsibility comms	Extra prominent road signage
	23. At 36.5 miles in, just after exiting lunch Feedstop, a right turn across A road traffic	Rider, other riders & other road users		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn
	24. At 40.2 miles in, a right turn across A road traffic	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn
	25. From 40.2 to 42 miles in, the climb is steep, narrow, on a poor surface and with limited visibility	Ditto	Generic warning to expect poor road surfaces	Publishing and signposting this Risk Assessment to riders
	26. At 44.7 miles in, right turn across traffic	Ditto	Generic rider caution warnings	None: roads too minor and visibility too good to warrant warning signs to vehicles
	27. At 45.3 miles in, particularly poor surface crossing River Unk	Rider, other riders	Generic warning to expect poor road surfaces	Publishing and signposting this Risk Assessment to riders
	28. At 45.8 miles in, right turn across traffic	Rider, other riders & other road users	Generic rider caution warnings	None: roads too minor and visibility too good to warrant warning signs to vehicles
	29. At 46.8, right turn across traffic to 3^rd Feedstop, and again on exiting Feedstop	Ditto	Generic rider caution warnings	None: roads too minor and visibility too good to warrant warning signs to vehicles
	30. At 47.2 miles in, right turn across traffic	Rider, other riders & other road users	Generic rider caution warnings	None: roads too minor and visibility too good to warrant warning signs to vehicles
	31. At 47.3 miles in, steep, gravelly surfaced climb just after crossing River Unk again	Rider, other riders	Generic warning to expect poor road surfaces	Publishing and signposting this Risk Assessment to riders
	32. At 50.2 miles in, right turn at T-junction across traffic	Rider, other riders & other road users	Generic rider caution warnings	None: roads too minor and visibility too good to warrant warning signs to vehicles
	33. At 51 miles in, right turn across traffic at T-junct with A488	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn
	34. At 51.8 miles in, in Clun, parked cars on B4368 road to negotiate	Ditto	Generic rider caution warnings	Publishing and signposting this Risk Assessment to riders
	35. At 55.5 miles in, right turn across B4368 traffic	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn
	36. From 57 to 58.4 miles in, particularly poor road surface	Riders, other riders	Generic warning to expect poor road surfaces	Publishing and signposting this Risk Assessment to riders
	37. At 58.9 miles in, right turn across B4367 traffic	Rider, other riders & other road users		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn
	38. At 59.6 miles in, right at T across traffic then left on poor surface	Ditto	Generic rider caution warnings	None: roads too minor and visibility too good to warrant warning signs to vehicles
	39. At 63.1 miles in, left onto busy A49, over level crossing then right across traffic at temporary traffic lights	Ditto		Double warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turns
	40. At 65.6 miles in, across road at Give Way	Ditto		Warning signs at ca.100 metres either side of crossroads
	41. At 66.1 miles in, riders have to negotiate gate on bridleway	Rider, other riders	Generic rider caution warnings
	42. At 66.2 miles in, right rurn onto B4365	Rider, other riders & other road users		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn
	43.At 66.3 miles in, turn left onto busy A49	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres north side of turn
	44. At 67.9 miles in, right turn across traffic, limited visibility	Ditto		Warning signs at ca. 100 metres either side of turn
	45. At 68.4 miles, right turn into Rugby Club	Ditto		Warning signs at ca.100 metres either side of turn

* Parental Consent forms are needed for all riders aged 17 or under. Those between 13 and 17 inclusive may ride unaccompanied if they have a signed Parental Consent form. Riders under the age of 13 can ride only if accompanied by parent/guardian or a rider authorised to act in loco parentis but they still need the Parental Consent form signed