Beginner-Friendly ultra distance events in 2020, recommendations?

joey54321

I've spent the last few years of road racing pretty bored, I no longer find the idea of entering a road race motivational and am instead looking for 'interesting' or 'alternative' (to copy EF racing) outlets for my cycling. This year it was gravel type events in the Dirty Reiver and Yorkshire True Grit as well as my first bike tour into Europe. During our bike tour (which I enjoyed even more than I thought I would), I was following along with the TCR and really like the idea of that style of event and have since been looking around for similar events that might be more beginner-friendly. I have a few ideas but does anyone have good suggestions? Or comments on the existing list?

'target' events for next year already on the maybe list:

TheRacingCollective TransEngland, April
London-Wales-London, 2nd May
AllPointsNorth, May
Dunwich Dynamo, 25th July
PanCelticRace, July (the "short" version)

Also, any good advice for a relative beginner in this field? I've done long, 8-10 hour rides before as well as some pretty intense training camps but I am aware this is a different thing.

ugo.santalucia

I've done London-Wales-London last year and will do it again next year, if I manage to get it. It sells out in a couple of days, so you need to keep your eyes open. I strongly recommend you get an Audax UK membership, which allows you to get in the reserve list if you don't register early enough. You should also plan to do a few 200 km Audax, to learn the trade, so that you don't waste time faffing on the big day (plenty of faffers who waste hours at controls trying to find things, fix things, sort things, charge electric things...)
I would say it is ideal... all control points are in village halls with food provided (except one in Tewkesbury), the route is not overly challenging, but far from flat and with 3-4 proper climbs.
This is my Strava file, if you want to obsess over the route

https://www.strava.com/activities/1552498498