Saturday 29th August 2026 08:30
Starting from: Tadpole Farm CE Primary Academy
Visiting: Made in Swindon, Orbital Shopping Park, Canadian Spitfire Pilot Memorial, Swindon, Honesty at The Base, Secret Spitfire Salisbury, Waitrose, Salisbury, Woodbridge Inn, Lower Seagry Memorial
2026 marks 90 years since the Supermarine Spitfire, prototype K5054, first took to the skies above England. Swindon, like a number of towns across the country, has strong links to the aircraft's manufacture, making it only fitting that TGV Audax applies its Iron Maiden theming to an event.
Welcome to Aces High, a 200K audax that visits a selection of locations commemorating the aircraft that helped repel the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain. The Iron Maiden track, Aces High, tells the story from the perspective of a British pilot facing the Luftwaffe in aerial combat.
A challenging ride, starting in Tadpole Garden Village with 4 info control and 3 coffee stops!
The Audax distance award is 200K.
We operate all audaxes as shoestring+ events as we do not have access to a community hall/space.
We always provide refreshments (hot and cold) and light snacks at the start and end of each Trooper Series event. Those who have attended one of our events before will know there's usually a surprise at the end!
Starting at our usual location in Tadpole Garden Village you'll first head a short distance to the local retail centre where a modern art piece in the form of a Spitfire wing is the first Info control. From there, the route continues to the next memorial site on the east of Swindon marking the location where a pilot died after he crashed his Spitfire into a tree (this still stands bearing the scars of war).
You leave Swindon heading into Berkshire to RAF Greenham Common for the first Control; a café on the site of the old base. While the site is perhaps best known for the anti-nuclear protests of the 1980s, it also played an important role during the war years, hosting Spitfire training operations in the 1940s.
Onwards to Salisbury where you'll be routed to an Info control with a full-size replica of a Spitfire commemorating the city's "secret" contribution to the war effort - in this case Spitfires were built in secret within the walls of existing businesses. Salisbury is a FREE control where there are ATMs, cafes, shops as preferred (the GPX navigates you to a retail park with a Waitrose/ATM).
At three quarter distance there's a pub stop location for a Control. Then a final Info control awaits at Lower Seagry where another Spitfire memorial, this time sadly marking the site of a training accident, is to be found allowing you to reflect on those who gave their time and their lives. The finish at Tadpole Garden Village is not far to go now so see you there!
3 km - Info at Orbital Shopping Centre, Swindon
9 km - Info at Ermin Street, Swindon
54 km - Honesty at the Base, Greenham Common
119 km - Info at Secret Spitfire, Salisbury
121 km - FREE control at Salisbury
154 km - Woodbridge Inn, Pewsey
193 km - Info at Lower Seagry
TGV Audax Trooper Series rides (scheduled between April and July 2026) are a great way to experience Audax events. The series is designed to be progressionary with enough time to prepare you and your bicycle for the next increment in distance.
As an added incentive, riders who complete all four rides (500 km) in the series will receive a complimentary patch.