Badger Challenge

Badger Challenge

Badger Challenge is a six-hour looped trail event held at Beacon Hill Country Park, Lower Car Park (LE12 8TA). Participants complete as many laps of the 3.3 mile off-road circuit as they wish within the six-hour time limit. Typical examples provided are four laps for a half marathon and eight laps for a marathon.

The route climbs from the lower car park for the first half of the lap and descends back to the start for the second half. The surfaces are mainly well maintained crushed stone paths; underfoot is generally decent but can be mucky depending on weather. A nearby trig point is visible from the course but is not on the official route. The course is described as not technical underfoot.

Dogs are permitted and canicross is supported; leads should be kept short and runners should follow the event canicross rules. Rucking is also accepted. A GPX file of the route is available for download from Plotaroute.

Event logistics include parking at the country park with day rates between £2.50 and £5.50 payable by card or coin. The nearest train station is Loughborough, about 6 miles away. Entry fees follow a tiered structure: £38 before 26/01/2027 and £43 after that date; unaffiliated entrants pay an additional £2 and membership in the event’s club can provide a 10% discount. There is an optional fundraising partnership with Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity. The event has run at Beacon Hill since 2022 and received a Gold Racecheck award in 2024. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.