Race Across Dorset

Race Across Dorset

Race Across Dorset is a point-to-point ultramarathon across the county of Dorset. The event began in 2022 and returns in 2026 with an updated format that includes ultra distances and a shorter Purbeck route for non-ultra runners.

Distances include:

• 100k starting at Summerlands Camping near Coombe Bissett
• 50k starting at Charisworth Farm, south of Blandford
• 18 miles Purbeck Traverse from Bere Regis to the common finish at Kimmeridge

The route is mostly off-road with minimal road sections and few crossing points. The 100k line passes through a handful of small villages and the walled Saxon town of Wareham. Organisers secured permissions to use several private tracks to create the route.

Terrain and route features change across the course. The first half runs over rolling chalk downland and long straight tracks similar to a Roman road, then moves onto lowland heath, pine forest and river crossings. The later sections include climbs onto the Purbeck ridges with long coastal views toward the English Channel and the Jurassic Coast as the route approaches Kimmeridge.

The event has marked routes with GPX files provided and mandatory. There is a mandatory kit list, aid stations, trophies and medals, and bookable transport. To enter the 100k runners must have completed a trail marathon in the past 24 months. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.