Rose of the Shires Ultra

Event

Rose of the Shires Ultra is a circular 54-mile ultra marathon held at Brixworth Country Park, Northamptonshire on 11 April 2026. The event also includes the Rosebud Marathon covering the final 26.2 miles of the ultra and relay options that split the route into seven legs. The race is open to entrants aged 18 and over. The event is a registered UTMB index race in the 100K category.

Distances

• 54 miles - Rose of the Shires Ultra
• 26.2 miles - Rosebud Marathon
• Legs: 8.7 / 7.1 / 7.4 / 6.8 / 7.7 / 8 / 8.4 miles

Course and logistics

The route is approximately 72-75% trail and 25-30% road, with sections on canal towpath. Specified mileage breakdown for the ultra is 36.4 miles of cross-country trails, 15.6 miles of roads, and 1.8 miles of canal towpath. Total elevation gain is +2315 ft (+706 m) with equivalent descent. The route passes Salcey Forest, the Grand Union Canal, and parts of the Nene Way, Midshires Way and Northampton Round.

There are six checkpoints about 6-8 miles apart providing water, snacks and event cake. The overall cut-off is 13.5 hours with progressive cut-offs from Checkpoint 3 onwards. Real-time tracking is provided via GeoTracks GPS trackers. Parking is available at the lower meadow car park at Brixworth Country Park; bags can be stored at the finish or left in cars. Mandatory kit includes a charged mobile phone, minimum 1 litre water capacity, survival blanket, waterproof jacket, whistle, headtorch and spare batteries, hat and gloves, and a long-sleeved base layer or fleece. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.