St Peters Way Ultra

St Peters Way Ultra

The St Peters Way Ultra is a long-distance trail race that follows approximately 42 miles of footpath from Chipping Ongar to the Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall at Bradwell on Sea. The route follows an ancient pilgrimage way dating to the 7th century and passes historic churches and varied Essex countryside, with some sections recorded in the Domesday Book.

The course runs mainly on footpaths and bridleways with occasional road and village pavement sections. Underfoot surfaces range from short grass to very sticky mud; the final section runs along a raised sea wall and can be exposed, cold, wet and windy. The route is waymarked but runners must be prepared to navigate; organisers provide downloadable GPX files and fit each competitor with a tracker for live tracking and results.

There are four outdoor checkpoints offering water, squash, coke and basic food including sweet and savory options and some vegan and vegetarian items; nut products will be handled at checkpoints. There are no indoor facilities along the route; toilets are available at the registration hall and at some pubs listed as checkpoint locations, while the finish has no toilets.

The event emphasises safety and requires compulsory kit: capacity for 1 litre of fluids, emergency food totalling about 400 kcal, waterproof jacket and trousers with taped seams, spare warm long sleeve layer, headtorch (minimum 100 lumens) and a charged mobile phone. Entry details for 2027 include a standard fee and an early-bird price for the first entries, a minimum age of 18, optional T-shirt and buff purchases, and a small donation from each entry to the chapel. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.