Thames Trail Ultra
Oxford, United Kingdom • 24 Oct 2026
Event
The Thames Trail Ultra is a point-to-point ultra-marathon from Hawkwell House Hotel in Iffley, near Oxford, to the YMCA Y Centre in Henley-on-Thames. The route follows the Thames Path and the Ridgeway National Trails and covers approximately 47 miles. Entrants must be 18 years or older. The race is registered as a UTMB Index event in the 50K category.
Course and support
The course is mainly cross-country and riverside paths (about 40.4 miles, 86%) with a smaller road section (about 6.6 miles, 14%). Elevation is listed as +947 ft (+289 m) gain and -1053 ft (-321 m) loss. There are five checkpoints that provide water, snacks and the organiser’s fruitcake; toilets are available near some checkpoints. The organiser provides real-time GPS tracking via Geo Tracks; units upload position every 10 seconds, are accurate to about five metres and run for up to 70 hours.
Logistics and mandatory kit
Baggage transfer to the finish is available for a single bag no larger than 56 x 45 x 25 cm. The published cut-off time is 11.5 hours with progressive cut-offs from Checkpoint 3. The event requires runners to carry mandatory kit including a fully charged mobile phone, power bank, minimum 1 L water capacity, survival blanket, waterproof jacket, whistle, headtorch with spare batteries, hat and gloves, a long-sleeved base layer or fleece, and a debit/credit card. Trail shoes are recommended for muddy sections. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.