The Dark Downs

The Dark Downs 50k

The Dark Downs 50k is a 50 km dusk until dawn loop in the South Downs National Park, starting and finishing at Plumpton Racecourse in Lewes, East Sussex. The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 3rd 2026 and takes place mainly on trails with some short road sections.

The route is approximately 95 percent trail and 5 percent road with about 4,400 ft of ascent and the same descent. The course is fully marked with highly reflective signage and uses GPS trackers and chip timing. There are four staffed aid stations located around miles 6, 15, 22 and 28.5; the first two have no cut off, the later two have set cut off times. Aid stations provide a variety of food and drink including vegan and gluten free options.

Entry is open without a qualification requirement and the minimum age is 20 years. The listed entry fee is £78 which includes the mandatory GPS tracker. Finishers receive a bespoke finisher medal and trophies are awarded to winners and age category winners. The race is a UTMB Index event and awards 2 ITRA points. A permit is held through the ARC.

Runners must carry mandatory kit at all times including a survival blanket, downloaded route on a GPS device or mobile, a fully charged mobile phone with What3Words available, hydration for 1 litre, a main headlamp of at least 300 lumens plus a backup of at least 200 lumens, whistle, warm hat and gloves, base layer and a waterproof jacket with taped seams and a hood. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.