The Ridgeway Challenge

The Ridgeway Challenge

The Ridgeway Challenge is an 86-mile (139km) point-to-point trail running event held on 30 May 2026. The route follows the full length of The Ridgeway National Trail, starting at Ivinghoe Beacon in Hertfordshire and finishing at Avebury Stones in Wiltshire. The course has 6060 ft (1850 m+) of ascent and is marked by the trail's permanent signage with additional race markers where needed.

The event is limited to 150 runners and is open to entrants aged 20 and over. It is a UTMB World Series index race and is licensed by the Trail Running Association (license 8209) under UKA rules. Runners have a total time allowance of 28 hours to complete the course and are tracked with open GPS tracking for the full duration.

There are eight checkpoints along the route with waters, refreshments and a range of supplied nutrition from Precision Fuel and Hydration. Hot food is provided at several later checkpoints and hot water is available at multiple locations. A GPX track, Ordnance Survey route and an interactive map are provided for navigation.

Runners must carry specified mandatory kit for the whole event, including a charged mobile phone, route access via GPX or map, at least 1 litre of water capacity, foil blanket, primary and backup lights, waterproof with hood, warm clothing, basic first aid, a reusable cup and means to pay. Drop bags may be transported to checkpoint 5 and to the finish with a size limit of 50 litres. Crews and pacers are permitted with location and timing restrictions; pacers are allowed from Goring on Thames onwards and must be on foot. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.