The Salmon Run Ultra

Event details

Salmon Run takes place on 19 September 2026. The start is at Sideshore Queen's Drive Space, Exmouth EX8 2GD, and the route finishes at Dulverton. Entry options and prices listed for 2026 include an ultra entry at £45 and relay entries at £15. The ultra is open to entrants aged 18 and over on the event date; relay entries are open to entrants aged 12 and over. A GPX map is available and JPEG maps are published on the Tidelines blog. Everyone receives a medal.

Trains run every half hour from Exeter to Exmouth; the station is about an eight-minute walk to the start. Bus 57 serves central Exeter to Exmouth. Parking is available at the Maer and Camperdown, each about a six-minute walk from the start. Two taxis will be available from outside The Bridge Pub in Dulverton for returning ultra runners, offered first-come-first-served to booked runners.

Route and format

• 43 miles for the ultra
• 2 to 12 miles for individual relay sections

The route follows mainly the Exe Valley Way from the sea toward Exmoor. The relay is non-competitive; teams of up to eight run a single section carrying a symbolic Salmon baton that is passed between teams. The ultra covers 43 miles with total ascent of about 1,050 metres and a 12-hour cutoff. Runners are advised to bring torches.

Purpose and community

Salmon Run is a Tidelines project in collaboration with Wild Running and links to Westcountry Rivers Trust, Friends of the River Exe and Riverfly Survey. The event highlights salmon conservation and river health; the Exe salmon population has declined substantially and is listed as critically endangered as of 2023. Along the route there is intermittent music, performances and local community activities at towns and river locations. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.