Ultra Marathons Near London
Swap the city for the Chiltern Hills. Most of our Chilterns races start a short train ride from London, so you can race a 50K or 100K without needing a car.
Trail running on London's doorstep
You don't need to travel to the Lake District or the Alps for a proper trail ultra. The Chiltern Hills are on London's doorstep, with chalk ridgelines, beech woods and big views, and our races start a short train ride from the capital.
Getting there by train
- Berkhamsted (from London Euston): the start of the Chiltern Ridge Classic 50K and the Chiltern Ridge Winter 50K. For the Winter 50K, the event base is a 5-minute walk from the station.
- Wendover (from London Marylebone): the finish of the Classic 50K and the start of the Chiltern Ridge Half Marathon. Wendover Woods (home of Race The Light) is around 2.5km from Wendover station.
- Chesham (Metropolitan line): the start and finish of the Chiltern Hills 100K, a short walk from the station.
- Luton (from London St Pancras): the closest station to the North Chilterns 50K, then a 10–15 minute taxi.
Why run in the Chilterns?
The Chilterns are a protected National Landscape just north-west of London, with some of the best trail running in the south-east: Ivinghoe Beacon, Coombe Hill, the Ashridge Estate and the Ridgeway National Trail.
The climbs are short and steep rather than long, which makes our races a good test for anyone training for hillier ultras further afield. Find out more about all our races in the Chilterns.
Races within easy reach of London
Median times and finish rates are from the most recent edition of each race. Click a race for the full route, checkpoints and entry details.
| Race | Next date | Distance | Climb | Time limit | Median time | Finish rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiltern Ridge Winter 50K | Sat 31 Oct 2026 | 50km | 800m+ | 9 hours | 6:12:56 | 97% |
| North Chilterns 50K | Sat 21 Nov 2026 | 50km | 798m+ | 9 hours | 5:49:30 | 99% |
| Chiltern Ridge Classic 50K | Sat 17 Apr 2027 | 50km | 980m+ | 9 hours | 6:11:36 | 97% |
| Chiltern Ridge Half Marathon | Sun 4 Jul 2027 | 21.2km | 526m+ | 4 hours | 2:26:48 | 99% |
| Race The Light at Wendover Woods | Fri 16 Jul 2027 | 5K & 10k | 180m+ | – | – | – |
| Chiltern Hills 100K | Sat 2 Oct 2027 | 100k | 1800m+ | 19 hours | 13:54:46 | 87% |
Chiltern Ridge Winter 50K
Experience the autumn/winter edition of our classic Chiltern Ridge race, following a scenic single-loop 50K course starting and finishing in Berkhamsted.
North Chilterns 50K
Experience the stunning North Chiltern trails, with flowing ridgeline running and views that stretch for miles.
Chiltern Ridge Classic 50K
An iconic 50K ultra marathon in the Chiltern Hills, traversing the stunning ridgeline trails between Ivinghoe Beacon & Whiteleaf.
Chiltern Ridge Half Marathon
An epic half marathon along The Ridgeway National Trail between Wendover & Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire.
Race The Light at Wendover Woods
Join us for an evening of trail running at Wendover Woods, raising funds for the amazing Chilterns Neuro Centre charity.
Chiltern Hills 100K
A 100K ultra marathon along the best and most loved trails within the Chiltern Hills.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest ultra marathon to London?
Our Chiltern Ridge Classic 50K and Chiltern Ridge Winter 50K both start in Berkhamsted, which has direct trains from London Euston. The Chiltern Hills 100K starts in Chesham, at the end of the Metropolitan line.
Can I get to the start without a car?
Yes. Berkhamsted station is a 5-minute walk from the Winter 50K event base, Chesham station is a short walk from the Chiltern Hills 100K base, and Wendover station is a 5-minute walk from the Chiltern Ridge Half Marathon. For the point-to-point Classic 50K, Berkhamsted and Wendover both have stations close to the start and finish, and we run a coach transfer between them.
Which London stations serve your races?
Berkhamsted is served by trains from London Euston, Wendover by trains from London Marylebone and Chesham by the Metropolitan line. For the North Chilterns 50K, take a train to Luton and a 10–15 minute taxi to the start.
Are there good ultras for London runners new to trails?
Yes. All of our 50Ks are fully marked, have a 9-hour time limit and well-stocked checkpoints, and many runners complete one as their first ultra. Take a look at our 50K ultra marathons to compare them.
Explore more races
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50K ultra marathons
Four trail 50Ks with 9-hour time limits. The perfect first ultra.
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100K ultra marathons
The Chiltern Hills 100K and the 139km Ridgeway Challenge.
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Chilterns trail races
Every race we put on in the Chiltern Hills, from 8K to 139km.
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All races
Our full calendar of trail races, from 5K to 139km.
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It was so well organised both in the weeks building up to it and on the day, and the course was so well marked you couldn’t possibly go wrong out there.
Darren
Chiltern Ridge 50km, 2021
I had an absolutely amazing time. Everyone was friendly and helpful and the route was well marked!
Clare
North Chilterns 50K, 2023
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