Surrey Hills Challenge & Ultra, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
Cranleigh, United Kingdom
FULL DESCRIPTION:

The Surrey Hills Ultra route is designed to test your stamina and strength.

The 61km route starts in the picturesque town of Haslemere at 07:00; accessible by train and car. The Ultra route follows the Greensand Way, which originates in the heart of Haslemere and weaves out of town towards the infamous Devil’s Punch Bowl, a large natural amphitheatre, through National Trust land.

The route is almost entirely on footpath with some road crossings and short stretches of road surface. Sturdy trail shoes are advisable to ensure good grip as you travel up and down the rolling hills of Surrey. The footpaths in places are narrow, with loose gravel, roots and the usual obstacles you would expect. There are stiles and gates to navigate and some road crossings where you’ll be helped across by volunteers.

The Greensand Way follows scenic trails that cut across fields, up and down the hills, through hamlets, along ridgeways and woodlands, over Gibbet Hill, Wormley Hill, Hydon’s Ball, Hascombe Hill, Pitch Hill, Holmbury Hill, Leith Hill, before you finally ascend up onto the North Downs Way. There’s so much to look at and so many variations in terrain that you’ll never lack conversation topics between yourself and your fellow Ultra athletes!

Along the 61km route will be six aid stations offering a full range of food, snacks and drinks. Each aid station is managed by experienced volunteers, many of them runners themselves, and medics who will be checking your progress offering advice and support. You’ll never be left behind - this is an Ultra event for any level of runners looking for a new challenge.

Just after the first aid station, you will be joined by participants completing the Full. You are also joined en route by the Half participants after Pitch Hill, before you all climb up Holmbury Hill, and continue onto Dorking.

You’ll finish at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, where medals and prizes are awarded and is also the main hub and meeting point for all our participants and their supporters. With refreshments and entertainment available from 08:00 until 16:00 it is the heart of the challenge.