FAQs

The Surrey Hills Challenge is one of the biggest sporting challenges in Surrey.

People of all ages and fitness can participate in one of six walking or running challenges:

• ‘The Ultra’, 60km – the ultimate challenge for the super fit in 12 hours
• 'The Full', 42km - stride out and hit the hills in 10 hours
• ‘The Half’, 21km – no ordinary walk (or run) in the park in 10 hours
• ‘The Ten’, 10km – fast and furious in four hours
• ‘The Five’, 5km – for all the family in two hours
• 'The One', 1km - a kids fun run to hop, skip, jump, run or walk in 1 hour

The event is set in the beautiful landscape of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) on parts of the Greensand Way and North Downs Way.

The Surrey Hills Challenge routes are designed to test our participant’s strength and stamina. The 60km route starts in the picturesque town of Haslemere. It follows the Greensand Way, which originates in the heart of Haslemere, and weaves towards the infamous Devil's Punch Bowl, a large natural amphitheatre through National Trust land. The breath-taking views across Surrey from Gibbet Hill is where the start of the journey towards Dorking begins.

The route is almost entirely on footpaths with some road crossings and short stretches on road. Along the 60km route are themed aid stations to help motivate the competitors every 10km.

Starting at Witley, The Full follows the Ultra route along the Greensand Way towards Winterfold. Just after Pitch Hill participants pass through the Duke of Kent School before heading towards Hurtwood.

Both challenges then head towards Holmbury Hill before completing the highest summit in South England, Leith Hill, and descending into Dorking for the final stretch and finish.

The finish is based at Denbies Wine Estate, which is also the start and finish for the circular routes of The Half, The Ten and The Five.

They all begin by weaving through the beautiful vineyards before heading out on to the North Downs.

The Five loops around through the North Downs woodland before the homeward stretch opens out onto stunning views across Denbies and Boxhill.

The Half and The Ten are hilly and technical challenges to walk or run and, like The Five, encompass wide open tracks, footpaths and woodland trails. Branching off from The Five, The Half and The Ten heads out onto Surrey farmland and heads into Dorking woods before tackling the North Downs Way.

The Half and The Ten re-joins The Five at Ashcombe Wood along with the Ultra and Full challengers as they begin their descent down into Denbies where the finish and Event Village are located.

The Event Village is the location for The One, our 1km fun run. The route gently flows around one of the vineyard fields, a circular, safe and visible route. The Event Village is 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.

Sunday 26th September 2021.

Yes. The Official Charity Partner is the Surrey Hills Trust Fund, part of the Community Foundation for Surrey. The event is a platform for the Surrey Hills Trust Fund to raise their profile and money. The entrants fee covers the cost of staging and managing the event and we actively encourage participants to fundraise.

The Community Foundation for Surrey established the Surrey Hills Trust Fund to exclusively help local projects and community groups in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Those raising funds by participating in the challenge will enable the Trust Fund to help local projects conserving the AONB and support the people who live, work and enjoy the area.

The Community Foundation for Surrey is an independent charitable trust established to inspire local giving for local need. They have already supported over 2,000 local projects by awarding grants to fund local community and voluntary groups who are making a difference to the quality of local community life.

The event is open to everyone, as we have a challenge to suit all abilities. Those under 16 on race day must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The Ultra is for participants who are 18+ years old on race day.

We also welcome families and the following is a guide on distances suitable for children:

The Surrey Hills Challenge Ultra is a 60km point to point footrace that will push competitors physically and mentally. It is our ultimate challenge.

The Full is an all new marathon distance challenge, starting at Witley, it follows the Ultra Route along the Greensand Way.

Taking place on part of the Ultra route, the Half is half a marathon and 21km. It is no ordinary walk (or run) in the park. It starts and finishes at Denbies.

The Ten is a 10km walk or run on part of the Ultra route. It can be run or walked and is perfect for those wanting more of a challenge than the 5km, or those in training to run further.

The Five is a 5km walk or run on part of the Ultra route. This is our family friendly route and ideal for beginners.

The registration fees are as follows:

There will also be an additional advance booking fee of £2 per registration.

If you cannot find the information you need on our website, then please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the team on 01483 542221.

Fundraising isn’t compulsory but we do encourage you to take up the additional challenge to fundraise and support local communities. 

Although there is no minimum fundraising commitment we challenge you to raise as much as you can! We suggest a target of £250 per person. You may be surprised at how generous people can be. It helps to be well organised and to start early; this will leave you more time to focus on your training in the time leading up to the event. Click here to see some fun ideas for how you can raise money for local communities.

Any fundraising or donations will go directly to the Surrey Hills Trust Fund and help to conserve the unique Surrey Hills countryside.

The Community Foundation established the Surrey Hills Trust Fund to exclusively help local projects and community groups within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Your support will enable the Trust Fund to help local projects conserving the AONB and support the people who live, work and enjoy the Hills.

The Community Foundation for Surrey is an independent charitable trust established to inspire local giving for local need. They have already supported over 2,000 local projects by awarding grants to fund local community and voluntary groups who are making a difference to the quality of local community life.

We don't stop anyone from raising funds for their own charity but we would we ask that participants consider fundraising for our nominated charity, the Surrey Hills Trust Fund. This charity supports local initiatives and also maintains the Surrey Hills where the event takes place.

No, the Community Foundation for Surrey is only registered with BT MyDonate as it is free for charities to use and there are no set up, subscription or commission fees. This means every penny of the money donated (excluding credit/debit card charges - 1.3% Credit Card, 15p Debit Card) is paid directly to us. BT also collects Gift Aid to maximise your fundraising. If you require any assistance with your fundraising page, please get in touch with us or the team at BT MyDonate who are very helpful and friendly!

Typically, for a £10 donation the charity will receive:

• The Ultra cut off time is twelve hours, starting at 07:00
• The Full cut off time is ten hours, starting at 08:30
• The Half takes around two and a half hours to run
• The Ten typically take about an hour to run
• The Five typically takes about half an hour to run
• The One typically takes about 20 minutes

As well as support from our dedicated Events Team before and during the event, participants also receive:

• Medal
• Chip timing
• Aid stations
• Professional first aid cover
• Car parking
• WC facilities

Adequate car parking facilities will be provided for each start location and the finish.

The Ultra - The Ultra starts before most public transport begin their services. There is a car park located close by which is currently free on Sundays.

The Full - The Full starts at Witley Station. There is a car park located at the station which is currently free at weekends.

The Half, Ten & Five - Held at Denbies Vineyard, Dorking. There are regular public transport links from Dorking train station to Denbies.

Setting up and organising the event incurs capital costs from the beginning. Similar to a football ticket, we are unable to offer a refund. In accordance with trading standards of long-distance purchases you can claim a full refund within 7 days of entering up to but not within 7 days of the event.

Train within your limit and if you’re unsure please take advice or check out our Traning & Support page for more information.

All our routes are hilly and almost completely off-road, so you’ll need adequate trail shoes and clothing. Some of the footpaths are narrow and uneven, and there are stile crossing points which can become slippery in adverse weather conditions. If you’re entering the Ultra then you we would recommend you visit www.runultra.co.uk for advice.

Trail Shoes for runners and sturdy adequate walking boots for walkers are best, feel free to contat Trek Hire UK if you have any questions.

For The Half, The Ten and The Five we need you to arrive in good time for registration, chip timing and bib collection. Full details will be emailed prior to the event or can be viewed under the specific distance. If you are participating in The Ultra then we strongly advise you to visit www.runultra.co.uk and research what other runners use.

The route will be fully marked up but we advise Ultra runners to carry a map as part of their kit list. We recommend purchasing the A-Z 1:25000 Surrey Hills, R.R.P £7.99 (isbn 978-1-84348-962-7).

As well as medical support, food and drinks, our volunteers will also be on hand to help and cheer you on. Toilets will also be available at each location.

You must enter the event online using the online registration system. On the day you must also attend a briefing before the event and register your attendance and collect your bib and timing chip.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

Recommended hotels in Guildford:

· Holiday Inn – Rooms from £60

· Premier Inn – Rooms from £71

· Guildford Harbour Hotel – Rooms from £95

Recommended hotels in Haslemere:

· The Georgian House Hotel – Rooms from £59

· Lythe Hill Hotel & Spa – Rooms from £98

· Inn on the Hill – price on enquiry 01428 642006

Recommended hotels in Dorking:

Travel Lodge - Rooms from £35

Surrey Hills Hotel - Rooms from £80

Gatton Manor - Rooms from £65

Please note we are unable to personally recommend any of the business listed above.

The times will be confirmed shortly, but in the meantime, we are proposing the following:

• The Ultra will begin at 07:00
• The Full at 08:30
• The Half at 08:30
• The Ten at 09:30
• The Five at 10:30
• The One at 11:30

Dogs are welcome under certain circumstances. You can run with your dog if you follow the canicross rules. In summary you must have a suitable harness and have trained your dog to run with you. It is your responsibility to clear up your dog mess and failure to do so results in disqualification.

You must continue to the next aid station and notify a marshal. It is essential that you do not return home without notifying the organisers. If search teams and emergency services are deployed to find you erroneously then the participant will be liable for costs.

No, the medal is a finisher medal that is worn by those that complete their respective challenge.

Ultra runners and walkers will be removed from the course at 12 hours, Full and Half at 10 hours and driven to the finish. The cut off times already allows for ample time to complete the event and you will be disproportionately far behind the other backmarkers if you have not finished within the time allowed.

Entries will close on Wednesday 22nd September at 16:00. On the day entries will be available. Please see our Events page for more information.

You will receive an email confirmation after entering. Further emails are sent leading up to race day. If you don’t receive your confirmation immediately please check your spam folder. If you are still unsure please contact the team by clicking here. 

We will contact you by email regularly before the event offering information, promotional offers and advice on participating in the Surrey Hills Challenge. Two weeks before the event you will receive your race pack which details all the information you need to know for race day such as kit list, route, feed station locations, parking and transport. You will not receive anything in the post, all race numbers and timing chips are collected on the morning of the event at registration.

You are very welcome to race in any clothing, so long as it doesn’t adversely affect your health and ability to finish the event safely.

We would recommend that you don't wear headphones because they can inhibit your ability to hear marshals calling you and other runners passing you. If you choose to wear them be careful and you wear them at your own risk.

The routes are not suitable for wheelchairs but many viewing spots are suitable for wheelchair access.

Please register your interest on our website. Our volunteer manager will establish your suitability for different roles, but there’s always a role for everyone. For more information click here.

The routes are not suitable for pushchairs although many spots are suitable for supporting and cheering.

You can change the distance that you are participating in by informing us at least two weeks prior to the event. After this we cannot transfer you to another distance. You will also not be eligible for a refund of the differance between what you entered and what you change too in conjunction with our refund policy. If you want to step up a distance, for example from the 5k to the 10k, this is also possible, but you will need to pay the difference in cost.

Please click on the distance that you are entered into and then view the Race Information.

A kids 1km fun run that you can run, hop, skip or jump.