- Sat 6 Jun 2026
- Fundraising required
08:30
Age 18 & over
£139
- 42 km trail running + 1200 m ascent
Event overview
Take on England’s finest countryside at your pace.
The challenge basecamp is in Kendal, and it’s a 100km loop taking in a couple of tough hills, the Garburn Pass, historic Ambleside, a halfway point by Lake Windermere, forests and nature reserves – with some stunning views en route, before a huge welcome and celebration back at basecamp after a momentous journey. You’ll get full support and hospitality, optional camping/hostel and various distance options available; there’s a Lake District Challenge for everyone!
The Ultra Challenge Experience
This endurance event is for a wide range of fitness and ages. Choose your distance and do it at your pace. The support enables you to go further, whilst enjoying the great outdoors and camaraderie.
There are marquee rest stops, plenty of food and drink, medical and massage teams, and a fully signed route with GPS tracking to guide you. A big finish-line celebration awaits with an amazing sense of achievement, and once the aches subside, you’ll feel energised and up for more of life’s challenges!
This event is part of Lake District Ultra Challenge.
Event photos
Event video
- All fitness levels
- Beginner-friendly
- Event village
- Families
Your challenge, your way
Whether you’re a walker and new to challenge events, an experienced trekker, a marathon enthusiast upping the distance, or a seasoned ultra runner after UTMB points – there’s an Ultra Challenge® for you! Walk, jog, or run – as an individual or a team, for a charity of your choice or just for you.
On the Full and 1st Half challenges – there’s a new Ultra Trailblazerz® option for ‘rapid runners’, and an Ultra March® option for ‘hasty hikers’ – plus a friendly ‘Solo Challenger’ start time to join up with others.
The Lake District Ultra Challenge is fun, safe, and rewarding – with full support all the way, enabling you to push yourself further in some of England’s finest scenery.
Best support & hospitality
This Ultra Challenge® famously lays on the best support and hospitality available on any UK endurance-style event. This enables you to step up and confidently tackle an 'Ultra' distance, with the best chance of success - and to enjoy your challenge!
- First aid
- Food stations
- Hilly
- Marshals
- Mass start
- Navigation not required
- No headphones
- Point to point
- Toilets
- Water stations
- Way markers
Overview
The route effectively takes on the fantastic ‘1st Quarter’ Challenge and adds 13km around the Ambleside area to give a superb Marathon Challenge! Starting from the Kendal Base Camp (where you can camp Fri / Sat), it’s up the Longsleddale Valley, and over the testing Garburn Pass with stunning 360 views towards Windermere, and then on to historic Ambleside. From here the route explores Rydal Water’s edge and includes stunning views of ‘5 Lakes’. You’ll be rewarded with a medal, a glass of fizz and a picnic lunch to celebrate back in Ambleside.
Map
- Accommodation
- Bag transfer
- Bar
- BBQ
- Cafe
- Camping
- Changing facilities
- Entertainment
- Music
- Paid parking
- Rural
- Secure bag storage
- Showers
- Toilets
- Urban
- Camping
- Drinks
- Event app
- Map
- Medal
- Snacks
- T-shirt
Included
- Snacks and drinks every 10-15km
- 29km | Good selection of snacks
- Finish | Picnic lunch and fizzy drinks, glass of fizz, medal and t-shirt
An excellent experience from start to finish. The route was brilliantly marked out, the food was gorgeous and plentiful, the staff couldn’t have been more helpful and supportive if they tried, a wonderful event that I can’t praise highly enough.
An amazing event, extremely well organised with fantastic, enthusiastic staff. So much support, food, drink and tonnes of information available if you ever had any questions. I’ve done lots of different races and this ranks as one of the best. It was tough but so worth it...a little bit sad it’s over.
Do it for charity
Looking to do this event for charity? Do it for one of the charities below or see the full list of charities on the Lake District Ultra Challenge charity places | Lakes Marathon page.
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- Age 18 & over
- Entries open
- to 15/05/2026
- Charity places
- Enter online
- Event merch available
- Fundraising required
- Series discount
The registration fee and minimum sponsorship amount will vary depending on charity/distance choosen.
Age
- 100km - 18 years and over
- 50km - 16 years and over
- 25km - 14 years and over
- 14-17 year olds need to be accompanied by an adult
Entry fees
Entry fee
£139.00
Other races at event
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- Sat 6 Jun
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- 50 km trail running + 1300 m ascent
- Sat 6 - Sun 7 Jun
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- 50 km trail running + 1200 m ascent
- Sat 6 - Sun 7 Jun
- #4 of 7
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- 100 km trail running + 2500 m ascent
- Sat 6 - Sun 7 Jun
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- Sat 6 Jun
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