Half Marathon
Sat 13 Jun 2026 Polegate, East Sussex, UK Fundraising required 30% off

Mighty Hikes | South Coast | Half Marathon

Starting in Brighton, hike a half marathon on the South Downs Way along dramatic cliffs and rolling countryside, passing the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head to support people living with cancer.

  • Sat 13 Jun 2026
  • Fundraising required
  • 30% off
Bankhouse Farm, Polegate > Helen Garden, Eastbourne
Half Marathon

30% off with discount code

08:00

Age 14 & over

Sign up £20

Fundraise £250

  • 13 miles hiking + 481.14 m ascent

Event overview

Set yourself an exciting new challenge and hike along the stunning South Coast!

Mighty Hikes are an award-winning series of marathon and half marathon hikes, taking place in some of the most beautiful and unspoiled parts of the UK. If you’re looking for a fun way to get fit, a memorable day out with friends and family, and a chance to celebrate or remember a loved one, then Mighty Hikes are for you. 

And it doesn’t matter if you’re lacing up your boots for the first or fiftieth time – you'll be supported every step of the way!

image

Starting in Brighton, you’ll walk through the beautiful South Downs before reaching the iconic Seven Sisters. This is a challenging route, but you’ll be rewarded with stunning coastal views before a final climb up to Beachy Head.

Hike solo and meet friends along the way or sign up with a team of friends and family for a memorable day together.

Highlights

  • Fully supported

    With trek masters, signposted routes, medics, and toilets all along the route, you’ll feel supported every step of the way.

  • Fuelling your adventure

    Regular pit stops with snacks and refreshments, a fresh buffet lunch and a hot meal waiting for you when you finish.

  • Everybody is a winner

    At the finish line you’ll be greeted with cheers, fizz and of course your Mighty medal.

  • Enjoy the moment

    You'll be able to treasure your Mighty Hike memories forever, as all your professional photos are free to download.

  • Not sure where to start?

    Once you sign up, you’ll have access to expert training advice and fundraising tips to smash your £250 target.

This event is part of Mighty Hikes | South Coast.

Event video

  • Event village
  • Fancy dress
  • Spectators
  • Teams

Teams

Save 50% when you register a team of 5+ people!

It's easy to create a team...

Follow the steps to become a Team Captain when you register. Make sure you have a list of names and email addresses of your fellow team members. Once you have signed up, an email invite will be sent to your team members with a bespoke link for them to fill out their own registration form and join your team.

As Team Captain you will have the option to pay their registration fee, otherwise your team members can pay when they get their invite.

Every time a member of the team completes their registration, you’ll be sent a confirmation email. That way you can monitor who has or has not joined your team.

Start times

  • 07:00 | Full marathon waves will start every 20 minutes from 07:00
  • 08:00 | Half marathon waves will start every 20 minutes from 08:00

Difficulty

Hilly with challenging terrain.

Most people can expect to complete the full marathon Mighty Hike between 7 and 12 hours, and between 4 and 6 hours for the half marathon depending on terrain and ability.

  • Check points
  • Cut off time
  • Distance markers
  • First aid
  • Food stations
  • Hilly
  • Marshals
  • Point to point
  • Return transport
  • Sweeper
  • Toilets
  • Water stations
  • Wave start
  • Way markers
  • GPX available

GPX route

The route is displayed on the map above.

Route highlights

Along this stunning route, you'll experience:

  • The iconic Seven Sisters Cliffs - marvel at the striking white chalk cliffs, visible with every step you take along this dramatic coastline.
  • The Birling Gap – with the final climb of the hike ahead, you'll be captivated by the breathtaking view where the South Downs meet the sea.
  • The South Downs National Park – England’s newest national park, offering sweeping landscapes and unparalleled natural beauty.

  • Bag transfer
  • Coast
  • Free parking
  • Rural
  • Toilets

Event HQ

Brighton Racecourse
Freshfield Road
Brighton
East Sussex
BN2 9XZ
UK

Free parking

  • Parking for the full marathon will be at Brighton Racecourse, BN2 9XZ.
  • Parking for the half marathon will be at Bramley Farm in Polegate, BN26 6QN.

Free shuttle bus

Please note that you will need to get a shuttle bus from Bramley Farm Bootfairs to the half marathon start line.

For the full marathon, free shuttle buses will run from the finish line back to the start line in Brighton after the hike. There will also be free shuttle buses from the half marathon finish line to the car park in the afternoon.

You can book parking and shuttle buses when you register.

Kit list

You will need to be prepared for all weather and bring all the essentials needed for the hike. A full kit list is readily available.

Supporters

Your family and friends can meet you at the finish event village to cheer you across the finish line. However, they will not be able to accompany or meet you at any of the pit stops.

Dogs

Unfortunately, no dogs can take part in a Mighty Hike with the exception of assistance dogs. This includes at any of the start and finish venues. 

  • Drinks
  • Fizz at the finish
  • Map
  • Medal
  • Post-race meal
  • Race photo
  • Snacks
  • Technical t-shirt
  • Training plan

Included

  • Your free Macmillan technical hiking t-shirt
  • South Coast Mighty Hike Facebook group
  • A clearly marked route
  • Expert mountain leaders
  • Free professional photos to remember your incredible achievement
  • A fresh buffet lunch, plus a hot meal to finish if you’re doing the full marathon
  • Regular pit stops with plenty of snacks and refreshments
  • A Mighty medal
  • A glass of bubbly to celebrate crossing the finish
pit stops

Useful resources

  • Fundraising resources
  • Fundraising toolkit
  • Training and preparation zone
  • Mighty event day resources
  • Post-hike photos, results, iTAB

The food was amazing, the toilets all clean, the cups of tea were amazing!! Deanna

I hiked this marathon in memory of my late partner. It was, and will be one of the best things I’ve ever done. Phillipa

All the support was amazing! This was our first marathon and one of the most rewarding and emotional experiences I've had. Andi

The volunteers at the pit stop were super friendly, the selection of snacks was fantastic, the stewards along the way were full of smiles and encouraging words, and the finish was brilliantly set up (the food was delicious!) I've done other charity half marathon walks before and they didn't even come close to this as far as organisation and support is concerned. Claire

What a truly incredible day that was. EVERYTHING has been thought of by the organisers. To all the beautiful people I met during the course of the day, thank you for sharing your amazing stories and general banter. It made the whole experience so enjoyable, and the end very emotional. Gary

Amazing day with my sisters doing our first Mighty hike! Was tough going but the organisation and help was second to none. All the food and snacks and encouragement from everyone was awesome. Lynsey

I can't get over how well organised this was today. The event team were amazing from start to finish and really looked after every one. The pit stops were fantastic, food was gorgeous and the smiles and cheers of support helped to push us through. Thanks so much for making it so special. Rosemary

Thank you for the amazing organisation of today’s event. Nothing bad could be said. Big shout out to my Macmillan Nurses Christina, Astra and Helen. Life wouldn’t have been the same without you. Michelle

Another fantastic Mighty Hike, loved it from start to finish. No other event is so well organised, from the welcome to the personalised finish line. Thank you for having us. Kate

Thank you to all the lovely marshalls and event organisers for an incredible day. The views were unforgettable and it was so great to chat to the kind and friendly people we met along the way. We'll definitely be back! What a buzz crossing that finish line! Kaija

  • Bring your own cup
  • Public transport links
  • Recycling
  • Sustainability policy

Single use plastics

  • There are refill stations where you can fill your reusable bottle to avoid handing out bottled water
  • Compostable cutlery, plates and cups are used across the start, lunch and pitstops
  • The event day bib is fully recyclable

Recycling

  • A specialist company collects and sorts the rubbish post-event to ensure as much is recycled as possible
  • All Mighty Marshals and other staff are briefed to pick up any rubbish they see along the route on the day
  • There are plenty of bins at each pit stop for participants to use

Energy

  • The power at Mighty Hikes is provided by hybrid generators
  • Energy-efficient LED bulbs are used to light the marquees

  • Fundraising materials
  • Fundraising required
  • Fundraising support

The Mighty impact

Macmillan is needed now more than ever. With every mile you walk and pound you raise, they can be there to provide vital services for people who need it most.

  • 3.5 million people

    There are almost 3.5 million people living with cancer in the UK today who urgently need support from Macmillan.

  • 35,000 hikers

    You’ll be joining an incredible community of Mighty Hikers across the UK, coming together to make a difference.

  • £250 pledge

    By raising £250, you’ll be helping Macmillan provide vital cancer services, research and campaign to achieve better cancer care, and support the cancer workforce.

  • Over £70 million

    Since 2015, Mighty Hikers have raised an incredible £70 million to help people living with cancer.

How to fundraise

There are so many fun and easy ways to reach your £250 pledge, from fundraising games to sponsorship forms, Macmillan has got you covered. It's time to kick-start your fundraising for Macmillan!

Resources

  • 26 fundraising tips
  • Team fundraising guide
  • Fundraise while you shop
  • Recycling for good causes
  • WhatsApp messaging
  • Sponsorship form
  • Sponsor a mile poster
  • Guess My Time poster

Teams

There is a £250 fundraising pledge per hiker however a team may have a joint fundraising target and joint fundraising page. This means the overall goal is shared.

eg. a team of 4 will have a target of £1000. 

Tips

  • Age 14 & over
  • Entries open
  • Enter online
  • Fundraising required

14-17 year olds must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Save 50% when you register a team of 5+ people!

Entry fees

Entry fee

£20.00

Minimum sponsorship

£250.00

Other races at event

  • Sat 13 Jun 2026
  • #2 of 0
Brighton Racecourse, Brighton > Helen Garden, Eastbourne
Marathon

07:00

Age 14 & over

Sign up £25

Fundraise £250

  • 26.2 miles hiking + 964.73 m ascent

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4 steps to wellbeing
Sleep well

A good night's sleep is an essential foundation for a healthy lifestyle, effective training and weight control.

Train slow

Low-intensity training is easier for you, reduces the risk of injury and helps builds an efficient aerobic system.

Eat natural

Cut out sugar & junk food, reduce carbs, eat natural foods and train your body to burn fat for fuel.

Get outdoors

Fresh air, natural light and reconnecting with nature all help to improve mental and physical wellbeing.