2026 Cheddar Gorge Marathon - Jun 14 Race Completed

Q: What is the Cheddar Gorge Marathon route?

The Cheddar Gorge Marathon starts and finishes at Warren Farm, Charterhouse in Somerset and runs two laps of roughly 13.2 miles each over the Mendip Hills above Cheddar Gorge. The course is almost entirely off-road, climbing to Beacon Batch (325m, the highest point on the Mendips) and dropping through Black Rock, Velvet Bottom and woodland, with the steep Hell Steps tackled on both laps. On a clear day you can see across to the Welsh mountains. It is run by Relish Running Races as part of the Cheddar Gorge Challenge weekend.

Q: Is the Cheddar Gorge Marathon flat? How hard is it?

It is the opposite of flat - this is one of the toughest trail marathons in England. The two laps pack in roughly 1,200m of total ascent, including the brutal Hell Steps twice and the long pull to Beacon Batch. Rating sites class it as very difficult, typically adding well over an hour to an equivalent flat road time, with mid-pack finishers often around 5.5 hours. Plan your effort with our pace calculator and study the climbs with our elevation profile tool.

Q: How much climbing does the Cheddar Gorge Marathon have?

The full two-lap course has approximately 1,200m (around 3,900ft) of total elevation gain, with independent course data putting it close to 1,222m. The climb is not one big hill but a relentless stack of ascents repeated twice - up to Beacon Batch at 325m, the Hell Steps, and rolling Mendip ridges. This is what makes it a true hill-runner's marathon rather than a PB course.

Q: What shoes should I wear and what is the terrain like?

The course is predominantly off-road trail - rocky tracks, stone stiles, woodland, open fields, boggy ground and stream crossings, with only short tarmac links. Trail shoes with aggressive grip are strongly recommended; road shoes will struggle on the wet limestone, mud and steep descents. There is little shade on the exposed tops, so most runners also carry their own fluids between aid points.

Q: What is the cut-off time for the Cheddar Gorge Marathon?

The key cut-off is a lap gate: you must have started your second lap within 3 hours of your start, or you are withdrawn from the marathon and recorded at the half-marathon distance. With the marathon setting off around 10:00, that puts the practical overall limit at roughly 6 hours. The 3-hour first-lap cut-off is generous for most, but the relentless climbing means you should not bank on running close to your road pace.

Q: How do I enter the Cheddar Gorge Marathon 2026, and how much is it?

Entry is open to the public online via the official Relish Running Races site (relishrunningraces.com), with the marathon fee around 60 GBP and a minimum age of 18. There is no ballot, but the event runs in waves of about 100 runners and is capacity-limited, so popular years can sell out - book ahead. For 2026 the marathon also counts as a UTMB Index (50K) qualifying race.

Q: Is the Cheddar Gorge Marathon a Boston Qualifier?

No. The route is an off-road, two-lap trail course over the Mendip Hills rather than a UK Athletics road-certified, accurately measured road race, so a Cheddar Gorge finish is not valid for Boston qualifying (BQ) or a London Good For Age (GFA) entry. Come for the climbs, the scenery and the challenge, not a fast time. If a qualifying time is your goal, check the standards with our Good For Age tool and pick a flat, certified road race instead.

Q: How do I get to the Cheddar Gorge Marathon, and where do I stay?

The race is based at Warren Farm, Charterhouse, near Cheddar in Somerset (BS40 7XR), deep in the Mendip Hills with no railway station nearby - almost everyone drives, with on-site parking at the venue. The nearest mainline stations are at Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, roughly 30-45 minutes away by car. Accommodation is in Cheddar, Wells and surrounding villages; book early, as this is a popular tourist area in June.

Race Completed

This marathon has finished. Check back for next year's edition.

Race Information

Race	2026 Cheddar Gorge Marathon - Jun 14
City	Charterhouse
Date	2026-06-14 at 10:00
Time Limit	6 hours
Cutoff pace	8:32/km
Timezone	Europe/London
Official Site	Relish Running Races

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature	15°C / 59°F
Humidity	81%
Wind	20.8 km/h
Rain Chance	46%
Typical Conditions	A mild English summer morning on the exposed Mendip plateau above Cheddar Gorge. Expect around 13-16C (55-61F) at the 10:00 start, climbing into the high teens by midday, with moderate humidity and a real chance of a passing shower or breeze on the open tops. On a clear June day the upland can feel surprisingly warm and exposed once the sun is up.

What to Prepare: Dress for mild summer running but carry a light layer - weather on the Mendip tops changes fast and there is little shade. Trail shoes with real grip are strongly recommended for the rocky tracks, stiles, woodland and boggy sections. Carry your own fluids and run by effort, not pace: 1,200m of climbing on two laps will add well over an hour to a flat road time.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 20.8 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Race-Week Climate

Based on 20 years of race-week weather (2005-2024), MERRA-2 reanalysis

	Cooler	Typical	Warmer
Temperature	12.4°C	14.8°C	17.9°C
Dew point	8.5°C	11.5°C	14.4°C

Wet-day chance: 46% Runnability: 71/100

Data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), NASA Langley Research Center

Course Profile

Course Type	Two-lap off-road loop from Warren Farm over the Mendip Hills, mostly trail with short road links
Elevation Gain	1200m
Terrain	Trail
Profile	Genuinely brutal and far from flat. Each of the two ~13.2-mile laps climbs through Cheddar Gorge country - up to Beacon Batch (325m, the highest point on the Mendips), down to Black Rock and Velvet Bottom, and over the infamous Hell Steps, which you tackle twice. Roughly 1,200m of total ascent across the full marathon, on rocky track, stiles, woodland, fields and stream crossings. Most runners finish well outside their road-marathon time.

Prepare for 2026 Cheddar Gorge Marathon - Jun 14

Use our free training tools to get race-ready:

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Marathon Wake-Up Time Calculator — Race Morning Timeline

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Elevation Gain/Loss Impact Calculator

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Grade Adjusted Pace (GAP) Calculator — Hills & Strava

Convert uphill or downhill running pace to flat-equivalent GAP in one click. Free grade adjusted pac...

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Marathon Predictor — 5K, 10K & Half Marathon Race Predictor

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Cheddar Gorge Marathon route?

The Cheddar Gorge Marathon starts and finishes at Warren Farm, Charterhouse in Somerset and runs two laps of roughly 13.2 miles each over the Mendip Hills above Cheddar Gorge. The course is almost entirely off-road, climbing to Beacon Batch (325m, the highest point on the Mendips) and dropping through Black Rock, Velvet Bottom and woodland, with the steep Hell Steps tackled on both laps. On a clear day you can see across to the Welsh mountains. It is run by Relish Running Races as part of the Cheddar Gorge Challenge weekend.

Is the Cheddar Gorge Marathon flat? How hard is it?

It is the opposite of flat - this is one of the toughest trail marathons in England. The two laps pack in roughly 1,200m of total ascent, including the brutal Hell Steps twice and the long pull to Beacon Batch. Rating sites class it as very difficult, typically adding well over an hour to an equivalent flat road time, with mid-pack finishers often around 5.5 hours. Plan your effort with our pace calculator and study the climbs with our elevation profile tool.

How much climbing does the Cheddar Gorge Marathon have?

The full two-lap course has approximately 1,200m (around 3,900ft) of total elevation gain, with independent course data putting it close to 1,222m. The climb is not one big hill but a relentless stack of ascents repeated twice - up to Beacon Batch at 325m, the Hell Steps, and rolling Mendip ridges. This is what makes it a true hill-runner's marathon rather than a PB course.

What shoes should I wear and what is the terrain like?

The course is predominantly off-road trail - rocky tracks, stone stiles, woodland, open fields, boggy ground and stream crossings, with only short tarmac links. Trail shoes with aggressive grip are strongly recommended; road shoes will struggle on the wet limestone, mud and steep descents. There is little shade on the exposed tops, so most runners also carry their own fluids between aid points.

What is the cut-off time for the Cheddar Gorge Marathon?

The key cut-off is a lap gate: you must have started your second lap within 3 hours of your start, or you are withdrawn from the marathon and recorded at the half-marathon distance. With the marathon setting off around 10:00, that puts the practical overall limit at roughly 6 hours. The 3-hour first-lap cut-off is generous for most, but the relentless climbing means you should not bank on running close to your road pace.

How do I enter the Cheddar Gorge Marathon 2026, and how much is it?

Entry is open to the public online via the official Relish Running Races site (relishrunningraces.com), with the marathon fee around 60 GBP and a minimum age of 18. There is no ballot, but the event runs in waves of about 100 runners and is capacity-limited, so popular years can sell out - book ahead. For 2026 the marathon also counts as a UTMB Index (50K) qualifying race.

Is the Cheddar Gorge Marathon a Boston Qualifier?

No. The route is an off-road, two-lap trail course over the Mendip Hills rather than a UK Athletics road-certified, accurately measured road race, so a Cheddar Gorge finish is not valid for Boston qualifying (BQ) or a London Good For Age (GFA) entry. Come for the climbs, the scenery and the challenge, not a fast time. If a qualifying time is your goal, check the standards with our Good For Age tool and pick a flat, certified road race instead.

How do I get to the Cheddar Gorge Marathon, and where do I stay?

The race is based at Warren Farm, Charterhouse, near Cheddar in Somerset (BS40 7XR), deep in the Mendip Hills with no railway station nearby - almost everyone drives, with on-site parking at the venue. The nearest mainline stations are at Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, roughly 30-45 minutes away by car. Accommodation is in Cheddar, Wells and surrounding villages; book early, as this is a popular tourist area in June.