Kent Downs 50 Ultra Challenge®
An end of season Ultra Challenge® in the ‘Garden of England’. Basecamp is near Maidstone, with parking & weekend camping options. The main 50km looped route heads anticlockwise around the Kent Downs; on the North Downs Way to Blue Bell Hill, and following the River Medway to Mote Park at halfway for a picnic. Along the Len Valley Walk to the majestic Leeds Castle, then back to the show-ground finish line and celebration.
You’ll get full support; and with 25km & 10km options also available, there’s a Kent Downs Ultra Challenge® waiting for you!
The Ultra Challenge® Experience
Endurance events for a wide range of fitness & ages. Choose your Challenge – do it at your pace, and there are 20 events in the Series. Our support enables you to go further, whilst enjoying the great outdoors & camaraderie. There are marquee rest stops, lots of food & drink, medical & massage teams, with a fully signed route & 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!
Before your Challenge
Good preparation & smart planning are key to successfully completing an Ultra Challenge. From the moment you sign up you’ll have access to our Challenge App, with training guides, optional training walks & runs, maps, on the day info, and online forums. We will also keep you updated with any news & challenge updates via notifications through the app and emails.
FREE Food & Drink
Keeping you well fed & hydrated is key to getting you across that finish line successfully & safely. Whichever distance you are signed up every meal and snack stop is included in your entry so you can expect: Regular snack stops every 12.5 km, Picnic lunch at 25km halfway, Hot drinks, water & energy drinks at all stops. We cater for every dietary requirement. Lighter options for ‘runners’. Finishers meal (back at basecamp).
Covered Rest Stops
We have Rest Stops every 12.5 km or so with ‘major’ ones every 25km. Our Rest Stops are like no others – along side a large medical area and catering services they are all covered infrastructure (to keep you out of the sun or rain!) – here there will be a place to sit down and put your feet up, use any of the facilities (toilets, medics, changing rooms, rest areas, baggage pick up). Manned by our team to help with any query or questions you have!
Signed Route & GPS Tracking
00’s of pink arrows + glow-sticks (at night) mark the route, and with Google route maps in the App you won’t get lost on an Ultra Challenge®! Our Timing System scans you at rest stops, with your progress logged and monitored by our Control Room. For 2025 – we’ve upgraded our system, with an APP for your mobile with GPS Tracking – which you can share in ‘real time’ with family & friends – without draining your phone’s battery – and you also get all the info on the route lying ahead!
Camping Packages
We have camping options at event ‘Basecamp’ set up where you can either book one of our all inclusive camping packages or ‘pitch your own’. Our camp sites have hot showers, drinks stations, chill out areas and are a great way to get some shut eye close to the event start on the Friday before, or Saturday after, your challenge.