Mendip Marauder: 8 August 2026
Mendip Marauder offers two waymarked trail ultras across the Mendip Way with a coastal finish at Uphill Sands Beach, Weston-Super-Mare. The event is run on the Mendip Way routes: the 30 Miler follows the West Mendip Way and the 50 Miler follows the East Mendip Way before joining the 30 mile route. Both routes include woods, lanes, open fields, hilltops with panoramic views and a finish at the sea. The 50 Miler contains some spectacular man-made sights as well as gorgeous natural scenery.
Distances:
- 30 Miler - West Mendip Way, 4,161 ft elevation, 3 aid stations
- 50 Miler - Full Mendip Way, 5,516 ft elevation, 5 aid stations
Aid stations supply water, coke, squash, sandwiches, crisps, fruit, nuts, sweets and other snacks. This is a cupless race so runners must carry bottles and a cup if required. Cut off times are 8 hours for the 30 Miler (not strictly enforced) and 14 hours for the 50 Miler (strictly enforced). Professional medics cover the race. Small drop bags to the finish are allowed with size restrictions and tags.
Start locations are in Frome for the 50 Miler and Wells for the 30 Miler. Practical details such as a GPX file, written notes, suggested meeting points for crews, and coach transport from the finish to registration will be provided in the race information sent to entrants. Trophies are awarded to first male and first female finishers and all finishers receive a medal. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
Course Records
30 Miler
Male: DANNY HAWKINS – 4:09:38 (2023)
Female: CHRISSIE WELLINGTON – 4:20:47 (2017)
50 Miler
Male: ALEX HAMMOND - 6:54:37 (2025)
Female: CLARE PROSSER – 7:58:53 (2016)
The Mendip Marauder showcases the fabulous Mendip Way, which is almost like a condensed version of the North and South Downs Ways in Somerset! The steps of Ebbor Gorge bring to mind a slightly smaller Box Hill, the expansive views from the hilltops echo parts of the South Downs Way and the overall feel of the route is very similar to these famous national trails.
The 50 Miler takes in the entire Mendip Way, starting at the beginning of the East Mendip Way in Frome. The early miles involve a lot of lush woodland with the occasional close pass of a quarry or across a railway line at one point with an occasional emergence into long fields. It’s relatively flat to being with but around 7 miles in you have a fairly long climb up to the woods that contain the enigmatic Cranmore Tower.
From here you descend the other side and wind through scenic countryside all the way to Chelynch, where the first aid station is located. After that it’s another climb through what is possibly best described as countryside that brings to mind a Thomas Hardy novel. From the hilltop you can see Glastonbury Tor in the distance, but closer by is the town of Shepton Mallet, possibly best known these days for its prison museum at the site of the former jail. Shepton is where you are heading, and the awesome Charlton Viaduct is the point at which you reach the outskirts of the town. After crossing the A361 you head through a small tunnel into the trees, then you will leave the town and head up again, making your way to Wells via more stunning woodland, quite lanes and charming countryside.
Reaching Wells you will follow the moat around Bishop’s Palace before emerging at the spectacular Wells Cathedral. A quick photo opportunity and then it’s round to aid station two alongside the Blue School, which is where the 30 Miler begins. The route most definitely has bigger hills from here onwards. Between here and the next aid station at Draycott there’s a sharp climb straight out of Wells, then you descend to the village of Wookey Hole (site of the famous caves), then up the steps through the gorgeous woodland of Ebbor Gorge (another chance to spot Glastonbury Tor from the very summit), across to the village of Priddy with its quaint village green, then over the fields and to the periphery of Draycott Slates, before heading down into Draycott itself for some more fuel.
The climb out of Draycott is probably the most challenging of the whole route. Heading up and up and up through a steep valley (often a Kestrel flying around here).