Butser Hill Challenge
The Butser Hill Challenge is a timed fell run held at Queen Elizabeth Country Park (PO8 0QE) on the highest point in the South Downs National Park. The event includes separate Junior and Senior races and is open to participants aged seven and above. Junior entries are organised by school year groups and the senior race has a minimum age of 16.
The event was founded in 1978 and predates several major UK mass runs. Over the years it has raised in excess of £200,000 for charities; the 2026 event supports The New Blendworth Centre, a charity for young adults with varying degrees of learning difficulty (Registered Charity No: 1152182). Entries for 2026 are available via the organiser's eventrac site.
Distances for the races include:
- School Year 3 Approx. 1 km
- School Year 4 Approx. 1 km
- School Year 5 Approx. 1 km
- School Years 6 & 7 Approx. 2 km
- School Years 8 - 11 Approx. 3 km
- Senior (min age 16) Approx. 5 miles
On the day the venue provides toilets, first aid, free race parking (follow signs once off the A3 into QECP) and refreshments. There are no changing facilities and bag storage is limited. Runners are advised to wear appropriate footwear for grass slopes; off-road studs are recommended in wet conditions. Spikes are not permitted and will result in disqualification. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
