Saxons, Vikings & Normans

We're going to have something a little different for Ranscombe next Summer! On the Saturday we'll have the 'classic' Ranscombe Loop, hopefully taking in the best of the Summer flowers, and on Sunday an alternative loop will follow some different paths which will be just as interesting, and will take in one more meadow than usual! Both routes will be on the hilly side, but nothing too scary we hope, and the reward will be some lovely views, and, if we get lucky, millions of flowers! 8/9 July.

Fowlmead Country Park, near Deal, East Kent, now known as Betteshanger Country Park, has a lovely tarmac cycle track and we're going to use this to host what we hope will be a very straightforward mid length ultra that will appeal to a range of runners, including those who want to step up to mid range but without the complications - no navigation, no mud, no kit required, an aid station every 2 miles - and those who aren't sure if they can run 50 miles. There are no DNFs at this event, anyone may drop down to the 12 hour challenge. This is a 50 mile run with a strict 12 hour time limit.

There has been a marathon on the tarmac track at Cyclopark Gravesend every year since 2012, firstly by the wonderful TZ Runs events and then latterly Inspire Races, unfortunately these events have now ended and it seems such a shame to let the venue be marathon free for a year! Whilst we appreciate that 17 laps around a cycle track in the DMZ between the old A2 and the new M2 isn't the world's most exciting run there are lots of logistical advantages, its a lovely venue and a cracking facility and once a year it isn't too bad!

Between Thanet and Sandwich lays Pegwell Bay, famous for the Viking Ship, The Hugin, that rests there in all its recently restored glory. This event will have a 6 hour time limit for you to run as many, or as few laps as you wish, starting at 4pm. We're going to be flexible with the route, mainly as it will depend on conditions on the day. Loops of 3.75 miles miles and will be a mixture of terrain. Sundown is 7.30pm so you'll be partially in light, then twilight and then finally deep night, all being well on a lovely early Autumnal evening.

This event is Tolkien themed, the event date falling so close to several famous Hobbits' birthdays! There will be a somewhat 'foodie theme, so of course there will be breakfast, second breakfast, elevensis, lunch and perhaps even a spot of afternoon tea! The 3.75 mile loop course is a mix of gently rolling trail and flat sea wall, all within the shadow of the White Cliffs of Dover. 6hr time limit.

We're super fortunate to have been given permission from the Forestry Commission to hold an event at Jeskyns Community Woodland. (A minute from the A2 just south of Gravesend in Kent - Google Map) Jeskyns was until recently a farm which was purchased by the Forestry Commission in 2005 with the purpose of returning the land to its original environment including traditional orchards of apples, cherries and cobnuts, open parkland, grass, wildflower meadows, and native woodlands. In recent years over 150,000 trees have been planted, along with orchards, ponds and meadows. The area is classified as both a "Special Landscape Area" and "North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty."

Please explore the race and consider joining us!

The nice folk at Ashdown Forest have given us special permission to run around Ashdown Forest around the very locations that inspired Christopher Robin & AA Milne to write the famous loveable bear books. In 2018 we intend to have Kanga-Roo and Owl themes after the success of the 2016 & 2017 events!

The nice folk at Ashdown Forest have given us special permission to run around Ashdown Forest around the very locations that inspired Christopher Robin & AA Milne to write the famous loveable bear books. In 2018 we intend to have Kanga-Roo and Owl themes after the success of the 2016 & 2017 events!

The Ranscombe Autumn Triple brings you three different Challenges, each with a time limit of eight hours to run as many 3.8 - 6.5 mile laps as you can or want!! The Ranscombe Autumn Challenge follows the 'classic' Ranscombe loop of around 3.8 miles, hopefully with the addition of beautiful autumnal colours on a lovely late October day! There are hills, the North Downs Way crosses part of the reserve, and being totally on trail there is the chance of a bit of mud, but well stocked aid stations, a unique custom made medal each day, and a goody bag that actually contains goodies, will make the undulations and any mud more than worth it. (It's chalk downlands which do drain pretty well!)

We've had the nice wide cycle track at Betteshanger Country Park officially measured so that its a now a certified road marathon course and we thought that it would be nice to have one marathon a year that is specifically aimed at those runners who aren't the quickest and can't make usual road marathon times, are intimidated by quicker road marathons or simply prefer the smaller, friendly type events rather than more competitive ones.

We want to see people achieve things. To use us as a bridge to bigger and greater things or simply to stay in the game that one year longer. To do things that they thought that they never could or could do no more. The reality is that some folk are a bit slower, a bit older, a bit less confident than others. This is their marathon. It's about as straightforward as it possibly can be, it's not easy. No marathon is easy, its always 26 miles 385 yards, it's a long way. But the Betteshanger Marathon has an aid station every 2 miles, a line painted on the track to follow if you're worried about navigation, is pretty flat and has a near perfect wide tarmac surface.

A high quality trail run on the Kent Coast between Thanet and Sandwich lays a big bay called Pegwell Bay which is famous for two reasons, firstly because of the nationally important Sandwich and Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve and secondly for the Viking Ship, The Hugin, that rests there in all its recently restored glory. We've been fortunate enough to have been given permission to hold an event on part of this area known as the Pegwell Bay Country Park.

The Hugin holds a special fondness for myself as it was one of the favourite places that my late father would take me to as a child, in the dim and distant past you could climb on the ship, eat your ice cream and be a Viking! Sadly these days clamboring over such things isn't allowed, but it has been nicely restored in the last decade or so and is well worth a look, a good few times in fact as the route will go past it twice on each lap! The event will have a six hour time limit for you to run as many, or as few laps as you wish. With a timed event, as long as you complete one lap, then you are an official finisher!

A marathon at the lovely seaside town of Ramsgate
The coastal path known as the Viking Coastal Trail runs around Thanet and a section runs along the seafront at Ramsgate which forms part of a popular route that we have here.

The route is 4.37 miles and runs both along the top and bottom of the cliffs on gentle slopes, don't worry the cliff isn't too high! The upper and lower sections are joined by a little "grotto" which meanders through the cliff.

This will be a marathon only event for the lovely Viking Coastal Marathon medal. Six laps will make up the 26.2 mile course!