Pilgrim Challenge 2025 now open for booking!

All 2024 events open for booking!

No. of days 3 days

Distance 85 mi

Ascent gain 2203 m

Accom. yes

Food yes

A three day, 85-mile, 136km, ultra marathon crossing the historic Ridgeway. You'll be following in the footsteps of travellers, herdsmen and soldiers who have used the Ridgeway since prehistoric times. Be entranced by the ancient landscapes, hidden valleys, beautiful downland and woodland.

As with all of our events, everything is taken care of at the Druid's Challenge so you can focus on the experience! Overnight accommodation, evening meals, showers, breakfast, food and drink at checkpoints, free parking (for those booking a coach seat), and even inspiring guest speakers in the evening are all included.

Thanks to all your wonderful reviews, we're delighted to say The Druid's Challenge been awarded a GOLD race award! Thank you so much for your feedback!

Racecheck GOLD race award

Latest results

We are delighted to support SheRACES and commit to providing a great experience for female participants. Find out more

Included

  • Overnight accommodation
  • Free parking for those booking a coach seat
  • A fully recced and marked route
  • Full medical cover throughout
  • Toilets, showers and changing facilities
  • Breakfast and evening meals
  • Checkpoint food and water at regular intervals
  • Inspiring guest speakers in the evening
  • A quality finishers T-shirt and medal
  • Prizes and trophies for overall and category winners
  • Action photos en-route, free to download
  • A great atmosphere and a fun but challenging day out
The winners, runners up and age group winners will receive fantastic prizes or vouchers from our sponsors.

The multi day event prize for 1st male and 1st female overall winners is FREE entry to the same event next year!

Route

A broad track that takes the higher ground, the Ridgeway is a unique route that passes through the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), often quite a distance from any towns or villages, giving a real sense of peace and seclusion. You'll experience open views of the rolling chalk downland, peppered with ancient monuments including Stone Age long barrows, Bronze Age round barrows, Iron Age forts and white horse chalk figures.

Note: This year we will not be marking the route. Instead, you'll be following the Ridgeway markings until you come off the Ridgeway, with glow sticks out for the last 6 miles on day 1.

We recommend you familiarise yourself with the route before the start of the race and download the GPX file or OS Maps route onto your watch or phone.

Download printable route information.

Day 1
Checkpoints

#1 St Marys Church, Wendover HP22 6NL ///scarecrow.rezoning.making Grid ref: SP872074

#2 Whiteleaf Car Park Peters Lane HP27 0LH ///plotting.lingering.clutter Grid ref: SP823036

#3 Ridgeway nr station Chinnor OX39 4BA ///handyman.sharpened.upcoming Grid ref: SP760002

More info...

Toilets

Wendover Library Car Park HP22 6DU ///choirs.skirt.hotspots

Day 2
Checkpoints

#1 Trinity Church, Nuffield RG9 5SN ///chess.teach.shrimp Grid ref: SU667873

#2 Riverside, South Stoke RG8 0JS ///shameless.plankton.proves Grid ref: SU593837

#3 Track off Churn Rd, Compton RG20 6PP ///ventures.battle.grounding Grid ref: SU509819

More info...

Toilets

Goring High Street Wheel Orchard Car Park RG8 9AT ///clearcut.rosette.gliders

Day 3
Checkpoints

#1 B4001/Ridgeway crossing OX12 9XF ///shows.lifeboats.torched Grid ref: SU344851

#2 Car Park Nr Hinton Parva SN4 0DR ///define.nightlife.duty Grid ref: SU233814

#3 A436 crossing Ogbourne St George SN8 1SG ///spots.crash.able Grid ref: SU198733

More info...

Schedule

Day 1

Pricing

Very early bird

£239

until 31st December 2023

Early bird

£259

from 1st January 2024

Standard entry

£279

from 1st April 2024

Late entry

£310

from 1st October 2024

Single day: £77

Accommodation and food: £33 per night

Full event without food and accommodation: Early bird: £199 (until 31st March) --- Standard price: £219 --- Late entry: £250 (after 30th September)

There is a Mercure Hotel 20 minutes from the finish of day 1 and a Premier Inn a few miles away from day 2 overnight location. So, why not book the full event (no accommodation or food) option and have a comfortable bed instead? Scroll down for more information about hotel pick-ups.

There are 20 places available at a 10% discount for all serving and veteran military or emergency services staff. To book with your discount, please email us with a photo or scan of your military or NHS ID to obtain a code: info@xnrg.co.uk.

Please note: a 2.5% service charge, levied by the registration software, will be added to your total. If you need to cancel your entry or transfer to another event, you can do that by logging back into the booking system, Racespace.

Book now

If for some reason you are not able to make the event you have entered. The XNRG refund policy is that we will give you 70% refund of your entry fee up to 1 month before the start date of the event. You also have the option (1 month before the date of the event) to get a 100% transfer credit to another one of our multiday events. Both of these options you can execute on your Racespace entry page.

After this time we are sorry there will be no refunds or transfers to future events. Refunds will be to your booking credit card.

Race-day Preparation

Kit List

The only compulsory kit is a fully charged mobile phone and a minimum 500ml of water, but it's worth taking a look at our recommended kit list.

Other equipment may be made compulsory by the race director depending on the weather.

Medical

The event is supported by a Course Manager and a fully qualified medical crew will be in attendance. We strongly recommend taking a moment to read our medical page before booking.

FAQ

We've answered a range of common questions in our FAQ. For other questions, say hello on info@xnrg.co.uk.

Registration

Please register and pick up your timing chip from:

Full event/day 1 only entrants

Day 2 only entrants

06:30 on Saturday

Lord Williams's Lower School (day 1 overnight location).

Day 3 only entrants

06:30 on Sunday

Didcot Leisure Centre (day 2 overnight location).

Shuttle Service

All shuttles listed below, except coach transfer, are free.

Any other transfers at the competitors' expense via local taxi companies.

Shuttles/transfers provided

  To start from... From finish to...
Day 1

Tring Train Station, from 07:30

Alexandra House Hotel, Wroughton SN4 0QJ. Coach transfer departing at 07:00 (cars can be left at the hotel). Pre book and pay only.

The overnight accommodation (Lord Williams's Lower School)

The Mercure Hotel, Aston Lambert, OX49 5SQ

Day 2

The overnight accommodation (Lord Williams's Lower School)

The Mercure Hotel, Aston Lambert, OX49 5SQ

The overnight accommodation (Didcot Leisure Centre)

Premier Inn, Milton Interchange, Didcot, OX14 4TX

Day 3

The overnight accommodation (Didcot Leisure Centre)

Premier Inn, Milton Interchange, Didcot, OX14 4TX

Swindon Train Station

Inspiring talks

You can look forward to hearing from some guest speakers who will share their experiences, while you relax after a hard day!

Come back soon to find out more.

Accommodation

You'll stay at Lord Williams's Lower School in Thame (OX9 3NW) on the first night and Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot, OX11 8AY on the second night, with sleeping accommodation in a large hall.

Don't fancy sharing accommodation during the event? We'll be running minibus shuttles to and from three local hotels during the event. Click the button below for more details.

Accommodation options

More Information

Entries

You can enter the whole weekend event including food and accommodation or individual days.

Entries will close one week before the event (or when full). A waitlist option will be available if the event becomes fully booked.

Aid stations

There will be three checkpoints each day at regular intervals, fully stocked with water and food. See route above for precise locations.

We're going green

Help us do our bit to reduce the impact our events have on the environment by bringing your own reusable or collapsible cups for drinks at checkpoints. Some suggestions we love: the Salomon soft cup and the X cup.

Trees Not Tees

As part of your entry fee you will get an event T-shirt, or you can choose not to have the T-shirt and the money we would pay for the T-shirt will go to Trees not Tees and a tree will be planted instead.

For more details visit their website - https://treesnottees.com/

Reviews

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who helped with this event yesterday. It was my first ultra and I absolutely loved it! The fantastic organisation meant all I had to do was concentrate on getting myself round the distance! The malt loaf and coke at the checkpoints were a much needed treat! Thanks again

Rachel O'Dwyer

Dear Neil, Many thanks to you and all your team for yesterday. It was a tough day, but made so much easier thanks to the warm and sincere support from all the marshalls. Thanks again.

Karen

Thank you for arranging the Druids. It was my first multi-dayer. Great weekend. Your slick organisation, flexibility and attentiveness made it. It was just the right size to make a great atmosphere and friendly. Also thank you for instigating the minutes silence on Sunday morning, very much appreciated.

Thanks again for organising a superb Druid Challenge this weekend. I reckon your races are the smoothest, best-organised events of any kind I've ever been on -- and everybody is so pleasant, helpful and patient, even with the most ridiculous requests.

Many thanks for yet another great weekend, it was a beautiful and tough route, the support as always was fantastic. It was great seeing so many familiar faces and catching up with friends. Please pass on my gratitude to all the team, have a great Christmas and new year.
See you next year.

We can't wait to see you there! Questions? Say hello on info@xnrg.co.uk

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