28 Aug
29 Aug
The Borders Ultra Challenge
Walk, Jog or Run the spectacular Jurassic Coast - a World Heritage Site.
Edinburgh, UK
What we love
Wonderful scenery Great atmosphere Epic support crew
Kent Downs 50 Ultra Challenge
What we love
- Wonderful scenery
- Great atmosphere
- Epic support crew
Click here for more info.
Special offer: 50% OFF Full Charity Sponsorship registration fee!
Register before 31/05/2026 and use the code PARTNER50% for a 50% discount on registration fees. As a bonus, you’ll also receive a free signup to the Camino Virtual Ultra Challenge. This applies to all funding types.
🚶♀️🏃♂️ Walk, jog or run.
🏅 10K, 25K or 50K.
🌟 2026 Entries Are Now Open! Sign up with Young Lives vs Cancer from just £10 with our exclusive Early Bird Deal
A challenge event you can take on at your pace. The Kent Downs 50 Challenge invites you to walk, jog or run a distance of your choice, along a signed route, with free food and drink at regular rest stops, plus support including medics, marshals and massage. Get the ‘Ultra Challenge’ support & hospitality all the way – helping you to push yourself further and achieve something really special for Young Lives vs Cancer.
This is the end of season Ultra Challenge – in the ‘Garden of England’ – with a basecamp near Maidstone, parking & weekend camping options. The main 50km looped route heads anticlockwise around the Kent Downs – starting on the North Downs Way to Blue Bell Hill, around picturesque Aylesford, and following the River Medway to Mote Park at halfway for a picnic. Along the Len Valley Walk to the majestic Leeds Castle, then the North Downs Way back to the showground finish line and celebration. It will test spirit & determination but is totally achievable with good preparation and the Ultra Challenge support. With 25km and 10km challenge options also available – there’s a challenge here for everyone – and you can join as an individual or as a team of friends / family.
You may have to dig deep at times, you’ll meet new friends along the way, and the journey will be unforgettable! As you cross the finish line, you’ll get a big welcome from the cheer squad, a glass of fizz, t-shirt, and a special medal to celebrate your achievement.
For more information, including detailed route options, head to the Ultra Challenge Series website.
SIGN UP- 50K Loop – (With ‘Ultra March’ Option also) – From basecamp it’s anticlockwise around the Kent Downs. Heading out on the North Downs Way to Blue Bell Hill and around to the picturesque village of Aylesford one of the River Medway’s hidden jewels. The route follows the River Medway to Maidstone and through Mote Park – along the Len Valley Walk to Leeds Castle where it turns to re-join the North Downs Way and back to the Kent Showground.
- 25K Loop – Sits within the 50km loop and splits off at the picturesque village of Aylesford one of the River Medway’s hidden jewels heading east on Augustine Camino to Detling via Boxley and back to the Kent Showground.
- 10K Loop – Sits within both the 50km and 25km loop and splits off at the Pilgrim Way returning to Detling via Boxley and back to the Kent Showground. You’ll be rewarded with a medal, glass of fizz & discounted hot meal to celebrate your achievements.
There are 3 payment options to choose from:
As we are an official Charity Partner, you automatically benefit from 50% off ‘Full Sponsorship’ registration fees.
1. Full Sponsorship – you pay a small registration fee, do lots of fundraising and we cover the cost of your event place!
- Full challenge ~50K: 50% off the £40 reg fee / £375 fundraising target
- Half challenge ~25K: 50% off the £30 reg fee / £275 fundraising target
- 10K: 50% off the £20 reg fee / £100 fundraising target
2. Mixed Funding – pay half of the event place cost yourself, fundraise a bit less and we pay the balance of the event place cost.
- Full challenge ~50K: £75 reg fee / £225 fundraising target
- Half challenge ~25K: £50 reg fee / £150 fundraising target
- 10K: £22.50 reg fee / £70 fundraising target
3. Own Place – you pay the full cost of the event place – fundraise whatever you want, with no set target or deadline, and there’s no cost at all to the charity!
- Full challenge ~50K: £139 reg fee / no fundraising target, raise what you can
- Half challenge ~25K: £89 reg fee / no fundraising target, raise what you can
- 10K: £39 reg fee / no fundraising target, raise what you can
Your Ultra Challenge entry includes:
- A fully signed route, with a team of ‘Trekmasters’ out on the trail with you
- Regular covered rest stops, with free food & drink, massages and medics
- An epic finish line moment, with a glass of fizz, medal and t-shirt
Camping, transfer and parking options are available to make getting there & away easy.
And here are some of the benefits of joining Team Young Lives vs Cancer:
- A Young Lives vs Cancer technical t-shirt so you look awesome and stand out in the crowd
- Free physio advice from a Chartered Physiotherapist
- Our online Event Hub where you can find training plans and useful fundraising tools
- Our closed Facebook group where you can meet other Young Lives vs Cancer sporting legends, share fundraising ideas and training tips
- We’ll shower you with advice, ideas and materials to get the money rolling in, and if you ever need us we’re only a phone call away.
Every day 12 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer. Yet not one of them has the same experience. All young cancer patients have different needs, opportunities and backgrounds and for some, the systems in place and gaps in support mean that their experiences are much more challenging than others. Far too many children and young people with cancer are experiencing inequality as soon as they are diagnosed due to a ‘one size fits all’ approach throughout much of the system. That’s why the support they receive must look beyond their diagnosis. It should provide them with what they need, so that they can go on to thrive no matter what. That’s why we exist.
We don’t receive any government funding so everything we do is thanks to amazing people like you. From funding our brilliant Young Lives vs Cancer Social Workers to our vital financial grants, your support means that we can be there for children and young people facing cancer, and their families, to ensure that having a cancer diagnosis doesn’t mean you lose what makes you, you.
There are 21 events across the UK to choose from. Choose your challenge…
London Winter Walk – 24 & 25 January 2026
Chilly fun in the capital…
Bath 50 – 28 March 2026
Historic city and scenic countryside loop…
Windsor 50 (NEW) – 18 April 2026
Historic Windsor, river paths & Great Park highlights..
Isle of Wight Challenge – 2-3 May 2026
Around the island path…
Jurassic Coast Challenge – 16-17 May 2026
The UK’s best coastline…
London 2 Brighton Challenge – 23-24 May 2026
Iconic route from Capital to Coast…
Lake District Challenge – 6-7 May 2026
England’s finest & most scenic countryside…
Cotswold Way Challenge – 13-14 June 2026
Tough rolling hills & stunning viewpoints…
North Yorks Challenge (NEW)– 20-21 June 2026
Dales, moorland & northern beauty…
Peak District Challenge – 4-5 July 2026
A looped route to & from our basecamp in Bakewell…
Gower Peninsula Challenge – 18-19 July 2026
A coastal gem in the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty…
South West Coast 50 Challenge – 25 July 2026
Festival-style Coastal loop…
North Downs 50 Challenge – 1 August 2026
The best of the Surrey Hills and North Downs Way…
London Summer Walk – 22 August 2026
Historic city stroll…
South Coast Challenge – 5-6 September 2026
Seven Sisters & South Downs…
Thames Moonlight 10 Walk – 11 September 2026
10K or 10 mile options available…
Thames Path Challenge – 12-13 September 2026
Take on the historic towpath…
Thames Bridges Trek – 12 September 2026
Zig zag over the Thames…
Chiltern 50 – 26 September 2026
Festival style season-finisher…
Kent Downs 50 – 10 October 2026
The Garden of England…
Halloween Walk – 24 October 2026
A spooky walk through the capital…
For further information about the route, support and hospitality check out the official organiser’s website and their FAQs webpage, alternatively you can ask a question via the organiser’s contact form.
And if you have any fundraising questions, please get in touch!
- Chat to our fundraising team online using live chat (use the pink ‘chat to us’ button at the bottom right of the screen) Monday – Friday, 10am – 4pm
- Call us on 0300 330 0803, Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm
- Email us at fundraisingevents@younglivesvscancer.org.uk
- Message us via our Facebook or Twitter pages
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