Bewl Water Autumn
From HermesRunning
- Date Sat 4th September 2027
- Time 08:30
- Location Tunbridge Wells, Lamberhurst, East Sussex
- Price £37.36 - £71.32
- Races 4 races
- Distances 10km, Half Marathon, Marathon, Ultra
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Event summary
Get ready for an exhilarating day of running at the Bewl Water Autumn event, hosted by HermesRunning on Saturday, September 4, 2027, in the beautiful surroundings of Tunbridge Wells, Lamberhurst, East Sussex. This bi-annual race series offers a variety of distances to suit all levels of runners, including a scenic 10km, a challenging Half Marathon (13.1 miles), a full Marathon (26.5 miles), and an Ultra 50km (31.25 miles).
Starting near the Bewl Water Visitor Centre, participants will enjoy a picturesque route that winds around the stunning Bewl Water reservoir. The courses feature a mix of undulating rural wooded trails and peaceful country lanes, providing breathtaking views of the lake throughout the race. With well-marshalled checkpoints and generous time limits for each distance, this event promises to be an unforgettable experience for both competitive runners and casual participants alike. Don't miss your chance to be part of this top-rated race, recognized by Runners World as one of the best marathons in the UK!
Starting near the Bewl Water Visitor Centre, participants will enjoy a picturesque route that winds around the stunning Bewl Water reservoir. The courses feature a mix of undulating rural wooded trails and peaceful country lanes, providing breathtaking views of the lake throughout the race. With well-marshalled checkpoints and generous time limits for each distance, this event promises to be an unforgettable experience for both competitive runners and casual participants alike. Don't miss your chance to be part of this top-rated race, recognized by Runners World as one of the best marathons in the UK!
Bewl Water Autumn
Sat 4th September 2027
Organiser's Description
A scenic bi-annual race series starting near the Bewl Water Visitor Centre (Lamberhurst) Kent and following the Bewl around the reservoir route. All four courses are run on a combination of undulating rural wooded trail and along some quiet country lanes, with stunning views of the lake for most of the route.
Course Descriptions - 10km, Half Marathon, Marathon & Ultra 50km.
Bewl Water 10km (10.00am start) – this will be an out / back 3.1mile run-route, the turnaround point will be well marshalled (2.5hrs time limit).
Bewl Water Half Marathon 13.1 mile (9.30am start) – initially an anti-clockwise 0.6 mile loop, then 1 x 12.5 mile loop of Bewl (6hrs time limit).
Bewl Water Marathon 26.5 mile (9.00am start) – clockwise route is initially a 1 mile loop, then 2 x12.5mile loops of Bewl (7.15hrs time limit).
Bewl Water Ultra 50km / 31.25mile (8.30am start) – clockwise route is 2 x12.5 mile loops of Bewl followed by a final loop of 6.25miles (8.00hr time limit).
The distances have been measured using a Garmin Fenix 6X Pro-Solar watch and are as accurate as trail races can possibly be, the marathon as you will note is slightly longer, the trails dependant on the line you run will always vary slightly so please be aware that this is as accurate as possible.
Runners World rated this course as one of the top 10 marathons in the U.K.
Course Descriptions - 10km, Half Marathon, Marathon & Ultra 50km.
Bewl Water 10km (10.00am start) – this will be an out / back 3.1mile run-route, the turnaround point will be well marshalled (2.5hrs time limit).
Bewl Water Half Marathon 13.1 mile (9.30am start) – initially an anti-clockwise 0.6 mile loop, then 1 x 12.5 mile loop of Bewl (6hrs time limit).
Bewl Water Marathon 26.5 mile (9.00am start) – clockwise route is initially a 1 mile loop, then 2 x12.5mile loops of Bewl (7.15hrs time limit).
Bewl Water Ultra 50km / 31.25mile (8.30am start) – clockwise route is 2 x12.5 mile loops of Bewl followed by a final loop of 6.25miles (8.00hr time limit).
The distances have been measured using a Garmin Fenix 6X Pro-Solar watch and are as accurate as trail races can possibly be, the marathon as you will note is slightly longer, the trails dependant on the line you run will always vary slightly so please be aware that this is as accurate as possible.
Runners World rated this course as one of the top 10 marathons in the U.K.
Races
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Bewl Water Ultra 50km
Sat 4th September 2027 (08:30)
£71.32
UK Athletics (UKA) save £2.00
Association of Running Clubs (ARC) save £2.00
Trail Running Association (TRA) save £2.00
Booking for more than 1? -
Bewl Water Marathon
Sat 4th September 2027 (09:00)
£60.71
UK Athletics (UKA) save £2.00
Association of Running Clubs (ARC) save £2.00
Trail Running Association (TRA) save £2.00
Booking for more than 1? -
Bewl Water Half Marathon
Sat 4th September 2027 (09:30)
£50.09
UK Athletics (UKA) save £2.00
Association of Running Clubs (ARC) save £2.00
Trail Running Association (TRA) save £2.00
Booking for more than 1? -
Bewl Water 10km
Sat 4th September 2027 (10:00)
£37.36
UK Athletics (UKA) save £2.00
Association of Running Clubs (ARC) save £2.00
Trail Running Association (TRA) save £2.00
Booking for more than 1?
Reviews
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4.7
9 reviews
First ever marathon and I have a lot of fond memories of the event, but it was definitely tough! The event was really well organised, there was plenty of parking and I had no issue with toilets at the start (can't comment about the half and 10k though as I think these had more participants, but before the marathon there was no issue). I'd recommend arriving at least half an hour early to pick up your race number, as there was a big queue to collect race numbers just before the 9AM marathon start and the start was slightly delayed because of this. There was a nice vibe at the start, not too busy but enough people to get a buzz and there was a great DJ and photographer.
The course was clearly marked, but it's always a good idea on trail events to download the GPX onto your watch if you are able to. This is a trail event, and if you are new to trail then I'd say that it would probably be a good first trail event. There is some elevation, but reasonable for a trail race (around 1800 feet on the marathon) with six pretty punchy ascents/descents (including one that comes at the last mile) but most of the course is undulating or even flat in parts, so quite a lot of the course is runnable and overall is not particularly technical. There was mud in parts of the course, not as bad as some trail runs I've done but I did nearly slip a couple of times. Trail or hybrid shoes are best as there are definitely some sections that you need trail shoes for, although a fair bit of this race is done on road. The road sections are on narrow single track roads so you need to stay aware of cars, as well as staying aware of mountain bikers on some of the trail sections.
The course is really beautiful, with a wide variety of terrains to keep it interesting (roads/woods/open grassland). The loop around the lake is 12.4 miles and so the 10K does an out-and-back of part of the course, the half does a 0.6 mile out-and-back and then one loop, the marathon does a one mile out-and-back and then two loops and the ultra does two loops and a 6.25 mile out-and-back. I'd therefore say that the sweet spot for this event is the half marathon, as you get to see everything.
The aid station volunteers were fantastic, so helpful and at the last one before the end they gave loads of encouragement to keep you going. There are four aid stations on the course (including at the start/finish line), so you will go 3-4 miles between each aid station. You do need to be self-sufficient with food/water between the aid stations, and it was pretty hot on the day. The aid stations were well stocked with electrolytes, water, jelly babies and pretzels but if you want to use gels then you will need to bring your own. Like with most trail events, there are no toilets at the aid stations.
Overall this was a fantastic trail race and I'd highly recommend it.
Possibly the prettiest run I've done to date. Well organised, great atmosphere, great rest stations and everyone was super supportive and friendly! I did the 10k and am hoping to be back next year for the half... It loses half a point because it's also the ugliest medal I've ever received 😂
Wendy
·2 years ago
Beautiful hilly course with stunning views. Functional bottle opener medal at finish.
Skye
·2 years ago
First half marathon after having a baby and terrible birth last year and so used this as a challenge to prove myself that anything is impossible if you put your mind to it! I never thought I’d run again, let alone do a half marathon. This was my first trail half too. Very challenging due to hills, loved the beautiful surroundings. The lake is deceptive, it’s bigger than you think if you use it as a view point for how long you have left. All competitors were really kind, caring. A huge thanks to a lady who topped up my water bottle during last 5km. Two points to improve on for runner safety: lack of water/refuelling stations (despite bringing my own water bottle, I ran out very quickly. This was the hottest day of the year and we were at risk of getting dangerously dehydrated. Please add at least one more during last 3 miles! Secondly; be prepared to walk straight back up a hill after you finish (despite jelly legs). That was really tough! Start and finish could have done with being by visitor centre or perhaps by boating centre… anyway- thanks for having me! What a challenge! Well done everyone x
I had been looking for an actual race (not a virtual one) for a long time as everything got cancelled or postponed during the pandemic. I was delighted to be able to sign up for my first marathon (there are other distances available, from 10k to ultra marathons).
Race bibs were sent by post prior to the race so there was no need to queue at the registration desk. That worked great and I believe every race organiser should do the same, Covid or not! There was still an organisers desk where people could ask last minutes questions, get safety pins, etc…
My only complaint would be that there were no changing facilities, just the toilets of the Bewl Water café which were not great. Most people changed in their car but if you can’t do that (I came by cab) that’s a bit impractical.
It’s quite a small race in terms of number of participants. The departure area is rather large so it didn’t feel crammed and there was no race briefing due to social distancing. The course itself, which consists of 2 laps around Bewl Water, is absolutely beautiful. I would rate it as a “tough” race but it was my first marathon so I can’t compare it to another race.
A couple of things to keep in mind if you are a marathon beginner like me: The course is hilly (my Garmin recorded 675m elevation gain) with one last climb less than 1km before the finish line. It’s mostly trail which gets very muddy in case of rain (and it rained a lot on the race day). Bring trail shoes if you have a pair. As a result, I found it quite difficult to pace myself because I had trained mostly on flat roads. I basically decided to stop looking at my watch after 5K since I was a lot slower than during training.
There were 3 stations with water, gels, etc… I prefer to run with my own water and food so it didn’t affect me but I think there could be more stations.
All in all, a very enjoyable race. I would definitely recommend it.
Location
Bewl Water Country Park, Bewlbridge Lane, Lamberhurst, Tunbridge Wells, UK
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Bewl Water Autumn
