Lakes Marathon
Sign up for £30 Fundraise £375

Lakes Marathon | Cats Protection

For a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. Support this great cause and join the Cats Protection team taking part in Lakes Marathon on Saturday 7 June. Sign up today for £30!

  • Sat 7 Jun 2025
Kendal Basecamp, Kendal > Ambleside, Ambleside

Lakes Marathon

07:00

Age 18 & over

Sign up £30

Fundraise £375

  • 42 km trail running + 1200 m ascent

Event overview

Take on England’s finest countryside at your pace. The challenge basecamp is in Kendal, and it’s a 100km loop taking in a couple of tough hills, the Garburn Pass, historic Ambleside, a halfway point by Lake Windermere, forests and nature reserves – with some stunning views en-route, before a huge welcome and celebration back at basecamp after a momentous journey. You’ll get full support and hospitality, optional camping / hostel and various distance options available, there’s a Lake District Challenge for everyone!

The Ultra Challenge Experience

This challenge is part of the UK's number one series of trek and trails runs for a wide range of ages, fitness and experience levels.

Choose your challenge and do it at your pace. The level of support enables you to go further, whilst enjoying the great outdoors, camaraderie, and the challenge. There are marquee rest stops, lots of food and drink, medical and massage teams, with a fully signed route to guide you.

A big finish-line celebration awaits with an amazing sense of achievement and once the aches subside you’ll feel energised, up for more of life’s real challenges – and, maybe, personal horizons redefined.

This event is part of Lake District Ultra Challenge.

  • All fitness levels
  • Event village
  • Families
  • Newcomers

Your challenge, your way

Whether you’re a walker and new to challenge events, an experienced trekker, a marathon enthusiast upping the distance, or a seasoned ultra runner after UTMB points – there’s an Ultra Challenge® for you! Walk, Jog, or Run at your pace, as an Individual or a Team, for a charity of your choice or just for you. There’s an Ultra March® option for ‘fast walkers’ – and a new ‘Solo Challenger’ start time to join up with others.

Best support & hospitality

This Ultra Challenge® famously lays on the best support and hospitality available on any UK endurance-style event. This enables you to step up and confidently tackle an 'Ultra' distance, with the best chance of success - and to enjoy your challenge! Here's a summary:

Before

  • Challenge app
  • Facebook forum
  • Training guides
  • Fundraising support
  • Training walks and runs
  • Video briefings
  • Travel planning
  • Parking

During

  • Baggage transfers
  • The start line
  • Chip timing and tracking
  • Rest stops
  • Food and drink
  • Medical support
  • Camping

Along the route

  • Fully signed route
  • Apps, maps and GPS
  • Route safety experts
  • Emergency response
  • Trek masters
  • 24 hour control room

After

  • Finish line experience
  • Finish times and certificate
  • Shuttles and transfers
  • Hot meal
  • Medical care and follow up
  • Deals on future challenges

  • Accommodation
  • Bag storage
  • Bag transfer
  • Bar
  • BBQ
  • Cafe
  • Camping
  • Changing facilities
  • Entertainment
  • Music
  • Paid parking
  • Rural
  • Showers
  • Toilets
  • Urban

Event HQ

Kendal Basecamp
Kendal
Cumbria
LA9
UK

  • First aid
  • Food stations
  • Hilly
  • Marshals
  • Mass start
  • No headphones
  • Point to point
  • Toilets
  • Water stations
  • Way markers

Overview

The route effectively takes on the fantastic ‘1st Quarter’ Challenge and adds 13km around the Ambleside area to give a superb Marathon Challenge! Starting from the Kendal Base Camp (where you can camp Fri / Sat), it’s up the Longsleddale Valley, and over the testing Garburn Pass with stunning 360 views towards Windermere, and then on to historic Ambleside. From here the route explores Rydal Water’s edge and includes stunning views of ‘5 Lakes’. You’ll be rewarded with a medal, a glass of fizz and a picnic lunch to celebrate back in Ambleside.

Map

map


  • Event app
  • Map
  • Medal
  • T-shirt

Included

  • Snacks and drinks every 10-15km
  • 29km | Good selection of snacks
  • Finish | Picnic lunch and fizzy drinks, glass of fizz, medal and t-shirt

Bookable extras

  • Camping packages
  • Parking
  • Pre challenge transfer
  • Post challenge transfer
  • Baggage transfers
  • Challengers meal

  • Age 18 & over
  • Entries open
  • Charity entries open
  • Charity places
  • Enter online
  • Event merch available
  • Fundraising required
  • Series discount

Entry fees

Entry fee

£139.00

An excellent experience from start to finish. The route was brilliantly marked out, the food was gorgeous and plentiful, the staff couldn’t have been more helpful and supportive if they tried, a wonderful event that I can’t praise highly enough.

An amazing event, extremely well organised with fantastic, enthusiastic staff. So much support, food, drink and tonnes of information available if you ever had any questions. I’ve done lots of different races and this ranks as one of the best. It was tough but so worth it...a little bit sad it’s over.