Westonbirt is the National Arboretum, home to over 2,500 different species of tree! This includes 5 national collections, including rare trees from across the world. The route is incredibly beautiful, varied and interesting as you run through the different areas dedicated to specific species. The solid terrain underfoot gives you a surface more akin to a solid road surface, with all the beauty of a trail run.
Westonbirt is a great relaxing family day out with lots of activities for children too. As part of your race ticket you are welcome to stay and enjoy the arboretum for the whole day, and family, friends and supporters can gain access to the arboretum for just £5/car when travelling with a runner, for special access before 9am, and stay for the day too. Normal visitor ticket prices will be payable after 9am.
Location: Westonbirt Arboretum, Westonbirt, Tetbury, GL8 8QS. What3Words /// monkey.booth.motored
When: We are really excited to have 3 race dates at Westonbirt in 2025!
Saturday 8th February 2025. Start times are from 18:00, please see the Provisional Schedule for details.
Sunday 9th February 2025. Start times are from 10:00, please see the Provisional Schedule for details.
Sunday 7th September 2025. Start Times are from 08:00, please see the Provisional Schedule for details.
Register:
Saturday 8th February Register 5km (£24) and 10km (£29). Night race; head torch or chest torch required to participate.
Sunday 9th February Register 5km (£24) and 10km (£29)
Sunday 7th September Register for the 1 Mile (£7.50), 5km (£24), 10km (£29) and Half Marathon (£42)
The minimum age for the half marathon is 17, for the 10km is 14, for the 5km is 12, there is no minimum age for the fun run.
Medals: The 8th Feb and 9th Feb races have the same medal. The 7th September race has a different medal. The medals are 10cm x 10cm in size with a full colour design on both sides. Each distance has it's own ribbon.
Group discounts: Find out more here. 10-19 runners save 15%, 20-49 runners save 20%, 50+ runners save 25%. Runners can include any mix of distances to reach the 10 runner minimum, everyone just needs to be racing on the same date.
Format: We set off runners in waves of ~150 runners so everyone has plenty of space to enjoy their run. When you register you will be given the option to select a wave, please share your wave selection with your friends or family so you can start together.
Drinks Stations: There are no drinks station on the 5km. There is 1 feast station on the 10km and 3 feast stations on the Half Marathon. There will be water, electrolyte to drink and a mix of food including GF, DF and vegan snacks around the course and again at the finish.
Medals: All runners of 5km and longer distances will take home a large 10cm x 10cm, 2 sided medal specific to this event. Fun run medals may be a mix of designs.
Terrain: The vast majority of the routes are on solid stone forest paths. The routes are largely very flat, with only a couple of little rises and falls. All our courses are very comprehensively marked and well marshalled so you can relax and enjoy your run.
Transport: The nearest train station is Kemble, which is 9 miles from Westonbirt. Westonbirt is 30mins from Bristol, 40mins from Bath, 60mins from Cardiff, 1hr 45mins from London.
Parking / Spectator Pass: There is on site parking which is £5/car for the 8th February and 7th September day races (payable to Westonbirt) and includes FREE access for the day for all spectators in the car for the day races. This enables runners and spectators to stay for the whole day after their run with no additional charge. Visitor tickets are usually £12/adult so this is a bargain! The is no parking / spectator charge on the night race as there is no option to extend your visit in the same way as there is with the day race, please note the event and site closes at 21:30 for the night race.
Parking / Spectator Pass tickets must be purchased in advance, you can add these to your booking when you register or purchase a stand along Pass here. Please have your order confirmation / parking receipt ready on your phone for the parking team to check on arrival, thank you.
We take pride in providing very well marked routes complete with distance markers so you can relax and enjoy your run, we also publish route maps and make GPX files available so you know what to expect when you are out on the route. Our wonderful marshal team will be out on the course to cheer you on at regular intervals, provide a presence at key points and serve you drinks and food at our amazing feast stations. There is water on the course at all of our races, electrolyte at our warmer and longer races and coke in the later stages of our marathon and ultra events.
At our frequent 5km feed stations on our half marathon or longer events, and at all our finish lines you will find chocolate, sweets, fresh fruits, crisps, haribo, as well as GF and vegan snacks. Our medical team and supporting partners will look after you and bring you you home if you are injured. At the finish line you will be awarded one of our super colourful interlocking medals, along with a feast of treats including a can of energy drink from our official energy drink partner, Acti+, as well as tribe bars and an amazing buffet of other snacks. The race results are posted the evening of the event with race photos available to purchase on the same day as the race with Blowfish Photography.
Facilities: There are on site toilets and many wonderful places to eat. There is a bag drop. There are no changing rooms.
Photos: Professional photos will be available to purchase within 48hrs of the event from our photographer's website here.
Buggy or Canicross runners: The routes are suitable for buggy runners but this event is not open to canicross runners.
Spectators: There is a £5/car parking charge (payable to Westonbirt) which gives FREE access to the arboretum for the day for all runners spectators in the car for the day races. There is no parking / spectator charge for the night races. Visitor tickets are usually £11/adult so this is a bargain. Dogs are welcome to visit too, though please be aware that some areas of the arboretum are not open to dogs.
FAQs: Please see our FAQ Page if you have any more questions and you can contact us from there is you would still like assistance.
As the night race takes place outside of normal opening hours and runners / spectators are not able to extend their stay in the same way as they can with the two day time races, there is no parking / spectator pass for the night race. Please note the event and site closes at 21:30.
One parking pass is required for each car and it includes FREE access for the whole day to Westonbirt for all spectators in the car
Purchase the Pass here OR when you sign up to the run
One parking pass is required for each car and it includes FREE access for the whole day to Westonbirt for all spectators in the car
Purchase the Pass here OR when you sign up to the run
All our finishers receive a top of the range custom medal as well as a buffet of fresh fruit and other tasty treats. We also recognise a few of the speedy runners on the following basis.
Prize Categories
The final number of prizes awarded is determined by the number of finishers for each gender in a given race distance. If there are more than 100 finishers then the full range of awards are made as shown above. If there are between 50-100 finishers then the top 3 finishers overall will be awarded a prize. If there are less than 50 then only the winner will be awarded a prize. We do not have any winner's prizes for any of the children's events as we would like to keep this participation focused.
There is no on the day prize giving because of the multi wave, multi start time format of the events. Prize winners will be contacted mid week via email.