The Maverick Dark Castle Trail — Friday
Corfe Castle in the dark, Friday night.
| Distance | Ascent | Per km |
|---|---|---|
| 15 km Long | 163 m | 11 m |
| 11 km Middle | 190 m | 18 m |
| 5 km Short | 98 m | 19 m |
Nobody has reviewed this one yet
No reviews of the Maverick Dark Castle Trail — Friday, and nothing on what people wore. Both are things no organiser publishes and every runner wants before they enter — how it actually went, and what was on your feet.
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Pick your distance
MODERATE
TRP grade · E2·T2
Start time not confirmed yet — check with the organiser.
This file is from a previous running and the course may have changed since. If you are navigating with it, get the current version from Maverick Race first.
What you’re in for
Corfe Castle in the dark on a Friday night in November — added because the Saturday sold out. From the stone bridge under the castle you drop through the village, cross Corfe Common to Church Knowle and climb onto the ridge at Knowle Hill, with the lights of Poole Harbour ahead and the castle lit up behind. The Long and Middle carry on along the ridge to Stone Hill Down and through tight single-track towards the Blue Pool, where the woods are full of Sika deer watching your head torch. The Short is 5.1km with 98m of climb, the Middle 10.8km and 190m, the Long 14.9km and 163m. Start at seven. Hot food, fire pits and marshmallows at the finish. Not dog-friendly, because it is dark.
Terrain and trail
Soft and muddy in November, with a few hard-packed and road sections; the single-track near the Blue Pool is tight and rooty. Rated dark, spooky, rooty and fun by the organiser, and suited to all abilities — the climb onto Knowle Hill is the only real effort. A good head torch and a trail shoe. Maverick's format on every event: a fully marked course, outposts stocked with Precision Fuel & Hydration and a spread of sweet and savoury food as a top-up for what you carry, no cups (bring one), a bag drop, an event village with food and a non-alcoholic beer at the end. Mandatory kit is checked on the longer routes.
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How to enter
Fri, 20 Nov 2026 · Entries open
Enter on their website ↗Entries are handled by Let's Do This, not by us. We take nothing for sending you there.
Add to your calendar · as an all-day entry, until the start time is confirmed
Common questions
- The Maverick Dark Castle Trail — Friday offers 3 distances: Long (15.0 km / 9.3 miles), Middle (11.0 km / 6.8 miles), Short (5.0 km / 3.1 miles).