North Downs races

The North Downs Way and the ground either side of it: chalk ridge, beech hanger and the steep scarp slope that gives Box Hill its reputation. Runnable almost throughout, with the ascent arriving as a series of short climbs on and off the ridge rather than anything sustained.

Chalk and flint underfoot. Fast and firm in summer; in winter the steeper chalk descents get greasy and the tree roots through the woodland sections are less forgiving than they look.

Races here run from five kilometres to two hundred miles, based around Farnham, Box Hill and Mickleham. Most are marked and few require navigation, which combined with easy access from London makes this one of the busiest stretches of trail racing in the country. The Way itself is well signed, so it is also good ground to recce in pieces before an event.