4th Oxford Scout Group presents
10k3k1k
Up through the woods to Boars Hill and back along the Oxford Greenbelt Way, with the dreaming spires below you. A medal for every finisher, cake at the end, and every pound goes to local Scouting.
Saturday 25 September 2027 provisional
Harcourt Hill, Oxford OX2 9AT · from 11am
Three distances
One start line, three ways round. All three finish under the same green arch, and everyone who crosses it gets a medal.
Age 16 and over
The full loop. Mostly off-road and properly undulating: bridleways, woodland tracks and quiet lanes over Boars Hill, home along the Oxford Greenbelt Way.
Age 12 and over, or younger with an adult
The opening and closing stretches of the 10k, out over the fields and back. A proper taste of the course without the big hill.
All ages
One lap of the Harcourt Hill field, in full view of the crowd. Built for small legs, pushchairs and first-timers.
Start times and age limits are from the 2026 run and we expect 2027 to match. In 2026 entry was £15 for the 10k (£20 after 1 September), £8 for the 3k (£10) and £2.50 for the 1k. 2027 prices will be confirmed when entries open.
The 10k course
From the field at Harcourt Hill you head west across the top of Cumnor Hill, then drop to the valley and climb through Hen Wood, past the Scout camp at Youlbury, to the top of Boars Hill. That is the hard work done by 3.5 km.
The middle of the race rolls along the ridge near Jarn Mound, with water waiting at 4.7 km, before a long descent to Chilswell Farm. The last third follows the Oxford Greenbelt Way back up the valley, with Oxford spread out on your right.
Underfoot it is bridleway, gravel track and field path, with short stretches of pavement and quiet lane. Trail shoes help after rain; road shoes are fine in a dry September.
The map and GPX are an indicative trace of the 2026 course, good to about 30 metres. On the day, follow the signs and the marshals. The 2027 course is subject to the usual permissions.
Four years running
The Scouts have put this race on every year since 2023. It is small, friendly and loud at the finish.
In one of these photos and would rather not be? Email us and we will take it down.
On the day
Timings are from 2026 and may shift slightly for 2027.
Where your entry fee goes
The run is organised entirely by volunteers from 4th Oxford Scout Group: leaders, parents and Explorer Scouts. Once the costs of the day are covered, everything left goes to the Group, where it buys tents and equipment for more than 160 young people.
So if the hill at 3 km feels long, it may help to know you are paying for somebody's first night under canvas.
4th Oxford Scout Group is a registered charity, number 267799.
Not running?
The race needs about thirty people on the day: marshals at the gates and road crossings, hands at registration, timekeepers at the finish, bakers for the café. You do not need to be part of the Scout Group, and you will get a briefing and a hi-vis. There is cake.
Businesses: we are glad to hear from anyone who would like to donate prizes or sponsor the medals.
Entries are not open yet
Leave your email and we will write when the 2027 date is confirmed and when entries open, at the early-bird price. Expect four or five emails a year, all about this run.
Questions
Not yet. We are planning for Saturday 25 September 2027, the same weekend as 2026, but it depends on the venue and the highway and landowner permissions, which we confirm in the spring. People on the mailing list will hear first.
It is a trail 10k with one real climb: about 50 metres up through the woods between 2.3 and 3.5 km. The rest rolls gently. Finishing times in 2026 ranged from 37 minutes to an hour and forty, and walkers on the hill are in good company.
The 1k is open to all ages. The 3k is for ages 12 and over, or younger children running with an adult who has also entered. The 10k is for ages 16 and over.
In past years, yes, at the higher price and if numbers allow. Entering in advance is cheaper and helps us order the right number of medals.
The 10k has gates and rough ground that do not suit buggies; the 1k lap of the field is a better bet. Dogs are welcome to watch on a lead but not to run. The paths stay open to walkers, riders and cyclists during the race, so keep an ear out.
The run goes ahead in ordinary rain. It gets muddy in the woods, so wear shoes with some grip.
Email [email protected].