The first weekend of April sees hundreds of runners and walkers coming to the Shropshire Hills to take part in the Shropshire Way 80K Festival running and walking event which showcases the wonderful food, history and landscape of this fascinating and beautiful area.

Over 700 people take part on average each year, all leaving from the Centre in staggered starts from 8am.

The festival is a fundraiser for Grow Cook Learn, the charity which operates the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre in Craven Arms, and all money raised will be used to support the charity’s goals. This year, the money will be used to support the delivery of our education programme, teaching children from inner-city areas about how their food is grown.

For 2025, there is a choice of four events; the SW80K- 50 miles in 24 hours; the Mammothon- a full-distance trail marathon with a generous 12-hour time limit; the Half-Mammothon, 13 miles with a 6-hour limit and Tusker’s 10K, 6.5 miles in 4 hours.

The event is set up to welcome everyone from hardcore trail runners right through to steady walkers just aiming to complete within the time and the event will support everyone to be their best on the day.

Entry fees include free parking, great local food & drink throughout, first-aid services, a rescue vehicle, trackers for the longer events, a certificate of achievement and an SW80K Festival memento. All events have a fun and friendly atmosphere and are enjoyed by a wide range of people from all walks of life.

All the routes are hilly so don’t expect to smash your PB, but they will take you over some of the iconic Shropshire Hills summits and Iron-Age hillforts, along ancient drovers’ routes and through magnificent ancient woodland and delightful market towns. If you haven’t discovered this beautiful landscape yet, you’re in for a treat!

The charity is all about local food, so they offer participants Shropshire’s famous Fidget Pies, a beef stew served in a barn high in the hills, local cheeses and sausages as well as our delicious home-made Bara Brith. For SW80K’ers, there’s a breakfast at the end too! If you’re veggie or vegan, you needn’t worry - you will be served equally well whatever your dietary needs.

For booking information and all the event details, head to shropshirehillsdiscoverycentre.co.uk