Annual 100 mile walk
The annual 100 mile event is the LDWA’s flagship event. Held every year in a different part of the country, to coincide with the late May Bank Holiday, up to 500 people gather to walk 100 miles in 48 hours. In order to enter all these people will have completed a qualifying event beforehand. The first 100 mile event held was the Downsman 100 in 1973. Since then, with the exception of 2001 when foot and mouth closed the countryside, there has been an event every year.
Typically it takes about 3 years to organise a 100 mile event. This feat is undertaken by local groups with the help of supporters, friends and families who put in hours of unpaid time to make the event a success. Success it must be....Depending on the weather and conditions prevailing on the days on the event around 70% of the entrants complete the course. Some will run a large part of the route in say 26 hours, others will take up the full 48 hours to finish. All will have to go through at least one night and possibly two. Checkpoints dispensing tea, hearty food and much cheer (but no beds!) are run by volunteers from local groups and like minded organisations along the route. A cooked breakfast and a chance to soak feet and change clothes is provided at around the 60 mile point. All completing the distance within 48 hours receive a badge and a certificate and a fantastic feeling of satisfaction. Memories of the pain endured must be very short as many go on to repeat the performance in future years, obtaining their 10 Hundreds badge. There is even now a 20 Hundreds badge but there are even entrants who have completed over 30 100s and they are still competing!
Future 100s planned are:
- 2010 - The next 100 mile event, the Heart of Scotland 100 is scheduled for the weekend of the 29 - 31st May 2010, the first time Scotland has played host to the LDWA (although the Northumberland 100 did stray over the border for part of the route!). It will be a circular route with Dunkeld (Perthshire) as the hub. The event is now fully subscribed with a waiting list.
- 2011 will see us returning to Shropshire for an event with a literary theme. The Housman 100 is a circular route based upon Ludlow. The event is being organised by the Marches Group.
- In 2012 the event will be held on the weekend of the special Bank Holiday at the beginning of June and will be a linear event from the Olympic Stadium in Hackney via several Olympic sites to finish in Windsor. Groups in and around London are organising the event.
- In 2013 the event moves to Cornwall and Devon where a linear route is proposed to cross the moors. It is being organised by the Cornwall and Devon Group.
Route descriptions for previous events, together with the results and the certificates have been archived at and badges awarded can be viewed at
The 100 mile event is also amusingly described in ‘Out On Your Feet; The Hallucinatory World of Hundred-Mile Walking’ by Julie Welch available from the LDWA shop. First timers may find it best to read it after they have completed their first 100 miles.