Rathfinny 10km Trail

Race Description

Rathfinny is a working vineyard on the South Downs above Alfriston, and running its 10k means lapping the vine rows themselves rather than any generic parkland course - chalky, undulating farm tracks through Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier planted since 2010, with the Cuckmere Valley and the sea a few miles off in the distance. It's genuinely hilly rather than gently rolling: the single loop climbs and falls repeatedly across the valley slopes, so it suits runners looking for a proper off-road challenge and a change of scenery more than anyone chasing a flat-course PB. Rathfinny is often described as a leading English answer to Champagne, and the estate's environmental credentials are part of the race's identity too - it's run as a carbon-neutral, single-use-plastics-free event, in keeping with the vineyard's B Corp status.

Proceeds support the WOLO Foundation, a local cancer charity, giving the day a charitable backbone alongside the novelty of racing through working vines. The Tasting Room and cellar door give the start/finish area a working-estate feel rather than a generic race village, and runners not doing the half marathon, which simply doubles the same loop, can enjoy a shorter, sharper taste of the terrain before exploring the estate afterwards. It's a race for runners who want their trail mileage somewhere memorable - hillier and more scenic than a standard 10k, and distinctive for being run entirely through a working English wine estate rather than woodland or parkland.