Rowbotham’s
Round Rotherham

South Yorkshire’s most-loved ultra

Rowbotham’s Round Rotherham is a 50-mile (80 km) trail event that circumnavigates the entire Rotherham borough perimeter. Devised by RHAC secretary Ralph Rowbotham during the steel strike of 1980 and first run as an event in 1983, it is one of the longest-running ultra events in northern England.

A genuinely beautiful route with canals, rivers, wetlands, ancient woodland, Roche Abbey ruins, and the open rolling arable fields make for a surprisingly varied 50 miles. Despite a modest total climb of around 800 m the course earns its reputation for breaking people at mile 40.

The event is run by volunteers for the love of it. Entry fees remain among the lowest for a 50-mile event in the UK. Back-of-pack finishers are as welcome as podium contenders.