Race Date: Sunday 8th September 2024

The Bacchus Wine Half Marathon (& 10K) is held at Denbies Vineyard down in Dorking, Surrey at the beginning of September.

Both the HM and the 10K are very much a “fun run”. There’s also a kids run (but I didn’t pay attention to that, sorry). When I say it’s a fun run I mean just that, there’s music, dancing, fancy dress, nibbles and of course wine. Over the 13 miles you run literally through the vineyard and out into the South Downs where you get to sample 6 different wines. You run back through the vineyard to the finish to get a glass of your chosen wine. There’s a pulled pork feast awaiting at the end and don’t worry if you are veggie, vegan or have dietary requirements they have catered for all of that too.

The views are beautiful, the atmosphere is one of the best I’ve seen, I would definitely do this again. They also put on a special “runners pack” with all the wines you tasted at a discounted price.

A few things to consider, it is near a railway station but taxi is probably easiest if you stay in a nearby town, also, there is parking onsite if you have a designated driver on hand. When you sign up you don’t put in any estimated times, you just go in waves to spread people out. No one is there to do it for speed (and if they are they’re a nerd). You can’t even list what club you’re affiliated to, but it is still a legit race with timing chips, course markers, marshals and the like, and you get a t-shirt and medal at the end.