Cancer Research UK Big Hike T&C's 2026Cancer Research UK Big Hike T&C's 2026
These rules (“the Rules”) apply to the following events (each an “Event” and together “the Events”):
• Big Hike Full Marathon
• Big Hike Half Marathon
• Big Hike 10k
By registering for an Event you confirm that you have read, accepted and will comply with these Rules, and that you have made any other adult participants you register aware of these Rules - so that they can do the same. If you are the parent or legal guardian of a child under the age of 18, by registering or allowing your child to be registered for an Event you are consenting to these Rules and you are agreeing to their participation in the Event subject to these Rules under your / an accompanying adult’s direct supervision.
Please check this page from time to time, as we may occasionally amend the Rules, and any changes will be binding on all participants and supporters. By continuing to be registered for Events, you will be deemed to have consented to and accepted any amended terms and conditions with effect from the date of the amendment.
All the Events are organised by Cancer Research UK Trading Limited (a company registered in England and Wales, registered office: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ, registered company number: 4355631), a trading company which Gift Aids its taxable profits to Cancer Research UK (a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247).
Where reference is made to “CRUK”, “we” or “our” in these Rules, it means both Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research UK Trading Limited.
Each Event (including the route design and on-the-day Event management) will be delivered by a third-party provider, Hike Events Ltd (a company registered in England and Wales, registered office: 6 The Grove, Worcester WR3 7NZ, registered company number: 11886167) for Cancer Research UK.
If you have any questions, please contact Cancer Research UK on 0300 123 2424
* or using any of the methods set out on our website.
Entry
To purchase an Event place you must be aged 18 or over. You may only purchase a child participant place and register a child participant where you also purchase an adult participant place for that Event. If you are not the parent or legal guardian of a child you purchase an Event place for you must make their parent or legal guardian aware of these Rules and have their permission to register the child.
Entry fees for the Events are as set out on the Big Hike website at the time of purchase unless a promotional or corporate voucher is used to cover all or some of the entry fee, or unless a sales promotion is taking place – in which case further discount codes and vouchers terms and conditions are applicable and can be found here: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/big-hike-discounts
Your Event place will not be confirmed until payment has been processed and you have received an email from us acknowledging that a place has been allocated to you at the relevant Event. Places at the Events are limited and are allocated on first-come first-served basis.
You must have registered for an Event and paid your entry fee (or had the entry fee paid for you) to be eligible to take part in that Event.
Entry fees are non-refundable subject to the exceptions set out in these Rules. We ask that you let us know as soon as possible if you need to withdraw from your Event for any reason.
Your place in the Event is personal to you and may not be transferred to anyone else without notifying us first, as it may cause problems of identification if medical assistance is required during the Event, for example.
The Events are designed to be as close as possible in distance to a full marathon (26.2 miles), a half marathon (13.1 miles) and 10km respectively however our final routes may be slightly over or slightly under these figures. The incline figures of each Event can be found on the relevant Event web page.
Each Event is subject to various age restrictions as set out below, which relate to the age of the participant on the day of the relevant Event. Participants must be able to provide proof of age on the day. We reserve the right to refuse entry to an Event, with no refund, to any participant who is underage, or is unable to provide proof of age when requested to do so by an Event official.
Event entry will close no later than 2 days before the date of the Event, or earlier when maximum participant capacity is reached. We are unable to accept any entries on the day of an Event.
Your Big Hike entry pack (including t-shirt and back sign) will be issued to you by post from 30th March 2026 onwards. If you register for your Event before 30th March 2026, your pack should arrive no later than 1st May 2026. If you register for your Event after 30th March 2026 but more than 2 weeks before the Event date, your pack should arrive no later than 1 month after your date of registration. If your Big Hike entry pack does not arrive within these timeframes, please call us on 0300 123 2424* and you may have to collect your t-shirt and back sign from a designated location on the day of your Event. You will not receive your hiking number in your Big Hike fundraising pack. These will be available to collect on the day from the Information tent where we will allocate you a chipped hiking number.
If you register for an Event within 2 weeks of the Event date, your entry pack (including t-shirt and back sign) will not be sent to you in the post but will be available for you to collect from the Information Desk on the day of the Event.
Age & Height Restrictions
The following minimum age apply to Event registrations:
| Event Name | Age requirements and other restrictions |
| Big Hike Full Marathon | You must be at least 16 years old |
| Big Hike Half Marathon | You must be at least 14 years old |
| Big Hike 10k | You must be at least 12 years old |
Children may only participate in an Event on the condition that:
a) they meet the age requirements for their Event
b) they are under the direct supervision of their parent or legal guardian / a registered accompanying adult aged 18 or over at the Event and stay together with them;
c) their parent or legal guardian has read and accepted these Rules on their behalf and take responsibility for their participation in the Event in accordance with these Rules;
d) their parent or legal guardian’s contact details were provided when registering for the Event;
If you are registering as the accompanying adult for child participants we recommend a ratio of one accompanying adult to four children maximum. As an accompanying adult you must ensure:
i. your name and contact details and the child’s name and contact details are written on the child’s race number;
ii. you write the race number of each of your child participants on your own race number;
iii. you and each child wears their race number at all times during the Event.
Accessibility
The Event courses are not suitable for wheelchair or mobility scooters. The health and safety of our participants is very important to us and we cannot guarantee that each type of wheelchair or mobility scooter will be able to manoeuvre the terrain on the Hike routes.
No dogs (except service dogs) or other pets, no baby strollers/prams, roller skates/blades, skateboards or scooters or any other item that we deem unsuitable or which could potentially inhibit or affect your safety as a participant or a supporter on the Event route.
Friends and family are welcome to accompany participants at designated areas at the start/finish area of the Event course only, subject to any further guidelines or restrictions.
Arrival, Start Times and Event Cut-Offs
You will be given an arrival time in advance of your Event. Please note:
• Please arrive 45 minutes before your arrival time to allow plenty of time to collect your Hiking number.
• We cannot guarantee your exact start time, and there may be some waiting on the day.
• Arrival times may be subject to change. We will give you as much notice of this as possible, though unfortunately sometimes it may not be possible to do this until your arrival at the Event.
If you arrive after your allocated arrival time, you must abide by the instructions and decisions of the Event Manager. If you are late, you may not be able to take part in the Event.
In some situations our Event delivery team reserve the right to enforce cut off times to protect the health and safety of participants and staff. Any cut off times will be clearly communicated to you during the safety briefing before you begin your Event and/or at the relevant support points. If you miss a support point cut off time, you will be provided with transport back to the start/finish venue.
We reserve the right to shut down the Event course and close access to all our finish venues at each Event at 7.30pm on the day of the Event.
If you choose to join the Event late without our permission, or if you have not completed the Event route before cut-off or closure but choose to continue, you do so at your own risk with the understanding that you are no longer considered a participant of the Event, and as such are not eligible for any Event resources (including but not limited to pit stops, suppliers, venues, refreshments, course direction/support, personnel etc), and that you absolve us of any and all responsibility and progress entirely at your own risk.
Event Changes
If we change your Event venue, time and/or date, we will notify you of this change as soon as possible. Your Event place will be automatically transferred to the re-scheduled Event unless you tell us you are no longer able to attend. In these circumstances you can either ask for a refund of your entry fee, or you can choose to donate this to Cancer Research UK.
If we cancel your Event, we will notify you of this cancellation as soon as possible, and you can either ask for a refund of your entry fee or you can choose to donate this to Cancer Research UK.
Once you have registered for an Event, you can only transfer to another Event or wave start time with our permission. This is because we have strict capacity limits for each Event and wave and we need to make sure that none of the Events or waves exceed their individual capacity. If you do wish to transfer your place to a different Event or wave, please call us on 0300 123 2424*.
We reserve the right to refuse entry if you try to take part in the wrong Event or at the wrong start time without our prior approval. We will not refund your entry fee in these circumstances.
We reserve the right to alter or reduce any Event course. . If your Event is affected, we will try to notify you in advance of any significant changes where we are able to do so. If this affects your ability to take part in the Event you have registered for, you may request a refund. Refund requests will be considered on a case by case basis, taking into consideration distance reduction, notice given and reasons for the alteration/reduction.
Conduct
On the day of the Event we ask that:
• You do not use aggressive or abusive language towards Event organisers, marshals, officials, event suppliers, volunteers and other participants.
• You avoid behaving in a way which may cause injury or harm to other participants and/or spectators, or which may cause offence or damage the reputation of CRUK.
• You do not smoke tobacco products or use e-cigarettes whilst at your Event. Cancer Research UK opposes the promotion and use of tobacco in all its forms.
• You are respectful of local residents while you are on your Event route, which includes not making any excessive noise.
• You use the litter and recycling facilities available at your Event or take litter home with you to dispose of responsibly.
You must abide by the rules above and ensure any child participants you accompany, and any supporters joining you, at an Event act in accordance with these rules too.
You, your supporters and any children you accompany must also follow any instructions or regulations displayed or given before or on the day of the Event by CRUK, police and/or Event officials, including those relating to the health and safety of participants and supporters.
Please note that spectators will not be permitted on the Event course. Everyone taking part in the Event must be a registered participant.
We reserve the right to ask participants and supporters on the day to leave the Event if they do not follow the rules above, or if they bring a dog (which is not a service dog) to the Event, and no refunds shall be given in these circumstances.
Health and Safety
The Event is a non-competitive walk, and you are reminded that running is not allowed. To manage the event effectively and to reduce the risk of injury, all personnel have been instructed not to permit runners to take part in the Event. If you do run on the day then you will not be considered an official participant of the Event, and as such you will not be eligible to use any Event resources (including but not limited to pit stops, suppliers, access to the finish venue, refreshments, course direction/support, personnel etc.). You understand that if you choose to run, you absolve us of any and all responsibility (as far as permitted by law), and that you progress entirely at your own risk.
You are responsible for ensuring that you or your child (in the case of parents or legal guardians of child participants) are sufficiently fit and healthy to take part in the Event. If you are unsure of your physical ability to take part in the Event for any reason, including pregnancy or any health condition, you must seek medical advice from a General Practitioner prior to taking part.
Regardless of any medical advice you receive we reserve the right to refuse entry to an Event at our absolute discretion, with no refund provided, if for whatever reason we consider you unfit to take part. We may also ask you to withdraw during an Event if we have concerns about your ability to complete it due to fitness, injury or otherwise. If you choose to continue to take part in your an Event despite our request not to, you do so on the understanding that you absolve Cancer Research UK of all and any responsibility (as far as permitted by law) for your participation, and progress entirely at your own risk.
You must write the following information on the reverse of your hiker number, which must be worn on the front of shirts during the Event:
• your name
• details of any health problems or current medication
• the name and number of a person to contact in case of an emergency
• any other information you consider could be relevant in the event of a medical emergency
You are also responsible for ensuring that you (and any child you are accompanying) are wearing appropriate attire (including footwear) when taking part in an Event, taking into account the nature of the Event, the weather forecast and the terrain involved.
We take all reasonable steps to minimise the risk of injury to participants during fundraising events. There is a stringent risk assessment process in place for the Events, which aims to minimise or eliminate the risk to everyone taking part. Notwithstanding these steps you acknowledge the possible risk in the nature of the Events as public exercise, in particular where they take place on cross country courses on grass, paths, metalled roads and tarmac. By taking part in an Event, you also acknowledge that there may be conditions or circumstances beyond our control that can lead to unforeseen risks. If you have any concerns or queries, please contact us on 0300 123 2424* before agreeing to take part in an Event.
Venues and courses used for the Events might have animals grazing on them throughout the year. Participants at our events to are encouraged to wash or sanitise their hands thoroughly after taking part in these events to minimise any possible risk of transfer of animal borne diseases.
Should you leave the Event course or decide not to complete the route for any reason, you should notify the Event organisers on the day so we can account for your whereabouts.
Fundraising and Donations
To help us beat cancer sooner, we ask each Event participant to try to raise at least the following amounts for CRUK:
• £300 if taking part in the Big Hike Full Marathon
• £250 if taking part in the Big Hike Half Marathon
• £200 if taking part in the Big Hike 10k
You have a legal responsibility to ensure that all sponsorship monies/donations received in connection with your Event are paid to CRUK. We ask that you do this as soon as possible after your Event.
You can:
• Set up a Cancer Research UK Giving Page in which case funds will be automatically paid to Cancer Research UK.
• Pay in your sponsorship money online with your credit or debit card or call us on 0300 123 2424* with your credit or debit card details to make a payment over the phone.
• Send cheques made payable to "Cancer Research UK", stating “Cancer Research UK’s Big Hike” and your walking number or Unique Reference Number on the reverse of the cheque, to:
Cancer Research UK
PO Box 1561
Oxford
OX4 9GZ
Please ensure that all donations and/or sponsorship forms are filled out in full and returned to CRUK at the above address to enable us to claim Gift Aid where possible.
Please note that we are unable to accept any sponsorship money on the day of the Event.
Use of your information
When you register for an Event, we collect personal data relating to you and anyone else that you register. We will use this information for the purposes of organising, staging and administering the Event, including to send you your fundraising pack and additional information about fundraising. If you provide personal information on behalf of other entrants, please only provide this if they have confirmed that they are happy for you to do so as we will use this information for the same purposes.
Following your registration, we will contact you with information about your Event, including to discuss ways to improve your fundraising and hints and tips to support your preparation for your Event. This may include information about how you can get hold of CRUK merchandise and offers from our partner organisations.
In the case of an emergency, we may also pass personal details provided by you (either the information you provided when registering for the Event or from the details on the reverse of your Event number) to the emergency services or health care professionals and also use them for the purposes of contacting your emergency contact.
First aid facilities will be provided at the Event. If you are treated by medical providers, your details may be passed on to us only for health and safety purposes and in order to fulfil our legal obligations (including those under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013). All accident details will be securely held on the Cancer Research UK Accident Database in line with statutory requirements.
Subject to the marketing preferences we hold for you, your personal data may also be used for the purposes of sending you information about how you can support Cancer Research UK’s work and details of our future events if this is something you have confirmed you would like to hear from us about.
All personal data held by us will be handled in accordance with applicable privacy laws and CRUK’s privacy statement which can be found here.
Filming and Photography at the Events
Please note that we (or our authorised service providers and agents) or our commercial partners may film (including through the use of aerial and/or drone photography / videography) or photograph participants, volunteers and spectators taking part or attending Events and use such footage or photographs for the following reasons:
a) or CRUK to publicise the Event for commercial and/or fundraising purposes including, but not limited to social media, television broadcasts, advertising, publications, marketing; material, merchandising, and other documents that may be made available to the public; and
b) for our commercial partners to publicise their involvement and/or association with the Event; and,
c) for other commercial and/or fundraising activities in support of Cancer Research UK’s work including, but not limited to, television broadcasts, advertising, publications, marketing material, merchandise, social media, personalised direct mail, social media and other documents that may be made available to the public.
No personal details (including names) of any under 16-year-old participants will be used in any publicity materials without the written consent of their parent or legal guardian, but we may use images where children are incidentally included e.g. on the starting line or spectators at the start area.
Please only register a participant under the age of 16 if the participant’s parent/legal guardian (as applicable) are happy for the child’s images to be used in the manner described in these Rules.
If you are not happy with having your or your child’s image taken and used in the ways described above, please let the relevant representatives know as soon as possible upon arriving at the Event.
Chip Timing
We appoint an independent third-party chipped timing company to record and track your timing and location at your Event. Their service includes uploading the chipped timing results on to CRUK’s website and/or the chipped timing company’s website which is open to all members of the public. We will pass on your full name, phone number and participant number to the chipped timing company to enable you receive a text with your finishing time at the end of your Event and for safety messaging if needed during the Event.
If you would prefer that we did not pass on your details, and/or do not wish to have your finish time (and/or the child’s finish time in the case of parents/guardians of under 16s) displayed on the CRUK website and/or chipped timing company website, please call us on 0300 123 2424* as soon as possible before the date of your Event.
Liability
Use of the CRUK website is subject to our website terms and conditions.
All participants and spectators attend and enter an Event entirely at their own risk. CRUK shall not be liable for any injury, damage or loss to persons or their property that might occur as a result of their participation in or attendance at an Event other than in respect of any injury or loss arising as a result of our negligence. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this clause shall limit our liability for any other liability that cannot be limited or excluded by law.
Merchandise
All participants understand that any free products distributed in fundraising packs or at the Event are subject to availability, and any promotion specific terms and conditions, and may be withdrawn or substituted. In particular please note stocks of our participant t-shirts are limited. We will endeavour to meet every sizing request, however in the event that the size requested is not available when you register we will advise you to collect an alternative size, where available, on the day of the event.
We are not responsible for the actions of any third-party supplier supplying merchandise or other items on the day of the Event.
Contact
* Contacting us
You can contact us by calling our main helpline number on 0300 123 2424. Please note that calls to our helpline may be monitored or recorded to allow us to maintain our standards of customer service. For more ways to get in touch, and for opening hours for our main helpline, please see our website.