Ultra trail events

East Devon 8 Trigs (Half/Marathon/Ultra)

3rd October 2026

Trigpoints are the common name for “triangulation pillars”. These are concrete pillars, about 4′ tall, which were used by the Ordnance Survey in order to determine the exact shape of the country. They are generally located on the highest bit of ground in the area, so that there is a direct line of sight from one to the next. By sitting a theodolite (an accurate protractor built into a telescope) on the top of the pillar, accurate angles between pairs of nearby trigpoints could be measured. This process is called “triangulation”.

Eight of these trig points sit on a beautifully varied trail loop in East Devon. For our 2026 event, we have 3 options:

3 Trigs Half Marathon (22km)* – Max time 6hrs

6 Trigs Marathon (40km)* – Max time 10hrs

8 Trigs Ultramarathon (53km)* Max time 12hrs

*All distances are approximate and assume that you have taken the shortest line

Enter the 2026 event here

8 Trigs Handbook 2025

An image of a man and his dog posing for a photo in the moors.

About the event

East Devon 8 Trigs (Half/Marathon/Ultra) Event Profile

The Route

All trig points can be found without the need for complicated navigation techniques. However, a basic understanding of navigation will be required as this isn’t way marked. Finding the shortest/quickest line is all part of the fun!

The 3 trigs half marathon route avoids the biggest hills and stays on the western side of the Otter Valley. The 6 trigs marathon crosses onto the eastern side of the Otter Valley and adds a couple of bigger hills. The 8 trigs ultra crosses the Sid Valley to find the extra 2 trigs before returning along the South West Coast Path.

**All routes start in Budleigh Salterton and follow the South West Coast Path to West Down Beacon. Far reaching views from here extend to Berry Head, Portland and Dartmoor. From here, all routes head inland and cross Woodbury Common. The Half Marathon will return to the start after locating Woodbury trigpoint. The Marathon and Ultra continue over the river Otter before climbing steeply up to Beacon Hill. The Marathon returns to Budleigh from here via High Peak, but the Ultra continues to Buckton Hill and Weston Cliff before heading back via High Peak.

**Routes will be reversed for 2026 (Anti-Clockwise)

A suggested route for all 3 distances will be available on Outdoor Active and a GPX file can be downloaded. If you prefer a traditional map, Explorer 115 (Exmouth and Sidmouth) covers the whole route.

The Trig Points

West Down Beacon – SY045811

Black Hill – SY026854

Woodbury – SY039881

Aylesbeare – SY 055900 (6 Trigs and 8 Trigs)

Beacon Hill – SY111909 (6 Trigs and 8 Trigs)

Buckton Hill – SY148908 THIS IS CURRENTLY INACCESSIBLE, please use wooden signpost on bridleway as alternative SY148909 (8 Trigs only)

Weston Cliff – SY170882 (8 Trigs only)

High Peak – SY103859 (6 Trigs and 8 Trigs)

These are our recommended routes, but the exact line you take is up to you! (Please see notes in participant handbook). You will need to stamp a card at each trig to prove you have visited each one. Routes will be reversed for our 2026 event (anti-clockwise).