Celebrating its 10th anniversary race in 2026, The Ex Enduro is currently the only multi-day enduro in the UK and always delivers.
The Merida Ex Enduro will run from 11th to the 13th of September 2026 and expect a bit of a party as the race turns ten next year.
Photos by Paul Box.
Welcome to THE MERIDA EX 2026, presented by Shimano
It is now more than a decade since we sat down and started working on our event, in the hope that we would get it off the ground and that everyone who came to THE EX would love the riding, the scenery and our way of running this unique event as much as we do. As we head into our tenth event season, we are immensely proud that riders still enjoy our event, and we are excited to celebrate our 10th anniversary from the 11th to the 13th of September 2026 with everybody.
It all started with the idea of creating an event that we would want to take part in. We wanted to create an event with the perfect mixture of great riding, fun yet demanding stages, a relaxed atmosphere for riding and racing, great food and drink, and plenty of things to get involved in when you’re not on your bike. Above all, we wanted to create an event where you really felt like you were part of something, rather than just a number. While we know there is always room for improvement, we believe we have struck a good balance between all these aspects over the years.
Once again, we will have 80 riders, in pairs or as solo, gathering in the small village of Allerford to fight it out on the trail, sample the amazing riding that the area has to offer, get involved in our off-the-bike entertainment and enjoy the food and drink our team will be providing throughout the event weekend. While our event has seen the addition of a couple of staples over the years, such as our Saturday night table-service dinner party or our (enduro) world-famous vintage tea stop, we always strive to add new and exciting extras to the event. This could be incorporating new stages, quirky evening additions, or anything else that makes everybody’s time at THE MERIDA EX more enjoyable.
The website:
We have been busy over the last few days updating the event website www.the-ex.co.uk, providing all the 2026 event details, the all-important pre-registration page, and the gallery pages. Last year, we had a wealth of videos created at the event, so head over to the page to see what our 2025 event, as well as all the previous years, were all about. If you just want a quick view, check out the 2025 event video below.
Entry and pre-registration details:
The entry to THE MERIDA EX, presented by Shimano, will open on Sunday, the 1st of March at 9 am (UK time). To get the private entry link needed to access the ‘hidden’ entry page on the 1st of March, you will have to pre-register your interest in the event. Only riders on our pre-registration list will receive the link (via email) at the very latest by the 28th of February 2026. If you don’t have this link, you won’t be able to enter.
You can pre-register via the pre-registration page by clicking the logo at the bottom of the page, entering your email address, and selecting ’email newsletter’ and ‘subscribe’.
What you get at THE MERIDA EX:
Our event is a real ‘all-inclusive’ affair. From the moment you arrive at the venue in Allerford (from Thursday afternoon), everything is included in the entry fee. All food, all drinks, facilities, races, yoga sessions, evening entertainment… everything.
Here, more specifically, what is included in the entry fee:
- 6-10 gravity special stages each day with dibber timing system
- Access to private land using trails that are not available to the public outside the event
- 30-45 km of riding a day with approx. 1,500 – 2,300 m climbing each day
- Thursday afternoon warm-up ride (approx. 2 hours, 4 pm start)
- A fully marked course
- Uplift at the start of each day
- Medical cover and marshals throughout
- On-course water/feed stations
- Enduro/World-famous vintage tea stop
- Scrumptious locally sourced food and drink (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
- Fantastic barista coffee made daily using our Italian coffee machine
- A free bar on-site featuring a broad range of beers/drinks from the Bristol Beer Factory
- Comfortable camping facilities
- Evening entertainment
- A uniquely designed participation jersey for each rider
- Yoga sessions each day
- E-bike charging facilities
- The most relaxed racing and event atmosphere around
So, if you want some more EX action, or have hopefully heard good things about us and want to give it a go, then make sure you go to our pre-registration page and follow the instructions.
If you have any questions, feel free to email us at [email protected].
We wish you all Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year, and hope to see you on Exmoor next September.
