Northern Traverse®

Saturday 5th to Wednesday 9th April 2025

A 300km ultra following Wainwright’s Coast to coast route from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay.

The Northern Traverse® is a 300km ultra following Wainwright’s coast to coast route from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay. The event has a strong adventurous ethos and culture of self-sufficiency.

Beginning at St Bees on the west coast, the route crosses the north of England through three National Parks finishing in Robin Hood’s Bay on the east coast. Taking in iconic mountains, valleys, moors and ~6,500m of ascent, the Northern Traverse is one of the most spectacular journeys in the UK.

We want to make this the best ultra you have ever done! We can’t take credit for the route, this is down to Alfred Wainwright – but he got it right, which is why it is Britain’s most popular long distance path.

The Route

Wainwright got it right when he devised a route across England taking in the beauty of three National Parks.

The mountains of the Lake District define the first section, the rugged landscape providing half of the ascent of the route before crossing into the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Kirkby Stephen is less than 130km along the trail but is often thought of as halfway, where remote paths lead you off the Nine Standards providing a stark contrast to the earlier Lakes terrain, before crossing the relatively busy Vale of York. Followed by crossing the quiet high plateaus of the outstanding North York Moors before the final run along the coastal path in the iconic Robin Hood’s Bay; a fitting finish to this amazing journey.

Tip: click/tap on "Learn more" then expand the map to get more route details.

Average Terrain Type

  • Road
  • Pathless
  • Track
  • Trail
  • Road
  • Pathless
  • Track
  • Trail

Where and when?

Support Points

You can expect a warm welcome from our Event Team at each Support Point. A combination of our professional staff and volunteers are in attendance at each Support Point. There is almost always a medic at these locations to provide advice and emergency care. If you need to retire, the Support Points are the only place on the course where you can do this. Most importantly, you can expect food and plenty of it at each Support Point.

Here is the kind of food you can expect at the support points on the Northern Traverse®:

  • A selection of hot and cold drinks including tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, squash and water, with milk alternatives available.

  • Sandwiches with various fillings such as cheese, hummus, egg, salad, peanut butter, or jam.

  • Hot and cold savoury snacks that might include chips, vegetarian sausage rolls, vegan bites, crisps and nuts.

  • A selection of cakes and traybakes, fresh fruit, porridge and a variety of other hot and cold breakfast options.

There is a variety of food at support points ©No Limits Photography

Please see the menu below for the hot meal and soup options at each support point.

The current Downloadable Checklist is version 8, dated 17/06/2024.

We know that kit and clothing requirements can be a bit confusing and we hope that the downloadable checklist will help you select and pack the correct clothing and equipment. We would recommend that you read our comprehensive guidance article on clothing and equipment.

Comprehensive Clothing and Equipment Guidance

Support Point Drop Bag

A ‘Support Point Drop Bag’ will be transported from the start to certain Support Points for Northern Traverse® participants to access during the race. The maximum weight of a Support Point Drop Bag is 15kg (they will be weighed!) and the maximum size is 80L capacity. Support Point Drop Bags can be dropped off during registration hours at St Bees school or on the start line on Saturday morning (see timings above). This bag must be robust and waterproof to withstand handling and outside storage. At registration, we will attach a sticker to this bag so that we know it is yours.  Please carefully check the Downloadable Checklist to confirm that your Support Point Drop Bag has the mandatory items.

Kit requirements

Please download the following clothing and equipment checklist. The items listed are mandatory and must be worn by the participants or carried at all times for the duration of the Northern Traverse®. Your kit will be checked at registration. If we determine that your kit is not sufficient, you will not be able to start.

KIT RECOMMENDATIONS

A common mistake we see at kit check is participants bringing a survival blanket rather than a survival bag. A survival bag is far superior in an emergency and is mandatory. We recommend the SOL survival bag available for purchase in our shop.

Whilst the built-in whistle on your rucksack or vest is acceptable we do recommend a purpose-made device such as the Lifesystems Whistle.

Finally, if you want to enjoy a warm drink at our Support Points, you’ll need to be carrying your own mug. We recommend the Lifeventure mug.

Exceptional Weather Kit

We are prescriptive about the clothing and equipment that we will mandate that participants carry in the event of exceptionally cold and/or wet, or hot weather. When notified, these additional items must be carried in addition to the standard mandatory kit, and are included on the downloadable checklist linked above. Please ensure that your vest pack or rucksack is large enough to fit everything in!

We will notify participants at registration before the start, or we will notify the Northern Traverse® participants at a Support Point that they will need to carry this kit with them on the next section. Northern Traverse participants must pack their ‘Cold Weather Kit/Hot Weather Kit’ in their Support Point Bag for the duration of the event unless carrying it in their vest pack or rucksack.

Additional recommendations

Finally, we would like to share some further recommendations and insights, which we have seen participants successfully employ over the years. These items are not mandatory but might help you to critically appraise your clothing and equipment choices.

FOOT CARE

  • Trench foot cream. We recommend Trench Foot Cream to help protect participants’ feet from maceration on long-distance events. Maceration occurs when the skin has been wet for long periods, causing it to become soft and painful with distinctive ridges and troughs. The liberal use of a barrier cream, such as a Trench, can be the difference between completion and a DNF, particularly when conditions are damp. You can purchase Trench directly here: https://trenchfootcream.co.uk

RECOMMENDED COLD WEATHER CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

  • Heavy-weight mountaineering-style waterproof jacket. Especially if you are likely to be walking rather than running.

  • Waterproof cap. Brilliant for keeping driving rain off your face - worn under the hood of your waterproof jacket.

  • Second waterproof jacket. Layering two lightweight waterproofs is an old trick that keeps you drier whilst adding warmth.

  • Winter underwear. Windproof and/or insulated underwear for staying comfortable in very cold conditions.

RECOMMENDED HOT WEATHER CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

  • Sunblock. Factor 50 and waterproof. We recommend the Lifesystems Sports Suncream

  • Long-Sleeve Top. A loose-fitting and lightweight long-sleeve top to keep the sun off your skin, and reduce sunburn risk.

  • Sunglasses. Helps reduce fatigue in bright conditions.

  • Headband. Salty sweat running into your eyes is seriously unpleasant.

  • Thin socks. In hot weather, your feet will swell, and swapping for thinner socks helps with comfort.

Event rules

We are keen to keep these simple. If you have any questions about these rules please query them before the event rather than after you have broken them. It is the participant’s responsibility to understand and follow these rules:

Entry details

2025 entries sold out!

2026 entries will open 9th April 2025

Entry Fee

Non-refundable deposit of

£99

Until 20/04/2025

£149

Until 26/10/2025

£199

27/10/2025 - Until entries close

+ £700 balance payment

The balance payment can be paid in two interest-free instalments

What Does Your Entry Include?

Support From the Ourea Events Office Team

Transportation

  • directions_bus Park and ride option from Robin Hood's Bay
  • personal_bag Transportation of participants’ drop bag

While on the Course

  • map Bespoke, pre-marked waterproof Harvey map
  • timer_play Digital race timing for course split times and official results
  • satellite_alt Live GPS tracking

At the Support Point

  • restaurant Well stocked support points with hot vegetarian food
  • emoji_food_beverage A selection of hot and cold drinks
  • soup_kitchen A hot finishers meal
  • hotel Sleeping accommodation for specific support points
  • shower Showers at specific support points
  • mail The ability to receive Traverse Mail from friends and family at specific support points
  • badge Team of motivated volunteer marshals and professional Ourea Events staff

Mementos

  • apparel Event top (presented at the event registration or available for collection at the finish)
  • park (or option to plant a tree c/o Trees not Tees)

Safety Cover

  • stethoscope Emergency medical attention during the race
  • personal_injury Professional response team to assist in case of emergency or injury

Prizes

  • trophy 1st female and 1st male overall winners will each receive a Winners Trophy
  • redeem 1st, 2nd and 3rd female and male will each receive a prize
  • social_leaderboard All who finish the race will each receive a finishers' medal

Who are Ourea Events?

  • crowdsource Since 2012 Ourea Events have supported 30,000 runners to reach their potential and enjoy life changing adventures around the UK
  • workspace_premium The office team has a collective experience of over 75 years in organising premium outdoor events
  • compost Ourea Events is a 1% For The Planet member supporting environmental causes, and is committed to a programme of sustainability
  • diversity_4 Ourea Events is committed to a programme of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • hiking Ourea Events supports charity partners like Mountain Rescue across the UK

What Are people saying about the Northern Traverse?

What next?

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with everything that’s going on!

Watch our event videos on our YouTube channel for inspiration.

@thenortherntraverse on Instagram

Important info

Wondering about prior experience? We simply require participants to accept the participant declaration upon entry.

Please read our terms and conditions before you apply to enter.

"I made memories that will last a lifetime"

"I made memories that will last a lifetime"

"...views to set your heart alight!"

"...views to set your heart alight!"

"It's always about the journey, not the destination, and that was a journey I'll remember for the rest of my life."

"It's always about the journey, not the destination, and that was a journey I'll remember for the rest of my life."