Peak District Challenge

Featuring 3300m of ascent, the 100km Gold Ultra route is the ultimate Peak District Challenge, and should be attempted by teams of fit and experienced trekkers or runners who want to see the best that the Peak District has to offer. You’ll visit high points and viewpoints on your way between checkpoints, and there is a lot of climbing involved. You’ll leave Hathersage at 9pm on Friday night. Night navigation experience is essential.

Cutoffs and pace
To be successful, you’ll need to maintain over 4kph to complete the Gold Challenge inside your 24 hour target. If you fail to meet a cutoff on the Gold challenge, you will be able to continue on the 75km Silver route, which follows the shortest, flattest distance between checkpoints.

The route
Detailed route information is be provided to entrants seven days before the event, but a broad overview of the provisional route is below. The terrain is a mixture of trails, grassy footpaths and under 15% tarmac minor roads.

Your challenge begins with a walk up on to the Dark Peak moors. You will cross Stanage edge, site of Robin Hood’s cave, and Moscar Cross Road to reach and start your climb over Derwent Moors. Next it’s a descent to Ladybower Valley and an easy flat section around Ladybower reservoirs where the Dambusters trained for their bombing missions in WWII.

As dawn breaks, you will climb to the geological oddity of Alport Castle, before descending to a section of well-made tracks round to popular Castleton.

Turning back north, you’ll ascend to Hollins cross and continue to the head of the Vale of Edale and the next climb to Jacobs Ladder and stunning views over Hayfield. You are given a short break in navigational difficulty as tracks and lanes lead to Peak Forest in the white Peak and the valley nature reserve at Hay Dale. Your map will come out again as a mixture of paths and tracks lead between a string of pretty villages in the undulating limestone landscape, finally leading to Calver on the river Derwent.

The final section of the challenge takes you past popular climbing venues on the eastern gritstone edges above Curbar, Froggatt and Burbage. Your challenge draws to a close with dusky views over the river Derwent and a final climb over Owler Tor before the final grassy slope down home to Hathersage.

Take on 75km (47 miles) with a 24 hour target and 2,235m of ascent, the Silver Challenge is shown with silver lines on our route schematic. Not to be underestimated, this route follows the easiest and flattest routes between 7 aid stations, but still covers a huge mileage. During the initial overnight leg, you can chose to join a led group walking with a guide, or navigate yourself. During the daytime, you’ll navigate yourself. Completing the Silver Peak District Challenge earns you 3 ITRA / UTMB(r) points

Departing the Hope valley at 9pm on Friday night, you trek east up on to the Dark Peak moors. You will cross Stanage edge, site of Robin Hood’s cave, and Foulstone Moor to reach Back Tor. Next it’s a descent to Ladybower Valley and an easy flat section around Ladybower reservoirs where the Dambusters trained for their bombing missions in WWII.

You will climb to the geological oddity of Alport Castle, before descending to the vale of Edale through forests, Woodlands valley and the route of the Roman road.

As dawn breaks you re-enter the western end of the Hope valley and head to beautiful Castleton, from where you will join the Limestone Way past Peveril Castle and enjoy the valley nature reserves at Hay Dale.

Joining the Bronze route on the second half of their challenge, you’ll leave the Limestone way and meander through idyllic White Peak villages and the Derbyshire Dales nature reserves on your way up to Middleton Moor. A tracked section through the Peak District’s working landscape brings you to pretty Baslow.

The route home follows the river Derwent north along the Derwent Valley heritage trail through rolling fields and alongside the chattering river to Padley and Grindleford. Your challenge is to finish by 9pm on Saturday

You will leave Hathersage in the Hope valley and walk up the Hope Valley on good paths past Hope and Bamford until you reach Castleton. From here, you will turn south to join the Limestone Way past Peveril Castle and trek through the valley nature reserve of Hay Dale.

Leaving the Limestone way you will meander through idyllic White Peak villages and the Derbyshire Dales nature reserves on your way up to Middleton Moor. A tracked section through the Peak District’s working landscape brings you to pretty Baslow and the final climb up to the Eastern Edges.

You pass above Baslow, Curbar and Froggatt edges with iconic Peak District views until you reach Padley and Grindleford, from where you will rejoin the Derwent Valley heritage trail, and follow the course of the river back home to Hathersage. The total ascent is approx 1140m over the 50km.

Will you make it inside your 12 hour target?

25km (16 miles) in distance. If aiming to complete inside the 9 hour target you will need to maintain a relatively leisurely 3kph, starting at 9.30am on Suturday

Leaving Hathersage following the Derwent Valley Heritage trail, you will follow the river south and wind your way past Grindleford, along the river and through woodland to Baslow.

From here you'll leave the valley and climb up to Curbar and Frogatt edges enjoying some lovely views down over the Derwent. Next you will wander through idyllic Hay Wood and over the top of Millstone Edge before the final descent back down to Hathersage.