Fully qualified, professional Mountain Leaders supervising the event.
A GPS tracker for every team, tracking you continuously on the entire route (for 25km+ distances only)
A modest prize pool of token prizes.
A goodie bag at the end of the event.
Water stations, Drinks and snacks from our friendly checkpoints every 10km on average.
A stew supper on arrival back in Hathersage on Saturday evening.
Kit guidance and advice, along with a pre-walk registration and briefing.
Bag care, including drop-bags for 50-100km distances.
Printed route guides and GPX files for self-navigating teams
A scenic and challenging route, and all pre-event planning.
A cash discount voucher to spend with the event organiser, Wilderness Development. This can even be redeemed in advance on any navigation training or walking courses that you take to prepare for the event.

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.

Next is a climb to the geological oddity of Alport Castle, before descending into Edale and the next climb of Jacobs Ladder and stunning views over Hayfield. Turning back towards the Great Ridge, as dawn breaks, you’ll pass Mam Tor on your way to Hollins Cross and descend down to Castleton. 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.

Zoom

Course Map

Need more details? Please check our full documentation for detailed information with everything you need to know about the Peak District Challenge™.

You should carry with you everything that you need to keep safe and comfortable during the event (with the exception of water, food, and for 50-100km challengers a “half way” bag). There are no indoor or undercover resting areas during the event, (only at the start and finish), so you need to prepare to be outdoors for the entire event.