Ourea Northern Traverse 2025
Ourea Northern Traverse 2025
(or…….How Many 300gram Jackets do we Actually Need?)
The adventure started at the finish, with me being dropped off in Robin Hoods Bay on the Friday afternoon to catch the organised coach to the registration point in St. Bees. The sun was shining but there was a nervous energy amongst us all. I met several friends at this point which eased the tension. The journey seemed unnecessarily long, especially after a bit of creative navigation through Middlesbrough, but was helped along with a fair dose of middle-aged man mumblings between Andy and myself about how we would have done it differently.
Registration at St. Bees school was swift and efficient and it wasn’t long before I’d eaten and walked up the road to the hotel. After a couple of hours of kit faff I actually had a reasonable nights sleep.
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| Garmin thinks I'm ready! |
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| Dipping my toes in the Irish Sea |
The race started at 8.30 on Saturday morning. I’d already collected my pebble from the beach. The weather, albeit a bit chilly, was amazing. I hung around towards the back but unconsciously shuffled towards the middle as we crossed the start line. After the initial minute or so we ground to a halt as we queued up for a bridge. I could see Damian Hall (eventual winner in a mind boggling time of 42hrs56mins) sprinting across the clifftop at the head of the field. Despite trying my hardest to catch up I never saw him again.
The blue skies and sea views were amazing as we initially headed north along the clifftop, nobody really knowing how fast we were meant to be going. Everyone was happy to now be moving and the months of stress and anticipation were now behind us as we knuckled down to the (ridiculous) task in hand. From the cliffs you turn inland and head east on a mixture of minor roads, cinder tracks and farmland. Within the first 10k I made two nav errors, missing paths and having to backtrack 100m or so. I was still getting used to the new Garmin, and to be honest was in a little world of my own. Everyone was in a good chatty mood so you had regular snatches of conversion that all seemed to be along the lines of “have you done this race before?”, “have you reccied the route?” and “how on earth are we going to manage to sleep?”.
Ennerdale Bridge - 24km
23km to Rosthwaite - Height gain 525m
Ennerdale Bridge support point seemed to come pretty quickly. This was a simple drinks station, but next to a very nice cafe and shop. It felt too early to stop so I just topped up with water and carried on. Other competitors were having ice creams and coffee and in hindsight this might have been a good idea.
From here it’s a short hop to Ennerdale Water, and at this point it felt like we were now properly in the Lake District. The blue skies and the view down the lake were amazing. There were more day walkers about and everyone was very friendly and encouraging as I chugged my way as fast as could down the technical and rocky lakeside path. It required full concentration as it would be easy to slip at this point and end my race there and then. At the end of the lake you join a forestry track and this is where the first long slog of the race begins. For nearly 7km you grind your way up the valley, still with amazing views, just a bit relentless. Eventually I arrived at Black Sale YHA. I dived inside to check out the honesty cafe. Sadly the fridge contained higher end cans of flavoured sparkling mineral water. I opted for the elderflower variety, which although cold and refreshing, didn’t quite hit the spot like a cheap Rolla Cola or dandelion & burdock. We then started the first real Lake District climb. Steep and rocky as expected, but nothing untoward and it wasn’t long before I was trotting down the other side to Honister Slate Mines. This was super busy so considering it wasn’t too far to the next checkpoint at Rosthwaite I just ran straight through. I sort of knew the way from here, but it was towards the bottom of the hill I realised I’d missed a turning. Luckily I’d only gone about 100m before I realised. A little group of fellow competitors had also missed it and were trudging back up the hill towards me. We turned round and found the far from obvious path we should have taken. Annoyingly someone had mentioned this to me the day before, and I still missed it. Back on track I jogged along the river, past Borrowdale YHA, and on to the Rosthwaite checkpoint.
Rosthwaite - 47km
22km to Patterdale - Height gain 1015m
I was greeted at the door by Kirsty and Chris (Cape Wrath Ultra 2024 tent mates). Inside was a children’s party of sandwiches and treats, but more importantly it was manned by Greg & Sue (Ourea top tier), Jen (great friend who got me into this mess in the first place) and Sharon (Spine race legend and best cup of tea maker ever). It was great to see familiar faces and they were all very polite as to how well I was looking. Fully fuelled, refreshed and hugged I headed back out on to the trails with a big smile on my face. It was still warm and sunny and sometime in the late afternoon. Next stop Patterdale, with a couple of big climbs in between. It’s not long before you’re climbing, and not long again before it gets pretty steep heading up Greenup Gill. I was still amongst plenty of other people at this stage but as the climb got steeper the conversations got shorter and less frequent. Over the top and we’re then dropping down to Grasmere. It’s a good path but went on longer than I expected. You don’t actually go through Grasmere itself, just skirt round the northern edge. If you didn’t know otherwise you’d probably not even realise it was there. Across the main A591 then it’s in to the third Lake District climb up to Grisedale Tarn. We were now well into the evening and this is where I had to stop and put on extra layers and dig out the Fenix headtorch. Again, it gets gradually steeper towards the top and it was just before cresting to the tarn that I started feeling a bit off. Light headed, clammy, not quite right. In hindsight I think it was a combination of being too warm (we were still climbing but the cold wind had dropped) and not particularly eating anything since Rosthwaite. Remembering Damian Hall’s sage advice “low mood, eat food” I dug out a Chia Charge chocolate orange bar. Besides tasting amazing, this, along with summating into the cold wind seemed to be all that was needed. Lesson learnt - don’t forget to eat! Dropping down to Patterdale in the dark I found myself in a small group and the conversation quickly turned to sleep, and whether we should or shouldn’t sleep at Patterdale.
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| Sharon - checkpoint legend and best cup of tea maker |
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| Jen - great friend, long distance legend, currently on the mend x |
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| Grisedale Tarn |
Patterdale School (Drop Bag)
25km to Shap - Height gain 950m
Patterdale was the first checkpoint where we had access to our dropbag. We’d see this at four different points across the course and in it I had numerous changes of clothes, spare trainers, spare hill food, and most importantly a sleeping bag and sleep mat. The whole Patterdale sleep debate had been going all day. If you just eat and push on, you don’t get access to your drop bag again until Kirkby Stephen, another 56km away. There is another checkpoint en route at Shap (25km away) but this is a food only checkpoint with no sleep facilities. Given that it was now around 10.00pm (bedtime!) I decided it would be sensible to try and get a bit of sleep. Patterdale is where I volunteered last year so, despite it being a different setup I was familiar with the location. Once again manned by amazing volunteers and it was good to see Lorna, Darren, Nicola and Dean from last year. In finally deciding to sleep I decided to be as organised as possible. I ate well, got changed for our first night section and repacked my day bag for the next section. Once all that was done I went to my allocated sleep tent. The sleep tents are large blue 8 person tents divided into four two person tent “rooms” with a central vestibule. The “room” I was allocated had a guy sparked out lying diagonally across it. Not wanting to cause unnecessary fuss I decided to just lay down in the vestibule bit. I then just lay there listening to all the hub bub of the checkpoint - zips, deep fat fryer, snoring, portaloo doors, arrivals, departures. Sleep wasn’t happening. After an hour and a half I got up and decided the rest was better than nothing but I might as well crack on. A quick cup of tea and some goodbye’s and I was back out into the night and heading up towards Kidsty Pike.
The climb up to Kidsty Pike is long and slow. Mainly on good easily navigable paths, but then with a craggy rocky section in the middle where you just have to make it up as you go along for a few hundred metres, trusting the gps on the watch, until you’re back on a proper path up to the top. The summit is tussocky and unexceptional, but of note because it’s the highest point on the course, and the last of the Lake District mountains. The descent however is a bit more interesting. As it drops off towards Haweswater it gradually becomes steeper and rockier until you’re reduced to clambering down some bits using your backside as a fifth point of contact. It was also below freezing at this point so a bit slippy in places. Before too long I hit Haweswater Reservoir and head North up what looks like a nice lakeshore path on the map….it isn’t. On a nice sunny day I’m sure it’s a very pleasant ramble, but in the early hours of the morning when you’re still trying to move at pace it’s up and down and rocky and wet. At the top of the reservoir you go through the hamlet of Burnbanks. Once here I knew it was a relatively short hop to the next checkpoint at Shap. The sun was now coming up and I was buoyed by the fact that I had survived the first night and just about completed the Lake District.
Shap - 94km
31km to Kirkby Stephen - Height gain 418m
Once again the food was superb and I feasted on veggie chilli, rice, cheese & nachos, followed by an egg mayo sandwich and peppermint cream crunch, and several cups of tea. Full and refreshed I headed out into the sunshine on Shap high street to clog on Kirkby Stephen. Soon after Shap you cross a brutalist concrete footbridge over the M6, although not official this felt like the border between the Lakes and the Dales. It was also round here I started walking with Richard (Sutton #162). We’d chatted previously and leap frogged each other from St.Bees, but we now appeared to be moving at the same pace. A little while later we also joined Sean (Higgins #85) and Richard (Whitaker #187). I know Sean and Richard from the Hardmoors races, but best thing about moving with Sean & Richard is that they’re Northern Traverse veterans, for a whole day we didn’t have to navigate because they just knew the way. They also come with amazing stories of previous races and Spines. This section is all rolling hills, moors and fields, and that along with the amazing weather and good chat made the day fly by. By this point Richard (Sutton) and I had decided to stick together and once again chat turned to would we/wouldn’t we sleep at Kirkby Stephen, that it was mid afternoon and being Northern Traverse newbies we were keen to make the most of the daylight. However it’s a long leg through to Reeth then Richmond and following Richard (Whitaker’s) advice we decided it would be wise to have a sleep.
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| Nine Standards Rigg |
CP5 Kirkby Stephen (Drop Bag) - 125km
53km to Richmond - Height gain 1382m
The Kirkby Stephen checkpoint is in a school. It was red hot and busy so we positioned ourselves in the shade outside, ordered macaroni cheese & chips, and plotted our next move. More friends were volunteering here including Chris (amazing Spine race volunteer and 2025 summer competitor) and Colin (DBR volunteer, Cape Wrath volunteer, Hardmoors runner and all round good bloke). With it being at a school the CP had showers - these were amazing. However, to keep them out of the direct sunlight the sleep tents had been erected in the sports hall. This proved to be a huge mistake in my opinion. As soon as you got laid down all you could hear coming up from the wooden sports hall floor was the thud thud thud of people coming and going from the tents. There was also what sounded like a large group of people rehearsing Riverdance elsewhere in the hall and what sounded like someone dragging a body around. Not only could you hear the noise, you could feel it. It was awful. Sleep didn’t happen, again. Bleary eyed I made myself lie there and rest for an hour and a half before getting back up and sorting out kit to leave. After another meal and another few cups of tea Richard and I were back out into Kirkby Stephen town, heading for the climb up to Nine Standards Rigg. It was now evening and we reckoned we could get to the top before sunset to enjoy the views. Leaving town we passed a couple, one wearing a Punk Panther trail running T-shirt. This was the first time I think we’d had encouragement from a member of the public who knew what we were attempting which was a great boost.
It’s about 6.5km up to Nine Standards, with the first half on road. The climb is steady and we were both moving well. Besides sleep and food, another conversation constant was how was this at all possible? We both felt great, but had covered over 125km, the entire width of the Lake District and then some, in around 36hrs with practically no sleep - how does that even work? Nine Standards Rigg is so called for its line of nine huge cairns on the summit. No one really knows why they’re there but it is believed they may mark the border between Westmorland and Swaledale. They also provide great protection from the icy wind while you start adding layers for what promises to be another very chilly night. From Nine Standards you head out across a notoriously boggy exposed moor, which previously had no discernible path, with tales of people disappearing waist deep in bogs and crossing it taking weeks (???). We were spoilt. Not only were the bogs very dry, but as part of work being carried out by (I assume) the National Park, a flagged path is in the process of being built, complete with wooden bridges over the deepest bogs. Though not yet complete, the first section your simply navigating along a line of flag stone pallets, and then you hit the flagged path proper and you can motor your way across the moors. Previous years competitors will be cursing us at this point, we certainly had it easy. Off the moors you head through TV famed Ravonseat Farm and push on through farmland towards Reeth. This now becomes a bit of a blur. It was dark, bitterly cold, and although I’d reccied this bit not too long ago, I found that although I remembered all the different bits, they weren’t necessarily it the correct order. Plus some bits I seemed to miss completely, despite being subsequently told we’d definitely passed them. Richard and I were joined by Wiebke (Lammers #112 - fellow Cape Wrath Ultra 2024 entrant) for large parts of this section and the chat helped the freezing night pass reasonably well. We were heading to a support point just beyond Reeth, but none of us were sure what was actually there or available. By day it’s the Dales Cycle Centre where we were told we could get a free hot drink during cafe opening hours. This was the middle of the night. Passing through Reeth we contemplated a rest in the bus shelter but it was so cold we thought we’d press on another kilometre to the support point. We arrived to find it dark and closed up, no support as such, but the toilets had been left unlocked for the race competitors to use. We peeped inside to find a small corridor with several sleep deprived runners preparing to head out and a few others trying to sleep. We claimed a little patch of toilet floor and attempted to curl up and sleep. It was hard, cold, and once again noisy. Even worse, someone trying to deploy a foil blanket for warmth, the whole palaver being the noisiest thing imaginable. Sleep never happened. After 20mins Richard and I headed back into the night, feeling worse than before we went in. Shaking and shivering with cold I tried to move as fast as possible to warm myself up. It was 16km to the next proper checkpoint at Richmond where we’d have access to our drop bags. We were also passed halfway so psychologically I was now counting down the miles to the finish rather than up (or is that just me?). We were coming towards the end of the second night and sleep deprivation was really starting to kick in. Hallucinations were common. Not scary or horrifying, just odd. Every bush, tree, gatepost looked like a person or something unexpected. Also every gatepost and style, each unique in their own way anyway, became a puzzle and confusing. Still freezing, we stumbled our way towards Richmond. A new sleep plan was hatched and we decided to head straight into camp, no food, no faff, straight to bed.
CP7 Richmond (Drop Bag) - 178km
49km to CP 8 Lordstones - Height gain 601m
It was early morning when we headed into Richmond checkpoint. Operation sleep swung into force and it was only minutes before I was in the tent. I fell asleep immediately. Two and a half hours later, after the best sleep EVER, I emerged from the tent feeling like a new person. Sharon and Jen (and many others) were there to fuss over us and it was with a new giddy excitement (I’m rarely giddy or excited, but you get the idea) I tucked into a full breakfast, or two, and about 6 cups of tea. Spirits were high when we left Richmond at around 11.30am with about 49km to go to Lordstones on the North York Moors. Just outside Richmond we bumped into Rye (Spine race volunteer) and Tom (Rye’s husband, Dales Traverse veteran, Northern Traverse 2026??) who live locally and had come out to see me. Tom was proudly sporting his Dales Traverse T-shirt from the previous day which I completely missed (sorry Tom) but it was so lovely to see them and briefly chat before continuing on our way. Unfortunately this section crosses the Vale of York, with a huge proportion on quiet roads - although flat, there is so much foot destroying tarmac. It was also very hot. We knew there was a support point at Danby Whiske, but again didn’t really know what to expect. Similar to the Dales Centre in Reeth (that of the freezing toilet floor), we were disappointed. It’s a lovely little hamlet, but there’s nothing there. There was sign directing us to an honesty tuck shop, but there was nothing we wanted so pressed on. At various points there was Richard and I, and Richard and Sean, and also James (Kermode #108). I knew James vaguely from Facebook and The Spine Race, but it was good to get to know him better. He’d DNF’ed the Northern Traverse a couple of years ago so was here on unfinished business. He was flying. We also bumped into David Wall (Hardmoors) who’d come out to see us from Northallerton so another good chat. We were now heading for the Shell Service Station on the A19. Hungry, tired, thirsty and fed up with tarmac this garage had become our objective as an oasis to eat drink and reset, and would mark the end of this Vale of York drudgery. It didn’t disappoint. Sadly there wasn’t any veggie pizzas, but I was still able to gorge on a pack of cheese and onion pasties, 2 bottles of Lucozade, a Costa cappuccino and a pain o’raison. Bizarrely we were now getting a bit chilly in the air conditioned cafe so out we headed back in to the evening sunshine to chance our lives crossing the busy A19 dual carriageway. Given it was early evening this was far easier than anticipated, but I’m assuming as part of the plans to make this a National Trail they’re going to have to construct (or dig) a proper crossing. Off we set towards the woods that lead to the Cleveland Way. After a short climb we were at the top of the escarpment just as the sun was starting to set. The temperature had plummeted once again so we layered up. James fuelled by various hot garage treats bounded off and it was back to just Richard and I. From this point I was now in familiar ground having run these paths many times on Hardmoors events. I could now get all the way to Robin Hoods Bay without a map. I then proceeded to bore Richard for the rest of the journey to Lordstones with many a Hardmoors story, and observations of intricate little path details. We arrived at Lordstones just before 10.00pm, much to Richard’s relief.
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| Feet still looking good, albeit a bit puffy. |
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| Richard at the Wainstones |
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33km to Glaisdale - Height gain 549m
Lordstones was run by the Patterdale team so it was great to see them all again. Probably my favourite checkpoint (but don’t tell the others) but this was also possibly as much to do with being in the right place at the right time. We’d already decided to try and have another 90 minutes of sleep before pressing on to the finish. That seemed weird, “the finish”. Although still 64km’s still to go, it now felt very doable. Not only doable, but doable in a time that I’d never expected. I’d initially not had high hopes of a completion, but I’d always guesstimated that if I did finish it would be in around 90 to 96hrs, that would bring me in during Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. As things stood we were looking at a Tuesday afternoon/evening finish, all being well in daylight. This was amazing, but I refused to get too excited about it, there was still a fair bit to go.
Lordstones camp was freezing, but with a good snuggly sleeping bag I managed to have a reasonable sleep. Back up for another good meal and tea, several hugs, then back out into the night. After the three short sharp climbs over the Three Sisters there’s then the additional climb up from Clay Bank before you’re onto the track to Bloworth Crossing then The Lion Inn. This track, a former railway route that contours around the top of Farndale goes on forever. It was also freezing cold and the mist had started swirling round. The hypnotic effect of the mist and the head torches and the monotonous track really didn’t make for a great crossing. The sun was just coming up when we reached The Lion Inn and all of a sudden life seemed a whole lot better. A combination of road and path takes you around the top of Rosedale then before you know it you’re heading off across the Moors towards Glaisdale. The sun was now fully out (did I mention we had great weather?) so just before the last drop down to the village we stopped to remove some layers. I decided to just lay in the sun for a couple of minutes and before I knew it I’d had a really solid 20minute sleep. Refreshed, we were off again. Richard and Sean had caught us again so the four of us tonked our way to what would be the last checkpoint.
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| Nearly there |
31km to Robin Hoods Bay
Glaisdale was a quiet food (and medical) only checkpoint. Before long I was tucking into a cheese, hummus and crisp sandwich all washed down with more tea. A quick change into warm weather clothing, a chat with Dave (fellow Dragons Back Race volunteer and Northern Traverse 2026 entrant) and me and Richard were off on the last leg. It’s a lovely leg that starts along ancient paths by the River Esk, and before long you’re in Grosmont. Here we met Richard’s wife Sam, and daughter and granddaughter which was great and a nice early morning boost. After a quick chat we then heading up and out of the village on to the “hill of doom”. A long long steep steep drag of a road up to the top of the moors. It was just a case of head down and plug away at it. Over the main Whitby/Pickering road then a painful rocky track down to Littlebeck (the feet were starting to feel a bit battered by this stage). There’s a great woodland walk by the river to Falling Foss waterfall and cafe. We’d been told we could get a free coffee at the cafe on presentation of a race number, and I’d been looking forward to this all day. The cafe was busy so we queued up and sure enough we were given our complimentary drinks, plus a bonus ice cream. I also heard my name mentioned and turned round to see John Bootham (#10 - Spine Race legend). John had finished 18hrs ahead of us, and since the cafe had been closed when he came past the night before, had come back today. We sat and chatted all things Northern Traverse with John and his wife, and then said our goodbyes to crack on and get it finished. Up through the woods to May Beck (a popular childhood picnic spot) then back onto to our final moorland section. Once again it was unusually dry so made for swift (ish) progress to Hawsker. More Hardmoors friends (Andrea, Stephen & Joanne) at the roadside which was great. On into Hawsker and another surprise to see Mum & Dad waiting in the car. Dad had been avidly dot watching and they wanted to see me finish. A quick chat and a big hug from Mum then off to drop down through the caravan sites to the clifftop. A couple of hundred metres further on and I met Louise (neighbour, fellow runner and future Northern Traverse competitor) and Freddy (cockapoo). More chat and encouraging words, the end was nearly in sight. We hit the clifftops and there’s now only 5km to the finish. Another path I know well, but normally slipping and sliding around in mud. The sun had cooked it off nicely and we sped (?) along fuelled by adrenaline and the realisation that we’re about finished. Louise and Freddy joined us again, then into town and Jenny’s there waiting for me. The biggest hug ever and off we all set for the final jog down the last steep hill to the finish line. Richard had been the best race friend ever. We’d laughed and talked nonsense for around 200km, keeping each other going throughout. I think it would have been a much tougher proposition if I’d been in my own head throughout. Thank you Richard. He jogged on ahead to meet his family, I jogged in just behind. Then that was it, we just sort of stopped. It was the oddest sensation. I was presented with my medal then immediately hugged by Greg and Jen from Ourea. I felt little overwhelmed at this stage. I wandered down onto the beach so that I could launch my St.Bees pebble into the North Sea while Greg took photos. Then back up the slipway for more photos. A wave at the webcam for my son who was watching online at work, then a quick chat to Richard’s family. Richard stayed with his family and we said our goodbyes. Jenny and I trudged back up the hill out of Robin Hoods Bay holding hands and me filling in all the details I’d not included in texts while en route. A quick call into the village hall for more tea and a sandwich and collect my drop bag. I briefly saw Shane Ohly (Ourea main man) to say thanks, then that was it, off home for a bath.
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| Debrief with Greg |
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| Louise and Freddy |
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Official finish time 81 hours 3 minutes 35 seconds
70th position
Strava distance 304.39km
I said this many times during the race, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it (even trying to sleep on the freezing noisy toilet floor in Reeth). Often during ultras I feel a bit down and maudlin, but not this one. Obviously the weather made a huge difference, but the volunteers, the other competitors, the Ourea staff, the scenery, Richard’s company, everything was perfect. Yes it was a long way, yes it was hard work, but it was one of the happiest and most amazing adventures I’ve ever had.
A huge thank you to EVERYONE involved in making this race happen, but particular thanks have to go to Richard for being my trail friend, and Jenny for supporting me and enabling me to embark on these crazy escapades.
If anyone has an inkling that they may want to do this race, or any race that genuinely scares you, then I'd say "do it!". The worst that can happen is that you don't complete it, but is that really so bad if you've tried your hardest. However, you never know you may just surprise yourself, and in doing so have the time of your life. I feel immensely lucky and privileged that I am able to do these things. Just in the past couple of weeks we have lost two friends, so this is for them.
Lakeland 100 training starts here.
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