Peak District Challenge | 100 Miles Ultra

Corporate groups

Discounts for groups of 10 or more.

Are you and your colleagues looking for a challenge? Perhaps a new way of getting to know each other outside of the office? Or a way of making a contribution to a charity of your choice?

Thank you so much for all your help on this – it was a great day. [The instructors] were excellent – really helpful and supportive – please do pass on our thanks. I would absolutely recommend your team to anyone. I was very happy with the organisation and your patience. Please do keep me informed about activities and events – we all loved the Peak District and would certainly come up again. Paula

Kit list

A solo and team kit list will be readily available when you sign up.

Guided group pace

Guides will lead their group at “on-target” pace, (ie 9 hours for Copper, 12 hours for Bronze; the first 25km in 8 hours for Silver. If you chose to join a led group with a guide, you will need to walk at the group’s pace and stay together with your guide, so guided groups are not suitable for those looking for a fast time.

Dogs

Well-behaved dogs on leads, accompanied by responsible owners, are welcome however there is no support for dogs at all which includes the drop-out bus.

Event HQ

Hathersage Memorial Hall
Oddfellows Road
Hathersage
Hope Valley
Derbyshire
S32 1DU
UK

Drop bags

For 100-miles-in-24-hours, Gold, Silver and Bronze challengers, there will be a drop bag facility during the second half of the challenge at The Cressbrook Checkpoint.

Overview

This is a challenging course with very tight cutoffs. You will need to maintain almost 7kph for the entire event to have a chance of completing within the cutoff.

The 100-mile route is a lapped course, following the 100km route in its entirety, before going back out following the bronze 50km route. After Calver, 100-mile entrants will switch to the Copper route, finishing their challenge on the eastern edges, and descending in to Hathersage within 24 hours. There is approximately 4800m of elevation.

This is a hilly and challenging route with very tight cutoffs, suitable for those who’ve already successfully self-navigated 100km runs. The 100 miles in 24 hours Ultra 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, and want to push themselves to maintain a fast pace over all terrain for a 24-hour period. You’ll leave Hathersage at 9pm on Friday night. Night navigation experience is essential, and you must have previously successfully completed a 100km Ultra.

Cut offs & pace

To be successful, you’ll need to maintain over 7kph to complete the 100 miles in 24 hours Ultra. If you fail to meet a cutoff, you will be able to continue on the 100km Gold Ultra route, which cuts off a final loop of the 100 miles in 24 hours course.

Terrain

The terrain is a mixture of trails, grassy footpaths and under 15% tarmac minor roads.

Map

Detailed route information is be provided to entrants seven days before the event, but a broad overview of the provisional route is shown.

Description

Your challenge begins crossing the Dark Peak moors by night. You will cross Stanage Edge and Strines Edge on your way to the climb over Derwent Moors and Back Tor. Next it’s a descent to Ladybower Valley and a loop to the geological oddity of Alport Castle.

Descending into Edale, you’ll loop along Rushop Edge and descend Jacobs ladder before your second visit in to the village. The Great Ridge and Mam Tor proceed your descent 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. As dawn breaks, you’ll pass popular climbing venues on the eastern gritstone edges above Curbar, Froggatt and Burbage as your first loop ends back in Hathersage.

You’ll rejoin the Derwent Valley Heritage trail for a flat start to your second loop, to Castleton via the towns of the Hope Valley, where there’s a chance to revisit by day the route section you previewed by night through the white Peak.

After Calver, your final loop extends eastwards again, taking in Padley Gorge and Millstone Edge, before the final grassy slopes down home to Hathersage.

All entries include a stew supper, goody bag on completion, bag care, and full safety support.

Self-navigating

• Route guide booklet
• GPS tracker for your team
• Drinks and snacks
• Hot meal and goody bag

Guided walking group

• Mountain Leader
• 12 people per group (approx.)
• Safety equipment
• No navigation
• Drinks and snacks
• Hot meal and goody bag

Support and refreshments

Motivation and encouragement are provided at Checkpoints with water top-ups and refreshments. Checkpoints are spread out every 10km around the course on average. The exact locations of checkpoints will be confirmed 7 days before the challenge. A stew supper on Saturday evening is all included in the price of your entry.

The professional, qualified safety teams monitor teams' safety throughout. Each team’s GPS tracker allows HQ to see each team’s exact location at any time, at any point around your challenge route, not just at checkpoints.

Age

• 20-year olds must be part of a team including at least one person 21+
• 21-year-olds + can enter as solo entrants
   

Entry fees

Organisers of the Original Peak District Challenge™ since 2013!

Wilderness Development is an adventure activity provider, offering Peak District adventures since 2013 - the original and best!

Highlights

• Safety

  Staff are qualified professionals, and a real-time GPS tracker covering the whole route is included for all entries. 2025 is the 13th year of organising the Peak District Challenge.

• Quality

  From guides, to food hygiene, to printed mapping, quality is everything. The drop-out bus is available to everyone, and all signage is removed within 24 hours.

• Fair and ethical

  Pricing is fair, transparent, and represents the real cost of putting on a great event to ethically-led; professional standards. Charities always keep all of their fundraising.

A brilliant event [...] The 50k was my first ultra distance event and I honestly loved every minute of it. Beautiful route, excellent organisation, friendly and helpful volunteers and tasty snacks - all the the ingredients for a superb day out. The lack of a mass start made it much more chilled, and helpfully, you managed to get perfect weather conditions too. Well done! Helen

I completed the 50km Bronze course last Saturday. What can I say? Such a lovely location and a well thought course options. There is a strong element of self navigation, and with 1,100m of ascent it's a fairly demanding event. The organisers and crew are all so friendly; It's impeccably organised, and there is a such a laid back attitude. Its an event and an adventure, not a mindless race! Seth

Exceptional check points in stunning locations, choice of supplies to help fuel along the route. Great public transport links, also off road parking for those that choose to drive. The ‘cafe’ gives you the option of a drink/food pre race and again at the end where a delicious hot meal was served, all included in the entry price. This race has a lovely calm feel about it, very friendly event with several distance options. Maggie