Peak District Challenge | Bronze Challenge 50K

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

The Bronze Peak District Challenge starts between 7.30am – 8.30am on Saturday morning: There is a time-trial-style start at 1-minute intervals. You can choose when you depart, depending on if you’d like more spare time, or a later start.

Description

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?

Cut off

The Bronze Challenge starts at 8am on Saturday, so the 12 hour finishing target is at 8pm.

Navigation

Navigate yourself or join a led walking group:

You have the option of navigating yourself around any of the challenge routes using the route guide and GPX files we provide, or joining a walking group with a qualified Mountain Leader. Guided walking groups are available on the Copper, Bronze, and night-time section of the Silver Challenges. The highly experienced Mountain Leaders will take care of your navigation and safety on the hill leaving you free to focus on the athletic challenge.

What level of navigation or map reading ability do I need if I’m self-navigating the Copper or Bronze Challenge?

We would expect you to be honestly able to state:  “Our team can make sense of a normal professionally-printed map to find my way around, even if I don’t use the compass”.  If this isn’t you, we ask you to take navigation training before attending the event, or join a led walking team around the Peak District Challenge.

Additional entry criteria for self-navigating Solo and Duo teams

Solo and duo entrants should provide details of one similarly challenging walk or run, successfully completed in the 18 months prior to the Peak District Challenge.

For 25-100km distances of the Peak District Challenge (but not for 100miles), any event with 2+ I-TRA points will be acceptable.

However, your qualifying walk/run does not necessarily need to be part of an organised event. Informal qualifying events must be:

completed as a solo or duo (matching your entry to the Peak District Challenge!) of minimum length:

• 100km or longer for the 100 miles in 24 hours Ultra
• 50km or longer for Silver or Gold Ultra 100km
• 25km or longer for Copper or Bronze challenges
• require navigation and not follow a way-marked route
• include a section at night, (for all levels except copper)
• not be all on paved roads

We will ask for a brief description of your qualifying event on your registration form and will take your word – we do not require proof. A sentence along the lines of “In 2023 we completed the 56 miles Bullock Smithy challenge in 20 hours” or “In September 2023, we navigated overnight from Hawes to Edale (73km)” or “I earned 2 I-TRA points by completing [event name] on [date]” will suffice.

I haven’t undertaken a qualifying event yet, can I register now?

If you wish to enter as a solo or duo competitor, but haven’t yet complete a suitable qualifying event, we will accept your entry on the condition that you declare a planned qualifying event truthfully. A sentence along the lines of “By race day, I will have completed a solo, 50km, self-navigated overnight hike from Manchester to Sheffield” will suffice.

If you enter on this basis, but fail to complete a suitable qualifying event before event day, we will require you to withdraw from the event. Please note our normal event Ts&Cs allow deferrals (to next year) only up to one month before the event. After then, you may transfer (free of charge) your place to a suitably qualified friend who has completed a suitable qualifier, but refunds are not offered.

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

• 16-17 year olds must be accompanied by their parent/legal guardian. They can be part of self-navigating teams or join a led group with a guide. They are not permitted as solo entrants.
• 18+ can enter as solo and/or self-navigating 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