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2024 Date: Saturday 13th April
80k, 50k & 32k Route Options
An ultra running event based in the vast expanse of Kielder Water & Forest Park, Northumberland...from lakeshore to heather moorland, beautiful trails & superb scenery.
The Kielder Ultra Trail is set in the vast expanse of Kielder Water & Forest Park. The Park spans 600 square kilometres & is home to the largest forest in England & the largest man-made lake in northern Europe. The area features mile upon mile of purpose-built trails including forest walks, woodland singletrack and heather clad moorland.
Incorporating a unique blend of some of the more remote areas of the forest & also the main attractions, this is the perfect way to explore this amazing area. With two ultra distances, plus a 32k/20mile option to choose from there is something for everyone. These will be fully marked so no navigation experience necessary.
Date: Saturday 13th April 2024 Distances: 82km, 50km & 32km route options
Start Times: 82km - 0730 50k - 0900 32k - 1000
Venue: Kielder Castle Visitor Centre, Kielder Water & Kielder Forest Park, Northumberland, NE48 1ER.
Entry Fees 82 Km: £62 50 Km: £52 32Km: £45 UKA Affiliated club discount available Minimum entry age 20.
We offer a 50% refund (minus the online booking fee) up to 6 weeks before the event date. Please check the event T&C's for full details.
Registration: This will be based from Kielder Castle. Event numbers will be issued at registration. Event briefing notes will be available approx. five days prior to the event. Nothing will be posted out.
82km Registration will be on Saturday between 0615-0715.
50km & 32km Registration is Saturday 0730-0930
Participant Feedback
"What an amazing event and definitely worth flying over from Australia. A big thankyou to the organisers Who I met and the rest of the team including the wonderful volunteers who welcomed us with big smiles and words of encouragement. Will definitely be recommending this event to friends in OZ ??"Mark Backhouse
I absolutely loved the event and it was amazing for my first ultra marathon! Thanks for putting up such an amazing race! Martin Muller
"A massive thank you to each organiser, marshall, photographer and runner. You all helped this girl complete her first ultra. So much support, so friendly, fantastic location. You all helped create an amazing experience. Thank you and well done " Jen Runner Bean
Absolutely loved it, had such a good time, thanks to everyone involved 👍🏼 Rob Bircher
"Superb event again! Marshals and organisers the loveliest in the business! Even stopped and showed me an Osprey at the start of the 100km! Really love this event, definitely coming back! Thank you!" Jodie Smith
"I just wanted to say a big thanks to all the organisers and marshalls for
putting on such a great well run event yesterday. I did the 20 miler which was my first ultra trails events in Kielder but I will definitely be back in the future" Stephen Wood
"A massive thank you to everyone involved in organising the Kielder Ultra it was a fantastic event and so well organised" Sion
"Just wanted to say thanks for the races this weekend. Courses (and weather) were great, superbly marked and all volunteers excellent" Aidan O'Byrne
"What a friendly supportive atmosphere. I have never been to an event before where every single runner supports each other, even the guys and girls who won took the time to encourage and support me on my way around. They are amazing. The marshals, event staff and photographer were all amazing too, friendly and encouraging, and helped me complete my first ultra (as a non-trail runner). Thank you all" Lynsey Mackintosh
Thank you, first time I ve run with you, so grateful for the properly and fully signed trail as I was worried I d get lost!! Penny Gibson
Great event. Really well signposted and lovely marshalls and organisers.
Beautiful part of the world. Still can't walk down stairs normally🤣 Cat Maplesden
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Terrain: There are no real technical aspects to the course, this will be a truly fantastic ultra offering great variety in terms of scenery & terrain. The courses are approx. 99% off road. Featuring a fantastic combination of woodland singletrack, forest roads, sections of the Lakeside Way multi-user trail & the blue graded mtb route. The terrain on forestry roads vary, some of which have a loose stone surface.
They are undulating/hilly circuits with the climbs & descents generally long & gradual, not steep or technical. Suitable trail shoes are strongly recommended/essential.
Route Highlights: This is a superb route whether you are looking to complete your first ultra or an experienced runner. Starting and finishing at Kielder Castle, the courses are based to the north of Kielder Water. The route features sections along the Kielder Viaduct, Bakethin Reservoir nature reserve, Bellingburn Valley, sections of the Lakeside Way multi-user trail & the blue graded bike trail with some great sections of twisting singletrack. The high point of the course is reached on the Wainhope Moor section, offering stunning views over the whole of Kielder Water and across to the Scottish Border.
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Courses: The routes will be fully marked so no need for navigation. Navigational devices (GPS units, watches, smartphone, etc.) are permitted & a route GPX file is available to download. If you are unfamiliar with the area it is recommended that you use such a device to assist with navigation.
Course Measurement: Please note that the actual distance and elevation gain can vary between +/- 5 % depending on the measurement method, i.e. make & model of watch/GPS unit, unit settings, tree cover, etc.
Sections of the routes are on the blue MTB trail which the Forestry Commission have given permission to use for the duration of the race. However we do not advise you to run this at other times when mountain bikes will be using the trail.
The courses shown below are provisional routes & we may need to make a few necessary amendments.
Course Details: Kielder is synonymous with it's wildlife and is a great area to spot rare and spectacular species. As spring is an excellent time to encounter majestic birds of prey, we've decided to apply a name each route; Kielder Osprey 82k, Goshawk 50k & the Falcon 32k.
As the Osprey is renowned for travelling long distances & becoming established at Kielder, this is a great representation for the 82k. Goshawks are renowned for weaving their way through areas of forests with glades and paths for it to glide along, whilst falcons are known for their formidable speed and strength. All great attributes for these challenging routes.....
There may be a few slight variations when viewing these on various other mapping software. The more accurate ascent/descent total is that shown on the side panel.
Kielder Osprey 82k Course Overview: The 82k route is basically the 50k & 32k courses combined, encompassing all the fantastic highlights from both routes. Initially covering the full 50k circuit (as described below) & returning to Kielder Castle.
The course then follows the 32k route back out to Kielder Dam, returning along the scenic Kielder Water northern shoreline to Bakethin Reservoir.
The main difference is that the second loop does not involve the outer loops of Ravenshill Moor, Wainhope & the Wind Hill peninsula. The majority of the climbing is completed during the initial 50k circuit, meaning significantly less ascent during the latter stages.
Kielder Goshawk 50k Course Overview: Starting out from Kielder castle, the initial loop heads out along the forest drive before ascending towards Ravenshill Moor. The trail climbs gradually with superb views opening out across the whole valley. A short descent leads to the secluded Archer Cleugh area, before following the forest roads to Castle Hill & Devil's Lapful, one of few surviving Neolithic long cairns in Northumberland.
Savour the views across the expanse of Kielder Water before some awesome twisting singletrack & exhillarating descents on the blue graded mtb trail.
CP1 Wainhope Moor is reached soon after, providing the opportunity to fill up your water bottle at the hydration station before the steady climb up to the high point of the course at 1,394', just below Monkside Fell. All of that climbing is rewarded with some long gradual desecents on the forest roads around the Bellingburn & Hawkhope areas of the forest, eventually leading to Kielder Dam & the welcome refreshment point at CP2.
The route now follows the Lakeside Way multi user trail along it's scenic northern shoreline. This undulating section weaves its way around the many inlets & bays of Kielder Water. Enjoy the views across the tranquil Bakethin Reservoir, a designated nature reserve, keeping a lookout for Ospreys feeding around here.
Continue following the Lakeside Way to cross the historic Kielder Viaduct, with Kielder Castle now visible through the trees amidst the backdrop of Deadwater Fell. A short final section through Viaduct Wood alongside the North Tyne river, leads up to Kielder Castle.
For the 50k runners this is the finish location. For the 82k it's a chance to refuel at CP3, enjoy the support & head out onto the remaining 32k circuit.
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Kielder Falcon 32k Course Overview: Although not an ultra distance, this is ideal if you're looking for a long distance challenge or maybe thinking of stepping up to an ultra in the future. The Falcon 32k is a shortened version of the ultra routes, incorporating everything the ultra includes; fantastic course, great support, just a few less miles...
Starting from Kielder Castle, the course leads onto the Duchess Trail to join the ultra route at Castle Hill. Follow the awesome twisting singletrack & exhillarating descents on the blue graded mtb trail to reach CP1 at Wainhope Moor. The route splits here, rejoining soon after at the Bellingburn area, eventually leading to Kielder Dam & the welcome refreshment point at CP2.
Follow the Lakeside Way multi user trail along it's scenic northern shoreline for a few kilometres, before reaching the next deviation from the ultra. This rejoins the 50k route at Plashets Incline, now following the same course once again returning along the Lakeside Way, taking in the beautiful Bakethin Nature Reserve, crossing Kielder Viaduct to reach the finish at Kielder Castle.
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Hydration/Feed Stations: There will be five aid stations on the 82k route, two on the 50k & 32k. These will be located at:
Location Distance
1. CP 1 & 4 Wainhope 21k/58k
2. CP 2 & 5 Kielder Dam car park 36k/68k
3. CP 3 Kielder Castle 50k
See course map for specific locations.
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To help minimize waste you will need to either bring your own water bottle, bladder, etc. No cups will be provided.
Drop Bags (82k & 50k): We've found that drop bags prove a popular choice at the ultras. In addition to minimizing food handling at feed stations, they're great If you'd like some of your favourite nutrition or a bit of extra kit available on the course without having to carry it for the full duration, drop bags will be available for runners on the Osprey & Goshwak routes.
These will be transported to to the feed stations at CP2 Kielder Dam Car Park (82k/50k Runners) & of course at Kielder Castle CP for the 82k run
This is a great event to bring along family & friends to offer encouragement & support & would provide a good day out in itself to see this amazing area. CP 2 at Kielder Dam is easily reached by vehicle or for the more adventurous by following the Lakeside Way cycle route. Additionally, with the 82k route returning back through the finish area at the 50k point, there's plenty of opportunity at this location. Click HERE for a downloadable Kielder Trails Guide.
Facilities & Accommodation: On site catering, toilets, camping and camper van parking.
Campervans Overnight Parking: This is permitted at Kielder Castle car park (£10 charge after 5pm)
Kielder Village Camping & Caravan site will be offering participants a special 15% discounted rate (this is valid until February 1st 2023 then normal rates apply).
Kielder Ultra Recce Run
2023 UTMB Qualifying Event:
ITRA points are no longer required to access UTMB® Mont-Blanc. A new platform is now set up to allow for races to become UTMB® World Series Qualifiers.
If you're looking to collect points for the UTMB then:
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82k: UTMB Points: 3
50k: UTMB Points: 2
32k: UTMB Points: 1
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