Northern Traverse & Lakes Traverse

Northern Traverse 2027 is happening with the same quality and support as in the past.

It is taking place on Saturday 3rd - Wednesday 7th April 2027 with the Lakes Traverse, Dales Traverse, and Moors Traverse.

If you had a place before the handover - your 2026 entries will be TRANSFERRED to 2027, but you only have 3 days until 31st May to confirm your spot, so here's a reminder of what you get for your entry:


WHILE ON COURSE
🗺️ Bespoke, pre-marked waterproof Harvey map

📱 Digital race timing for course split times and official results

📳 Live GPS tracking


AID STATIONS
⛺️🍴 Well stocked aid stations with copious hot food, snacks, hot and cold drinks

🛏️🚿 Sleeping accommodation and showers for specific aid stations

📨 The ability to receive Traverse Mail from friends and family whilst on the course


SAFETY
⛑️ A professional Response Team to assist in case of emergency or injury

🚑 Specialist medical provision throughout the race


If you want to drop your spot for Northern Traverse 2027, you can convert your entry into Ultra X race credit

1️⃣ Equal to the amount you have paid
2️⃣ Valid across any Ultra X event
3️⃣ Valid for up to three years

If you're ready to lock in your place, head to the link in our bio to confirm your spot at Northern Traverse in 2027.

General Entries will go live to the public on 15th June at 18:00.

Four Races - One Iconic Trail

Ultra X Secures the Future of Dragon’s Back Race and Northern Traverse

Ultra X is proud to announce the acquisition of Dragon’s Back Race and Northern Traverse out of administration, securing the future of two of the UK’s most respected and demanding endurance events.

Former Ourea Events Operations Director Greg Mickelborough has joined the Ultra X group and will be heading up the delivery of the two events. Shane Ohly, former CEO of Ourea Events, has been contracted by the group to ensure ongoing event continuity.

“I’m very pleased that Ultra X has secured the future of Dragon’s Back Race and Northern Traverse, an organisation that shares a strong commitment to operational excellence, participant experience, and attention to detail. It is also very encouraging that Ultra X will be honouring existing entries. I’m confident this represents an exciting new chapter for both events.” said former Ourea Events CEO Shane Ohly.

“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Dragon’s Back Race and Northern Traverse into the Ultra X family. Our priority now is to provide certainty for participants and to deliver these events in the way that people already love!,” said Ultra X co-founders Sam Heward and Jamie Sparks.

As a gesture of goodwill:

• The 2026 edition of Dragon’s Back Race will go ahead as planned in its existing format. All existing entries will be honoured.

• All entrants for the 2026 Northern Traverse will have their places transferred to the 2027 edition.

• All entrants to Cape Wrath Ultra 2026, which the Ultra X Group will not be organising, will be able to convert the fee they paid into Ultra X race credit. This credit will be redeemable against any races operated by the Ultra X group for a period of up to 3 years. That includes Dragon’s Back Race and Northern Traverse.

Full press release and details for entering the 2026/7 editions of these incredible events can be found on the respective websites.

‼️ Important Statement from Shane Ohly at Ourea Events ✍️

“It is with deep regret that I must announce that Ourea Events has ceased trading and is currently in discussions with professional advisors.

This is a deeply painful moment for everyone involved with the business, including our participants, staff, partners, suppliers, volunteers, and the wider trail running community that has supported our events for the last fifteen years. I am truly sorry that we have reached this point.

We are especially aware of participants who have already paid race entry fees for our events. By opting to cease trading at this stage, our goal is to maximise the likelihood that the events will continue under a different structure or ownership. We sincerely hope this approach will give the best opportunity to protect the events and, where possible, deliver value for participants and creditors.

At this stage, although it was difficult, we decided that the only responsible action was to cease trading and allow the business to undergo a reorganisation. This decision impacts all Ourea Events races scheduled for 2026, including:

🔹Northern Traverse (including the Lakes Traverse, Dales Traverse, and Moors Traverse)
🔸Cape Wrath Ultra
🔹Dragon’s Back Race
🔸Skyline Scotland

These events will not go ahead in 2026 under Ourea Events. We understand that many participants will be deeply disappointed and frustrated. Participants will be contacted in due course. We must ask you not to contact Ourea Events, as no one will be able to respond.

(Continued in comments…) ⬇️

MOORS TRAVERSE 2026 - ONES TO WATCH 👀
 
The last of our ones to watch is the Moors Traverse! 🌳

The final 80k of the Coast-to-Coast route over the North York Moors! Here are our top ranked runners! ⬇️
 
🏃🏻‍♀️ Top 5 Women (UTMB Index/ITRA Performance Index 📈 )
 
🔹Abbey SCULLEY - 524/531
🔸Ava BOHLING - 495/540
🔹Jennifer BEATTIE - 463/436
🔸Petra BIJSTERVELD - 457/480
🔹Natalie ELWELL - 443/450
 
🏃🏽‍♂️Top 5 Men (UTMB Index/ITRA Performance Index 📈 )
 
🔸Neil ROBINSON - 619/-
🔹Abdulla AL THANI - 583/623
🔸G Brian HUTCHINSON - 583/568
🔹Mike ROBERTS - 575/569
🔸Phil TICKNER - 560/605

DALES TRAVERSE 2026 - ONES TO WATCH 👀
 
Our smaller races are also creeping up, fast! Let’s check out who will be on the start line of the Dales Traverse! ⬇️

It’s all to play for on the 55k Dales Traverse race! 🏃🏻‍♀️ Here are our predictions, what are your thoughts? 💭 Who’s your money on? 💰
 
🏃🏻‍♀️ Top 5 Women (UTMB Index/ITRA Performance Index 📈 )
 
🔹Hannah RICKMAN - 651/660
🔸Danielle DE SIMONE - 557/549
🔹Annette HAINES - 534/531
🔸Emma O’ROURKE - 530/456
🔹Shanelle CLOUGH-WATSON - 522/555
 
🏃🏽‍♂️Top 5 Men (UTMB Index/ITRA Performance Index 📈 )
 
🔸Jacob TONKIN - 683/459
🔹Dave THORP - 676/645
🔸Ali BURNS - 655/687
🔹Trevor BOSOMWORTH - 591/628
🔸Matthew John - 580/591
 

WOMEN 👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏾 - SO HOW ARE WE DOING? 🤔

With just 3 weeks to go till the event 🏃🏻‍♀️ and ahead of this Sunday, we took a look 👀 at how we are doing with improving women’s participation on our races.

We have compiled a list of statistics for this year’s 2026 edition of the Traverses 📊

👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏾 24% OF RUNNERS ARE WOMEN AT THIS YEAR’S NORTHERN TRAVERSE

👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏾 35% OF RUNNERS ARE WOMEN AT THIS YEAR’S LAKES TRAVERSE

👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏾 46% OF RUNNERS ARE WOMEN AT THIS YEAR’S DALES TRAVERSE

👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏾 30% OF RUNNERS ARE WOMEN AT THIS YEAR’S MOORS TRAVERSE

With 55% of women making up our Volunteer Event Team and 66% of the Ourea Team! 🙌🙌

Swipe right ➡️ for the measures that we already have in place for 2026 for this year’s race. Whilst we have made some progress, we continually strive to improve and we have still more to do for 2026/2027 👩‍💻

We continue to push hard and try our best to help level that start line. And here’s how you can help us ⬇️

1. Tell and show people that you are racing/taking part 🗣️ - to encourage others to show up on that start line needs people to see others who look like them at the event.
2. Encourage the brands, teams, clubs and run communities 🏃🏻‍♀️ whom you are involved in to support and back you. The Traverses are a mammoth challenge and you have spent hours, week and sometimes years thinking, training and preparing for this! 💪
3. Drop us an email 📧 via the contact form on the website 🌍 on what else you think we can be doing. We follow the guidelines for race organisers but we want to hear from you on how to make the event more inclusive!

📚 You can also read more in Shane Ohly’s Event Director Blog on ‘Overcoming Barriers to female participation in trail running’ 🔗 https://www.oureaevents.com/news/2023/3/6/female-participation-race-directors-blog

📸 : .photos

LAKES TRAVERSE 2026 - ONES TO WATCH 👀
 
The Lakes Traverse is also fast approaching in a few weeks! 😬
 
We saw the Northern Traverse line up, let’s check out who will be on the start line of the Lakes Traverse! ⬇️

The top spots are all to play for over 100K, so make sure you’re glued to the dots as the race action unfolds on the 28 March! 🏃🏻‍♀️
 
🏃🏻‍♀️ Top 5 Women (UTMB Index/ITRA Performance Index 📈 )
 
🔹Victoria THOMPSON - 658/677
🔸Katie KAARS SIJPESTEIJN - 640/666
🔹Jodie GAULD - 592/604
🔸Eleanor GLENNIE - 538/-
🔹Steph MOTTRAM - 536/536
 
🏃🏽‍♂️Top 5 Men (UTMB Index/ITRA Performance Index 📈 )
 
🔸Spencer SHAW - 742/747
🔹Sean MERRYWEATHER - 706/743
🔸Craig BLAKEY - 674/716
🔹Danny GRIEVES - 666/692
🔸Tom SMITH - 637/753
 

NORTHERN TRAVERSE 2026 - ONES TO WATCH 👀
 
Not long before The Northern Traverse goes LIVE in just over 3 weeks! 😬
 
So who will be toeing the line at the Northern Traverse start line! Check out our runners to watch at this year’s race ⬇️

Will they maintain their top spots or will an underdog manage to sneak in 🤔 You’ll have to watch the race unfold to find out! 👀
 
🏃🏻‍♀️ Top 5 Women (UTMB Index/ITRA Performance Index 📈 )
 
🔹Lucy GOSSAGE - 725/682
🔸Emma STUART - 718/755
🔹Eevi BENGS - 689/710
🔸Sabrina VERJEE - 644/706
🔹Lowri MORGAN - 615/637
 
🏃🏽‍♂️Top 5 Men (UTMB Index/ITRA Performance Index 📈 )
 
🔸Juuso SIMPANEN - 820/845
🔹Caspian JAMES - 774/827
🔸Lonan O’FARRELL - 689/708
🔹Rory HARRIS - 682/712
🔸Iain BETHUNE - 682/672