Isaac's Tea Trail Ultra
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Isaac's Tea Trail Ultra Backwards
The Isaac's Tea Trail Ultra Backwards is scheduled for 1 August 2026, based at Allendale Village Hall, Allendale NE47 9PR. The route is a 37 mile loop following Isaac's Tea Trail in reverse via Ninebanks, Alston and Nenthead before returning to Allendale.
The course lies entirely within the North Pennines AONB and UNESCO Global Geopark and includes about 4800 ft of ascent. Terrain is a mix of farmland tracks, riverside trails, meadows, moorland, minor roads and stony undulating paths. Trail shoes are recommended.
This is a largely self navigating event using permanent signage and fingerposts; marshals will be positioned at key points. A downloadable map and GPX file are available. Checkpoints are well stocked with cold drinks, snacks, fruit and vegan sweets. An event tracker is used for safety and spectator following. Entrants are allowed up to 12 hours to complete the route, an average of roughly 3 mph.
Entry categories include a solo ultra and a relay for teams of up to three. Entry fees are approximately £75 to £80 for solo entrants depending on affiliation and £100 per relay team. Entry benefits listed include a branded mug, free event pictures, hot drinks at race HQ, and a donation from each entry to trail upkeep. The organiser follows a Responsible Tourism Charter and provides wild flower seed packets in place of standard event T shirts.
Relay leg distances:
- Allendale to Ninebanks: 10.2 miles, 1200 ft climbing
- Ninebanks to Nenthead: 15.8 miles, 1900 ft climbing
- Nenthead to Allendale: 11.4 miles, 1750 ft climbing
Previous reverse course records stand at about 5:56 for the fastest male, 7:27 for the fastest female, and 6:01 for the fastest team. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
