Isaac's Tea Trail Ultra
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Isaac's Tea Trail Ultra. Backwards
The Isaac's Tea Trail Ultra. Backwards is a distance running event held in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and UNESCO Global Geopark. The race follows a 37-mile circular route that begins and ends at Allendale Village Hall. The course passes through several locations including Ninebanks, Alston, and Nenthead, and features a total of 4,800 feet of ascent.
Participants traverse a landscape comprised of heather moors, peatlands, hay meadows, and woodland. The route is a self-navigating challenge, though it features permanent trail signage and marshals at specific key points. Participants are provided with a downloadable map and a GPX file for navigation. The event has a time limit of 12 hours for completion.
The event offers two main participation options:
- Solo Ultra: A 37-mile individual run.
- Ultra Relay: A team of up to three people covering three distinct legs.
The relay legs consist of:
- Leg 1: Allendale to Ninebanks (10.2 miles with 1,200 feet of climbing).
- Leg 2: Ninebanks to Nenthead (15.8 miles with 1,900 feet of climbing).
- Leg 3: Nenthead to Allendale (11.4 miles with 1,750 feet of climbing).
The event includes amenities such as tracked safety devices for each participant, free event photography, and stocked checkpoints providing drinks and snacks. Food and beverages are also available at the race headquarters upon completion. All participants must be at least 18 years old on the day of the event. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
