We all want to push ourselves from time-to-time and runners are certainly no different! If you have found that you are looking for something to take you away from the comfort of urban gravel tracks and into the heart of glorious landscapes, nature and heritage then this north-east offering could be for you. The Stanhope Trail Races (11 March 2023) are ideal for runners wanting to progress from knocking out easy, fast and flat 10Ks to something a little more 'rustic'.

Race organiser Greener Miles say of the event: "This race is one of a series of explorations of Weardale and the North Pennines, and will be a showcase of what we want to achieve at Greener Miles - interesting, challenging races that provide runners with wonderful memories while being held as environmentally responsibly as possible."

The event will offer both 10K and Half Marathon distances both of which will start and finish in Stanhope, a pretty market town in the Durham Dales. The race routes take in The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and UNESCO Global Geopark: a stunning landscape of open heather moors, dramatic dales, tumbling rivers, wonderful woods, glorious waterfalls and intriguing imprints of a mining and industrial past. The area has many distinctive geology and landscape features, significant archaeology and supports important biodiversity in a range of key habitats.

Greener Miles is an eco-friendly company, and on that basis, they don’t use disposable plastic cups and don’t offer t-shirts as standard. On race day they will be collecting pre-loved running kit so that it can be passed on to an up-cycling scheme. A spokesperson said: "We are actively encouraging participants to give something back to the environment which is why your race goodies are a little bit different. We are including a packet of mixed wildflower seeds for you to plant which will encourage bees and other pollinators to visit your garden and are great for the environment."

If you'd like to know more then visit the event website here.

Image: Greener Miles