Hamsterley Forest Winter Trail Races
Hamsterley, United Kingdom • 10 Jan 2026
Event overview
The Hamsterley Winter Trails take place on 10 January 2026 at Hamsterley Forest Park, Bishop Auckland DL13 3NL. Distances offered:
- Half Marathon
- 10k
Entry fees are listed as: Half Marathon £30 (affiliated) / £32 (unaffiliated); 10k £23 (affiliated) / £25 (unaffiliated). Entries open 25 January 2025 and close 6 January 2026. Minimum age to enter is 16. The event is organised by Greener Miles Running.
Course, facilities and safety
Both routes start and finish near the visitor centre at the main car park and follow well marked footpaths, forest trails and woodland tracks. Terrain includes hard packed gravel tracks, single twisting dirt tracks and occasional muddy bridleway. Hamsterley Forest covers about 4,900 acres and the area is noted for local wildlife such as deer, badgers and squirrels.
The event provides a race HQ with toilets, discounted parking and encourages car sharing; participants may need to walk about 10 minutes to the race HQ. Medical support will be on the course. Aid stations with water, gels and snacks are provided around mile 4, around mile 8.5–9 and at the finish. Because temperatures may fall below freezing, a mandatory kit list will be issued; suggested items include full body cover, hat and gloves, waterproof jacket and trousers and an emergency blanket. Event inclusions include a bespoke event mug, hot soup and roll, a packet of wild flower seeds and event photos available to download. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.