Helvellyn Sky Ultra
Patterdale, United Kingdom • 18 Jul 2026
Event overview
The Rab Helvellyn Sky Ultra is a skyrunning event organised by Lake District Sky Trails in Patterdale on 18 July 2026. The route covers 57km with 3700m of ascent and has a maximum allowed time of 14.5 hours. The event is classified by Skyrunning UK as a "Sky Extra" and offers ITRA/UTMB ranking points. Entry requires participants to be at least 19 years old on race day. Entry fees are tiered: early, standard and late prices (£120/£130/£140). Entries open 4 October 2025 and close 28 June 2026. The race is not subject to vetting, though organisers list recommended prior mountain experience.
Course and logistics
The course uses central and eastern Lake District mountain trails and includes grassy trods, mountain paths, bare rock, scree, bog and open fell. It includes technical ridge sections such as Striding Edge and Swirral Edge, and other ridge and ascent sections including Cofa Pike, Lower Man to Helvellyn and the ascent from Haweswater to High Street. The race is fully marked and supported with one fully supplied feed station, two valley support points and 11 manned checkpoints. Safety provisions include GPS tracking and timing, a professional safety officer with a mountain-qualified safety team, and post-race vegan salty soup. Optional extras are available to entrants, such as event clothing, goat-bells for support teams and post-race massage. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.