Silva Dales Traverse

Event overview

The Dales Traverse® is a 55 km ultra held on Sunday 29 March 2026. The route follows Wainwright’s coast to coast line from Kirkby Stephen to Richmond. It passes through the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, over the Nine Standards, and through the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Swaledale to a finish below Richmond Castle. The published estimate for height gain is about 1,400 m. Distance and height can vary between editions.

Route, navigation and support

The route is not fully waymarked but follows a well established national hiking trail. Participants receive a bespoke waterproof paper map at registration, a GPX file of the route, and access to a digital map via the Avenza app. The course is defined by aid stations and virtual guidance times. Aid stations offer hot and cold drinks, snacks, volunteers and basic medical cover; the Dales Bike Centre aid station is the designated location where retiring is permitted and where cafe facilities are available. Registration and the start take place at Kirkby Stephen Grammar School Sports Hall. The finish is at Richmond Town Football Club.

Entries, kit and classification

Entries open 9 April 2025 and close 15 March 2026. Minimum age is 18. Entry fees vary by entry period, with the early band starting at £65. Mandatory kit is checked at registration; a downloadable checklist (version 4, dated 16/10/2025) lists required items. A finishers drop bag (maximum 5 kg) is transported from start to finish. The race counts toward the UTMB 50K index and awards ITRA points (2 points plus 3 mountain points). Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.