How far is the Winter Spine?

The Winter Spine is one distance: 268 Mile (431.3 km).

How much climbing is in the Winter Spine?

The 268 Mile has 10,732 m of ascent.

Is the Winter Spine course marked?

No. The Winter Spine is not a marked course. You are expected to navigate it yourself.

What are the cut-offs for the Winter Spine?

Overall time limits — 268 Mile: 156h.

When is the next Winter Spine?

Sun, 10 Jan 2027, 08:00. Event full.

Winter Spine

Edale, DerbyshireSun, 10 Jan 2027

The whole Pennine Way in January, non-stop, in seven hours of daylight a day.

268 Mile

431 km

10,732 m ascent

25 m per km

156h cut-off

21:42/km to make it

moorfellbogNavigation required

Nobody has reviewed this one yet

No reviews of the Winter Spine, and nothing on what people wore. Both are things no organiser publishes and every runner wants before they enter — how it actually went, and what was on your feet.

Ran it? Write the first review

Running it soon? Connect Strava and we will ask you about it the day you finish, so you do not have to remember to come back.

The course

156h cut-off, which needs 21:42/km

What you’re in for

The whole Pennine Way in January, Edale to Kirk Yetholm, non-stop: 268 miles and 10,732 m of climb through the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, along Hadrian's Wall and over the Cheviots. Eight hours of daylight, 0 to 10 degrees by day and minus ten to two at night, and whatever else the month sends — deep snow, storm force wind, driving rain. A hundred and fifty-six hours to finish. It is called Britain's most brutal race and the claim is hard to argue with.

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Train for it: routes near the start

Routes starting within 20 km of Edale, Derbyshire, nearest first. Each one has a free GPX file and a TRP grade, so you can rehearse the ground before race day.

HARD

Mam Tor and the Great Ridge

12.6km · 502m climb · Loop · 1.9km away

You run the entire Great Ridge end to end, a paved skyline with the Hope and Edale valleys falling away on either side, then loop through Castleton beneath the caves and old road.

VERY HARD

Edale Skyline

29.5km · 861m climb · Loop · 2.0km away

You spend almost the whole loop on the skyline itself, linking gritstone edges and summits with the Edale valley dropping away below you the entire way round.

VERY HARD

The Grand Edale Circular

28.7km · 1,344m climb · Loop · 4.8km away

The full Peak District experience — deep peat bog, gritstone edges, and those big Kinder views. Earn the ridge on the way back in.

HARD

Derwent Dam and Ladybower Dam Circuit

24.3km · 165m climb · Loop · 6.3km away

Nearly 25km of genuinely runnable, mostly traffic-free trail with almost no climbing - this is where to go in the Peak District when you want distance in your legs, not vertical.

VERY HARD

Edale, Mam Tor, Win Hill and Derwent Dam from Ladybower

29.9km · 1,207m climb · Loop · 6.3km away

The Dark Peak's greatest hits in one loop - the Great Ridge, Edale, Win Hill's summit view down the Hope Valley - linked up so you never have to double back on yourself.

VERY HARD

Kinder Scout from Hayfield

13.9km · 469m climb · Loop · 7.7km away

You get onto the highest ground in the Peak District on a route steeped in access history, with the plateau edges giving fast, airy running once you are up.

All routes near Edale →All Peak District routes →

Other races near here

Peak District races →

Races from other organisers starting within 30 km of Edale, Derbyshire, nearest first.

Nov

2026

Peak District South & North

Edale, Derbyshire · Ranger Ultras · 0 miles away

Fifty kilometres on the Saturday, forty-three on the Sunday, or both across one weekend.

Day 2 — 43 km, Day 1 — 50 km & Both Days — 93 kmup to 3,124 m climb

Navigation required

Entries open

Jun

2027

Loop The Loop Trail Challenge

Edale, Derbyshire · Ranger Ultras · 0 miles away

A half-marathon loop from Edale, as many times as you can stand in twenty-four hours.

23.3 km loop977 m climb

Navigation requiredRuns through the night

Entries open

Mar

2027

PB50km Ultra

Hayfield, Derbyshire · Ranger Ultras · 5 miles away

A grand loop of the Pennine Bridleway out of Hayfield, in a day.

50 km1,840 m climb

Navigation required

Entries open

Mar

2027

PB18km Trail

Hayfield, Derbyshire · Ranger Ultras · 5 miles away

Hayfield to Rushup Edge and back. Fast trail with a proper climb in it.

18 km806 m climb

Navigation required

Entries open

How to enter

Sun, 10 Jan 2027 · Event full

See the event on their website ↗

Entries are handled by The Spine Race, not by us. We take nothing for sending you there.

Add to your calendar · with the start time

Common questions

: The Winter Spine is one distance: 268 Mile (431.3 km).
: The 268 Mile has 10,732 m of ascent.
: Not graded yet. A TRP grade is worked out from distance and climb measured off the course file, and there isn't one for the Winter Spine yet.
: No. The Winter Spine is not a marked course. You are expected to navigate it yourself.
: We don't hold a compulsory kit list for the Winter Spine. The Spine Race confirm mandatory kit in their race information, usually in the final instructions.
: Overall time limits — 268 Mile: 156h.
: We don't hold a checkpoint list for the Winter Spine. What's on the table varies a lot between races, so check the The Spine Race race information rather than turning up expecting food.
: Not yet — we don't hold a course file for the Winter Spine. Some organisers only send the GPX to entrants. If we get one, it goes up free, with no sign-up.
: Sun, 10 Jan 2027, 08:00. Event full.

Winter Spine

Nobody has reviewed this one yet

The course

What you’re in for

Train for it: routes near the start

More from The Spine Race

Winter Spine Challenger South

Winter Spine Sprint South

Winter Spine Challenger North

Winter Spine Sprint North

Summer Spine Challenger South

Summer Spine Sprint South

Other races near here

Peak District South & North

Loop The Loop Trail Challenge

PB50km Ultra

PB18km Trail

How to enter

Common questions