How far is the Dark Skies Run @ Kielder?

The Dark Skies Run @ Kielder offers 2 distances: 26.6 miles (42.8 km), 11 miles (17.7 km).

How much climbing is in the Dark Skies Run @ Kielder?

The 26.6 miles has 644 m of ascent. The 11 miles has 249 m of ascent.

How hard is the Dark Skies Run @ Kielder?

26.6 miles: Very Hard. 11 miles: Moderate. Distances are measured off the course file. Where the file carries no elevation, the climb is the organiser's published figure.

Is the Dark Skies Run @ Kielder course marked?

Yes, the course is marked. Navigation skills are not required.

What are the cut-offs for the Dark Skies Run @ Kielder?

Overall time limits — 26.6 miles: 7h, 11 miles: 3h.

Can I download the Dark Skies Run @ Kielder route?

Yes. The GPX for each distance is free to download here, with no sign-up, the same as every route on Trail Running Planet.

When is the next Dark Skies Run @ Kielder?

Sat, 6 Mar 2027, 17:30. Not open yet.

Trail Outlaws Dark Skies Run @ Kielder

Kielder Waterside, Kielder Water, HexhamSat, 6 Mar 2027

Night trail races of 11 and 26.6 miles around Kielder Water

Distance	Ascent	Per km
26.6 miles	644 m	15 m
11 miles	249 m	15 m

forestreservoirMarked course

Nobody has reviewed this one yet

No reviews of the Dark Skies Run @ Kielder, 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.

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VERY HARD

TRP grade · E4

7h cut-off, which needs 9:49/km

5 checkpoints · starts 17:30

Download GPXFree, no sign-up.

This file is from a previous running and the course may have changed since. If you are navigating with it, get the current version from Trail Outlaws first.

What you’re in for

Saturday-night races from Kielder Waterside in the Kielder Dark Sky Park. The 26.6-mile race is a full anticlockwise lap of Kielder Water on the lakeside trails, with checkpoints at Whickhope, the dam, North Hall Road, the viaduct and Matthew's Linn. The 11-mile race heads north towards the viaduct and turns back to Kielder Waterside. Both are run entirely in the dark in March, so a head torch, waterproof, hat and gloves and water are mandatory, with a survival bag for the long race. The course is flagged and marshalled. Registration is at Kielder Waterside, with parking at Greenside car park. The long race has a 7-hour limit, the 11-mile race 3 hours.

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Train for it: routes near the start

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

VERY HARD

Kielder Water Lakeside Loop

40.0km · 337m climb · Loop · 4.7km away

It's one of the few places in the country where you can run 40km without a single significant hill, entirely on good surface, through forest that feels genuinely remote from anywhere else in England.

All Northumberland routes →

How to enter

Sat, 6 Mar 2027 · Not open yet

See the event on Eventrac ↗

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Add to your calendar · with the start time

Common questions

: The Dark Skies Run @ Kielder offers 2 distances: 26.6 miles (42.8 km), 11 miles (17.7 km).
: The 26.6 miles has 644 m of ascent. The 11 miles has 249 m of ascent.
: 26.6 miles: Very Hard. 11 miles: Moderate. Distances are measured off the course file. Where the file carries no elevation, the climb is the organiser's published figure.
: Yes, the course is marked. Navigation skills are not required.
: We don't hold a compulsory kit list for the Dark Skies Run @ Kielder. Trail Outlaws confirm mandatory kit in their race information, usually in the final instructions.
: Overall time limits — 26.6 miles: 7h, 11 miles: 3h.
: We don't hold a checkpoint list for the Dark Skies Run @ Kielder. What's on the table varies a lot between races, so check the Trail Outlaws race information rather than turning up expecting food.
: Yes. The GPX for each distance is free to download here, with no sign-up, the same as every route on Trail Running Planet.
: Sat, 6 Mar 2027, 17:30. Not open yet.