Wild Deer Events Beyond Manchester

Pick your distance

What you’re in for

From Cathedral Gardens through the city to the Manchester Ship Canal, south along it through Salford Quays past the BBC and the Imperial War Museum, onto the Bridgewater Canal with views of Old Trafford, and out through Eccles. The 55km then picks up a disused railway north towards Bolton and Bury and spends more than 10km on the Irwell Sculpture Trail before turning back for the city. The 25km leaves the canals at Eccles for the Irwell and follows it home past the law courts and the cathedral. The 55km is 55.7km with only 245m of climb — the flattest Beyond ultra by some way. The 25km is 26.4km and 59m, which is a canal race with a city start. Both distances use staggered starts in small groups.

Terrain and trail

Towpath, railway path, riverside trail and city street. Almost entirely flat and almost entirely firm, so the difficulty is distance and rhythm rather than ground. The Irwell Sculpture Trail is the nearest thing to proper trail on the 55km — gravel and woodland path along the valley — and the only place you will get mud. Road shoes.

Train for it: routes near the start

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

VERY HARD

Rochdale Norden Moors and Watergrove Reservoir

19.5km · 390m climb · Loop · 18km away

Raw, atmospheric Pennine scenery at its most uncompromising- Walk a section of the historic Cotton Famine Road, hand-built in the 1860s by unemployed weavers- Big views west into Lancashire and east into Yorkshire from the ridgeline- Quieter than many Pennine routes - you will often have the moor to yourself

Checked Jul 2026

All Greater Manchester routes →

How to enter

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Common questions

How far is the Beyond Manchester?

The Beyond Manchester offers 2 distances: 25km (15.5 miles), 55km (34.2 miles).

How much climbing is in the Beyond Manchester?

The 25km has 59 m of ascent. The 55km has 245 m of ascent.

How hard is the Beyond Manchester?

25km: Hard. 55km: Very Hard. TRP grades come from distance and climb measured off the course file, not from the organiser.

Is the Beyond Manchester course marked?

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

What kit do I need for the Beyond Manchester?

We don't hold a compulsory kit list for the Beyond Manchester. Wild Deer Events confirm mandatory kit in their race information, usually in the final instructions.

What are the cut-offs for the Beyond Manchester?

We don't hold published time limits for the Beyond Manchester. If Wild Deer Events set cut-offs, they'll be in the race information.

What is at the checkpoints on the Beyond Manchester?

We don't hold a checkpoint list for the Beyond Manchester. What's on the table varies a lot between races, so check the Wild Deer Events race information rather than turning up expecting food.

Can I download the Beyond Manchester 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 Beyond Manchester?

Sat, 4 Sept 2027. Not open yet.