Fryupdale Trail Marathon Route
This crosses a string of side dales that most visitors to the Moors never see, so instead of the honeypot villages you get genuinely remote heather moorland and steep-sided dales one after another.
Effort: Ultra distance and major ascent
Underfoot: Open fell or rough terrain
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A 48.3km moorland marathon-plus loop through the Esk Valley side dales, taking in Great Fryup Dale, Glaisdale and the moor above Lealholm, with around 1,015m of climbing across one of the quieter corners of the North York Moors.
This crosses a string of side dales that most visitors to the Moors never see, so instead of the honeypot villages you get genuinely remote heather moorland and steep-sided dales one after another.
The route
Based on the Hardmoors series format, this route runs through the network of side dales that drain into the River Esk from the southern moors: Great Fryup Dale gives the route its name, with Glaisdale and the moor above Lealholm also part of the loop. It's a long day rather than a technical one, gaining just over 1,000m over the full distance in a series of steady climbs out of each dale rather than one sustained pull.
The side dales
What makes this part of the North York Moors distinctive is the repeating pattern of steep-sided dales cutting into the moor, each with its own small becks and scattered farms. Great Fryup Dale in particular has a reputation among Moors regulars as one of the most atmospheric and least-visited of these valleys, with heather moor closing in above the intake fields on both sides.
Underfoot
The going alternates between good valley paths and rougher moorland tracks, with heather and peat underfoot on the higher sections between dales. None of it is technical, but the cumulative effect of repeated climbs and descents over nearly 50km — more than 1,000m of ascent in total — adds up to a serious day.
Why it's worth the effort
Routes like this reward runners who want genuine solitude over convenience - there's no crowd here, no honeypot village at the halfway point, just a long day across some of the most overlooked ground in the National Park. It suits anyone training for an autumn ultra who wants time on their feet over technical terrain that isn't the Lake District or Snowdonia.
Getting it right
This is genuinely remote in places, with long stretches between villages and limited phone signal on the moor tops. Carry more food and water than the distance alone might suggest, and treat the moorland sections with proper respect for weather and visibility - this is easy country to underestimate from a map.
Long remote stretches between villages with limited phone signal on the higher moor. Heather moorland here is managed for grouse shooting, with likely restrictions or diversions between August and December.
Safety on this route
- No signal? Text 999 — pre-register first: text register to 999
- Tell someone your route and expected return time before you head out
Leave No Trace
- Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories.
- Please respect the countryside and all its inhabitants.
- Dogs on leads near livestock, and around ground-nesting birds from March to July.
- Gates as you find them — open or closed, leave it that way for the farmer and the next runner.
- Take it all home — wrappers, peel, tissue, the lot. It doesn't count as biodegradable if you can still see it.
- Stick to the path where the ground either side is wet, planted, or nesting habitat.
Common questions
Run by us
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