Race Report: The Dales High Way

A 90-mile ultra-marathon, organised by Punk Panther

Around this time yesterday, I was finishing the longest, hardest race I’ve ever run . The Dales High Way is a 90-mile ultra-marathon along the long-distance footpath of the same name, from Saltaire (outside Bradford) up to Appleby-in-Westmorland. It’s a whistle-stop tour of the natural highlights of the Yorkshire Dales and could easily claim to be Britain’s Most Beautiful race. The route takes in Ilkley Moor, Skipton Moor, Gordale Scar and Malham Cove, Settle, Ingleborough, Ribblehead Viaduct, Dentdale (one of my favourite places on earth), Sedbergh, The Calf and the Howgill fells - and, just before the finish, “Rachel’s Wood”. It is VERY hilly for a race in England: my watch clocked 4500m of ascent over the course, which is about the height of Mont Blanc. But there are generous cut-offs applied to the 90-mile race. We began at 6am on Saturday, and had until 6pm on Sunday (so, 36 hours) to finish.

The Dales High Way had been on my radar since 2020, when I ran the Dales Way ultramarath…