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New ultras with the SILVA Dales Traverse and Moors Traverse

Ourea Events has announced details of two new ultra-running races for 2024. The SILVA Dales Traverse and SILVA Moors Traverse will make their debuts next year, joining the popular SILVA Northern Traverse and SILVA Lakes Traverse events.

The family of four Traverse races will take place between 6 and 10 April.

The SILVA Dales Traverse will take place on Sunday 7 April. Its distance of 55km will trace Wainwright’s coast-to-coast route from Kirkby Stephen to Richmond. Passing through the North Pennines Area of Outstanding National Beauty, navigating the iconic Nine Standards, and weaving through Swaledale into the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the race will conclude with a finish below Richmond Castle.

Also taking place on 7 April, the 80km SILVA Moors Traverse™ will follow Wainwright’s coast-to-coast route from Ingleby Cross to Robin Hood’s Bay. Beginning at Ingleby Cross, the route hugs the spectacular northern edge of the North York Moors National Park before winding through eastern Yorkshire and culminating in a finish at Robin Hood’s Bay.

Founded in 2016, the Northern Traverse is a continuous 308km footrace from St Bees on the west coast of England to Robin Hood’s Bay on the east coast. The route follows the well-established coast to coast route inspired by Alfred Wainwright, through the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors. The Lakes Traverse is a 96km footrace that starts at St Bees at the same time as the Northern Traverse and, using the same race infrastructure, logistics and staffing, finishes in Shap after a traverse of the Lake District National Park fells. This approach of ‘piggybacking’ the first 100km of the Northern Traverse through the Lake District National Park has worked well and will now be used for the Dales Traverse and Moors Traverse, which are designed to be more accessible for aspiring ultra-runners.

To embrace the adventurous spirit and self-sufficiency culture fostered by the Northern Traverse, both of the new ultras will have long stretches between support points, allowing participants to test their endurance while immersing themselves in England’s wild and beautiful areas. The 2024 SILVA Dales Traverse and SILVA Moors Traverse will have limited entry numbers to test the concept and logistics.

Shane Ohly of Ourea Events comments: “The SILVA Northern Traverse reveals one delight after another as it follows Wainwright’s iconic route through three National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The addition of the SILVA Dales Traverse enables us to host an accessible ultra along that section of the route with a fantastic 55km race through the Yorkshire Dales. Likewise, the SILVA Moors Traverse provides a logical stepping stone to more challenging ultra-routes, with a compelling 80km journey following the edge of the North York Moors National Park and the stunning countryside and coastline.”

Entries are now open for all of the SILVA Traverse events at https://www.northerntraverse.com.

Keep an eye on www.oureaevents.com for all of the news from the Ourea Events team and its schedule of races and other events.

Header image: The start of the 2023 SILVA Lakes Traverse. Credit: No Limits Photography

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