Ready to go beyond your usual route? With an accessible city centre start and finish, plus an inclusive everybody’s-welcome vibe, Beyond Newcastle overcomes the standard barriers to trail running. Walkers and runners of all ages and abilities can choose from two distances: 25km of urban, railway and woodland trails or, if you’re looking to push yourself even further, our 55km ultra event. Whichever one you choose, expect much-loved views, meticulous organisation and incomparable finish line feels. Prepare for a running adventure beyond your wildest dreams, beyond the tarmac, Beyond Newcastle.
55km and 25km entrants all start - and finish - their tour of the region on the iconic Swing Bridge in Newcastle.
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Distances
Choose your distance
The 55km route travels along the River Tyne to Wylam, where runners cross over the River Tyne and follow back along the river to Derwenthaugh Marina. At the Marina, the route turns and follows along the River Derwent. On reaching High Spen, runners head into Chopwell Woods and on to Lintzford, before dropping into the Derwent Valley, heading back along the Derwent Walk and meeting the River Tyne again. For the final section, runners follow the river back to the finish point on the West path of the Swing Bridge, finishing on the Newcastle side. Claim your bragging rights here!
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For the 25km route, runners start on the Swing Bridge and travel along the River Tyne. The route then crosses the Scotswood Bridge and heads back on the other side until it meets the Derwent River and then loops around Derwent Walk Country Park. Runners then head back along the opposite side of the Derwent River to the point where it meets the River Tyne, then follow the river to the West path of the Swing Bridge. Runners finish on the Newcastle side - perfect for a post run celebrations with plenty of options for food and drinks (and transport home).
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What you get
We’re working to make our events as low impact and sustainable as possible. We've introduced an option for participants to forgo their finisher t-shirt in place of a donation to a suitable sustainable charity. Participants can choose whether to select this option at the point of entering the event.
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Read MoreFrequently asked questions
How do I get to the start?
Both 25km and 55km distances start at the Swing Bridge (West Path) in central Newcastle. Public transport is the easiest way to get to the Beyond Newcastle start.
Where is the finish?
The finish is also at the Swing Bridge (West path) in central Newcastle.
Is the route fully marked?
There will be event-specific directional signs and confidence markers throughout the course. At registration and in the briefing before the race participants will be shown the course markers. Due to the nature of the route, certain parts are somewhat complex to navigate and runners are advised to moderate their speed at these points to ensure the correct path is taken. A sports GPS navigation device is recommended if you have one - GPX files will be released closer to the event date.
How tough is the course?
The course features a mixture of surfaces. You can expect the terrain to be a mixture of footpaths, parks, woodland trails, riverside paths and disused railway lines. There are also steps in places. Dependent on weather conditions parts of the route may be muddy. Whilst it is not mountainous, there are hills in places that will provide a challenge for some participants.