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EVENT GUIDE 2025

THE WALL ULTRA 

HELPFUL INFORMATION TO HELP YOU PLAN FOR THE WALL ULTRAMARATHON


This document is designed as a planning aid for you to dial into the logistics, the in-event support available, the kit list and general training advice for The Wall ultramarathon. This does not replace our full Essential Event Information pack that is released in April with detailed, year specific information. 

KEY INFORMATION

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  • Registration is on Friday 13th June between 1400 - 2200 The Crown & Mitre Hotel, Carlisle CA3 8HZ.  You must register and pick up your tracker between these times, there is no option to register on the morning of the event. 

  • Adventure packs will be posted out in advance of the event. UK residents should expect to receive their adventure pack around 1-2 weeks before the event. International participants will be required to collect their adventure pack from Registration. Please ensure you have your current address on your entry, you can update this by logging into your Rat Race account.

  • Starting time you will be allocated a start time between 0600 - 0700 in your adventure pack. These cannot be changed, but you can drop back into a later start time on the day to run with a friend. You cannot move forward.

  • Pair entry details must be filled in via your RR account by the 15th May 2025. After this date there will be a £15 charge per person.

  • The transfer deadline is 13th May 2025. You can find more information on our transfer policy HERE and process your transfer from your Rat Race account. We are unable to make any exceptions after the deadline has passed.​

  • The start is at Carlisle Castle between 0600 and 0700 on the 14th June. CA8 3UR.

  • The finish is at the Gateshead Millennium Bridge NE8 3BA

  • Bag drops and toilets are available in the castle car park on the morning of the event. Please ensure you bags are clearly labelled, bag tags will be provided in your adventure pack. See Bag section below for more info.

  • Spectators must follow our guidance notes to avoid being turned away at key locations. These will be issued in the Essential Event Information.

  • Route - you can view the GPX for this event here.  Please ensure you DO NOT follow this route on the day and instead follow our waymarking due to last minute changes that may occur.

BAG DROP

LOCATION 

0500 - 0645 14th June: Castle Car Park, CA3 8AN

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BAGS TO DROP

We will transport 2 bags for you, please ensure they are clearly labelled (tags provided in your Adventure Pack) and that you put them on the right truck! â€‹

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Hexham bag: this will meet you at the 44 mile mark and must weigh less than 5kg and be a max of 15L in size. This bag will be exposed to the elements so please ensure it is waterproof or that you pack your kit into dry bags inside your bag. This will then be transported from Hexham to the finish after you have used it, you will be directed where to put it at Hexham to ensure it is loaded onto the finish van.

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Finish bag: this will go directly to the finish at Gateshead and it can be a max of 70L and weigh no more than 15kg. This bag will be exposed to the elements so please ensure it is waterproof or that you pack your kit into dry bags inside your bag. 

IMPORTANT

Head torches are mandatory so please do not put this piece of kit in your HEXHAM bag. They MUST be carried from the start.

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Bags over the weight limit will not be transported due to legal weight restrictions of the vehicles used. Please don't pack everything and the kitchen sink!

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MANDATORY KIT LIST

Some of the kit listed is to help you have a safe experience and have the best chance of finishing. Some of this kit is to ensure that if you are unable to continue without our assistance then we can be confident of you having the level of equipment required to keep you as comfortable as possible whilst you wait for that assistance. Spot checks are carried out throughout the event and you will not be able to continue if you are found to not be carrying the requisite items.

MANDATORY KIT LIST

  • Running pack/vest or other appropriate method of carrying your kit. We recommend our Great Glen bag that is tried and tested!

  • Running shoes or walking boots. We recommend road shoes. 

  • Hydration bladder or bottles. A 2L carrying capacity is required.

  • Basic first aid kit containing a triangular or conformable roller bandage, assorted adhesive dressings including 1 at least 100mm x 90mm. Gauze or gauze bandage and paracetamol.

  • Spare food to be carried with you

  • Survival bag, NOT blanket - BUY HERE

  • Whistle - BUY HERE

  • Reusable cup suitable for hot drinks at Pit Stops - BUY HERE

  • Insulating layer merino or synthetic similar 

  • Full waterproof  body cover, long sleeve jacket and full length trousers with taped seams - BUY HERE

  • Additional full length leg cover if you are running in shorts (eg a pair of leggings, if you are wearing leggings you do not need to carry a second pair)

  • Fully charged phone 

  • Method of payment (card/cash/apple pay)

  • Tracker (supplied)

  • Hat or Rat Rag and a pair of gloves

  • Headtorch 

  • Rear red light or reflective/hi-vis patch (10cm x 2cm minimum)

  • Spare batteries for your headtorch or back up light source

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RECOMMENDED KIT

This kit is not mandatory but more 'common sense' additions that we recommend to give you the very best chance of reaching that bridge at the end! 

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  • Insulated jacket - we strongly recommend packing one if you think you might still be going in the early hours of Sunday morning. The most common reason that people retire in The Wall is that they get too cold. Regardless of the weather through the day you will get cold at 2am, find one that packs down small and get it in your pack. It might be the piece of kit that helps you get to the finish. 

  • Sunglasses

  • Blister treatment kit. Our paramedics will prioritise live cases and they are not a foot care service, we recommend that you know how to treat your feet if hot spots and blisters do occur and that you are self contained.

  • Anti-chafe lubricant 

  • Spare socks

  • Trekking poles – totally optional but helpful if you are a walker

  • Headphones - when the going gets tough the tough listen to music! Please ensure these are not noise cancelling and that you can hear the traffic and people around you.

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CHANGES TO KIT LIST

IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES FOR THE EVENT THIS WILL BE COMMUNICATED BY EMAIL PRIOR TO THE EVENT​.​

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The emergency kit is important for several reasons:

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  1. It helps you to help yourself should you have a problem.

  2. We are in this together and you may need to assist others if they have a problem.

  3. In the case of an incident our Race Control and Medical teams will make decisions based on the knowledge that you all have this equipment.

  4. Carrying the kit is a requirement for everyone and hence provides an equal and fair challenge.

  5. It is part of our risk assessment process that is shared with insurers. Your insurance may be invalid if you do not follow our advice.

  6. If your lack of kit preparation contributes to making an incident more serious, then you may be avoidably drawing resources from our medical team and the emergency services at the expense of others.

  7. Without the kit you will be unable to complete registration. If during the race you are not carrying the mandatory kit then you will be disqualified and deemed to have not completed the challenge.

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WATERPROOFS AND BIVVY BAG NOTES

Our kit list includes waterproof trousers and jackets with TAPED SEAMS as a minimum standard. See photograph of what a taped seam look like HERE so you know what our team will be checking. There is also a need for an emergency bivvy bag. Blankets are NOT acceptable as these do not meet the needs of having to survive when injured and immobile  in bad weather while waiting for assistance.

REGISTRATION KIT CHECK - 13TH JUNE

In order to complete Registration and receive your tracker, you will need to bring and show the following key mandatory kit list items to be checked. It does not have to be event ready and we recommend bringing it in a big bag for life or similar to pass through the station quickly: 

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1) Running pack/vest or other appropriate method of carrying your kit. 

2) Waterproof Trousers and Jacket with TAPED or WELDED SEAMS as a minimum standard (see photograph for seam example)

3) Bivvy Bag (NOT blanket)

4) Personal basic first aid kit (see kit list for require contents)

5) Insulating layer merino or synthetic similar 

6) Hat suitable to the conditions (a Rat Rag is OK). 

7) Headtorch & rear red light or reflective/hi-vis patch (10cm x 2cm minimum)

8) Minimum 2L carrying capacity hydration bladder or bottles

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You will NOT be able to proceed to tracker collection until the Reg team have checked all of these items. Please note the entire mandatory kit list is just that, mandatory. We will be checking key items but you MUST carry the full kit list with you at all times. The  event team reserve the right to check you are carrying the full kit list at any point during the event.

PIT STOPS AND CUT OFFS

PIT STOP AND
CHECKPOINT LOCATIONS â€‹

  • PS1 Lanercost Priory  CA8 2HQ 15 miles

  • PS2 Walltown Quarry Pit Stop CA8 7HF 24 miles​

  • PS3 The Sill Pit Stop NE47 7AN 30 miles

  • CP Newbrough Checkpoint  38 miles

  • PS4 Hexham Pit Stop NE46 3SG 44 miles

  • CP Styford Toll Checkpoint 49.5 miles

  • CP Ovingham Checkpoint  55.5 miles

  • PS5 Newburn Pit Stop NE15 8ND 63 miles

WHAT IS A CHECKPOINT?​

​This is a manned point where you can check in with a marshal and let them know if you need any assistance outside of our Pit Stop locations. They are deliberately discrete and supporters are not allowed to meet you here. They are designed for you to grab a quick drink and a handful of sweets, they are not refill points for your bladder/bottles and you will only be able to fill your disposable cup here not your hydration bottles/bladders.​​

CP Newbrough Checkpoint  38 miles

CP Styford Toll Checkpoint 49.5 miles

CP Ovingham Checkpoint  55.5 miles

The Pit Stops at The Wall are famous and this event is often dubbed a walking picnic! These are the points where you can grab a snack, interact with the Rat Race team and also your own supporters if you have them. Our Pit Stops have a few staples that you'll see at all stations and also some which are bespoke to that Pit Stop location.

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Standard provisions include

Water

Juice

Sweet snacks

Salty snacks

Fruit 

Toilets

Medical team

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Our Pit Stops are well stocked but they do not contain any sports nutrition products as we know you will have your own that you have trained with. The last thing you want to do in an ultra is try an untested gel and suffer the consequences! You should plan to bring your own supplements and be self contained when it comes to gels/electrolyte tablets.

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We aim to cater to a wide variety of dietary needs, every Pit Stop will have options for vegetarians and vegans, plus we have a box of gluten free/dairy free snacks for those with intolerances that are kept separate please ask our staff for more info when you arrive. While every effort is made to keep these snacks separate we cannot guarantee there is no cross contamination from allergens such as gluten/peanuts due to the nature of the Pit Stop during a live event.

CUT OFFS

The Wall is designed to be achievable for walkers who can maintain a 3mph pace, our cut offs reflect that and are as generous as we can make them. Cut offs are enforced and they are applied to your departure time not your arrival time into the location:

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  • PS1 Lanercost 1230

  • PS2 Walltown Quarry 1530

  • PS3 The Sill 1800

  • PS4 Hexham 0000 (midnight)

  • PS5  Newburn 0600 (Sunday)

  • FINISH 0900 (Sunday)

THE WALL GPX FILE​

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LOGISTICS

This is a one way journey and if you are not travelling with supporters we recommend the following plan as a tried and tested method of planning your movements.

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Travelling by car

  1. Book a train from Newcastle to Carlisle for the 13th June. Tickets are normally released 12 weeks in advance on www.trainline.com

  2. On Friday drive to Newcastle train station, park in the long stay car park and catch your train to Carlisle. 

  3. Book accommodation in Carlisle city centre for Friday 13th June. 

  4. Attend Registration in Carlisle between 1200 - 2200 at the Crown and Mitre Hotel.

  5. Run/walk 70 miles! 

  6. We strongly recommend booking a hotel in Newcastle city centre/Gateshead for the night of the 14th June if you plan to finish in the middle of the night,  but let them know you may arrive in the early hours of the morning.

  7. Use our free shuttle bus or book an Uber from the finish line to your hotel. Our shuttle buses work on rotation so there may be a small wait for one returning. 

  8. Our free shuttle runs to city centre hotels and also Newcastle train station to get you back to your car.

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Travelling by train

  1. Book a train from Carlisle for the 13th June. Tickets are normally released 12 weeks in advance on www.trainline.com

  2. Book accommodation in Carlisle city centre for Friday 13th June. 

  3. Attend Registration in Carlisle between 1200 - 2200 at the Crown and Mitre Hotel.

  4. Run/walk 70 miles! 

  5. We strongly recommend booking a hotel in Newcastle city centre/Gateshead for the night of the 14th June if you plan to finish in the middle of the night,  but let them know you may arrive in the early hours of the morning.

  6. Use our free shuttle bus or book an Uber from the finish line to your hotel. Our shuttle buses work on rotation so there may be a small wait for one returning. 

  7. Our free shuttle runs to Newcastle train station from the finish on the morning of the 15th June (Sunday) please note the train station does not open until 0730 on the Sunday.

REGISTRATION / CROWN & MITRE HOTEL 

Date: 13th June

Opening times: 1200 - 2200

Postcode: CA8 3HZ

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START/ CARLISLE CASTLE

Date: 14th June

Start time: 0600 - 0700 allocated to you in your adventure pack

Postcode: CA8 3UR

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FINISH/ GATESHEAD MILLENNIUM BRIDGE

Closes: 0900 15th June

Postcode: NE8 3BA​

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TRAINING

We've put together a tried and tested training plan, we highly recommend ensuring you have bought your mandatory kit in advance and have ran/walked with a full pack and full water ahead of the event.

THE WALL TRAINING PLAN

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