Logistics & Practicalities

The most universally recommended item. Fresh kit from head to toe makes a massive psychological difference at Hexham. Doesn't matter if you don't end up changing everything — having the option is priceless.

Runners consistently report that a full kit change at Hexham feels transformative — like a reset button. Fresh everything makes a huge psychological difference for the final section to Newcastle.

If you're doing the trail-to-road shoe strategy, your road shoes go in the drop bag. Even if you're in the same shoe type throughout, having fresh shoes at Hexham can relieve hot spots before they become blisters. Pack at least one extra pair of socks regardless.

This comes up in almost every single response to the drop bag question. After hours of eating sweet things, brushing your teeth at Hexham feels incredible — community members describe it as one of the best moments of the whole race.

Multiple runners mention charging their watch and phone at Hexham. A power bank (already charged) is ideal — plug your watch in while you eat soup, unplug when you leave. Saves your electronics for the long second half.

A quick watch charge at Hexham using a power bank can add hours of battery life — multiple runners recommend packing the charging cable alongside a pre-charged power bank.

Your headtorch is mandatory kit and must be carried from the very start of the race — it cannot go in your Hexham drop bag. This is explicitly stated in the official race guide. What goes in your Hexham bag is your spare headtorch or a charged power bank to top it up, plus extra night layers for after dark. The temperature drops significantly once you slow down at night. Use Hexham to top up your torch charge, swap to your night layers, and set off for Newcastle ready for the dark hours ahead.

Multiple runners specifically highlight dry gloves — your hands get cold during the night section and wet gloves from earlier in the day won't help. A buff or hat for the overnight section is also widely recommended. Don't underestimate how cold it gets in the Northumberland hills after dark.

Carlisle Castle is the race start. Community members have asked about the car park — the understanding is that drop bag vans are based at the castle car park. If you're parking there for the race weekend (registering Friday, racing Saturday, collecting Monday) check with Rat Race whether the car park is accessible throughout.

Alternative car parks in Carlisle city centre are readily available if the castle car park is restricted. Carlisle train station is also close to the castle — arriving by train avoids any parking logistics entirely.

Carlisle has a mainline train station with direct services from London (4.5hrs), Manchester (2hrs), Edinburgh (1.5hrs) and Newcastle (1.5hrs). If you're driving from the south or north, Carlisle is well-served by the M6.

Consider staying in Carlisle the night before to avoid an early morning commute to the start.

The finish is at the Gateshead Millennium Bridge (NE8 3BA) — Newcastle/Gateshead is well-connected by rail. If your car is in Carlisle, you'll need to get back — the train journey takes about 1.5 hours. Many runners arrange for someone to collect them or plan an overnight in Newcastle/Gateshead to recover before travelling home.

Registration is at The Crown & Mitre Hotel in Carlisle city centre (CA3 8HZ) on Friday between 12:00–21:00. A huge number of runners stay at the Crown & Mitre itself — it books out very quickly once the race opens. Staying there means you can roll out of bed, register downstairs, and walk to the start.

There are several other hotels in Carlisle city centre, all within a short distance of Carlisle Castle. Airbnb options are also available and can work well, especially if you're travelling as a group.

Many runners plan an overnight in Gateshead or Newcastle after finishing rather than travelling home in an exhausted state. The finish area at Gateshead Millennium Bridge has good hotel options nearby. Book early — see the warning below.

If your car is back in Carlisle, the train journey takes around 1.5 hours. Many runners arrange collection by a supporter or stay the night and travel back rested the next day.

Registration takes place at The Crown & Mitre Hotel, Carlisle (CA3 8HZ) on the Friday before the race, between 12:00–21:00. You must register and collect your timing tracker during this window — there is no option to register on the morning of the event.

Your adventure pack (race number, bag labels, etc.) will be posted out around 1–2 weeks before the race for UK participants. International runners collect theirs at registration.

Bags are dropped at Castle Car Park (CA3 8UL) on race morning, between 05:30–06:45. Rat Race transports two bags for you:

• Hexham bag — meets you at the 44-mile mark. Must weigh less than 5kg, max 15L in size. Pack it in dry bags — it sits outside all day.
• Finish bag — goes direct to Gateshead. Max 15kg, max 70L. Also pack in dry bags.

Bag labels are provided in your adventure pack. Ensure bags are clearly labelled and on the right truck.

The Wall starts at Carlisle Castle (CA3 8UR). Waves leave between 06:00 and 07:00 — you select your wave when entering and it cannot be changed, but you can drop back into a later wave on the day to run with a friend. You cannot move forward to an earlier wave.

Arrive in time to drop bags (05:30–06:45), use the toilets at the Castle Car Park, and get to the start without rushing.

Rat Race runs a free shuttle bus from the finish at Gateshead Millennium Bridge to Newcastle city centre hotels and Newcastle train station. The shuttle runs on rotation so there may be a short wait. There are no city centre pick-up points — the shuttle only departs from the finish.

Newcastle train station opens at 07:30 on Sunday morning — the shuttle to the station runs from that time onwards.