Winter Spine Race 2027: Kit List, Races and What to Carry
Quick answer: The 2027 Winter Spine Race starts at 8:00 AM on Sunday, January 10, 2027, in Edale, Derbyshire, and runs 268 miles non-stop along the Pennine Way to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders, with about 10,732 m of climbing and a 156-hour time limit. Four shorter races also run on the Pennine Way: the 46-mile Sprint South and the 108-mile Challenger South start on January 9, the 160-mile Challenger North on January 10 and the 43-mile Sprint North on January 12. All five races are listed as sold out, with a waiting list. Every race uses the same compulsory kit list of 29 items, including a sleeping bag, sleeping mat, bivvy bag, GPS device, 2 litres of water capacity and a solid mug. The races are unsupported, so runners rely on the official checkpoints for hot food, sleeping space and their resupply bag.
Winter Spine 2027 races at a glance
| Race | Distance | Start | Finish by | Time limit | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spine (full) | 268 miles | Edale, 8:00 AM Sunday, January 10 | Kirk Yetholm, 8:00 PM Saturday, January 16 | 156 hours | 150 |
| Challenger South | 108 miles | Edale, 8:00 AM Saturday, January 9 | Hawes, 8:00 PM Monday, January 11 | 60 hours | 150 |
| Challenger North | 160 miles | Hardraw, 6:00 PM Sunday, January 10 | Kirk Yetholm, 6:00 AM Friday, January 15 | 108 hours | 100 |
| Sprint South | 46 miles | Edale, 12:00 noon Saturday, January 9 | Hebden Bridge, 6:00 AM Sunday, January 10 | 18 hours | 100 |
| Sprint North | 43 miles | Brown Rigg, 12:00 noon Tuesday, January 12 | Kirk Yetholm, 6:00 AM Wednesday, January 13 | 18 hours | 75 |
All five races are listed as sold out, with a waiting list. Every race requires entrants to be 21 or over on race day. Source: the Spine Races official race pages, read November 4, 2026.
The full Spine route
The full race follows the Pennine Way from Edale through the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, Hadrian's Wall and the Cheviots to Kirk Yetholm, with about 10,732 m of ascent. The race page names Birchcliffe, Hawes, Hardraw, Langdon Beck, Alston and Bellingham as checkpoints. Checkpoints offer hot meals, hot and cold drinks, sleeping space, medical crew, your resupply bag, and weather and race updates, with toilets and showers at Hawes, Alston and Bellingham.
Between checkpoints you are on your own. The races are unsupported: you may use cafés and pubs along the route and accept food offered by locals, but pacing, planned support and a private support vehicle following you are not allowed.
The compulsory kit list
The 2027 kit list applies to the full Spine, both Challengers and both Sprints. Every item must be worn or carried at all times unless the list says otherwise, and missing items can bring a penalty. The 29 items are:
- Backpack, compass, maps and a GPS navigation device
- Emergency whistle, eye protection, head torch and rear red light
- Waterproof jacket and waterproof trousers
- Warm insulated hat, gloves or gloves and mittens, neck warmer
- Spare socks, spare base layer top and bottom, spare insulated jacket
- Appropriate footwear and traction aids
- Sleeping bag, sleeping mat and bivvy bag
- Mug, water carrying capacity and food
- Mobile phone, toilet kit, personal first aid kit and the mandatory drop bag kit
Some of the minimum standards that catch people out:
- Spare items must be spare. The spare base layers, socks and insulated jacket have to be in your pack, not worn, when you start or leave a checkpoint.
- Head torch: at least 100 lumens, with spare batteries, or a second head torch if the battery is not replaceable.
- Sleeping bag: a hooded mummy bag with an EN/ISO comfort limit of 0°C (32°F) or colder. No quilts, and liners do not count towards the rating.
- Sleeping mat: at least 5 mm thick and covering head to knees, at least 119 cm long.
- Bivvy bag: waterproof, open only at the top, and not a foil or emergency type.
- Mug: the event is cupless, and your mug must be solid, at least 300 ml (400 ml recommended) and not folding or collapsible.
- Water: you must always be able to carry 2 litres, in hard or soft bottles or a bladder, and it must be easy to reach.
- Food: at least 1,500 kcal from the start and from each checkpoint, with no more than 500 kcal from powders and at least 1,000 kcal of ready-to-eat food. Sprint runners only need it from the start.
- Phone: working on a UK network, fully charged at the start, over 50% leaving any checkpoint, with a charging lead.
- GPS: able to show colour topographic maps, follow the loaded route and give a UK grid reference. A baseplate compass is also required; phone, watch or other electronic compasses do not count.
- Traction aids: coil or spike type, covering the front and rear of the foot.
Kit questions go to the race's kit specialist by email at least 14 days before the race. Source: Spine Races Kit List Winter 2027.
What to carry it in
The kit list says your pack must hold all the compulsory kit inside, and you need space to attach a tracker to one shoulder of the pack, because trackers cannot go inside it. With a sleeping bag, a sleeping mat and a bivvy bag on the list, that is far more than a small race vest is built for. Our largest pack, the LECAMO ROOT18, is an 18L running pack for long days and fast hiking, with twin soft-flask pockets up front and rear space for more. Pack your full kit into it at home, sleeping system included. If it does not all fit inside, you need a bigger pack for this race.
For water, two 500ml soft flasks give you 1 litre, so you still need another litre that you can reach on the move. That can be two more 500ml soft flasks or the LECAMO 2L hydration bladder, which has an insulated drinking tube. In January, read our guide to keeping a hydration bladder from freezing. Note that soft flasks and collapsible cups do not count as your mug.
Ordering for the Spine? Orders to the UK ship in 1 to 2 business days, and delivery takes an estimated 6 to 10 business days after shipment. Import duties are not included in the price and may be charged on delivery. Order by Wednesday, December 16, and that timeline has it with you by Wednesday, January 6, three days before the first start. Pack and test your full kit at least once before race week.
Daylight
By our calculation, sunrise in Edale on January 10 is about 8:19 AM and sunset about 4:08 PM, and in Kirk Yetholm on January 16 sunrise is about 8:27 AM and sunset about 4:08 PM. That is around 8 hours of daylight a day, so most of each race is run in the dark. The head torch, spare power and rear red light matter as much as anything else on the list.
Entry requirements and fees
- Spine: a mountain, hill or moorland ultra over 100 miles, or a previous Spine Challenger. Fee £1,345 (£600 deposit, £745 due about 100 days before the start). The race says it is not beginner friendly.
- Challenger South and North: an ultra over 60 miles or a previous Spine event. Fees £535 (South) and £745 (North).
- Sprint South and North: Sprint South accepts a previous Spine race, a road or trail marathon, or an ultra over 30 miles. Sprint North asks for a completed winter marathon or ultra. Fee £165.
- The race pages also consider other experience, such as mountain marathons, orienteering and fell races, especially where it involved mountains and navigation.
For 2027, the full Spine time limit drops from 168 to 156 hours, and the maximum checkpoint stay falls from 8 to 6 hours. Source: Spine Races race pages; run247 report on the 2027 changes.
FAQ
When is the Winter Spine Race 2027?
The full Spine starts at 8:00 AM on Sunday, January 10, 2027, in Edale, and must finish in Kirk Yetholm by 8:00 PM on Saturday, January 16.
How long is the Spine Race?
268 miles along the Pennine Way, with about 10,732 m of ascent and a 156-hour time limit.
Is the kit list the same for the Sprint and Challenger?
Yes. The 2027 kit list applies to the full Spine, Challenger South and North, and Sprint South and North.
How much water do I need to carry?
You must always be able to carry 2 litres, in bottles, soft flasks or a bladder, and it must be easy to reach.
Can I have a support crew?
No. The races are unsupported. You may use cafés and pubs along the route, but pacing and planned support are not allowed.
LECAMO is not affiliated with the Spine Races. Sunrise and sunset times are our own calculation. Sources: Spine Races official race pages and Kit List Winter 2027; run247. Read November 4, 2026.