Hardmoors 26.2 Goathland Marathon

The Hardmoors 26.2 Goathland Marathon starts and finishes at Goathland Village Hall on the edge of the North York Moors, and is an entirely self-navigated circular route with no course markings, so runners carry a printed map and route description throughout. The course extends the moorland loop used by the shorter half marathon, taking in stretches of open heather moor, forestry track and wide stone paths, along with sections of woodland, stream crossings and a disused railway line, before returning to Goathland. The terrain is consistently demanding throughout, mixing sustained moorland ascents with steep, often muddy or bracken-covered hillsides rather than any extended flat running. As the longest of the three Goathland distances and the first to start, it is the toughest test of navigation and endurance on offer, run over some of the wildest ground in the North York Moors National Park.