Through the Darkness
20-21 June 2026
Through the Darkness is an inclusive and flexible endurance event. The varied terrain course combines tarmac tracks and gravel trails around a 12km route. Participants have 12 hours to run/jog/walk as many laps as possible: how far can you, or your team go?
This event allows you to experience Dartmoor National Park in all its expanse and bleak beauty. As you run into the night, leaving the sunset behind, your resilience and mental strength will be tested through the darkness and into the light.
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About the Event
How far can you go?
DISTANCE: 12.00 Km / Lap
ELEVATION: 305 m / Lap
TERRAIN: Mixed gravel and tarmac
ENTRY FEE: £65.00 (excl. Booking Fee)
Start Location Address:
Okehampton Army Camp,
Tors Rd,
Okehampton,
EX20 1QP
Kit List
Must be carried at all times on course
- Suitable running shoes (for gravel and tarmac terrain)
- Running pack
- Minimum 500ml water capacity
- Minimum 500 kcal reserve food (not to be used unless in an emergency)
- Waterproof jacket with taped seams
- Long-sleeved baselayer
- Buff/neck gaiter
- Head torch (minimum 250 lumens) with spare batteries, or second head torch if unable to change batteries.
- Red light capability recommended
- Whistle
- Fully charged phone with Race Director’s number preloaded
- Fully charged electronic device (e.g., phone, watch) with preloaded GPX route file.
- Personal basic first aid kit (plasters, antiseptic wipes, etc.), including any personal medication required.
- Survival bag (not blanket).
Must have available at camp
- Electrolyte solution. Must be able to make at least 12 litres/ last 12 hours on course
- Minimum of 2000 kcal food. A mix of snacks and dehydrated/freeze-dried food is recommended
- A warm/insulated jacket. It can get cold on Dartmoor at night, even in the summer
- Tent/campervan accommodation
- Sleeping bag (4-12ºC)
- Sleeping mat (unless in camper-van)
- Insect repellent
- Powerbank with phone/watch charging cable
- Reusable mug/cup
- Spork/eating utensils
- Ability to heat water for dehydrated food/hot drink. Small gas stove with gas and a minimum 400ml container/pan recommended
Highly recommended
- Sunglasses
- Sun visor/cap
- Suncream
- Warm hat/beanie
- Waterproof trousers
- 3/4 or full-length running leggings
- Pillow
- Towel and toiletries
- Change of clothes and socks
About the charity
North Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team is a charity based in Okehampton that provides inland search and rescue services for lost, missing and injured people across Dartmoor, Devon and Cornwall. Made up entirely of volunteers, who are on-call 24/7 365 days a year to help those in need. We receive no government funding and rely solely on donations from amazing people like yourself to remain operational.
Nationwide, there has been an increasing trend in the type of searches Mountain Rescue (“MREW”) are asked to conduct.
Often, a person is missing, not because of a physical injury, but due to suffering a mental health crisis. Such non-mountain call-outs have accounted for up to half of some teams’ search activity in a year.
It is those in severe distress that search and rescue teams are increasingly looking for and saving lives.
The general public has very little knowledge about this side of mountain rescue work, and MREW is endeavouring to raise awareness through the “so much more than mountains” campaign.
Through the Darkness is an endurance event in which participants will be pushing through the darkness and into the light, reflecting on going through the darker times of mental health struggles, but knowing there will be lighter times ahead.
THE LOCATION
Dartmoor National Park
Dartmoor is the largest open space in southern England, at 954 square kilometres and is renowned for its ever-changing weather conditions.
It has vast and wild open moorland, immense granite tors, bottomless mires, ancient woodland and an abundance of Dartmoor ponies. Dartmoor’s natural environment is unique. Dartmoor rises out of the Devon lowlands to form a dramatic landscape with a distinctive geology, flora and fauna. The area boasts the largest number of archaeological remains in Europe, from Neolithic stone circles and crosses to ancient Bronze Age villages. It is a living, breathing, working landscape which is used by farmers for livestock grazing, and has been for centuries; the military uses it for the gruelling commando course; and by visitors and locals to experience a landscape like no other.
The event location is on the Northern section of the moor and is easy to access from Okehampton train station. This means you can keep your environmental footprint to a minimum for your visit.
Why not explore the area while you’re here? To find out more, visit www.dartmoor.gov.uk and visitdartmoor.co.uk
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
TRAVEL
We are trying to be as kind to our environment as we can and would like to encourage you to do the same. This event can be easily reached by train/bus/cycle. By taking alternative forms of transport, you can help drastically reduce the environmental impact of the event.
If you arrive by car or are using a camper van instead of a tent, there will be an additional £5 parking charge. This charge also applies to support crew/friends/family if arriving in a separate vehicle.
CAMPING
Overnight camping is included in your solo or team runner entry fee. You must provide your own camping equipment (see suggested kit list).
You are permitted to camp in a tent or camper-van. Please indicate on your entry form which you will be staying in. There is an additional £5 charge if you arrive by car/van – see Travel section.
The camping facilities are very basic but do include toilets (sanitary products available in the female toilets) and showers. There are no kitchen facilities and no electric hookup. Drinking water is available.
There is very limited access to electricity. Please make sure to bring power banks/spare batteries.
Supporters/crew are permitted to camp overnight but are subject to a £5 parking charge if arriving separately by car/van.
Please make sure you have read and agreed to the camping Terms and Conditions.
NUMBER AND TIMING CHIP
Collection of your number and timing device is during registration at Race HQ between [TIME] [DATE].
Solo runners will have an individual timing device on a Tyvek wrist band. This needs to stay on for the whole duration of the event, even if you stop to sleep (don’t worry, your lap times are recorded separately).
Teams will be given one timing device to use between them on a lanyard so that it can easily be passed to the next runner.
There will be 3 locations all runners will need to “tag” their timing device. At the start of every lap (except the very first), at the midway safety checkpoint, and at the end of each lap.
All timing devices must be returned to Race HQ by [TIME] [DATE].
There is a charge of £30 if you lose/do not return your timing device, on time/at all.
SIGNAGE
The route will be clearly marked with red flags with the Mountain Rescue England and Wales logo on them.
The route is available to view/download (in GPX format) from the website. You are required to have the GPX file pre-loaded to an electronic device (e.g. phone or watch).
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Fully marked course
Well-stocked checkpoint
Bespoke finisher’s medal with ribbon colour denoting number of laps
Overnight camping (vehicle parking additional £5)
Safety cover
Timing chips with a live display of results
Medical and Therapist support
Prizes for most laps completed in the shortest time – 1st female, 1st male and 1st team.
Prizes for the most money raised via Just Giving Page.
SOLO PARTICIPANTS
Solo participants start with the main race at 6 pm. You carry on running as many laps as you can for 12 hours. The final lap must be completed before the 6 am cut-off. Any lap completed after this time will not be counted.
Solo participants do not have to be on the route for the whole 12 hours. You can stop for rests and food whenever you choose and resume the race when you are ready.
You must make sure you “tag” out at the end of a lap prior to taking a break, and “tag” in again at the start of the next lap or risk the timing system missing a lap.
Solo participants can have a support crew. We strongly recommend this due to the nature of the event. Support crew are permitted in the camping areas and Race HQ, but not on the route.
TEAMS
Teams start with the main race at 6 pm. Only one member of a team is allowed on the course at any time***, so choose who will start the race and make sure they have the timing device. The first runner can carry on and do more than one lap, or hand over to a team member.
Teams can carry on walking or running as many laps as they can between members for 12 hours. The final lap must be completed before the 6 am cut-off. Any lap completed after this time will not be counted.
Each member of the team must complete at least one lap. You do not have to have someone on the course at all times; teams can take a break and resume later.
You must make sure you “tag” out at the end of a lap prior to handover or taking a break, and the next team member must “tag” in again at the start of the next lap or risk the timing system missing a lap.
You cannot use walkers or runners not registered in your team.
Teams can have a support crew. Support crew are permitted in the camping areas and Race HQ, but not on the route.
*** The one exception to this is at the end of the final runner’s lap, where there will be an access point approximately 100m before the finish, where team members can join their final runner for a team finish. Please be aware of solo runners, as they may still be racing.
SUPPORTERS
Support crew/friends and family are welcome and encouraged at this event.
Dogs are allowed at Race HQ but must be kept on a lead at all times and mess picked up and disposed of appropriately.
Parking or overnight camping (tent or campervan) is available at a charge of £5 per vehicle (car/van). There is no charge if you arrive by alternative transport.
Support crew are wholly responsible for their own camping equipment and food supplies.
Support crew are bound by the same camping and conduct rules (see Terms and Conditions) as the participants. It is the runners’ responsibility to make sure their support crew have read and agreed to these terms before the event.
FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
ENTER NOW
This event is not-for-profit. All money raised will go towards North Dartmoor Search and Rescue team. As a team, we have seen a significant increase in the nature of callouts across Devon and Cornwall, with those in mental health crisis.