Rebecca Hormann is preparing to connect all 95 of the Peak District’s Ethels in a continuous 275-mile running challenge – inspired by the landscape she explored while training for her first 100-miler.
Starting from Hope, Derbyshire, at 11am on Thursday, October 22, the trail runner’s ‘Ethels275’ route will involve more than 40,000ft of climbing before bringing her back to the village.
Coming after course-record victories in Portugal and Italy this year, the attempt represents a different kind of test: a personal challenge on familiar ground, with the ambition of creating a round that other endurance runners can tackle in the future.
What are the Ethels?
The Ethels are a collection of 95 hills, tors and peaks named in honour of Ethel Haythornthwaite, the pioneering environmental campaigner whose work helped establish the Peak District as the UK’s first national park in 1951.
For Hormann, linking them together is both an endurance challenge and a tribute to the woman who helped protect the landscape she now enjoys.
“I see the Ethels275 as a tribute to the Peak District and to Ethel Haythornthwaite, a woman who pioneered protecting the green space I now use as my playground,” she said.
“When I moved to Manchester, ‘bagging’ Ethels was my way of exploring the Peaks while training for my first 100 miler. When choosing a personal challenge, this felt like the perfect fit. It’s built on years of experience, not just a single training block.”
Macclesfield Harrier Rob Gittins did link the Ethels together over 10 days in 2025 but the distinction with Hormann’s bid is that she won’t have overnight stops and will be doing it continuously – in the midst of what, at the time of writing, looks very challenging weather.
From the Bob Graham to the Ethels275
Hormann’s completion of the Bob Graham Round in the Lake District earlier this year provided inspiration for the project.
She has designed the Ethels275 in a similar round format, linking the summits in a circuit that starts and finishes in the same place.
At approximately 443km, with more than 12,000 metres of ascent, the route will demand considerably more than familiarity with individual peaks. Joining all 95 together turns the places she once visited on separate training outings into one enormous undertaking.
Hormann hopes the challenge will also have a life beyond her own attempt, providing a route for other ultra runners to take on.
Course-record form
The FUGA Mountain Club athlete brings strong credentials over long distances.
Earlier this year, she won the women’s race at Terra de Gigantes in Portugal – her first 200-mile event – in a female course-record time of 46 hours and 13 minutes.
She followed that with another course record at Italy’s TOR100 by Kailas FUGA in September.
Now the focus switches from racing overseas to a challenge with a much more personal connection, bringing together years of exploring the Peak District.
How to follow Rebecca’s Ethels275 attempt
Hormann is scheduled to set off from Hope at 11am on Thursday, October 22, with the route finishing back in the Derbyshire village after all 95 Ethels.
