IT’S a route typically undertaken by hundreds of salmon on a yearly basis, but now dedicated runners will follow their lead.

For four keen runners are rolling out Tyne Trail Ultra in April which invites people to run the entire length of the River Tyne – although the event is entirely land-based!

Andrew Clark and friends Drew Swinburne, Philip Smith and Barry Kemp have all participated in ultra runs or ironman events themselves, and they wanted to bring a new one to the North-East.

And they were keen to celebrate the beauty of Northumberland and the history of Newcastle, coming up with the idea of following the river from start to finish.

There are two events planned, with the opening run in April starting at the source of the River North Tyne in Deadwater, Kielder, before finishing at Tynemouth Watch House. A further run along the River South Tyne, starting from Alston and finishing at South Shields, is pencilled in for September.

Tynedale will feature heavily in both with the opening event, planned for April 29, 2017, taking in Kielder, Falstone, Bellingham, Wark, Chollerford, Warden, Hexham, Riding Mill, Corbridge, Stocksfield, Prudhoe and Wylam.

Andrew Clark said: “There’s four of us involved in the event and we all run long distance runs as a hobby, and thought it would be good to bring something to these parts.

“Ultra running is becoming really popular and, while there is a couple already in Northumberland, there was nothing which incorporated the beauty of the area, the bridges at Newcastle’s Quayside and the rich shipyard history of Wallsend.

“We personally know how stunning the area is and we want to bring this to the public, by following the Tyne Trail.

“We have run a lot of the route ourselves, and it is spectacular and isolated, and it would be a shame if passionate runners didn’t get a chance to run it.”

There are two options available to people interested in signing up, either the entire 150km distance from Kielder to Tynemouth or stopping at 75km at Warden where the North and South Tyne rivers meet. The same applies to the September run with the 150km route from Alston to South Shields, or the half-way point at Warden available.

Tyne Trail Ultra has linked up with North-East charity Daft as a Brush for the event, a percentage of the entry price going to the organisation which provides hospital transport to cancer sufferers free of charge.

The charity devised the Tyne Trail route, and the runners were happy to be able to work to promote the good work it does.

Andrew said: “The charity is a local one which transports cancer patients from all over the North of England, down to Yorkshire, to hospital, and it is a really good cause that we’re happy to promote.”

david.coulter@hexham-courant.co.uk