A NEW running and walking event, rescheduled due to Covid, is back in the calendar for 2022.

Copeland Borough Council's Run The Edge challenge will take place between Millom and Whitehaven on Saturday, June 18, 2022. It is expected to welcome more than 800 competitors to the picturesque coast.

The event is part of the council's Connecting Cumbria’s Hidden Coast Programme, which is funded by the Coastal Communities Fund and Sellafield Ltd.

Organised in partnership with Breaking Strain Events, the endurance challenge includes a 10km run, a half marathon and an epic ultra-marathon taking in the full sweep of the borough’s coastline. Participants can choose to enter any, and can walk or run the routes.

Copeland's Mayor, Mike Starkie, said: "It's great to see Run the Edge happening in the real world next year, and we can't wait to welcome the participants. Although people took part virtually this year, there can be little to match being immersed in the scenery of our incredible coastline.

"As well as helping us promote wellbeing and an active lifestyle, the event will showcase this little-known pocket of beauty in Cumbria.

“Our tourism and other businesses took a real knock during the pandemic - our support for this project, and others like it, will help them build back and support jobs. We will work closely with businesses and communities to maximise the benefits to the area.”

All the routes largely follow the new English Coastal Path, with the ultra marathon starting in Millom and ending in Whitehaven. The route takes in beaches, dunes, farm land and towering cliffs.