FUGA Mountain Club athlete aims to establish a new ultra-running challenge linking every hill, tor and peak named in honour of environmental pioneer Ethel Haythornthwaite.
Ultra-runner Rebecca Hormann will set out on Thursday 22 October to attempt the first continuous round of all 95 Peak District Ethels, tackling a route covering 275 miles and more than 40,000 feet of elevation gain.
Starting and finishing in Hope, Derbyshire, Hormann is scheduled to begin the Ethels275 at 11am on 22 October 2026. The challenge will connect all 95 hills, tors and peaks named in honour of Ethel Haythornthwaite, the environmental campaigner whose work helped pave the way for the Peak District becoming the UK’s first national park in 1951.
Hormann heads into the attempt after an impressive year of ultra-running performances. Earlier in 2026, she won her first 200-mile race at Terra de Gigantes, setting a female course record of 46 hours and 13 minutes. Last month, she added another course record at Italy’s technical TOR100 by Kailas FUGA.
The idea for the Ethels275 developed following her completion of the iconic Bob Graham Round in the Lake District earlier this year. Inspired by the traditional round format, Hormann has designed the route as a continuous endurance challenge that she hopes other runners will be able to take on in the years to come.
For Hormann, the project is about more than distance and elevation. It also reflects her connection with the Peak District and the legacy of the woman whose campaigning helped protect its landscape.
“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,” said Hormann.
“When I moved to Manchester, ‘bagging’ Peak District 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.”
The attempt is supported by FUGA Mountain Club (FMC), an international team backed by trail-running brand Kailas FUGA. With more than 500 competitive athletes on its roster, the club provides equipment, coaching and race opportunities, while also working to make trail running more accessible and champion women in the sport.
Earlier this year, FMC supported the first women-only trail races in Italy and Switzerland, reflecting its wider commitment to encouraging female participation in trail running.
Hormann will wear the Kailas FUGA EX 330 shoes for the Ethels275 attempt.
If successful, her effort will establish a new continuous round linking all 95 Ethels, creating another long-distance challenge for the ultra-running community to explore and attempt in the future.
RunUltra will be following Hormann’s progress as she takes on the challenge.
