Women runners from across West Cumbria celebrated International Women’s Day on Sunday with a 50-mile relay along the Cumbrian coast.
Two teams from the West Coast Wanderers, a women’s trail running community, ran towards each other from Seascale and Silloth before meeting at Rosehill Theatre, near Whitehaven.
The event was organised by Due North CIC, which works to celebrate and connect people with the landscapes and communities of northern England.
The relay was organised to celebrate women in outdoor sport and to showcase the stunning coastline and trail routes available across West Cumbria.
The evening continued with the inaugural Coast & Trails Festival at Rosehill Theatre, featuring screenings from the London Mountain Film Festival, guest speakers and the premiere of the Due North film TAHIRA by Summit Fever Media.
Special guest speaker Carol Morgan shared the story of her solo winter completion of the Bob Graham Round, while LMB Coaching provided inspiration as both guest speaker and compere for the evening.
The event was supported by The Outdoor Partnership Cumbria, which works to increase opportunities for people across the county to take part in outdoor activities.
Mel Steventon, director of Due North CIC, said: “International Women’s Day felt like the perfect opportunity to bring women together outdoors and celebrate the incredible coastline we have here in West Cumbria.
“Seeing the two teams run towards each other and meet in the middle was really special, and the atmosphere at the festival in the evening was fantastic.”
