21k Run Macclesfield: Scenic Challenge at Shutlingsloe Peak

Route Overview & Local Insights

Conquer the "Matterhorn of Cheshire" on this challenging 21.3km half marathon loop through the heart of Macclesfield Forest. This SL-classified course is a true fell runner's dream, packing 660m of vertical gain across a punishing mix of hardpack trails, technical rock gardens, and soft peat moorland. After an initial lung-busting climb to the 506m summit of Shutlingsloe, you'll descend into the steep-sided valley of Wildboarclough before crossing the high moors to Three Shires Head. Expect a diverse underfoot experience where muddy singletrack transitions into rugged stony descents through Cumberland Clough, requiring both grit and nimble footwork as you navigate the high-altitude sections above the 500m contour line.

Steeped in Peak District heritage, this route traverses an area rich in industrial and geographical history. As you pass the ruins of Danebower Colliery, you are witnessing the remnants of the highest coal mine in England, once a bustling site of gritstone and shale extraction. The passage through Three Shires Head offers a unique local milestone where the historic boundaries of Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire meet at a picturesque stone bridge over the River Dane. This landscape was once a royal hunting forest, and while the wild boar are long gone, the dense canopy of Macclesfield Forest still provides a dramatic, atmospheric backdrop for the final push back to the finish line.