The people's voice of Greater Manchester

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AJ Handley-Rowe - 10th November 2021

A scenic trail run event from Manchester to the Peak District is happening this summer

Danny Jones Trail run and hiking marathon from Manchester to the Peaks

For those who love to run or simply lap up the outdoors, a scenic trail event from Manchester all the way to the Peak District is happening this summer.

Whether you fancy running, walking or hiking it, doing a full marathon or a slightly more leisurely 25 kilometres, Trail Escape Manchester 2026 might just be up your street – well, ‘desired path’, maybe.

Yes, with the North West region at large kicking off the New Year well and truly in its running era, yet another endurance event has popped up.

However, if trotting along tarmac isn’t quite your thing, this one that heads up into the hills is a great alternative; plus, you can do it at your own pace and, as mentioned, choose your distance.

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Taking place right at the start of the warmest and brightest season, meaning you have the chance of the best weather and the most light possible, Trail Escape MCR 2026 is exactly as advertised: a big long route spanning all the way from one of our best green spaces and up into the Peaks.

Setting off from Phillips Park just a couple of miles beyond the city limits, which lays within the valley of the River Medlock, it’s one of the oldest, largest and most beautiful parks anywhere in the 10 boroughs.

As for the Peak District itself, we don’t need to tell you pretty the vistas are up there: all you may require is a little lay of the land, or rather a teaser.

The best part about these kinds of experiences is enjoying the terrain unfurling itself in front on you.

Starting in central Manchester and preferring as many traffic-free turns on the route as possible, they promise “rolling hills, fields, lakes and woodland beyond”, with the high-point looping around Hartshead Pike up in Tameside.

You can see the full interactive map on Strava below or you can even download the route for yourself.

Participants will of course end back here in Manchester city centre, where the celebrations are sure to be jubilant, and there’s plenty of time for spectators to enjoy local pubs, cafes and more in Mossley before catching everyone at the finish line.

Now, it’s worth reiterating that while this is a timed event, it is NOT a race; any and all attempts at doing this particualrly quickly are completely down to you.

The real beauty of this event, besides the stunning panoromic views stretching across the Peaks and eventually the Manchester skyline off in the distance, is the joy of discovering these landscape that you might otherwise have witnessed solo.

Better still, with this being a full supported event, there’ll be plenty of aid stations throughout the duration, whether you’re doing the 25k or a full trail mara. Sound like a bit of you? Find out more information, including where to sign up, right HERE.

Gosh, all this talk of trails has us fancying a jog and a casual little pint afterwards…

This massive Manchester running club where jogs finish at the pub is the best

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Featured Images — Trail Escape (publicity pictures)

Greater Manchester council tax to be increased again to help fund improvements to policing

Emily Sergeant GMP synagogue attack

Council tax could be increased across Greater Manchester to help fund improvements to policing.

Once again, just as they have been for the past couple of years, residents across Greater Manchester are being urged to have their say on proposals to increase the police precept that forms part of their council tax bill. 

Three quarters of police funding comes from a central Government grant, but the remaining quarter comes from Greater Manchester Combined Authority‘s (GMCA) police precept.

The police precept helps Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to build on a range of improvements, including the speed of answering 999 and 101 calls, road and transport safety across Manchester city centre, and bringing more sex offenders to justice, among many other things.

The Mayor for Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, is dedicated to delivering on community promises and making greater Manchester a safer place to be.

To continue excelling as one of the best police forces in the country, we want to understand what matters most to you about local… pic.twitter.com/7d5OhVXF7P
— Mayor of Greater Manchester (@MayorofGM) January 13, 2026

GMCA says its ‘top priority’ is to build strong communities where people feel safe, and it is Mayor Andy Burnham and his Deputy Mayors’ responsibility to enable GMP to be an ‘effective and efficient’ police force.  

To maintain the investment required for policing to protect the public, GMCA has proposed an increase to the police precept by £11.66 per year (£0.97 a month) for a Band B property, which would equate to £15 per year (£1.25 a month) for a Band D property.

80% of households in Greater Manchester are in Bands A-C, just to provide some context.

As a result of last year’s police precept increases, GMP says it was able to reduce neighbourhood crime by 15% across all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester, and overall, there was an increase in trust and confidence, with around 65% of local residents saying they were ‘confident’ they could get help from GMP in an emergency.

If the police precept is to be increased this year, as GMCA hopes, the ambition is to maintain a ‘high performing’ police service, and enable GMP to build on its track record of improvement.

Houses — Greater Manchester council tax could be increased again to help fund improvements to policing / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)

“We need GMP to be properly funded if it is to continue to deliver an effective and responsive service for people in Greater Manchester,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham.

“The cost of running a modern police force is going up and this is at a time when our city region has become the fastest-growing economy in the UK, with visitor numbers increasing year after year.

“So much is happening here and that includes a number of major and complex incidents over the past year, including a terrorist attack. These incidents added significant pressure to police resources. 

“We recognise the ongoing impact of the rising cost of living and do not take the decision to increase the precept lightly. But right now, this increase is our only option to ensure GMP can continue delivering an effective police service that ensures that people feel safe in their own communities.”

The Greater Manchester public can respond to the police precept consultation online at www.gmconsult.org until next Wednesday 21 January.

Featured Image – GMP