Sara Cox Starts 135-Mile Charity Trek for Children in Need

Sara Cox, the 50-year-old BBC Radio 2 presenter, began a demanding 135-mile charity trek on Monday, November 10, 2025, aiming to raise funds for BBC Children in Need by covering the equivalent of five marathons over five days across northern England.

The Great Northern Marathon Challenge started at Kielder Forest in Northumberland, near the Scottish border, and will conclude on Friday, November 14, in Pudsey, Leeds, the hometown of the charity's iconic bear mascot. Cox, who hosts the station's weekday teatime show, plans to run, jog and walk through Northumberland, Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, navigating sweeping moorlands, steep ridges and rolling hills while carrying a Pudsey Bear backpack. The route includes daily segments: from Kielder to Hexham on the first day; Hexham to Wolsingham in County Durham on the second, featuring a challenging 1,500-foot ascent up Bale Hill; Wolsingham to Northallerton on Wednesday; Northallerton to Harrogate on Thursday; and Harrogate to Pudsey on Friday.

On the opening day, Cox completed more than 26 miles in rainy conditions, finishing in Hexham after crossing the River North Tyne and Hadrian's Wall. She described feeling "done...