🍻 Otley Run Guide

What is the Otley Run?

The Otley Run is one of the UK’s most famous pub crawls, running from Headingley into Leeds city centre. It follows a set route of 18 pubs, usually done in fancy dress, and can take anything from 6 to 10+ hours depending on pace.

Key facts

• 18 pubs in total
• Distance: roughly 2–3 miles
• Average time: 6–10 hours
• Start: Headingley
• Finish: Leeds city centre (Dry Dock)

How long does it take?

• Fast pace: around 6 hours
• Normal pace: 7–9 hours
• Slow / chaotic: 10+ hours

Use the live tracker to keep pace and see your estimated finish time.

Best time to start

• Before 12pm: quieter, easier to manage
• 1–3pm: busiest and most chaotic
• After 3pm: expect queues and delays

How to survive the Otley Run

• Start slower than you think you should
• Eat before and during the run
• Drink water between pubs
• Don’t try to match the fastest person in your group
• Plan how you’re getting home

Fancy dress tips

• Make sure you can walk in it for hours
• Avoid masks (especially if you wear glasses)
• Layers are better than one-piece outfits
• Trainers > anything else

Need ideas? Check the fancy dress page.

Common mistakes

• Starting too fast
• Skipping food
• Losing your group
• Underestimating the walking

Otley Run FAQs

Do you have to do all 18 pubs?

No. Plenty of groups skip a few stops or start later. All 18 is the full version, but most people adapt it.

Can you skip pubs and still say you did it?

Depends who you ask. Purists say all 18. Most people say if you did most of it, you still count.

Is the Otley Run every day?

The route exists every day, but Saturdays are when it’s busiest and most chaotic.

Do you need fancy dress?

No, but it’s a big part of the experience. You’ll see both.

What should you wear?

Something you can walk in all day. Comfort beats commitment.

Do you need a tracker?

No, but it’s easy to lose your place. That’s why the Live Tracker exists.