Smelly Helly is a community of runners and walkers who meet to enjoy outdoor activities, social events and shared challenges. Its programme includes regular NiteNav events, using map-based navigation to find a series of controls, as well as scheduled fell and hill races such as the Tom Ellerton Uphill Mile and Fell Challenge. The group also organises monthly Thursday walks, with routes across towns, villages and countryside in the North East and beyond. Walks may include local history, coastal scenery, countryside trails and opportunities to visit cafés or other attractions.

Smelly Helly shares event schedules, results, route information, photographs and updates through its website and member communications. Members also use a private Strava club to share running, cycling and NiteNav routes. The group supports community involvement, including volunteering at parkrun, and has raised charitable donations in support of Parkinson’s UK. Its activities bring together people with an interest in running, walking, navigation and companionship, with events designed to accommodate different experiences and preferences.