There are two solutions to this problem.

Passing rings

The first is to use a pole that has passing rings and brackets. These are intended for bay windows but can be used on straight runs too. The rings are ‘C’ shaped and slide past specially designed brackets which mean you can have one pole several metres long.

Combined pole/track

The second solution is to use a pole with a track set into it. These are available in metal or wood finishes with a range of finials, corded mechanisms and some have false rings to look more like a real pole. They are supplied with a special overclip bracket which allows the curtain to pass freely along the whole length of the pole.

Metal examples are the Metropole by Silent Gliss, or the CRS from Evans Textiles. Wooden poles with metal overclip brackets are available from suppliers such as Opus Studio.