The Borrowdale Fell Race is an annual fell race held in August, starting and finishing in Rosthwaite. It is considered to be one of the "classic" Lakeland races and the route initially heads over Bessyboot before climbing England's highest summit, Scafell Pike. Great Gable is then scaled before a descent to Honister Pass and the final climb up Dale Head. The distance is approximately 17 miles (27 kilometres) and the route has around 6,500 feet (2,000 metres) of ascent. [1]
The race, sponsored by Miles Jessop of the Scafell Hotel, Borrowdale, and the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, Langdale, was originally intended to link those two establishments. However, Chris Bland, Andy Ewing and others decided on the route via Bessyboot, Esk Hause, Scafell Pike, Great Gable, Honister Hause and Dale Head. The inaugural race was held in 1974 and in that year only, there was an extra checkpoint in Tongue Gill on the descent to Rosthwaite. [2]
In 2001, a foot-and-mouth outbreak led to the cancellation of many fell races. Borrowdale was one of the first to take place as the access restrictions were reduced, and Prince Philip presented the prizes to the leading runners that year. [3]
In 2003, the route to the first checkpoint on Bessyboot was changed following concerns about the possibility of serious injuries due to falling rocks on the steep climb. [4]
The 2007 race was run over a shortened course due to inclement weather. After the climb up Bessyboot and traverse to Esk Hause, runners were directed to Sty Head, missing out Scafell Pike on which conditions were considered to be unsafe. From Sty Head, the usual route was rejoined with the ascent of Great Gable. [5]
A forecast thunderstorm at the time of the 2021 race resulted in a shorter route of around 8 miles (13 kilometres) being used that year. The course went over High Spy and Dale Head, then down to Honister before returning to Rosthwaite. [6]
Borrowdale is one of the Lakeland Classics Trophy races [7] and it has frequently been one of the counting races in the English or British Fell Running Championships. [8]
The men's course record is held by Billy Bland with a time of 2:34:38 set in 1981. [9] The fastest time in the years since then is 2:35:18 by Simon Booth in the 1999 event when the race was featured on the BBC’s Grandstand. [10] The women’s record is 3:14:36 by Menna Angharad in 1997. [11]
Simon Booth has the most wins, with twelve between 1995 and 2010. Billy Bland won ten times between 1976 and 1988. Sarah Haines won the women’s race five times between 1985 and 1990.
A board showing the winners of the race is on permanent display in the Scafell Hotel. [12]
The winners have been as follows. [13]
| Year | Men | Time | Women | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Dave Halstead | 3:05:07[Note 1] | ||
| 1975 | Mike Short | 3:13:30 | ||
| 1976 | Billy Bland | 2:53:30 | ||
| 1977 | Mike Short | 2:49:03 | ||
| 1978 | Mike Short | 2:44:52 | ||
| 1979 | Billy Bland | 2:37:11 | ||
| 1980 | Billy Bland | 2:41:31 | Pauline Haworth | 3:50:45 |
| 1981 | Billy Bland | 2:34:38 | Ros Coats | 3:30:30 |
| 1982 | Billy Bland | 2:43:38 | Rosie Naish | 3:55:13 |
| 1983 | Kenny Stuart | 2:45:25 | Daphne Varney | 3:54:30 |
| 1984 | Billy Bland | 2:37:45 | Pauline Haworth | 3:26:05 |
| 1985 | Billy Bland | 2:42:13 | Sarah Haines | 4:13:43 |
| 1986 | Billy Bland | 2:52:38 | Sarah Haines | 4:29:17 |
| 1987 | Billy Bland | 2:41:18 | Sarah Haines | 3:50:23 |
| 1988 | Billy Bland | 2:42:50 | Sarah Haines | 3:38:26 |
| 1989 | Dave Spedding | 2:50:37 | Sue Mackay | 3:53:17 |
| 1990 | Mark Rigby | 2:40:07 | Sarah Haines | 3:29:19 |
| 1991 | Gavin Bland | 2:40:37 | Helene Diamantides | 3:26:05 |
| 1992 | Gavin Bland | 2:43:33 | Helene Diamantides | 3:30:31 |
| 1993 | Gavin Bland | 2:47:43 | Mari Todd | 3:53:40 |
| 1994 | Ian Holmes | 2:42:22 | Nicola Davies | 3:37:31 |
| 1995 | Simon Booth | 2:49:33 | Menna Angharad | 3:25:33 |
| 1996 | Ian Holmes | 2:45:56 | Sarah Rowell | 3:15:34 |
| 1997 | Jonathan Bland | 2:42:04 | Menna Angharad | 3:14:36 |
| 1998 | Simon Booth | 2:40:18 | Louise Osborn | 3:46:06 |
| 1999 | Simon Booth | 2:35:18 | Helene Diamantides | 3:14:45 |
| 2000 | Simon Booth | 2:42:46 | Janet King | 3:17:19 |
| 2001 | Simon Booth | 2:47:13 | Hilde Krynen | 3:56:03 |
| 2002 | Simon Booth | 2:50:20 | Helen Jackson | 3:58:10 |
| 2003 | Simon Booth | 2:49:12 | Nicola Davies | 3:46:18 |
| 2004 | Simon Booth | 2:50:37 | Jill Mykura | 3:41:02 |
| 2005 | Simon Booth | 2:46:18 | Nicola Davies | 3:40:25 |
| 2006 | Simon Booth | 3:01:48 | Helene Diamantides | 3:44:24 |
| 2007[Note 2] | Ben Bardsley | 2:18:29 | Sharon Taylor | 3:03:10 |
| 2008 | Simon Booth | 2:49:50 | Janet McIver | 3:25:34 |
| 2009 | Rob Jebb | 2:51:54 | Mary Gillie | 4:00:24 |
| 2010 | Simon Booth | 2:52:42 | Philippa Maddams | 3:19:42 |
| 2011 | Ben Abdelnoor | 2:52:37 | Andrea Rowlands | 3:47:43 |
| 2012 | Ricky Lightfoot | 2:49:20 | Jasmin Paris | 3:32:03 |
| 2013 | Ricky Lightfoot | 2:51:24 | Nicky Spinks | 3:53:13 |
| 2014 | Ricky Lightfoot | 3:03:16 | Judith Jepson | 3:56:59 |
| 2015 | Ricky Lightfoot | 2:54:14 | Jasmin Paris | 3:15:33 |
| 2016 | Ricky Lightfoot | 2:49:21 | Lou Roberts | 3:26:09 |
| 2017 | Carl Bell | 2:50:05 | Catherine Spurden | 3:45:14 |
| 2018 | Ricky Lightfoot | 2:51:59 | Jasmin Paris | 3:32:46 |
| 2019 | Ricky Lightfoot | 3:03:57 | Majka Kunicka | 4:00:05 |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021[Note 2] | Ricky Lightfoot | 1:16:00 | Sharon Taylor | 1:33:14 |
| 2022 | Brennan Townshend | 2:58:42 | Anna Lupton | 3:48:04 |
| 2023 | Brennan Townshend | 2:53:16 | Holly Wootten | 3:49:05 |
| 2024 | Tom Simpson | 3:01:24 | Nichola Jackson | 3:26:16 |
Note 1: Halstead's time is given as 3:05:57 on the winners’ board but as 3:05:07 in other sources.
Note 2: The 2007 and 2021 races were run over shorter courses.
Scafell Pike is a mountain in the Lake District region of Cumbria, England. It has an elevation of 978 metres (3,209 ft) above sea level, making it the highest and the most prominent mountain in England. The mountain is part of the Scafell massif, an inactive volcano, and is one of the Southern Fells.
Great Gable is a mountain in the Lake District, United Kingdom. It is named after its appearance as a pyramid from Wasdale, though it is dome-shaped from most other directions. It is one of the most popular of the Lakeland fells, and there are many different routes to the summit. Great Gable is linked by the high pass of Windy Gap to its smaller sister hill, Green Gable, and by the lower pass of Beck Head to its western neighbour, Kirk Fell.
Bowfell is a pyramid-shaped mountain lying at the heart of the English Lake District, in the Southern Fells area. It is the sixth-highest mountain in the Lake District and one of the most popular of the Lake District fells for walkers. It is listed in Alfred Wainwright's 'best half dozen' Lake District fells.
Great End is the most northerly mountain in the Scafell chain, in the English Lake District. From the south it is simply a lump continuing this chain. From the north, however, it appears as an immense mountain, with an imposing north face rising above Sprinkling Tarn (lake). This is a popular location for wild camping, and the north face attracts many climbers.
Dale Head is a fell in the north-western sector of the Lake District, in northern England. It is 753 metres or 2,470 foot above sea level and stands immediately north of Honister Pass, the road between Borrowdale and Buttermere.
Borrowdale is a valley and civil parish in the English Lake District in Cumberland, England. It is in the ceremonial county of Cumbria, and is sometimes referred to as Cumberland Borrowdale to distinguish it from another Borrowdale in the historic county of Westmorland.
Esk Pike is a fell in the English Lake District, one of the cirque of hills forming the head of Eskdale.
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Base Brown is a fell in England's Lake District, near the head of the Borrowdale Valley. It forms one side of the Seathwaite Valley, and on the western side it is flanked by the hanging valley of Gillercomb.
Green Gable is a fell in the English Lake District often traversed by walkers en route to its more famous neighbour Great Gable. It can be ascended from Honister Pass, Seathwaite in Borrowdale, or Ennerdale. There are good views of Gable Crag, Scafell Pike and the Buttermere valley from the summit.
Grey Knotts is a fell in the English Lake District. It is situated one kilometre south of the B5289 road as it crosses the Honister Pass. It is well seen from mid-Borrowdale as it rises above Seatoller. Grey Knotts reaches a height of 697 metres and is part of a ridge which ascends from the woodland behind Seatoller and continues south-west and then south for four kilometres to Great Gable. The fell's name really only applies to the summit rocks, but has been adopted for the entire fell with the high ground in this area, locally known as Seatoller Fell on Ordnance Survey maps.
Allen Crags is a fell in the English Lake District, it lies in a group of very popular hills and is regarded as part of the Scafell group of fells. It is a hill that is frequently traversed by walkers along its ridge but is seldom climbed as the sole objective.
The Southern Fells are a part of the Cumbrian Mountains in the Lake District of England. Including Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England, they occupy a broad area to the south of Great Langdale, Borrowdale and Wasdale. High and rocky towards the centre of the Lake District, the Southern Fells progressively take on a moorland character toward the south-west. In the south-east are the well-known Furness Fells, their heavily quarried flanks rising above Coniston Water.
Gavin Bland is a British fell runner who was a British and English champion and represented his country at the World Mountain Running Trophy.
Simon Booth is an English runner who was twice the British fell running champion and who has represented his country at the World Mountain Running Trophy.
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