Winter Hill Fell Race - 11miles 2700ft AM

A well timed winter anticyclone meant fantastic cloudless conditions for this years Winter Hill Fell Race. The views from the summit were extensive including much of the Yorkshire Dales and the South Pennines. The entry form was quiet clear, this was going to be a tough race.

As this is a race, I didn't feel it proper to stop and take any photographs so I have sourced some from a website taken on a different day.


© Copyright Liz Dawson


© Copyright Alan Southworth

196 people lined up on the start line which meant we were all a bit boxed in and nobody could really get into the running flow for the first half a mile or so. The sun was low in the sky, as such competitors were blinded on the tracks up to Rivington Pike and I didn't have a clue where I was going until about a mile later when the sun was shielded by the hills. Over the first stile and we were onto proper South Pennine moorland and I got a distinct feeling I was going to enjoy the race.

Just After the Start:



Looking on the course map, you'd be forgiven for assuming that 80% of the course is run without paths. Thankfully, as a bit of pre race Google Earth revealed, this wasn't the case as there were many unmarked paths. Weather conditions were fantastic, but the same couldn't be said for the conditions underfoot. I was considering myself very lucky when a competitor in front of me went up to his mid thigh in a bog, as I was able to avoid the worst of it, if I'd have known the same was about to happen to me, I may have been a bit more conservative. Harsh and unforgiving underfoot conditions are commonplace all year round in the South Pennines, you should expect a mouth full of mud on at least one occasion. No terra firma today!

If you have a glance at the course profile on John Mayalls excellent website (click here), you'll see that the race hosts multiple climbs, 5 in fact. Each seeming progressively harder.

Critics of the race would say that the course goes up and down the same hill far too many times, considering that you pass the summit, or near the summit 3 times, I can understand where they are coming from. However, brilliant conditions led to a thoroughly enjoyable 2 and a bit hours on the fells. Nothing, even the snapping of my rucksack strap could change.

Approaching the Finish Line:



Course Statistics

Distance: 11miles (17.6km)
Climb: 2700ft (822m)
Starters: 196
Position: 67th
Winners Time: 01:31:27
My Time: 02:05:12

Click here for the Winter Hill Fell Race route. This shouldn't be treated as an accurate route, it may be slightly wrong in some places however all the check points are located correctly.