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35-713: The Three Peaks Race is a fell race held annually on the last weekend in April, starting and finishing in Horton in Ribblesdale . The course traverses the Yorkshire Three Peaks . The present distance is about 23 miles (37 km). The first known circuits undertaken by athletes, as distinct from walkers, were not made until the winter of 1948/49. Three Leeds climbers, Des Birch, Jack Bloor and Arthur Dolphin, who were also members of Harehills Harriers, completed

70-486: A brass band, the church choir, and others carrying their own decorated rush-bearing. The annual Grasmere Sports in August were first held in 1852. Participants compete in a variety of sports, including Cumberland wrestling , fell running and hound trails (similar to drag hunting ). Grasmere Gingerbread is made to a "secret recipe" popularised by Sarah Nelson (1815–1904). By the early 19th century, Grasmere gingerbread

105-616: A community of shepherds and agricultural labourers comparisons of speed and strength were interesting to spectators as a source of professional pride for competitors. The most famous of these events in England, the Grasmere Sports meeting in the Lake District , with its Guide's Race , still takes place every year in August. The Fell Runners Association started in April 1970 to organise the duplication of event calendars for

140-632: A few minutes to, generally, a few hours. The longest common fell running challenges tend to be rounds to be completed within 24 hours, such as the Bob Graham Round . Some of the mountain marathons do call for pairs of runners to carry equipment and food for camping overnight. Longer possible routes do exist, such as an attempt at a continuous round of Munros . Mountaineers who traverse light and fast over high Alpine, Himalayan or through other such continental, high altitudes are considered alpine-style mountaineers by fell runners. Races run under

175-579: A longer or a more difficult course being made in 1975, 1983 and 1987. In 1981 the race was postponed due to heavy snowfall and took place in October. The 2001 edition was cancelled due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease . The 2020 race was cancelled and the 2021 edition postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The 5th World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge was incorporated into

210-584: A still extant word meaning "lake" or "pool". The village is on the River Rothay , which flows into Grasmere lake about ⅓ mile (500 metres) to the south. The village is overlooked from the north-west by the rocky hill of Helm Crag , popularly known as The Lion and the Lamb or the Old Lady at the organ . These names derive from the shape of rock formations on its summit, depending on the side from which it

245-728: A year to celebrate mass in the Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Wayside. Quakers still hold meetings of worship in Grasmere. Grasmere has many thriving community groups, including a branch of the Women's Institute which meets regularly. The Lakes were governed by an urban district council , before becoming part of the Lakes Urban District in 1934. The parish was abolished on 1 April 1974 to form Lakes . In 1961

280-399: Is Windermere , located 9 miles (14 kilometres) away; both bus routes provide direct access to and from the station. Grasmere's Rushbearing Ceremony, centred on St Oswald's Church , has ancient origins. The present-day ceremony is an annual event which features a procession through the village with bearings made from rushes and flowers. In this procession there are also six Maids of Honour,

315-570: Is "the lake (mere) flanked by grass." Although early spellings with "Grys-" or "Gris(s)-" might suggest Old Norse "griss", meaning "young pig" as the first element, evidence points to the Old English/Old Norse "gres", meaning grass, with the modern form influenced by Standard English. The medial "-s(s)e-" may, as suggested by Ekwall, point to the Old Norse "gres-saer" or "grass-lake" as the original name. The element "mere" refers to

350-588: Is a village and former civil parish , now in the parish of Lakes , in the Westmorland and Furness district of Cumbria , England, and situated in the centre of the Lake District and named after its adjacent lake . Grasmere lies within the historic county of Westmorland . The Ambleside and Grasmere ward had an estimated population of 4,592 in 2019. William and Dorothy Wordsworth , the ' Lake Poets ', lived in Grasmere for 14 years and called it "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found." One possibility

385-410: Is also distinct from those disciplines. Fell races are organised on the premise that contenders possess mountain navigation skills and carry adequate survival equipment as prescribed by the organiser. Fell running has common characteristics with cross-country running , but is distinguished by steeper gradients and upland country. It is sometimes considered a form of mountain running , but without

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420-619: Is often known as hill running, particularly in Scotland. It is sometimes called mountain running, as in the name of the Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association although the term mountain running often has connotations of WMRA races which tend to be on smoother, drier trails and lack the route choice which may be available in fell races. Fell race courses are often longer than cross-country running courses, steeper and unmarked when out on

455-808: Is published beforehand and runners may reconnoitre the course to reduce the risk of losing time working out where to run during the race. Category O events and Mountain Marathons ( see also below ), test navigational ability, attracting both orienteers and fell runners. Other multi-terrain events, such as the Cotswold Way Relay and the Long Mynd Hike , also qualify as fell races under Fell Runners Association rules. Some fell running could also be classed as trail running . Trail running normally takes place on good paths or tracks which are relatively easy to follow and does not necessarily involve

490-612: Is surrounded by high ground. (At Christmas 2015, the A591 was washed away on the Keswick side of Dunmail Raise, causing traffic to make a long detour. It reopened in May 2016.) To the west, a long ridge comes down from High Raise and contains the lesser heights of Blea Rigg and Silver How . To the east, Grasmere is bordered by the western ridge of the Fairfield horseshoe . Grasmere lies on

525-528: Is viewed. The several walks that begin in the village include the ascent of Helm Crag, a longer route up to Fairfield , and a moderate 600' (200-metre) ascent to Easedale Tarn . The village is also on the route of Alfred Wainwright 's Coast to Coast Walk . The main A591 road connects Grasmere to the Vale of Keswick over Dunmail Raise to the north, and to Ambleside to the south. In other directions, Grasmere

560-951: The World Mountain Running Championships . There are also continental championships, such as the African Mountain Running Championships , the European Mountain Running Championships , the South American Mountain Running Championships and the North American Central American and Caribbean Mountain Running Championships . The first British Fell Running Championships , then known as Fell Runner of

595-580: The 19th century. From the 19th century records survive of fell races taking place as a part of community fairs and games. The sport was a simple affair and was based upon each community's values for physical ability. Fell races took place alongside other sports such as wrestling, sprint races and (especially in Scotland) heavy events such as throwing the hammer . These fairs or games events were often commercial as well as cultural, with livestock shows and sales taking place alongside music, dancing and sports. In

630-539: The 2008 race. A women's race has been run since 1979. Fell running Fell running , also sometimes known as hill running , is the sport of running and racing, off-road, over upland country where the gradient climbed is a significant component of the difficulty. The name arises from the origins of the English sport on the fells of northern Britain, especially those in the Lake District . It has elements of trail running, cross country and mountain running, but

665-585: The FRA Rules For Competition of the Fell Runners Association are categorised by the amount of ascent and distance. Modern fell-running trainers use light, non-waterproof material to eject water and dislodge peat after traversing boggy ground. While the trainer needs to be supple, to grip an uneven, slippery surface, a degree of side protection against rock and scree (loose stones) may be provided. Rubber studs have been

700-755: The UK is probably the traverse of the Cuillin Main Ridge on Skye , the Greater Traverse, including Blaven and the Lakes Classic Rock Round . The Fell Runners Association (FRA) publishes a calendar of 400 to 500 races per year. Additional races, less publicised, are organised in UK regions. The British Open Fell Runners Association (BOFRA) publishes a smaller calendar of races (usually 15 championship races, and other smaller events, such as galas or shows)>– mostly derived from

735-458: The Year, were held in 1972 and the scoring was based on results in all fell races. In 1976 this was changed to the runner's best ten category A races and further changes took place to the format in later years. Starting with the 1986 season, an English Fell Running Championships series has also taken place, based on results in various races of different lengths over the year. Race records vary from

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770-674: The amateur sport. As of 2013 it administers amateur fell running in England, in affiliation with British athletics. Separate governing bodies exist for each country of the United Kingdom and each country has its own tradition of fell running, though the sport is largely the same. The most important races of the year include the Ben Nevis Race in Scotland, run regularly since 1937, and the Snowdon Race in Wales. Fell running

805-593: The basic 'Round' later runners such as Eric Beard (56 tops in 1963) and Joss Naylor (72 tops in 1975) have raised the 24-hour Lakeland record considerably. The present record is 78 peaks, set by Kim Collison, on 11–12 July 2020; the previous record of 77 peaks, set by Mark Hartell, had stood since 1997. The women's record of 68 peaks was set in 2022 by Fiona Pascall. Most fell-running regions have their own challenges or "rounds": [REDACTED] Media related to Fell running at Wikimedia Commons Welsh Fell Runners Association Grasmere (village) Grasmere

840-503: The course in times varying from 4:27 to 5:20, with Des Birch setting the first record at 4:27. The first race was organised by Preston Harriers and took place in 1954 and it was thought that there was a good chance of Des Birch's time being beaten. The conditions for the race were reasonably good but with a strong easterly wind making it feel cold. The start was at the Hill Inn, Chapel-le-Dale , with six runners taking part. Ingleborough

875-419: The hills (with a few exceptions). Fell running also overlaps with orienteering . Courses are again typically longer but with less emphasis on navigation. Fell running does sometimes require navigational skills in a mountainous environment, particularly in determining and choosing between routes, and poor weather may increase the need for navigation. However, in most fell races, the route or sequence of checkpoints

910-551: The main A591 road between Keswick and Kendal . The town is well-connected by public transport, primarily served by the Stagecoach 555 bus service. This service links Grasmere with various towns, including Keswick , Ambleside , Kendal , and Lancaster . Additionally, Stagecoach operates an open-top bus service, known as the 599 or 'Lakesider,' providing a scenic journey connecting Ambleside , Bowness-on-Windermere , and occasionally Kendal . The nearest railway station

945-525: The mode for two decades, preceded by ripple soles, spikes and the flat-soled "pumps" of the fifties. Fell runners have set many of the peak bagging records in the UK. In 1932 the Lakeland runner Bob Graham set a record of 42 Lakeland peaks in 24 hours. His feat, now known as the Bob Graham Round , was not repeated for many years (in 1960); by 2011, however, it had become a fell runner's test-piece, and had been repeated by more than 1,610 people. Building on

980-568: The parish had a population of 1029. Grasmere is part of the Westmorland and Lonsdale parliamentary constituency, and is represented by the Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron . Grasmere has lost population since the 1960s. George Pickering painted many views around Grasmere, and an engraving of one of these, Grassmere Lake and Village, Westmorland , was published in Fisher's Drawing Room Sketch Book, 1834, accompanied by

1015-693: The premise that a contender possesses mountain navigational skills and carries adequate survival equipment. In Ireland, events are organised by the Irish Mountain Running Association. The World Mountain Running Association is the governing body for mountain running and as such is sanctioned by and affiliated with the IAAF, the International Association of Athletics Federations . It organises

1050-492: The professional guide races – in England and Scotland and organises a championship series. In Scotland, all known hill races (both professional and amateur) are listed in the annual calendar of Scottish Hill Runners . In Wales, the Welsh Fell Runners Association provides a similar service. Northern Ireland events are organised by Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association . Again, races are run on

1085-429: The significant amounts of ascent that are required in fell running. Fell running does not involve rock climbing and routes are subject to change if ground nearby becomes unstable. A small number of fell runners who are also rock climbers, nevertheless do attempt records traversing ridges that allow running and involve scrambling and rock climbing – particularly where the record is 24 hours or less. Foremost of these in

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1120-535: The smoother trails and predetermined routes often associated with mountain running. The first recorded hill race took place in Scotland. King Malcolm Canmore organised a race in Braemar in 1040 or perhaps as late as 1064, reputedly to find a swift messenger. This event appears to have been a precursor to the Braemar Gathering . There is no documented connection between this event and the fell races of

1155-489: The third finisher was Alf Case in 5:02. From 1964 onwards, the event was organised by the Three Peaks Race Association and in 1975 the race venue was transferred from Chapel-le-Dale to Horton in Ribblesdale . The shortest time for completion of any version of the race is 2:29:53 seconds, set by Jeff Norman in 1974. However, the route has changed multiple times since then, with alterations leading to

1190-576: Was being sold as fairings and as a popular seller in its own right. Poet Dorothy Wordsworth wrote in 1803 that she and her brother William craved the gingerbread. Grasmere contains the winner of the "Get Started Award 2014" awarded by the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs : the Chocolate Cottage. Until September 2013, Grasmere's three main church parishes ( Catholic , Church of England and Methodist ) gathered three times

1225-404: Was climbed first, where the competitors were bunched together after 27 minutes, followed by Pen-y-ghent which was reached by the leader Fred Bagley in 1:48, one minute ahead of Stan Bradshaw. At the summit of the final peak, Whernside , Bagley's time of 3:28 gave him a lead of 12 minutes over Bradshaw, and the former returned to the Hill Inn with a total time of 3:48. Bradshaw finished in 4:06 and

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